Timbuktu
Factors affecting the property in 1995*
- Desertification
- Financial resources
- Legal framework
- Water (rain/water table)
- Wind
- Other Threats:
Vulnerability of the mosques
Factors* affecting the property identified in previous reports
- Sand encroachment ;
- Vulnerability of the mosques;
- Lack of financial resources;
- Deterioration of the rainwater drainage system;
- Aeolian erosion;
- Need for appropriate laws
International Assistance: requests for the property until 1995
Total amount approved : 114,115 USD
| 1995 | Second phase of the pilot project for the conservation ... (Approved) | 40,000 USD |
| 1994 | Safeguarding of 3 mosques in Timbuktu (Sankore, ... (Approved) | 15,500 USD |
| 1990 | Timbuktu: consolidation of the Djingareiber mosque and ... (Approved) | 45,138 USD |
| 1989 | Mission for the preparation of a proposal for putting ... (Approved) | 5,500 USD |
| 1981 | Provision of one expert and financial assistance for ... (Approved) | 7,977 USD |
Missions to the property until 1995**
June-July 1990: expert missions; early 1994: UNESCO mission
Information presented to the Bureau of the World Heritage Committee in 1995
By letter of 13 March 1995, the Mali authorities presented to the World Heritage Centre the modalities for the implementation of a pilot work site project to which would be associated the management committees and the builders responsible for the maintenance of the three mosques of Djingareiber, Sankore and Sidi Yahia, inscribed on the List of World Heritage in Danger.
This project, which aims at solving the most serious and acute conservation problems, will be carried out by the Cultural Mission at Timbuktu and a Mali architect designated by the Mali Ministry of Culture and Communication. The GAIA project will provide the operational Unit to be set up in Mali with expertise in the field of the reinforcement and conservation of earthen constructions.
Action Required
The Bureau congratulates the Mali authorities and requests them to keep the Committee informed of the implementation of the project.
Conservation issues presented to the World Heritage Committee in 1995
The Mali authorities have submitted a preliminary report on the first phase of the pilot project for the preservation of the three mosques inscribed on the List of World Heritage in Danger (Djingareiber, Sankore and Sidi Yahia), providing information on the seasonal maintenance work on the mosques. Furthermore, an awareness programme among the local populations and religious authorities has been carried out concerning the risks which threaten these mosques during this seasonal work effected by the local population who are not skilled in elementary rules of conservation. Therefore, the need to proceed with a diagnostic for the conservation of each mosque was accepted by the Management Committee for the mosques. Prior to the preparation of the second phase of the project, which is the subject of a request for technical assistance and which will be examined by the Bureau and the Committee, the national authorities have granted as an emergency measure an allocation of 500,000 CFA which has permitted the intervention of an architect designated by the Ministry of Culture and Communications and who will direct the works to be financed from the World Heritage Fund.
Analysis and Conclusion by World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies in 1995
The Bureau may wish to recommend to the Committee to adopt the following text:
"The Committee supported the organization of a pilot project and congratulated the Mali Government for its committment to define a coherent conservation policy adapted to the problems of each mosque and to have provided national funds for emergency work".
Summary of the interventions
Decisions adopted by the Committee in 1995
19 EXT.BUR IV.B.1.1
Examination of requests for International Assistance - Cultural Heritage - Requests recommended by the Bureau for approval by the Committee - Technical Cooperation
Preparation of Guidelines for Risk Preparedness for World Heritage Sites (request presented by ICOMOS) (US$ 30,000 requested)
The Bureau recommended that the Committee approve the request of US$ 30,000 for the preparation and publication of the "Guidelines for Risk Preparedness for World Cultural Heritage Sites" in 1,000 copies. IUCN should be associated. US$ 15,000 should be provided to ICOMOS from the 1996 budget and the remaining amount would be included in the 1997 budget.
Jesuit Missions of the Chiquitos (Bolivia) (US$ 30,000 requested)
The Bureau recommended that the Committee approve an amount of US$ 30,000 for the preparation of a strategic plan and the formulation of projects for the Missions (US$ 22,000) and for urgent technical advice (US$ 8,000). The Centre, in cooperation with the Bolivian authorities, will try to seek additional funding for this project from donors.
Purchase of equipment to improve the security of the site Museum of the Mountain Resort and its outlyinq Temples of Chengde (China) (US$ 34,150 requested)
The Bureau recommended that the Committee approve an amount of US$ 34,150 for the purchase of equipment in the framework of a co-financing programme on the understanding that the training request for US$ 20,000 for the same site be sought from other sources.
Thracian Tomb of Kazanlak, Madara Rider, Boyana Church, Rock-hewn Churches of Ivanovo, Rila Monastery, Ancient City of Nessebar, Thracian Tomb of sveshtari (Bulgaria) (US$ 39,000 requested)
As proposed by the Secretariat, the Bureau recommended the Committee to approve this request for an amount of US$ 20,000. The Secretariat shall propose to the States Party to reexamine the list of equipment in the light of this budgetary constraint.
Islamic Cairo (Egypt) (US$ 50,000 requested)
Although the restoration of an isolated monument may not be considered as a priority when taking account of other needs expressed this year, the Bureau recognized the high quality of restoration work already carried out during the first stage of the project serving as an example and inspiration for other ongoing restoration activities at this site, and therefore recommended that the Committee approve US$30,000 for this activity which perfectly illustrates UNESCO's mission in mobilising national and international, public and private funds for the safeguarding of heritage.
Timbuktu (Mali) (List of World Heritage in Danger) (US$ 41,850 requested)
Given the commitment of the Mali authorities, the quality of the ICCROM/CRATere partnership and the innovative character of the project which had received the recommendation of the Committee at its eighteenth session, the Bureau recommended that the Committee approve an amount of US$ 40,000 for this project.
19 BUR VI.21
Timbuktu (Mali)
The Mali authorities have committed themselves to the launching of a pilot project to which the management committees and the masons responsible for the three mosques of Djingareiber, Sankoré and Sidi Yahia which are inscribed on the List of World Heritage in Danger, will be associated. Last June the authorities signed a contract with the World Heritage Centre for the first phase of the project, that is the gathering of information and preparations for the pilot work to be undertaken in 1996.
During the implementation of the second phase of the project, the Mali authorities will require assitance in the form of international expertise. To this end, a technical cooperation request will be submitted to the Committee.
The Bureau congratulated the Mali authorities on the rate of implementation of the project which was endorsed by the Committee at its eighteenth session at Phuket, and encouraged them to pursue their efforts for the preservation of this heritage.
19 COM VII.C.1.28
SOC: Timbuktu (Mali)
VII.28 Timbuktu (Mali)
The Committee was informed of the state of progress of the pilot project for the preservation of the three mosques of Timbuktu inscribed on the List of World Heritage in Danger. The first phase, which was carried out by the national authorities, will be followed in 1995 by the intervention of experts from ICCROM and CRATerre - EAG. This second phase should receive support from the World Heritage Fund.
Having noted that the Mali authorities granted emergency assistance from the national budget to finance conservation work, the Committee endorsed the launching of a pilot project. It commended the Mali Government for its commitment in defining a coherent conservation policy, adapted to each one of the mosques, and for having financed emergency work. The Committee decided to maintain this property on the List of World Heritage in Danger.
19 COM XIII.B
Requests for International Assistance: Cultural Heritage
B.1.1 Technical cooperation
Preparation of Guidelines for Risk preparedness for World Heritage sites (request presented by ICOMOS) (US$ 30,000 requested)
The Committee approved the request of US$ 30,000 for the preparation and publication of the "Guidelines for Risk Preparedness for World Cultural Heritage sites" in 1,000 copies. IUCN should be associated. US$ 15,000 would be provided to ICOMOS from the 1996 budget and the remaining amount would be included in the 1997 budget.
Jesuit Missions of the Chiquitos (Bolivia) (US$ 30,000 requested)
The Committee approved an amount of US$ 30,000 for the preparation of a strategic plan and the formulation of projects for the Missions (US$ 22,000) and for urgent technical advice (US$ 8,000). The Centre, in cooperation with the Bolivian authorities, was requested to seek additional funding for this project from donors.
Purchase of equipment to improve the security of the site Museum of the Mountain Resort and its outlying Temples of Chengde (China) (US$ 34,150 requested)
The Committee approved an amount of US$ 34,150 for the purchase of equipment in the framework of a co-financing programme on the understanding that the training request for US$ 20,000 for the same site be sought from other sources.
Thracian Tomb of Kazanlak, Madara Rider, Boyana Church, Rock-hewn Churches of Ivanovo, Rila Monastery, Ancient city of Nessebar, Thracian Tomb of 8veshtari (Bulgaria) (US$ 39,000 requested)
The Committee approved this request for an amount of US$ 30,000. The Secretariat was requested to contact the State Party to reexamine the list of equipment in the light of the approved amount.
Islamic Cairo (Egypt) (US$ 50,000 requested)
Although the restoration of an isolated monument may not be considered as a priority when taking account of other needs expressed this year, the Committee recognized the high quality of restoration work already carried out during the first stage of the project serving as an example and inspiration for other ongoing restoration activities at this site, and therefore approved US$30,000 for this activity which perfectly illustrates UNESCO's mission in mobilising national and international, public and private funds for the safeguarding of heritage.
Timbuktu (Mali) (List of World Heritage in Danger) (US$ 41,850 requested)
Given the commitment of the .Mali authorities, the quality of the ICCROM/CRATerre partnership and the innovative character of the project which had received the recommendation of the Committee at its eighteenth session, the Committee approved an amount of US$ 40,000 for this project.
Historical Centre of Mompox (Colombia) requested) (US$ 30,000)
The Committee approved the requested amount of US$ 30,000 for a study on the impact of tourism on this site on the understanding that this would be contracted on the basis of a tender.
B.1.2 Training
Inter-regional Postgraduate Course in the Conservation of Monuments and the Rehabilitation of Historical cities (CECRE) (Salvador de Bahia, Brazil, March-December 1996): Request for international professors submitted by Brazil (US$ 45,000 requested)
The Committee approved an amount of US$ 30,000 for six international professors.
Inter-regional Postgraduate Course in the Conservation of Monuments and the Rehabilitation of Historical cities (CECRE) (Salvador de Bahia, Brazil, March-December 1996): Request for fellowships for ten international students submitted by Brazil (US$ 70,000 requested)
The Committee approved an amount of US$ 35,000 for international fellowships.
James Island and Albreda, Juffure, San Domingo: Prehistoric stone circle [sites inscribed on the Tentative List] (The Gambia) (US$ 98,000 requested)
Pending the formal inscription, the Committee approved US$ 10,000. ICCROM was requested to be associated with the implementation of this project to reevaluate the training needs, both in situ and abroad.
Central America: Training Seminar for site Managers of Archaeological World Heritage sites in Central America (Tegucigalpa/Copan,. Honduras, 1996) (request submitted by Honduras) (US$ 35,000 requested)
The Committee approved an amount of US$ 35,000 for this training workshop/seminar.
The Secretariat recommends the Committee to take note of the written information provided by the Secretariat and to adopt the following:
"The Committee supported the organization of a pilot project and congratulated the Mali Government for its commitment to define a coherent conservation policy adapted to the problems of each mosque, and to have provided national funds for emergency work. The Committee decided to retain the site on the List of World Heritage in Danger."
Mali
Documents examined by the Committee
19COM (1995)Exports
* :
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.
