Coro and its Port

• Flooding (and water damage)
• 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

• 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

On 30 January 2020, the State Party submitted a state of conservation report, which is available at http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/658/documents/, providing the following information:

• Several restoration and conservation works have been implemented, under the guidance and supervision of the management authorities, and with the participation of Community Councils and the traditional mud artisans;
• In mid-2019, the traditional mud artisan school was reactivated and currently has a total of 40 workers. These artisans form part of the management unit of the property and remain central to many conservation works undertaken;
• Important preliminary measures have been undertaken to improve the functionality of existing drainage infrastructure. However, the main project for an improved drainage system still does not have secured financial resources as requested from the national government necessary to begin its implementation;
• Updated maps and descriptions for the buffer zones of Coro and La Vela were developed taking into account the heritage value of these areas;
• A timeline is included for the development of the Management Plan, indicating that it should be finalized and approved by all concerned stakeholders by 2021;
• A large and multi-sectoral working group will be set up to discuss the development and approval, by 2021, of the disaster risk preparedness plan (“Plan de Riesgos”);
• In order to address the persistent issue of building abandonment, authorities aim to work towards determining legal certainty regarding land ownership and look at options to expropriate certain abandoned properties of social or public interest, with the objective of ensuring adequate conservation and use of these structures;
• The timeline (2019-2021) for completing all corrective measures indicated in the previous state of conservation report is reaffirmed as adequate.

It should be reiterated once again that future state of conservation reports prepared by the State Party must provide clear and comprehensive information about the implementation of each of the corrective measures adopted by Decision 38 COM 7A.23 to reach the Desired state of conservation for the removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger (DSOCR). It is also important to note that the majority of the recommendations of the 2018 ICOMOS Advisory mission were not addressed in the State Party’s report.

The progress made by the State Party in the restoration and conservation projects underway is commendable, with a number of buildings located in Coro and La Vela having been worked on, as well as the reactivation of the traditional mud artisan school, which is an important aspect of preserving traditional know-how. In this regard, it is important to highlight the importance of using traditional materials in the conservation projects when necessary.

Regarding the property’s vulnerability to flooding and water damage, it is clear that the State Party considers this issue of critical importance and has undertaken several interim mitigation measures. Drainage maintenance measures were carried out around the Casa de las Ventanas de Hierro and the Casa del Tesoro and preventative maintenance works implemented in the creeks that receive the surface drainage in order to avoid overflows and floods in the historic centre of Coro that could affect the World Heritage property. In addition, the cleaning of sewers located in the Federation Boulevard in La Vela and the weeding of some drainage channels took place. However, the financial resources necessary to undertake the comprehensive drainage system project have not yet been secured. In the meantime, and given the resources currently available, it will be necessary for the State Party to continue with the interim measures and react promptly in situations of flooding to protect areas of high heritage value. The implementation of the larger drainage system project should, nevertheless, begin as soon as possible, in order to address structural risks posed to heritage buildings and spaces in the property. While some planning has occurred regarding rainwater management (“Plan de Lluvia Parroquia La Vela”), it will be important to advance in the development of the disaster risk preparedness plan for the property, as part of the overall management planning underway.

It remains of great concern that no outline or draft of the property’s Management Plan has been presented since 2018. As such, the overarching concept and the progress to date on this important corrective measure remains unclear. The 2018 ICOMOS Advisory mission provided important recommendations regarding the Management Plan that should be taken into account in its preparation.  

The cartography submitted to define buffer zones for Coro and La Vela is based on proposals in the 2018 mission report and will serve to inform the development of the Management Plan. On the basis of these maps, the State Party will need to submit to the World Heritage Centre a Minor Boundary Modification request for La Vela, justifying the reduction in its buffer zone, with the accompanying documentation as per Paragraphs 163-164 and Annex 11 of the Operational Guidelines, to be considered by the World Heritage Committee. For the very small modifications proposed for the Coro buffer zone, a boundary clarification is sufficient.

Although there have been remarkable efforts and commitments on the part of the authorities and community organizations to protect and promote the heritage value of the property, there has been no significant improvement to the state of the property over the past five years. While it is appreciated that the State Party affirms its commitment made in 2019 to complete all corrective measures by 2021, it is considered that significant investment in financial and human resources will be needed over the coming year to successfully meet this deadline, given the conclusions of the 2018 mission, and the information provided in the present report and its update. The report and recommendations provided by the 2018 ICOMOS Advisory mission outline the status and pending steps necessary to achieve each of the corrective measures, which should serve as a useful guide for the State Party in its future actions and reporting. Pending issues mentioned in the 2018 mission report include the strengthening of the Mixed Commission, which is coordinated by the Institute of Cultural Heritage, and clarification of the role of Con Patrimonio in relation to property, ensuring that its responsibilities do not overlap with those of the Mixed Commission, as well incorporation of professionals that are trained and experienced in the management, conservation and restoration of heritage within the Institute of Cultural Heritage in order to strengthen its role as manager of the property. Finally, taking into consideration the necessity to finalize crucial issues for the adequate conservation and management of the property, it is recommended that the Committee retain Coro and its Port on the List of World Heritage in Danger.