Are World Heritage Site listings a blessing or a curse?

A UNESCO World Heritage Site listing carries a great deal of prestige, but can also outprice local residents and exacerbate inequalities

By Rina Chandran

BANGKOK, July 27 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - A beloved British city stripped of its hard-won World Heritage listing, an Australian treasure spared the blushes after it was left off an "in danger" list, and a Thai national park hoping to be third-time lucky despite its spotty human rights record.

Why are World Heritage Site listings so sought after, and why are they so controversial?

What is a world heritage listing?       

The United Nations' cultural agency UNESCO in 1972 noted that cultural and natural heritage are increasingly under threat of damage from decay, and from changing social and economic conditions.

Some of these sites are of "outstanding interest" to all mankind and must be preserved, it said. These sites can include monuments, dwellings, forests and mountains.

Currently, there are more than 1,100 heritage sites on the list, which is updated every two years.

A separate intangible cultural heritage list was created in 2003 for items such as dance, music and traditions.

How does a site get world heritage listing?

A country first does an inventory of its natural and cultural heritage sites and makes a tentative list.

The government then presents a nomination file to the World Heritage Centre for review. This is evaluated by two advisory bodies: the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

The World Heritage Committee makes the final decision.

What are the benefits of a World Heritage Site listing?

A listing carries a great deal of prestige, and benefits include "increased tourist visitation, increases in employment opportunities and income for local communities, and better management and protection of the place," according to the government of Australia, which has 20 World Heritage Sites.

Sites can also receive monetary assistance from the World Heritage Fund.

Is there a downside to a World Heritage Site listing?

Criticism has grown over the years, with researchers, conservationists and human rights activists saying that the process is marred by bureaucratic wrangling and underhand deals between the committee and governments.

The rush of tourists - including so-called WHS baggers -  can outprice local residents and uproot communities.

There is also an imbalance between wealthier and poorer nations, with the former having far more sites on the list.

Even the IUCN has said the programme is in need of "radical change if (it) is to remain an effective conservation tool."

Why the controversy this year?

Last week the World Heritage Committee stripped Liverpool of its listing because new buildings undermined the city's "authenticity and integrity," making it only the third site to be removed from the prestigious list.

Then, the Committee said it would not add the Great Barrier Reef to a list of sites that are "in danger", some due to climate change, following intensive lobbying by Australia.

Environmental groups criticised the move, and said Australia was not doing enough to protect the reef.

On Monday, the Committee added Thailand's Kaeng Krachan forest complex after having rejected the government's bids in 2016 and 2019.

The addition came despite an unusual appeal last week by U.N. human rights experts to their colleagues at UNESCO: defer the bid until indigenous Karen people who live in the forest have been consulted.

"Should the nomination as heritage status be approved it would perpetuate the denial of the Karen's right to remain on their traditional lands and carry out their traditional livelihood activities," they said in a statement.

Hundreds of indigenous Karen people have been evicted from the national park, and a listing can mean more rights violations, said Surapong Kongchanthuk, head of the Karen Studies and Development Centre.

"They are not opposed to the listing - but the communities have not been reassured of their access to the forest," he told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

"They are concerned that a listing will mean more tourists, and no place in the forest for them," he said.

A spokesman for the forest department did not respond to requests for comment. 

This article was updated on July 27, 2021 to add approval of Thai forest complex as a World Heritage Site

(Reporting by Rina Chandran @rinachandran; Editing by Tom Finn. Please credit the Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers the lives of people around the world who struggle to live freely or fairly. Visit http://news.trust.org)

Source: Are World Heritage Site listings a blessing or a curse? (27/07/2021)

Victoria Falls F1 circuit construction reaches major milestone

Ricky Zililo & Innocent Kurirwa, Sports Reporters
PLANS to construct a Grand Prix Circuit in the resort city of Victoria Falls have reached a major milestone, with experts taking to the simulator to review the track design.

Proposed Victoria Falls F1 circuit

The circuit, which is expected to add more glamour to the country’s premier resort city, has seen a number of international motorsport professionals taking to the circuit layout, including ex-Formula 1 driver and Sky Sports F1 technical pundit Karun Chandhok, sharing the simulator track model with Karun, who did a number of laps on the simulator, and providing useful feedback even before actual construction begins.

Designs for the circuit, to be known as the Zambezi River International Circuit, were submitted to the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA) for approval before actual work can begin.

It will be constructed 30km east of Victoria Falls along the Batoka Gorge close to the Zambezi River on a 500-hectare estate, and will be the only FIA Grade 1 circuit in Africa when completed.

The 5 416 metre-long F1 motor racing course is expected to attract the highest class of single-seater auto racing sanctioned by the FIA and owned by the F1 Group.

The main circuit will be 5.4km long with a 1.07km kart track and 1.2km drag strip, and is envisaged to host about four or five international motorsports a year.

In addition to the motorsport tracks, the circuit will also have 325m three storey pit garage that will also have conference facilities, a medical facility, theme-park, gorge coasters, cracking glass sky walkway and a live conservation theme park headlined by a full-scale replica of Noah’s Ark.

The circuit has been designed by award winning RIBA Chartered UK firm, Driven International, in partnership with local engineers in accordance with FIA Grade 1 guidelines.

After driving on the virtual Victoria Falls circuit, Chandhok said: “The Zambezi River International Circuit has a great flow to it. Unlike a lot of recently built tracks that are quite stop-start, on this one you can put up a lap with a brilliant rhythm and speed to it.”

Dan Selby of Driven International, who steered the layout design review, said a beautiful setting deserves a beautiful track.

“So much excites me about this project; the setting, the natural topography, the expansion of motorsport in Africa.

The track design itself is a particularly unique layout, with some experimental corner geometry and we have maximised on the topographical opportunities through our design”, said Selby.

The facility will be powered by solar electricity and where possible, the undulating natural landscaping will be used as a spectator viewing area, ensuring much of the site’s rich beauty will not only remain intact, but be accentuated and enjoyed by locals and tourists alike.

If constructed, the circuit will boost sports tourism after Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) shelved plans to build a multi-purpose stadium in Victoria Falls in 2016 due to financial constraints.

ZC had received approval to build a 12 000-seater cricket stadium in the resort city in 2010.

In 2018, Zimbabwe Rugby Union (ZRU) announced that it had found an investor to help build a rugby stadium in Victoria Falls following the inauguration of the Kwese Sports sevens tournament that was planned to be staged in the country’s tourism capital until next year.

ZRU also approached the Victoria Falls City Council seeking permission to upgrade Chinotimba Stadium into a top-class venue as part of its aim to develop the game in the resort town and to attract international events and clubs.

However, none of ZRU’s wishes have borne fruit, leaving the Grand Prix Circuit as the only hope for Victoria Falls and the country to boost tourism through sport.

Source : Victoria Falls F1 circuit construction reaches major milestone (The Chronicle, 06/07/21)

Read more : Everything we know about Zimbabwe’s Formula 1 track (25/01/20)

See Also

Victoria Falls Bits and Blogs (9th May 2018) Investor keen to bring Grand Prix to Victoria Falls.

Victoria Falls Bits and Blogs (2nd June 2018) Huge Boost for Vic Falls As UAE Investors to Build World Class Hospital, Motor Racing Course, Shopping Mall and a Hotel.

Victoria Falls Bits and Blogs (30th July 2018) Vic Falls’ $1.2 bn project takes shape.

Victoria Falls Bits and Blogs (27th September 2018) Construction of Grand Prix circuit in Vic Falls to go ahead.

Victoria Falls Bits and Blogs (4th June 2019) Vic Falls Grand Prix arena to boost tourism.

Victoria Falls Bits and Blogs (29th January 2020) New Vic Falls sporting facility a boom for sports tourism.

Victoria Falls Bits and Blogs (7th July 2021) Victoria Falls F1 circuit construction reaches major milestone.

Victoria Falls Falls Bits and Blogs (13th October 2022) Why a Formula One racetrack in Zimbabwe is a pipe dream.

Victoria Falls Bits and Blogs (16th October 2022) Victoria Falls F1-grade racecourse plans halted by High Court.

Read more on the Keep Victoria Falls Wild website.