Coro and its Port

• Management systems/management plan
• Water (rain/water table)
• Serious deterioration of materials and structures
• Deterioration of the architectural and urban coherence and integrity of the property
• Lack of adequate management, planning and conservation mechanisms
• Absence of detailed and technical information on the state of conservation of the property since 2007
• Flooding and water damage

• Considerable decay of materials and structures resulting from lack of comprehensive conservation and maintenance, and torrential rains in 2004, 2005 and 2010
• Deterioration of architectural and urban coherence compromising the integrity and authenticity of the property
• Lack of adequate and efficient management, planning and conservation mechanisms, and institutional arrangements

Adopted, see page https://whc.unesco.org/en/decisions/5965 

Adopted, see page https://whc.unesco.org/en/decisions/5965

Total amount provided: USD 20,000 (Spanish Funds-in-Trust for World Heritage) for the planning, implementation and subsequent publications of participatory workshops and meetings with artisans and civil society in Coro and La Vela

An ICOMOS Advisory mission visited the property in July 2018 (mission report available at http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/658/documents/). Subsequently, on 1 February 2019, the State Party submitted a state of conservation report, also available at the above-mentioned link, informing the following:

• The Advisory mission assisted the State Party to define the updated buffer zone proposal for both Coro and La Vela, which will be reflected in the actions and strategies of the Management Plan that is under development. Several maps that outline the proposed buffer zones are annexed to the State Party report. In the case of Coro, the proposed buffer zone represents an increased area as compared with the property’s existing map; meanwhile, the redefinition in La Vela represents a decrease in overall area but includes the boardwalk to protect the coastal zone;
• The Mixed Commission, composed of the Cultural Heritage Institute, the State of Falcon, the mayors of the municipalities, relevant bodies and representatives of the communities, continues to be the property’s central management body and is responsible for elaborating the Management Plan, as well as addressing the corrective measures. A law proposing the formalization of the Mixed Commission is currently under consideration by the Falcon state government. The State Party also reports advances in the preparation of several components to be included in the Management Plan, which is expected to be completed and validated by all relevant actors by the end of 2021;
• The plan for a drainage system was presented to the Advisory mission, and funds have been requested from the national government in 2019, currently pending approval, to implement three key actions from 2019 to 2021. On this topic, there has been coordination between the different municipal and management authorities, and constant assistance, monitoring and controls throughout the year, and especially during heavy rain periods. An annexed report on “Buildings Affected in Coro and La Vela by Rains, October 2018” provides an inventory of 60 buildings in Coro and 37 in La Vela (majority inhabited) noting the specific damages and as being in a state of “emergency” or “poor state”;
• Some of the other corrective measures are addressed throughout the report and the property’s removal from the List of World Heritage in Danger is discussed in general terms;
• The timeline for completion of the corrective measures is proposed as 2 years from the time of the report (2019-2021).

On the basis of the ICOMOS Advisory mission’s report and the State Party’s report, it is clear that the national and municipal authorities remain committed to the protection of the property. The level of involvement of local communities and the many alliances formed with governmental and academic institutions demonstrates a highly participative approach to the property’s use and protection. The many cultural and educational initiatives implemented to build awareness of the heritage value of the property, particularly among youth, are particularly noteworthy. However, while over the past years, a number of restoration and maintenance programmes have been carried out, the abandonment and deterioration of domestic structures remains a main threat to the property. Heavy rains like the ones in 2018 continue to seriously affect many traditional buildings. The lack of maintenance of public spaces is also noticeable.

The Advisory mission report evidences that since the 2015 ICOMOS Advisory mission there has not been significant progress in implementing the corrective measures adopted in 2014 (Decision 38 COM 7A.23). It is, therefore, imperative that the State Party continue its efforts to address these outstanding corrective measures, in addition to the three main issues of critical importance to guarantee the protection of the property’s Outstanding Universal Value (OUV): the definition and formalization of the buffer zones, the development of the Management Plan, and the implementation of an adequate drainage system.

Regarding the proposal for definition of buffer zones, it is noted that the several maps submitted by the State Party deviate from those established during the 2018 Advisory mission. It is recommended that the Committee urge the State Party to (i) finalize the buffer zone proposal at the national level according to the boundaries and guidelines agreed upon during the 2018 mission, (ii) ensure that the property’s regulatory measures are reviewed and adapted accordingly, and incorporated into the new Management Plan, and (iii) submit a Minor Boundary Modification to formalize this redefinition of buffer zones.

While the State Party is advancing with the diagnostic phase of the Management Plan, the actual draft has not yet been submitted. The Advisory mission provides several specific recommendations on this issue, which should be incorporated in the drafting process. The Mixed Commission has proven to operate as an effective management unit that assures an adequate level of cooperation of institutions at the three levels of government and the participation of the community councils; however, the formalization of its status as the official management authority remains pending. The elaboration of a risk preparation plan has not progressed over the past years.

Regarding the property’s drainage system, it is clear that the State Party continues to regard this issue as of critical importance, and has conducted several coordination meetings and monitoring activities in this regard. However, the full extent of the entire drainage system project and its timeline are not clearly outlined. Funds to implement the drainage system need to be secured, and the project urgently implemented to address one of the key threats to the property.

The State Party does not provide a comprehensive assessment of the implementation of the corrective measures, and does not clearly address its progress in achieving the Desired state of conservation for the removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger (DSOCR). It is noted that the State Party estimates that the Management Plan will be finalized by the end of 2021, but it has only provided a very general indication on the timeline for implementation of all remaining corrective measures during the years 2019-2021.