Property: Robben Island
Id. N°: 916
State Party: South Africa
Criteria: C (iii) (vi)
The Committee inscribed this property on the World Heritage List on the basis of criteria (iii) and (vi):
Criterion (iii): The buildings of Robben Island bear eloquent witness to its sombre history.
Criterion (vi): Robben Island and its prison buildings symbolize the triumph of the human spirit, of freedom, and of democracy over oppression.
Many members of the Committee expressed their pleasure and emotion and congratulated South Africa for having proposed this site which symbolizes the fight against oppression, the victory of democracy as well as the process of national reconciliation.
Over and over again the members of the Committee paid homage to the vision of President Mandela. The Delegate of Thailand considered that criterion (vi) could be amended during the session so that the inscription of the site would be possible only under this criterion.
The Committee took note of the need to discuss the amendments that could be proposed under criterion (vi).
The Chairperson expressed satisfaction with this inscription and considered that this decision has been taken on the African ground was an honour for Morocco. The Delegate of South Africa expressed her appreciation for the Committee's decision (see Annex VII to this report).