Venice Is Not Included In The List Of Endangered Sites, UNESCO Asks For Serious Conservation Steps

Venice's Guidecca channel. (Wikimedia Commons/Mario Roberto Duratur Ortiz)

JAKARTA - The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization Committee (UNESCO) decided not to add Venice to the World Heritage List in Danger, ignoring recommendations from experts, but asking for serious conservation measures to be taken.

"The World Heritage Committee has made the decision not to include Venice and its Laguna into the Endangered World Heritage List," UNESCO said in a statement when the committee held a meeting in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Meanwhile, Italian Culture Minister Gennaro Sangiuliano said adding Venice to the list was an "improper move" that was not based on objective facts.

"Therefore, Venice is not in danger," he said in a statement.

Venice, known for its cultural canals and sites, has long been threatened by floods and the number of tourist visits that could exceed the city's population.

Sangiuliano said UNESCO had positively assessed Italy's efforts to address these issues through the MOSE anti-flood system and with recent approval of entry fees for tourists, which will take effect next year.

However, UNESCO said there were still many steps to protect the fragile lagoon city.

"The committee reiterated its concerns about important issues that still need to be addressed for the appropriate conservation of this site, including those related to mass tourism, development projects and climate change," the agency said.

As previously reported, Venice will charge entry fees of 5 euros (IDR 82,395) for daily visitors starting next year, in order to try to manage the flow of tourists coming to historic canals there, the City Council said.

The fee will be applied in trials for 30 days next year, focusing on spring holidays and summer weekends, when the number of tourists peaks. Later, all visitors over the age of 14 will be charged entry fees.

The goal is to find a "new balance between the rights of those living, studying or working in Venice and those visiting the city," said Venice's tourism council member Simone Venturini.

In July, UNESCO experts recommended that Venice and its lagoon be added to the list of Endangered World Heritage, arguing Italy did not do enough to protect the city from the effects of climate change and mass tourism.