ALGIERS- Six files of Algerian material cultural assets, oasis and urban sites, thematic routes, or even ancient funerary monuments appear on the indicative list of Unesco, in a provisional state of the assets to be proposed for inclusion in the world heritage of humanity.
The files of the “foggara oases and the ksour of the Grand Erg Occidental”, “Augustinian sites, places and itineraries of the central Maghreb”, “Nedroma and the Trara”, “Oued Souf”, “The Royal Mausoleums of Numidia”, the Mauretania and the pre-Islamic funerary monuments”, as well as the “Aurès Park with the oasis establishments of the Rhoufi and El Kantara gorges” appear, as stipulated in the 1972 Convention, on the indicative list of Unesco, indicates the academic and expert Toufik Hamoum.
According to this cultural heritage expert from the UNESCO World Heritage Center and Icesco, these files were registered in 2002 and include, among others, the Medghacen, the Royal Mausoleum of Mauretania, the Mausoleum of Beni Rhenan, the Djeddars and Tin Hinan Tomb.
This classification on the tentative list implies, according to the expert, “the commitment of the State Party to prepare nomination files with a view to their classification” on the World Heritage List. These files must be supported by the identification of all the criteria of the outstanding universal value of the proposed properties, and by the application of the corrective measures recommended by the World Heritage Committee after assessment of the condition of the property.
Once inscribed on the World Heritage List, the property “will change status to become universal heritage of humanity and will enjoy monitoring for its conservation, management and protection by all Unesco legal instruments”, explains Toufik Hamoum, specifying that this status will imply “financial contributions and international expertise for emergency operations on the property”, if necessary.
Asked about the state of conservation of the monuments concerned, he considers that they have experienced accelerated degradation during this century, due to various factors, first natural such as earthquakes and climate change, then human such as urban sprawl and development projects.
According to him, an update of the contents and elements indicative of nomination in the light of recent discoveries and studies, is also “necessary” to better consolidate the file of nomination to the world heritage, regretting a “lack of reactive follow-up of these files “.
Referring to files of similar cultural property on Tunisian territory, the academic recommends resuming these files in an “urgent” manner and adopting a “common classification approach”, Unesco currently favoring “joint initiatives to enhance a heritage share”.
Considering that heritage constitutes “grey matter for a cultural economy in all its dimensions and a certain alternative for development”, this professor from the Institute of Archeology believes that a classification on the World Heritage List is already a ” protection in itself”, implying “national and international legal protection”.
To a question on the contribution of a classification to Unesco, Toufik Hamoum explains that this approach also involves “direct assistance in the event of emergency situations”, the possible financing of restoration and enhancement operations , in addition to opening a concrete path for the promotion of our heritage internationally.
A classification also contributes, according to him, to the valuation and the sale of the image and the destination “Algeria” on the basis of “concrete and rewarding” elements, to succeed in this “imminent transition”.
Algeria has seven elements inscribed on the list of world heritage of humanity, “La Kalâa des Béni Hammad” in Msila, founded in the 11th century, was the first site to be included on this list in 1980. The year 1982 will see the inscription of the ancient sites of “Djemila” or the ancient Cuicul in Sétif, “Timgad” in Batna, and “Tipasa” (1982) and the fabulous museum open to the history of humanity, “Tassili N’Ajjer” , its group of rock art, its lunar landscape and its reserve of biological and ecological diversity.
The year will also see the classification of a first manned historic center, the “Valley of Mzab” and its fortified millennia ksours witnesses of the traditional habitat, followed ten years later by the entry of the city Mediterranean par excellence, the “Casbah”.
Each site is surrounded by major institutions like the Cultural Parks Mzab or Tassili N’Ajjer, besides preserving operations and a tourist operation provided by the Management Board and exploitation of cultural property (OGEBC).
Translated by Hope from APS.
