National History Park – Citadel, Sans Souci, Ramiers
Factors affecting the property in 2010*
- Deliberate destruction of heritage
- Earthquake
- Management systems/ management plan
- Water (rain/water table)
Factors* affecting the property identified in previous reports
a) Lack of a Management Plan;
b) Lack of a Conservation Plan;
c) Water damage;
d) Vandalism;
e) Seismic activities;
f) Lack of a Risk Preparedness Plan.
International Assistance: requests for the property until 2010
Total amount approved : 246,110 USD
| 2010 | Post Earthquake Technical Assistance for the Assessment ... (Approved) | 49,300 USD |
| 1994 | New exhibition panels and purchase of climate control ... (Approved) | 17,510 USD |
| 1994 | One-month on-site training activity for 5 architectural ... (Approved) | 4,100 USD |
| 1994 | Emergency measures and structural consolidation of the ... (Approved) | 73,000 USD |
| 1987 | Training courses at the National History Park-Citadel, ... (Approved) | 25,000 USD |
| 1983 | Masonry work and purchase of equipment for the ... (Approved) | 20,000 USD |
| 1982 | Equipment and construction material for the restoration ... (Approved) | 57,200 USD |
Missions to the property until 2010**
September 2006: UNESCO Havana Office Technical Visit.
Conservation issues presented to the World Heritage Committee in 2010
On 27 November 2009, the State Party submitted a state of conservation report on the occasion of the “Workshop on the preparation of the Retrospective Inventory and Retrospective Statements of Outstanding Universal Value (of the properties included on the World Heritage List) and an introduction to the Second Cycle of the Periodic Reporting for the Latin America and Caribbean Region” which took place in Buenos Aires, Argentina. This report informed of actions taken as a follow-up to the 2006 Technical Visit by the UNESCO Havana Office and underlined urgent concerns to be addressed. The State Party was represented by the Director of the Institute for the Preservation of the National Heritage (ISPAN).
As stated in the above mentioned report, the National History Park – Citadel, Sans Souci, Ramiers has sufferered from a number of issues, including development pressures focusing on the City of Milot, extraction of materials from the site, large numbers of visitors, vandalism, deforestation and an overgrowth in vegetation. The site is also severely affected by natural disasters in the form of earthquakes, flooding and the hurricane impacts during the season which runs from June to November each year.
On 12 January 2010, the State Party witnessed a catastrophic earthquake which resulted in structural damages to the property. After the Preparatory Meeting for the Establishment of an International Coordination Committee (ICC) for Haitian Culture on 16 February 2010 held at UNESCO Headquarters (Paris), discussions took place with the Ministry of Culture of Haiti, the Director of ISPAN and the Advisory Bodies to identify the following urgent actions to be undertaken at the site:
a) an assessment of damages and structural risk,
b) implementation of urgent conservation work,
c) finalization of conservation, management and risk preparedness plans.
The State Party is preparing an Emergency International Assistance request for the World Heritage property, and an Inter - institutional mission is being organized by the World Heritage Centre in close cooperation with the Advisory Bodies.
Summary of the interventions
Decisions adopted by the Committee in 2010
34 COM 7B.110
National History Park – Citadel, Sans Souci, Ramiers (Haiti) (C 180)
The World Heritage Committee,
1. Having examined Document WHC-10/34.COM/7B.Add,
2. Expresses its deep regret at the loss of life and devastation caused by the 12 January 2010 earthquake in Haiti and thanks the State Party for providing all elements and support necessary for carrying out the emergency mission in spite of the extreme difficulties being experienced;
3. Acknowledges the efforts of the Institute for the Preservation of the National Heritage (ISPAN) in establishing a close collaboration with the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies and appreciates its deep commitment to the preservation of the cultural heritage of Haiti;
4. Takes note of the key factors affecting the property as indicated by the report submitted by the State Party in November 2009;
5. Also acknowledges the effective inter-institutional collaboration established between the States Parties, the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies in the preparation and carrying out of the inter-institutional mission to the property in a prompt and timely manner;
6. Commends the dedication and commitment shown by the Ministry of Culture and Communication to protect the property in spite of the difficult situation and humanitarian crisis;
7. Notes with concern, however, that there are limited capacities to ensure an effective decision-making process and satisfactory management of the property to ensure that the Outstanding Universal Value of the property is sustained;
8. Also notes with concern that new infrastructure and development proposals aimed at increasing tourism could impact adversely on the vulnerable property;
9. Requests the State Party to establish an agreement for inter-ministerial cooperation between the Ministry of Culture and Communication and CIAT (Inter-sectorial Council of Territorial Planning) to prioritize and coordinate actions, within the framework of territorial planning, with the aim of preserving the Outstanding Universal Value, integrity and authenticity of the property;
10. Fully endorses the recommendations provided by the technical mission report and also requests the State Party to implement them, should the situation allow it, giving priority to the following aspects:
a) To halt the construction of Route RN003 within the limits of the property pending the development of other alternatives to be evaluated, in accordance with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines of the World Heritage Convention,
b) To halt the plans for the immediate foreseen touristic development at the property pending the finalization of the conservation and management plan,
c) To establish a local conservation management unit on site,
d) To complete and approve the conservation plan including a comprehensive risk management approach by July 2011, and the management plan including provisions for public use of the property by July 2012, in consultation with the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies,
e) To submit the Retrospective Statement of Outstanding Universal Value and complete the Retrospective Inventory of the property, including the official delineation of the boundaries of the property and its buffer zone, as well as their related regulatory measures;
11. Calls upon the international community to ensure, in every way possible, its support for the implementation of the recommendations to rapidly approve the financial and human resources to assist the State Party in the integrated conservation of the property;
12. Encourages the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies to set up an action plan and technical, institutional and financial strategies to implement all the urgent actions identified by the mission;
13. Further requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2011, a detailed report on the state of conservation of the property and advances made in conservation, management and risk preparedness planning, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 35th session in 2011.
Draft Decision: 34 COM 7B.110
The World Heritage Committee,
1. Having examined Document WHC-10/34.COM/7B.Add,
2. Expresses its deep regret at the devastation caused by the 12 January 2010 earthquake in Haiti and thanks the State Party for providing all elements and support necessary for carrying out the emergency mission in spite of the extreme difficulties being experienced;
3. Acknowledges the efforts of the Institute for the Preservation of the National Heritage (ISPAN) in establishing a close collaboration with the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies and appreciates its deep commitment to the preservation of the cultural heritage of Haiti;
4. Also acknowledges the key factors affecting the property as indicated by the report submitted by the State Party in November 2009;
5. Further acknowledges the effective inter-institutional collaboration established between the Haitian Government, the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies in the preparation and carrying out of the inter-institutional mission to the property;
6. Encourages the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies to set up an action plan and technical, institutional and financial strategies to implement all the urgent actions identified by the mission;
7. Requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2011, a detailed report on the state of conservation of the property and advances made in conservation, management and risk preparedness planning, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 35th session in 2011.
Haiti
* :
The threats indicated are listed in alphabetical order; their order does not constitute a classification according to the importance of their impact on the property.
Furthermore, they are presented irrespective of the type of threat faced by the property, i.e. with specific and proven imminent danger (“ascertained danger”) or with threats which could have deleterious effects on the property’s Outstanding Universal Value (“potential danger”).
** : All mission reports are not always available electronically.
