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Siwa Oasis: a Forgotten Heritage under Threat

Technical Report · June 2021

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 World Heritage Watch

World Heritage Watch

Report 2021
 World Heritage Watch

World Heritage Watch

Report 2021

Berlin 2021
2

Bibliographical Information

World Heritage Watch: World Heritage Watch Report 2021. Berlin 2021
228 pages, with 240 photos, 30 graphics and 84 maps
Published by World Heritage Watch e.V.
Berlin 2021
ISBN ISBN 978-3-00-069191-1
NE: World Heritage Watch
1. World Heritage 2. Civil Society 3. UNESCO 4. Heritage at Risk 5. Natural Heritage 6. Cultural Heritage
7. Historic Cities 8. Sites 9. Monuments 10. Cultural Landscapes 11. Indigenous Peoples 12. Participation

World Heritage Watch

© World Heritage Watch e.V. 2021

This work with all its parts is protected by copyright. Any use beyond the strict limits of the applicable copyright law
without the consent of the publisher is inadmissible and punishable. This refers especially to reproduction of figures
and/or text in print or xerography, translations, microforms and the data storage and processing in electronic systems.
The designations employed and the presentation of the material in this publication do not imply the expression of
any opinions whatsoever on the part of the publishers concerning the legal status of any country or territory or of its
authorities, or concerning the frontiers of any country or territory.
The authors are responsible for the choice and the presentation of the facts contained in this book and for the opin-
ions expressed therein, which are not necessarily those of the editors, and do not commit them.
No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publishers except for
the quotation of brief passages for the purposes of review.

Editorial Team
Stephan Doempke (chief editor), Louise Tournillon and Michael Turner.
Map editors: Martin Lenk, Andrea Martinez Fernandez
Cover photos:
Angel Falls, Canaima National Park, Venezuela. Photo: Rodolfo Gerstl
Protests in Windhoek against oil and gas development in the Kavango basin, 20 May 2021. Photo: Liz Frank, WLC
Laying concrete pavements on the Acropolis of Athens. Photo: Mikhalis Karagiannis / Eurokinissi
Main buildings of the Vat Phou temple complex. Photo: Martin Lenk
Back cover map: Martin Lenk

Cover Design: Bianka Gericke, www.layoutmanufaktur.de

Design and layout: Bianka Gericke, www.layoutmanufaktur.de
Printed by: Buch- und Offsetdruckerei H.Heenemann GmbH & Co. KG, Berlin
 3

Contents

I. Monuments and Sites 9

Stonehenge, Avebury & Associated Sites Under Imminent Threat of Major Road Construction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Kate Fielden, Stonehenge Alliance

Malta’s Ġgantija Temple: Threat to One of the World’s Most Ancient Buildings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Dawn Adrienne-Saliba, Malta-ARCH / Astrid Vella, Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar

Mdina’s Citadel Fortifications, Malta, in Urgent Need of Protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Jorg Sicot, Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar

The Acropolis of Athens in Peril . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Tasos Tanoulas, Acropolis:SOS

Threats to the Churches of the Virgin and St. George of the Gelati Monastery and their Wall Paintings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Manana Tevzadze, ICOMOS Georgia

The Current State of Archaeological World Heritage Sites in the Idlib Governorate, Syria . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Ammar Kannawi, Idlib Antiquities Center

Chinese-style Pavilions in Front of Jokhang Temple Shows China Disregards Tibetan Heritage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
International Campaign for Tibet

II. Historic Cities 45

All Seems Lost on Liverpool Maritime Mercantile City WHS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

Gerry Proctor, Engage Liverpool

Okhta Cape: Archeological Site Extending from the Stone Age to the XVIII Century in Urgent Need . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
of Support and Recognition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49
Elena Minchenok

Continuing Destruction of Historic Buildings in Vienna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

Herbert Rasinger, Initiative Stadtbildschutz Wien

The State of Venice and its Lagoon with Reference to the Recommendations of the Advisory Mission of January 2020 . . . . . . 57
Franco Migliorini, Tutta la Cittá Insieme!

Protecting Valletta, Manoel Island andMarsamxett World Heritage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

Astrid Vella, Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar

The Bypass Road of Gjirokastra – Short-term Effects vs. Sustainable Solutions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65

Kreshnik Merxhani

How to Preserve and Protect Ancient Aleppo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70

Louay Dakhel, Conservation Architect

Old Aleppo and the Challenge of Reconstruction and Restoration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74

Anonymous1
4

Nea Church in Old City in Jerusalem: A Chance to Emphasize the City’s Multi-faceted Heritage? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Chemi Shiff, Emek Shaveh

Historic Cairo: A Diminishing Historic Urban Landscape . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79

Anonymous

Lamu Old Town is at a Critical Point of Losing its Outstanding Value and Heritage Status . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Mohamed Athman, Save Lamu

III. Cultural Landscapesand Mixed Properties 87

Hope that Some of the Threats to the Kujataa UNESCO World Heritage Site Could Subside . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
Niels Henrik Hooge, Friends of the Earth Denmark’s Uranium Group

The Lake District: World Heritage Site and Favourite Off-road Destination . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
Fritz Groothues (LakesWatch and Lake District Green Lanes Alliance)

The Curonian Spit: In Danger of Losing Its Outstanding Universal Value . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96

Alexandra Koroleva, Ecodefense! Russia

The World Heritage Upper Middle Rhine Valley Faces Multiple Threats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Klaus Thomas and Elke Greiff-Gossen, Rheinpassagen Citizens Initiative

Semmering Railway and Surrounding Landscape in Danger: Incessant Water Inrushes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105
Christian Schuhböck and Josef Lueger, Alliance For Nature

Government Tourism Development Continues Threatening Transboundary Lake Neusiedl . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107

Zoltán Kun, Wildland Research Institute / Christian Schuhböck, Alliance for Nature

Natural and Cultural Heritage of the Ohrid Region: Death by a Thousand Cuts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
Sonja Dimoska and Daniel Scarry, Ohrid SOS

Upper Svaneti World Heritage is in Danger . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117

Nato Tsintsabadze, ICOMOS Georgia

Siwa Oasis: a Forgotten Heritage Under Threat . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122

Insaf Ben Othmane Hamrouni, Œcumene Studio

The Ahwar of Iraq: Persisting Threats and Paths to Protection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127

Toon Bijnens and Salman Khairalla, Save the Tigris Campaign

The State of the Sacred Conservation Zone of the Vat Phou Cultural Landscape, Laos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
Martin Lenk, Consultant on Nature Conservation

Raising Local Voices, Supporting Local Concerns in Bali’s World Heritage Site . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
Wiwik Dharmiasih, Universitas Udayana
 5

IV. World Heritage Properties and Indigenous Peoples 139

Canada’s “Call to Action” for Wood Buffalo ­National Park has not Fully Materialized . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140
Mikisew Cree First Nation

Chaco Canyon and the Greater Chaco Landscape at Grave Risk Because of Oil Drilling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
Paul F. Reed, Archaeology Southwest

The Need to Prevent the Future Degradation in the Yagul and Mitla Caves of Oaxaca . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
Guadalupe Yesenia Hernández Márquez, Preservamb

Canaima National Park: Relentless Mining on the Rise . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154

SOSOrinoco

Koutammakou – a World Heritage Property to be Completed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159

Ibrahim Tchan, Corps des Voluntaires Beninoises

UNESCO Must Protect Present and Future World Heritage Sites From Oil and Gas Pollution in Africa’s Eden . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
Andy Gheorghiu, Saving Okavango’s Unique Life (SOUL) Alliance

Komodo National Park: The Only Home of Komodo Dragons in Peril . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
Wahana Lingkungan Hidup Indonesia (Friends of the Earth Indonesia) / Sunspirit for Justice and Peace

V. Natural Properties 173

Doñana Dries up Surrounded by Environmental Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174

Juanjo Carmona and Teresa Gil, WWF Spain

Białowieża Forest World Heritage Site: What is Next After the 2020 Relief? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 178
Tomasz Pezold Knežević, WWF Poland

Europe´s Last Ancient, Primary and Old-growth Forests Under Threat of Destruction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181
EuroNatur Foundation (Germany) / Agent Green (Romania) / WOLF Forest Protection Movement (Slovakia) /
Protection and Preservation of Natural Environment in Albania (Albania)

The Never-ending Story: Gold Mining in the Virgin Komi Forests World Heritage Property . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Irina Panteleeva, Mikhail Kreyndlin and Alexandra Pilipenko, Greenpeace Russia

Resorts as the Greatest Danger for the Western Caucasus World Heritage Property . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
Irina Panteleeva, Mikhail Kreyndlin and Alexandra Pilipenko, Greenpeace Russia

Ile-Alatau State National Natural Park: Development or Destruction? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190

Valeriy Krylov, Sergey Kuratov and Nataliya Medvedeva, Ecological Society “Green Salvation”

Major Weakening of Lake Baikal’s Protection Regime in 2020 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194

Eugene Simonov, Rivers without Boundaries International Coalition (RwB) / Mikhail Kreindlin, Greenpeace Russia

Dam Construction is Threatening the Landscapes of Dauria . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198

Vadim Kirilyuk, Daursky Nature Reserve / Andrey Petrov, Greenpeace Russia /
Eugene Simonov, Rivers without Boundaries International Coalition

A Resort Project and Ocean Disaster in the Volcanoes of Kamchatka World Heritage Property . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
Irina Panteleeva, Mikhail Kreyndlin and Alexandra Pilipenko, Greenpeace Russia
6

Selous Game Reserve – Where Do We Go From Here? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205

Günter Wippel, uranium network

Bangladesh Must Halt High Carbon, Highly Polluting Industries Near the Sundarbans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209
Sultana Kamal, National Committee for Saving the Sundarbans

The Australian Climate Crisis and the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
Earthjustice / Environmental Justice Australia

Annex 215

The Authors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216

 7

Preface
It is in the nature of our World Heritage Watch mission to alert to risks, while there may be time for precau-
tionary and corrective action. This year’s World Heritage Watch Report has 49 contributions, almost 20%
more than last year’s. Should we be happy about that? On the one hand, yes, since it shows that more civil
society actors than ever find it useful to have their information shared in our publication. And of course no,
because the number of World Heritage sites at risk never seems to decline. And how many others are out
there that we have not heard of because there is no one to write a report?

Numbers can tell only part of the story, however. We also call for an overall strengthening of the precau-
tionary agenda for the World Heritage. Some risks and constraints seem to be calling for systemic upgrades
rather than site-by-site action alone. The World Heritage system – on global, national and local level – needs
quick response capabilities and systemic strengthening: decision-making based on technical expertise alone
and a full appreciation, transparent and participatory management, an active civil society, reliable financing
mechanisms, and a prominent position in educational curricula in all of the Convention’s member countries.

To realize these goals, the World Heritage system is in dire need of funds. UNESCO itself suffers from being
structurally underfunded. Likewise many sites face severe constraints for funding their protection and up-
keep, and last not least the local communities deserve a perspective of sustainable development and a fair
share of the benefits derived from World Heritage sites.

The World Heritage system is also in vital need of active and vigilant people on the ground. To protect sites
locally, and to fight for their upkeep at the time of budget definitions and spatial planning, World Heritage
would need to count on many more directly engaged, committed and knowledgeable civil society actors.

To achieve that, the existence of our global network for World Heritage still needs to be more well-known
in order to inspire the formation of such groups on the local and national levels. Recently we have begun
to increase our visibility in the social media, hoping that young people around the world may discover their
enthusiasm for something so much worthy of our engagement.

Since World Heritage sites, and the challenges they are exposed to, are so diverse we should also link up
with the diverse international campaigns focused on thematic challenges. The present report gives some
graphic examples. Beyond nature conservation, there are cases related to phasing out fossil fuels, tackling
climate change, keeping rivers free-flowing, supporting the rights of indigenous peoples, struggling against
uranium mining and pesticides, and more. By linking up with some of the big international NGOs working
in these fields we can hope to establish the World Heritage as a field of activity recognized as important as
these other global concerns.

We would also greatly benefit from a global NGO that would advocate for cultural heritage. While there
are about ten global NGOs fighting for concerns related to biodiversity and climate change, there is none
that would alert the world when the most important monuments and historic cities on our planet are at
risk. Don’t the Acropolis of Athens, Stonehenge or the Taj Mahal – monuments which have truly inspired
the whole world over many centuries – deserve the same support from civil society as the Serengeti or Lake
Baikal? Could anyone imagine a world without them? They have become archetypes – images that structure
the way we perceive the world. Hopefully World Heritage Watch can help making civil society movements
for cultural heritage as strong as those for natural heritage one day. The contributions of this year’s WHW
Report underline again that much could be lost if people don’t stand up for it.
8

World Heritage Watch is a network of values, commitment and communities, something that is of great im-
portance especially to young people. We all understand that in our globalized world we are on the path to
becoming global citizens. The World Heritage – our common heritage – presents a unique platform to make
these ideas a reality in our lives across coun-tries and continents, and this gives us hope that the active en-
gagement of young people for world heritage increases chances that the sites designated by UNESCO can
be preserved be-yond present generations.

Berlin, May 2021

Maritta Koch-Weser, President

Stephan Doempke, Chair
122 III. Cultural Landscapes and Mixed Properties

Siwa Oasis: a Forgotten Heritage Under Threat

Insaf Ben Othmane Hamrouni, Œcumene Studio

Siwa has been inhabited since

antiquity as attested by numer-
ous remains dating from the old
kingdom of ancient Egypt. During
the medieval period, this ancient
city suffered greatly from attacks
by Berbers and Bedouins. A new
fortified village, which would be-
come Siwa, was built at the start
of the 13th century, still known
today as “Shâlî”. The term “Shâlî”
had the meaning of “city” in the
Berber language of Tasiwit but
has now become a proper name.

The oasis was one of the most

important commercial hubs in
the ancient world. Siwa has wit-
nessed a significant interchange
of human values from the prehis-
toric era to the modern period in
the developments in architecture,
Fig. 1: Siwa Location Map. urban development and spatial
Source: Petruccioli, A., & Montalbano, C. (2011). Siwa Oasis, Actions for a Sustainable-Development. Tipografia Grafica & Stampa (ICAR): Bari. transformation.

The Siwa Oasis is one of the emblematic centres of Berber cul- The Siwans used to build their dwellings in total integration
ture, situated in western Egypt at the junction of long trade with their natural environment, using an elaborated earthen
routes crossing the African desert. The oasis is 18m below sea construction technique, blending with its natural environment
level, containing more than 300 springs and torrents of pure from which it has drawn its substances: soil, stones, salt, water,
and fresh water that offer the best conditions for a flourishing wood and leaves. The oasis has been known worldwide by the
industry based on dates and olives as well as water-based prod- Karsheef block: a mixture of mud, salt and minerals that proved
ucts. Siwa is known for its unique cultural, environmental and its good structural characteristics and its high thermal insulation
architectural heritage.

Many mummies have been discovered

especially in three monumental hills:
Gebel al Mawta (the Mountain of the
Dead) where three Egyptian tombs are
presented together with a Roman ne-
cropolis featuring dozens of rock-cut
tombs; Aghurmi with the ruins of the
oracle temple of Amun “Ubaydah”,
dating back to the 3rd Intermedi-
ate Period; and the Shali fortified city
which was built on the highest hill of
the oasis in order to defend it against
Fig. 2: The Siwa Natural-Cultural Landscape. View from the Oracle temple of God Amun “Ubaydah”. 
tribal attacks. Photo: Authors, 2017
 III. Cultural Landscapes and Mixed Properties 123

under the extreme climatic conditions of the desert, ranging cles no. 2, 3 and 6 of the Mexico Charter on Built Vernacular
from 5°C in winter to 39°C in summer, despite its high vulner­ Heritage (1999), the National Organization for Urban Harmony
ability to water and humidity (see Fig. 3). prioritizes centralized legislative and administrative procedures
without considering the new context, transformations and ac-
tual socio-economic needs of the Siwa community especially
those who live near the core zone of the heritage sites.

Siwa’s protected cultural and

natural heritage
In 1994, the “Siwa Archaeological Area” was inscribed by the
Egyptian Antiquities Organization in the tentative list for UNE-
SCO WH. The nomination includes nine individual archaeologi-
cal monuments, protected and managed by the Ministry of An-
Fig. 3: Traditional Siwa Karsheef House (an Extension of an Old Siwan House, Her- tiquities and Tourism, in a core zone including most of Siwa’s
itage Museum - Centre of Documentation for Cultural and Natural Heritage (CULT-
urban space, and a buffer zone extending into its natural en-
NAT) – Bibliotheca Alexandrina).  Photo: Authors, 2017
vironment, such as the Siwa Lake, Siwa Oasis and the Great
The inhabitants of Siwa are profoundly attached to their tradi- Sand Sea, which is protected and managed by the Ministry of
tions and customs. Until today, they have been preserved their Environment as well as other governmental bodies. However,
local rituals of celebration like burial and marriage ceremonies, its core and buffer zones are not clearly defined (see Fig. 5,
as well as a very sophisticated art of embroidering clothes and page 125).
ornamental crafts. Siwa’s architectural heritage however, bear-
ing a unique testimony of cultural vernacular construction tech- There is also the “Siwa Protected Area”, established in 2002
niques, is disappearing due to globalization and modernization. and managed by the Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency
(EEAA). It covers 7,800 km² in three separate areas extending
Siwa is currently undergoing rapid changes as a response to from the Libyan border in the west to the Qattara Depression
its economic and demographic boom and the evolving needs in the east, and from the Diffa Plateau in the north to the Great
of its population of 20,000 inhabitants who, despite their at- Sand Sea in the south (see Fig. 6, page 125): Its natural val-
tachment to their identity and local heritage, are influenced by ues include springs, small lakes and wetlands, home for en-
the pace and specifics of modern life. Local construction ma- dangered species and vegetations. The area also includes Qara
terials and techniques are discarded for skeletal residence of oasis and other Berber settlements. It is listed as an IUCN Cat-
reinforced concrete and baked bricks leading to the decline in egory VI “Protected Area with Sustainable Use of Natural Re-
quality of the indoor and outdoor environment, the loss of aes- sources”, generally a large area mostly in a natural condition,
thetics, the emergence of an uncategorized building typology, where a proportion is under sustainable natural resource man-
informal urbanization and the pollution of the natural environ- agement and where low-level non-industrial use of natural re-
ment (see Fig. 4, next page). sources compatible with nature conservation is seen as one of
the main aims of the area.
Several efforts were made to preserve Siwa’s heritage and de-
velop its built environment through a series of national and in- These two institutional complexes are managed in isolation
ternational projects and initiatives while developing a new vi- from each other but more importantly, in isolation from the
sion for its future and its youth community. Nevertheless, there local Berber population, and ignoring that they are part of a
are many governmental institutions managing the Siwa oasis’s coherent cultural landscape, all bound together by a living trad­
authentic resources through different, not well coordinated ap- itional culture, with their productive, existential relationship giv-
proaches and agendas, hindering these efforts. For more than ing them a heritage value. It is the manifestation of the osmosis
70 years the oasis was subject of research studies, restora- between the nomad and sedentary life of the Berber people
tion and preservation projects under the umbrella of sustain- and their natural environment. This area could not be separated
able development programs as well as a place of opportuni- from the urban boundaries of Siwa as it is a continuity of the
ties for a wide range of national and international organizations land of Siwans and Berbers.
that have created an income-generating source for the Siwan
community.
SIWI Initiative: contribution
Siwa suffers from human-induced impacts, namely: pressure towards a solution
from mass tourism and its facilities, informal urbanization, over-
lapping development projects, the lack of maintenance and The government’s heritage management of the Siwa cultural
conservation, and massive industrialization. According to arti- landscape follows a centralized stewardship approach (Top-
124 III. Cultural Landscapes and Mixed Properties

Fig. 4: Siwa Oasis under Rapid

Urbanization.
Map adapted from: Petruccioli, A., &
Montalbano, C. (2011). Siwa Oasis,
Actions for a Sustainable Develop-
ment. Tipografia Grafica & Stampa
(ICAR): Bari

Down) which doesn’t

raise the level of the lo-
cal community’s engage-
ment. Thus, in 2015, Œc-
umene Studio, in coop-
eration with community
leaders and other civil
community-based entities
in Siwa Oasis1, designed
a people-cantered, par-
ticipatory initiative called
SIWI combining the bot-
tom-up and top-down
decision-making.

SIWI aimed at raising the

awareness of the local
community about safe-
guarding the Siwan ar-
chitectural heritage and
to work together towards
defining a new vision for
its urban future through
a holistic and integrated
approach.

Tourism
Development
• The local community doesn’t have high awareness of the
A survey2, in Siwa Oasis, conducted between September 2017
cultural touristic aspect of Siwa oasis.
and March 2018 found that
• There is no clear, well defined management plan of the her-
• There are some archaeological attributes not known for itage sites (cultural and natural) in Siwa Oasis and the public
Siwa visitors. touristic services and facilities.

• SDGs are not considered within the protection strategies of • Regarding Ecotourism, only a small number of ecolodges are
archaeological sites and the transfer of heritage knowledge offered.
to the future generations.
• The local community is very attached to its intangible cul-
tural heritage, but is not aware of the importance of the ar-
1 Abnaa Siwa, Siwa Community Development and Environment Conservation chaeological, architectural and natural heritage.
(SCDEC), Siwa City Council, Faculty of Fine Arts - Architecture Department,
Alexandria University (Dr. Hatem El Tawil and Dr. Heba Aboulfadl and Dr. • They don’t effectively engage the tourism development pro-
Hadeel Regal), and experts like Eng. Hany Anwar, a civil engineer specialist cess in Siwa.
in restoration of old and heritage buildings and private architecture and en-
gineering studio, HANDOVER and ARTINN.
• The educational level of the local community is not ade-
2 Tawfik, M. I & Wahdan, S. H. (2020), Proposed Development Strategy for quate to the future requirements of the cultural tourism
Conserving the Archaeological Heritage and Hospitality in Siwa Oasis. Castle
Journal, 4 June 2020. Retrieved 12 January 2021 from https://bit.ly/3si3Zud
market.
 III. Cultural Landscapes and Mixed Properties 125

Fig. 5: The Egyptian Tentative UNESCO WHS “Siwa Archaeological Area”.  Map adapted from the nomination file of the Egyptian Antiquities Organization (1994)

Fig. 6: The Siwa Protected Area.

Map: IUCN – Centre for Mediterranean Cooperation, Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency & Matrouh Governorate (2007),
Sustainable Tourism in Siwa: an Integrated Strategy for the Siwa Protected Area. Retrieved 12 January 2021 from https://bit.ly/35NPHYL.)

Recommendations – Perspectives
cannot be appreciated, protected and managed in isolation
1. There is a need for a paradigm shift towards a more multidis- from each other, we suggest to nominate the Siwa Oasis
ciplinary conservation strategy for the Siwa Oasis, taking into under criteria (i), (ii), (iv) and (v), with a strong focus on the
consideration the tangible and the intangible heritage. Due cultural landscape aspect forming a coherent unit where all
to the strong interrelatedness of Siwa’s heritage of archae- elements have meaning and function, and acknowledging
ology, architecture, land-use and customary practices which local perceptions of their heritage as an indivisible whole.
126 III. Cultural Landscapes and Mixed Properties

3. In view of the UNESCO WH nomination process, we sug-

gest creating a “Siwa Corporate Entity” acting as an effec-
tive sustainable development platform that will exclusively
be responsible for managing and coordinating the different
projects and resources with all different stakeholders, and
to ensure coherence and transparency with the government
planning agendas for the oasis and a source of informa-
tion and data focusing on the whole territory of the future
World Heritage. We recommend seven fields of work, to
be implemented in cooperation of the Ministry of Antiqui-
ties and Tourism, Ministry of Culture, Ministry of the Envi-
ronment, Ministry of Defense, Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
Fig. 7: Shali Fortified City, facing pressure from touristic facilities. Photo: Authors, 2017 Matrouh Governorate, Universities and Research Centers,
Cultural and Community Development NGOs, and local en-
As a natural-cultural landscape, we propose a core of Siwa
trepreneurs and external investors: 1. Documentation and
based on the Siwa protected area boundaries and buffer zone
Research 2. Develop a Comparative Analysis with other WH
including the surrounding of the core areas where nature is sites such as the Old Town of Ghadames (Libya) 3. State-
conserved alongside mapping of Berber language: Amazigh ment of Significance 4. Defining the site attributes (to as-
spoken areas as it is the root and the backbone of cultural sess the damages, deteriorations as well as buildings’ ma-
identity identified with the boundaries of al-Jaghbūb Oasis terial-based conservation processes) 5. Assessing Authen-
in Libya; its population is Berber. The results are highlighted ticity and Integrity 6. Defining Appropriate Boundaries 7.
in the map below and verified through desktop research. Develop sustainable cultural tourism.

Fig. 8: Tentative Suggestion for Core and Buffer Zone of SIWA based on Fig.s 4 – 6.  Map: Authors, 2021

2. There is a huge lack of research concerning the emerging

trends and their impacts on the oasis and its surroundings.
The faced threats are not well addressed in the literature or
analyzed, and they need to be updated. Recently the Egyp-
tian President announced that Siwa Oasis will be developed
to be one of the best tourist destinations in the country,
which will put the oasis more exposed to overexploitation,
and social and environmental degradation.
Annex
216 Annex

The Authors

Agent Green
The Agent Green association is a
Insaf Ben Othmane
non-governmental non-profit organi-
sation dedicated to protecting the en- Ms. Insaf Ben Othmane, a Tunisian
vironment founded in 2009 in Romania architect, urban development strat-
for the purpose of preserving biodiver- egist, is the founder of Œcumene
sity. It has an affinity for investigating Studio, SCS Resilience and Sharn-
environment crimes, strategically ex- aqa. Her main research interests
posing them and promoting solutions revolve around (i) Architecture in
for protecting nature and ensuring the well-being of future Development, (ii) Urban Resilience
generations. Agent Green focuses its activity on environment projects, Sustainability and (iii) the
issues that can permanently damage biodiversity: the destruc- empowerment of communities through holistic integrated pro-
tion of intact ecosystems, genetically modified organisms, cli- jects and strategies. Working for over ten years internationally
mate change and poisoning the environmental factors (water, in the area of community development, urban governance and
air and soil). Agent Green also approaches relevant national strategic planning, urban technologies in Egypt and Tunisia led
and international corporations with regard to the implementa- her to initiate several projects as ‘Urban Catalyst’ in partnership
tion of policies and standards which are superior to the existing with local communities and various stakeholders, organizations
environmental law, mobilizes locals and empowers companies and institutions in search of real and effective solutions to the
to adopt a sustainable production. recent urban challenges.
Contact: office@agentgreen.org Contact: insaf.oecumene@gmail.com

Mohamed Athman Bakar Toon Bijnens, Salman Khairalla

Mohamed Athman Bakar is Chair of Toon Bijnens and Salman Khairalla

LAWASCO, the water department are coordinators of the international
for Lamu County, and active in Save campaign ‘Save the Tigris’ (www.
Lamu. Lamu residents, including savethetigris.org), which is a net-
fishermen, farmers, artisans, tradi- work of over 15 civil society organi-
tional communities, landless peas- sations from Iraq, Iran, Turkey, Syria
ants, pastoralists, and diverse indig- and other countries with the aim
enous groups including the Bajuni, to advocate for the preservation of
Orma, Sanye, Aweer, and Swahili, heritage in the Tigris-Euphrates ba-
are objecting to irresponsible industrialization in the wider set- sin. Particularly, Save the Tigris has
ting of Lamu Old Town. Save Lamu is a decade-old coalition of been advocating for the protection of the natural heritage of
40 civil society organizations focused on environment, youth, the marshlands in Iraq through advocacy with stakeholders,
development, women and welfare. Save Lamu is composed of research and awareness activities.
community-based indigenous organizations who are or will be Through its campaign members Un
affected by LAPSSET, including Lamu Coal Plant. The coalition Ponte Per and Humat Dijlah, Bijnens
engages communities and stakeholders to ensure participatory and Khairalla are also coordinating
decision-making, achieve sustainable and responsible develop- ‘Sumereen’, a major UNDP-sup-
ment, and preserve the environmental, social, and cultural in- ported project to develop the nat-
tegrity of Lamu. ural and cultural heritage of the Ah-
Contact: mohamedathman64@gmail.com war through the construction of in-
frastructure, training and livelihood
support.
Contact: bijnens.toon@gmail.com, salman.khairalla@gmail.
com
 Donate for the People of East Rennell, Solomon Islands

Food Shortage in a Pacific Islands World Heritage Site!

IUCN – the body advising UNESCO – When the eastern half of the island of Rennell was
has stated in its recent report: inscribed in the World Heritage List in 1998, the local
community was in full support, hoping that their lives
“The real long-term threat to the … site is would change for the better through tourism and
the lack of alternative income generating investments. Logging outside the World Heritage has
alternatives to commercial logging and lead to a loss of groundwater, and sea level rise to
mining … Additional support for increased salinity. It has become impossible for the
sustainable livelihoods should urgently be community to grow taro, their staple food, and it has
provided to communities to ensure come to the point that they suffer food shortage. The
protection and management of the site.” islanders need fishing gear and seedlings of fruit trees in
order to provide for their own food. The islanders need
fishing gear and seedlings of fruit trees in order to
Please make your provide for their own food.
generous donation
earmarked "East Rennell" We are in close contact with Jorge Tauika, the leader of
here: the local community’s Lake Tegano World Heritage Site
Association, a registered charity which will be the
https://world- recipient of our support. With your support, he can go to
heritage- the capital, Honiara, in order to buy the fishing
equipment and seedlings so urgently needed to keep his
watch.org/donate/. people healthy and the World Heritage safe.
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