Island of Gorée
Factors affecting the property in 1998*
- Erosion and siltation/ deposition
- Identity, social cohesion, changes in local population and community
- Solid waste
- Other Threats:
Dilapidated state of some buildings
Factors* affecting the property identified in previous reports
- Dilapidated state of some buildings
- Erosion
- Families occupying buildings in need of restoration
International Assistance: requests for the property until 1998
Total amount approved : 73,700 USD
1981 | Technical assistance for the renovation of the Island ... (Approved) | 40,700 USD |
1981 | Equipment and financial assistance for the Island of ... (Approved) | 33,000 USD |
Missions to the property until 1998**
Information presented to the Bureau of the World Heritage Committee in 1998
The preservation of the architectural heritage is linked to the protection of the natural environment (coastal areas) and the improvement of the infrastructure (water, sewers, refuse disposal, etc.).
Priority projects that have given rise to or demand interventions:
- The Relais de l’Espadon and the old military hospital (restoration financed by private funding from the United States). It will be the principal hotel on the Island.
- Restoration of a building intended as a Catering School
- Restoration of the Old William-Ponty School
- Restoration of the Hortala House
- Restoration of the Diouga-Dieng House.
Action Required
The Bureau may wish to adopt the following text and transmit it to the Committee for noting:
« The Bureau
(i) congratulates the Senegalese authorities for the efforts undertaken to preserve the Island of Gorée and its rehabilitation and socio-economic revitalization, taking into consideration the natural environment and the improvement of infrastructure,
(ii) invites the international community to support the efforts undertaken by the Senegalese authorities. »
Conservation issues presented to the World Heritage Committee in 1998
The International Campaign for the Safeguarding of the Island of Gorée has as its objective the rehabilitation of the heritage and the socio-economic revitalization of the Island, the principal tourist destination in Senegal.
The preservation of the architectural heritage is linked to the protection of the natural environment (coastal areas) and the improvement of the infrastructure (water, sewers, refuse disposal, etc.). Specific priority projects have been identified for implementation.
The Bureau congratulated the Senegalese authorities for the efforts undertaken to preserve the Island of and its rehabilitation and socio-economic revitalization, taking into consideration the natural environment and the improvement of infrastructure; it also invited the international community to support the efforts undertaken by the Senegalese authorities.
Summary of the interventions
Decisions adopted by the Committee in 1998
22 COM VII.43
Reports on the State of Conservation of Cultural Properties Noted by the Committee
VII.43 The Committee noted the decisions of the twenty-second extraordinary session of the Bureau as reflected in the Report of the Bureau session (Working Document WHC-98/CONF.203/5) and included in Annex IV of this report on the following properties:
Rapa Nui National Park (Chile)
The Mountain Resort and Its Outlying Temples in Chengde (China)
The Potala Palace, Lhasa (China)
Temple and Cemetery of Confucius and the Kong Family Mansion in Qufu (China)
Ancient Building Complex in the Wudang Mountains (China)
City of Quito (Ecuador)
Memphis and its Necropolis - the Pyramid Fields from Giza to Dahshur (Egypt)
Ancient Thebes with its Necropolis (Egypt)
Islamic Cairo (Egypt)
Historic Centre (Old Town) of Tallinn (Estonia)
Collegiate Church, Castle and Old Town in Quedlinburg (Germany)
Historic Centre of Florence (Italy)
Quseir Amra (Jordan)
Luang Prabang (Laos)
Baalbek (Lebanon)
Tyre (Lebanon)
Vilnius Historic Centre (Lithuania)
Old Towns of Djenné (Mali)
City of Cusco (Peru)
Archaeological site of Chavin (Peru)
Historic Centre of Lima (Peru)
The Baroque Churches of the Philippines (The Philippines)
Historic Centre of Porto (Portugal)
Island of Gorée (Senegal)
Sacred City of Anuradhapura (Sri Lanka)
Ancient City of Polonnaruva (Sri Lanka)
Ancient City of Sigiriya (Sri Lanka)
Site of Palmyra (Syrian Arab Republic)
Historic Areas of Istanbul (Turkey)
Kiev: Saint Sophia Cathedral and Related Monastic Buildings (Ukraine)
Complex of Hué Monuments (Vietnam)
Old City of Sana'a (Yemen)
No draft Decision
* :
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.