"The World Heritage Convention is not only a piece of paper"

AMN: Unescos World Heritage List is long and interesting. As we know, it comprises 660 cultural monuments and 166 natural monuments. Is there a ranking in this list? Or does UNESCO consider preservation of these places in equal measure?

Prof. Droste: There is no ranking. All sites on Unescos World Heritage List must be of outstanding universal value. However there is a second list: the World heritage in Danger List. This list contains those World Heritage properties that are under serious threat such as the Galapagos Islands, the Dresden Elbe Valley or Ashur in Afghanistan.

AMN: Is there something that a name of a world cultural heritage place can have effect on? Were there examples where it lead to a short-term recovery of a cultural monument?

BD: The Giza Pyramids in Egypt were threatened in 1995 by the construction of a highway. Our negotiations with the Egyptian authorities resulted in the construction of a highway at a distant location. In 1999 the World heritage Committee campaigned successfully against a plan for establishing a salt factory in the El Vizcaino Bay in Mexico, the last pristine reproduction lagoon for Whales in the Pacific. Many successful restoration projects helped to remove World heritage sites from the in Danger List. This was the case with Angkor Wat, the Old City of Dubrovnik or the Wieliczka Salt Mine in Poland. We also remember the highly successful Unesco safeguarding campaigns for Abu Simbel , Venice or Borubudur in Indonesia.

AMN: Lots of countries with one of the most spectacular monuments are having financial problems with the preservation and restoration of cultural heritage. Are there UNESCO funds allocated for that purpose? Or would the name of the world cultural heritage place be considered exclusively as a non-profit?

BD: The World Heritage Convention is not only a piece of paper but is above all an instrument for concrete action in preserving threatened sites and endangered species. All States Parties -presently 185 - contribute to the World heritage Fund. In addition there is bilateral and other multilateral aid available for the benefit of World Heritage Conservation projects in developing countries.

AMN: There is a department of the world heritage at the TU Cottbus. Why do you think it is important to have specific instruction in this particular area?

BD: It would be more correct (and probably less attractive) to call this master course "Heritage Studies", since World Heritage Conservation is not different from the conservation of other heritage sites, monuments and cultural landscapes. In fact World Heritage properties cover all aspects of material heritage of humankind and are closely associated with the immaterial heritage. It is not by chance that World Heritage Studies at Cottbus Technical University enjoy an excellent international reputation with scholars from all over the world. There is an urgent need for site manager capacity building.

AMN: The Construction of the Waldschlösschen Bridge in Dresden has caused recently
quite a stir in Germany as well as outside of the country. The reason is a consequent loss of the cultural heritage. Lots of residents fear that a change of a name would lead
to a decrease in a number of tourists. What is your opinion to that?

BD: I feel ashamed by what is happening in Dresden. World Heritage Delisting would be the correct answer to the irreparable damage done to the Dresden Elbe Cultural Landscape. The non-respect for the obligations under the World Heritage Convention is undermining Germanys reputation in the World as a trustworthy treaty partner. This counts for me more than a possible decrease in the number of tourists.

UNESCO World Heritage Centre: http://whc.unesco.org