The certificate of Djerba Island's inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List was handed over on Friday evening in Djerba to Cultural Affairs Minister Hayet Guettat Guermazi by Regional Director of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) for the Maghreb Eric Falt. The "Djerba: Cultural landscape, testimony to a mode of occupation of an island territory" file is a serial property comprising seven areas of the island and twenty-four monuments. It was officially inscribed on UNESCO's World Heritage List on September 18, at the 45th enlarged session of the World Heritage Committee, held September 10-25, 2023, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The Island of Djerba was one of 27 new properties, 24 cultural and 3 natural, to join the 1,157 sites in 167 countries already inscribed on the World Heritage List. Signed by UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay, the certificate was presented to Tunisia at an official ceremony attended by representatives of United Nations institutions, including United Nations Resident Coordinator in Tunisia Arnaud Peral, the heads of heritage institutions, in particular National Heritage Institute (INP) President Tarek Baccouche, and members of civil society in Djerba. UN officials are currently in southern Tunisia as part of their annual meeting, held in a different country each time, to examine issues relevant to their fields of competence. The Minister of Cultural Affairs underlined the exceptional value of this property, whose inclusion on the World Heritage List testifies to Tunisia's contribution to the history of humanity and the preservation of universal memory, as well as mankind's ability to adapt to its environment. "Receiving this certificate means that Tunisia has a responsibility to work towards safeguarding and promoting this unique universal asset, so that it becomes a real lever for economic and social development on the island and beyond," she said. This responsibility will be shared between Tunisia's public institutions, civil society and the media, with the backing of UNESCO, she pointed out, adding that a working group (Djerba World Heritage) is open to all in a bid to draw up specific programmes and an appropriate legislative framework for this serial site. Eric Falt voiced admiration for this unique heritage in Djerba, saying that "the certificate is the culmination of several years' effort, thanks to the involvement of the island's inhabitants, who are called to play their part in preserving it for generations to come." He further explained that this is a shared responsibility that requires the efforts of local civil society, national organisations and associations, with the support of UNESCO. Covering an area of 514 km2, the island of Djerba is located in one of the most strategic positions in the heart of the Mediterranean. This island on the south coast has become Tunisia's 9th World Heritage Site, with 7 cultural sites and one natural site. The listed cultural sites are the Medina of Tunis, the Site of Carthage and the Amphitheatre of El Jem (1979), the Site of Kerkouane (1986), the Medina of Sousse and the Medina of Kairouan (1988) and the Site of Dougga (1997). The Ichkeul National Park, the last large freshwater lake in a chain that once stretched the length of North Africa, has been a listed natural site since 1980.
Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse