Cliff of Bandiagara (Land of the Dogons)
Factors affecting the property in 2003*
- Drought
- Illegal activities
- Management systems/ management plan
- Other Threats:
Severe famine facing Bandiagara and massive selling of cultural objects
Factors* affecting the property identified in previous reports
Need to improve the conservation of both natural and cultural heritage (issue resolved)
International Assistance: requests for the property until 2003
Total amount approved : 93,640 USD
| 2001 | Evaluation of the Cliff of Bandiagara's Natural ... (Approved) | 14,740 USD |
| 1998 | Exhibition on Dogon architecture (Approved) | 5,000 USD |
| 1997 | Mission for the inventory of architecture in the Land ... (Approved) | 19,700 USD |
| 1993 | Pilot inventory project in 3 villages in the site of ... (Approved) | 42,000 USD |
| 1990 | Preparation of a technical cooperation project for the ... (Approved) | 7,200 USD |
| 1988 | Mission for the preparation of a nomination file and a ... (Approved) | 5,000 USD |
Missions to the property until 2003**
Conservation issues presented to the World Heritage Committee in 2003
The State Party, in an E-mail addressed to the Centre dated 8 April 2003, confirmed an earlier report of severe famine facing Bandiagara. The State Party described the situation as catastrophic and in need of a rapid emergency food programme. The State Party reported that, as a consequence of famine and in order for the local communities to survive, massive selling of cultural objects has taken place. Within the Joint Declaration on Co-operation concerning World Cultural and National Heritage Protection between the Italian Government and UNESCO, a team of three Italian Experts undertook a mission to Mali in July 2002. During the mission, the team had the opportunity to visit the Timbuktu, Djenne and Cliff of Bandiagara World Cultural Heritage sites. As regards Bandiagara, the team made specific recommendations in their report to the Centre, as follows:
i) the urgent need to elaborate a management plan for the site;
ii) the need to review the actual site limit to include some of the sensitive areas of the Bandiagara territory;
iii) the need to find a solution to the villages' abandonment by the active population due to the drought. International Assistance, amounting to US$20,000, was approved by the Chairperson and provided in 2002 to enable Mali to sensitize the local communities through a series of workshops on the protection of the World Heritage site: to rehabilitate the Arou Temple which was looted, and to promote local tourism activities in order to generate revenue for the local population and at the same time activities geared towards the protection of the site.
Within the Africa 2009 Programme training activities, one of the professionals working for the Cultural Mission attended, in 2002, the 4th Regional Course on Management and Conservation of immovable cultural heritage. In its efforts to preserve the site, the State Party created, in 2001, a National Directorate of Cultural Heritage to which the Cultural mission of Bandiagara is now attached.
Summary of the interventions
Decisions adopted by the Committee in 2003
27 COM 7B.27
Cliff of Bandiagara (Land of the Dogons) (Mali)
The World Heritage Committee [17],
1. Noting the actions undertaken so far by the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies to improve and assist Bandiagara,;
2. Considering the importance to undertake all necessary measures for preventive action to protect a property inscribed on the World Heritage List,;
3. Requests the Director-General of UNESCO to bring to the attention of the Director-General of The World Food Programme the severe famine reported in Bandiagara.
[17] Decision adopted without discussion.
Draft Decision: 27 COM 7 (b) 27
The World Heritage Committee,
1. Noting the actions undertaken so far by the Centre and the Advisory Bodies to improve and assist Bandiagara,
2. Considering the importance to undertake all necessary measures for preventive action to protect a property inscribed on the World Heritage List,
3. Requests the Director-General of UNESCO to bring to the attention of the Director-General of The World Food Programme to the severe famine reported in Bandiagara.
Mali
* :
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.
