Tiwanaku: Spiritual and Political Centre of the Tiwanaku Culture

• Lack of a management plan (issue resolved)
• Governance
• Lack of coordinated conservation policies and interventions between the national government and local stakeholders
• Impacts of tourism / visitor / recreation
• Legal framework
• Management systems/ management plan
• Urban high rise/ urban sprawl
• Lack of conservation policy

Total amount granted: USD 870,000 for the project “Preservation and Conservation of Tiwanaku and the Akapana Pyramid” (UNESCO/Japan Funds-in-Trust for World Heritage), finalized in 2018

On 1 February 2023, the State Party submitted a state of conservation report, which is available at https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/567/documents/. Progress in a number of conservation issues addressed by the Committee at its previous sessions is presented in this report, as follows:

• The State Party confirms that the Ministry of Cultures, Decolonization and Depatriarchalisation, through the designated management authority, the Tiwanaku Archaeological, Anthropological and Administration Research Centre (CIAAAT), is committed to implementing decisions of the World Heritage Committee and recommendations by the Advisory Bodies to preserve and maintain the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property;
• CIAAAT has sufficient resources at the moment. However, additional human and financial resources will be required in the future to facilitate the full implementation of the management and conservation plans. Given the lack of national personnel in many fields of expertise, it will be necessary to obtain international cooperation;
• CIAAT prepared a Management Plan and Conservation Plan that were approved in 2017 and 2018 respectively;
• The Risk Management Plan is under preparation and, once concluded, will be shared with the World Heritage Centre for review by the Advisory Bodies;
• The actual buffer zone of 100 meters around the World Heritage property has three sub-zones: a small area of high potential value, a zone for agricultural use and an area for the construction of housing. CIAAAT has no authority to regulate land use in the buffer zone and proposes to the municipality of Tiwanaku to implement regulations for the protection of cultural heritage and the control of new constructions in this area;
• Joint activities were undertaken to prevent illicit trafficking of cultural objects, as well as educational activities and visits for students from the municipality. The CIAAAT has overseen the elaboration of a plan for a new archaeological museum for Tiwanaku;
• CIAAAT signed an agreement with the Military Geographic Institute (IGM) to verify the delimitation of the property and buffer zone, and subsequently assert the property rights in favour of the State Party, where necessary. This mapping will form the basis for the expansion of the buffer zone;
• In the short term, no restoration or construction works are foreseen, and priority is given to conservation activities. CIAAAT has undertaken substantive maintenance of the museum, storage and conservation areas and prepared a number of manuals and regulations for conservation activities and the use of the property for tourism and other purposes;
• A capacity building programme for tourism-based activities in the village of Tiwanaku has been prepared. An integral waste management plan was developed by CIAAAT including an extensive inventory of flora and fauna in the area and a capacity building programme.

The commitment of the State Party to implement the decisions of the World Heritage Committee and the recommendations of the Advisory Bodies concerning the Management Plan and the Integral Conservation Plan, is welcomed. It is noted that the Risk Management Plan is under preparation and the State Party should be invited to submit the plan for review by the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies, as soon as it becomes available.

It is understood that no new archaeological zone will be opened, and that priority will be given to conservation activities.

It is appreciated that CIAAAT has signed an agreement with the IGM to review the boundaries of the property and the buffer zone. However, it remains unclear what the timeframe and the possible new limits of the buffer zone will be. In the meantime, it is of great concern that the regulations for the 100-meter buffer zone establish a rather substantial area designated for the construction of housing, and that no definition of village expansion and urban and rural areas has been achieved. It is considered essential that CIAAAT and the municipality of Tiwanaku agree upon cooperation and coordination mechanisms that will define urban and rural areas and will ensure the proper regulation, control, and use of the present and future buffer zone. It is recommended that the Committee reiterate its grave concerns about this matter.

The continued collaboration of CIAAAT with the local authorities and communities in awareness raising, waste management and heritage-based economic activities, among others, is highly appreciated. Equally, CIAAT should be commended for the measures it has taken for the maintenance of museum, storage and conservation facilities and the preparation of manuals and regulations that will guide the conservation, tourism, and other activities at the property.

It is noted that the full implementation of the management and conservation plans will require additional human and financial resources, which may not be available in the State Party. The State Party could be invited to review the funding mechanisms for CIAAAT and explore further international cooperation.