On Monday, the World Monuments Fund announced its 2018 World Monuments Watch List, which includes 25 sites of cultural heritage threatened by human conflict, urbanization, climate change and natural disasters which span 30 countries and territories around the world.
During the announcement, World Monuments Fund President Joshua David dwelled upon the impact of Hurricanes Harvey and Irma in the Caribbean and the Gulf, as well as the two earthquakes that hit Mexico this past September. While the first priority in the wake of any disaster is the safety and well-being of local residents, he stressed the importance of preserving heritage in the recovery process of communities as a whole. These recent natural disasters led to the inclusion of ‘Disaster Sites of the Caribbean, the Gulf, and Mexico’ on the 2018 Watch List.
Also included on the watch list are several sites threatened by conflict. The Souk of Aleppo, Syria, which has served as the beating heart of the old city for hundreds of years and was recently ravaged by fire, the Al- Hadba’ Minaret in Mosul, Iraq, which was destroyed by ISIL this past summer, and the Sukur Cultural Landscape in Nigeria, which has become a target of Boko Haram, have been included.
Other sites were selected out of less dire circumstances. The Central Train Terminal of Buffalo, New York, is in an increasingly derelict state after about four decades of abandonment and neglect. Even though there are several advocacy groups trying to find a future use for the building, the World Monuments Fund decided to place it on the 2018 list to help reinforce those efforts.
A second United States site was a group of 14 unassuming houses, places of worship and various community spaces in Alabama that have been selected for their connection to the American civil rights movement. This nomination not only highlights a significant part of American history but also represents an era of worldwide social rights transformations.
World Monuments Fund President Joshua David stated, “By building an international coalition, the World Monuments Watch protects both the sites themselves and the shared history they embody. Sites like the 25 on the 2018 Watch are where we come together as citizens of the world and renew our commitment to justice, culture, peace, and understanding.”
The full list of 2018 Watch Sites includes:
- Disaster Sites of the Caribbean, the Gulf, and Mexico
- Government House, St. John’s, Antigua and Barbuda
- Sirius Building, Millers Point, Sydney, Australia
- Ramal Talca-Constitución, Talca Province, Chile
- Grand Theater, Prince Kung’s Mansion, Beijing, China
- Eliyahu Hanavi Synagogue, Alexandria, Egypt
- Takiyyat of al-Gulshani, Cairo, Egypt
- Potager du Roi, Versailles, France
- Post-Independence Architecture of Delhi, India
- Al-Hadba’ Minaret, Mosul, Iraq
- Lifta, Jerusalem, Israel
- Amatrice, Italy
- Kagawa Prefectural Gymnasium, Takamatsu, Kagawa Prefecture, Japan
- Jewish Quarter of Essaouira, Morocco
- Sukur Cultural Landscape, Madagali Local Government Area, Nigeria
- Historic Karachi, Pakistan
- Cerro de Oro, Cañete Valley, Peru
- Tebaida Leonesa, El Bierzo, León, Spain
- Souk of Aleppo, Aleppo, Syria
- Chao Phraya River, Bangkok, Thailand
- Blackpool Piers, Blackpool, United Kingdom
- Buffalo Central Terminal, Buffalo, New York, United States
- Alabama Civil Rights Sites, Alabama, United States
- Old City of Ta’izz, Ta’izz, Yemen
- Matobo Hills Cultural Landscape, Matobo, Matabeleland South, Zimbabwe
