Antoni Ferrer, director of the Talayotic Menorca Agency, took part in the first international congress "Sardinia, the Island of the Nuraga", which brought together a large group of international experts on the Italian island on 16th and 17th November. Focused on promoting the candidacy of the Sardinian nuragic heritage for UNESCO World Heritage, the organisers wanted to count on Ferrer's participation to delve into the experience of Talayotic Menorca.
Under the title "Island sites: characteristics and management. The case of Menorca, a new UNESCO property 2023", the director of the agency highlighted the uniqueness of Menorca as an archaeological treasure, as well as going into the achievements and the challenges that Menorca Talayotica faces from now on. Ferrer highlighted three key points: guaranteeing the proper conservation of sites that do not have access control or surveillance systems, avoiding that the incription as a World Heritage Site contributes to the overcrowding of the island, and establishing a stable system of collaboration between the agency and the owners of the assets.
The conference panel consisted of archaeologists, economists, marketing experts, managers, anthropologists and geneticists with the aim of making the point that the help of various sciences and professionals is necessary to communicate the immense value of an ancient civilisation.
Nuraxi of Barumini
At the beginning of the second millennium BC, in the Bronze Age, a type of defensive structure called nuraghi, circular towers in the form of truncated cones, built with large ashlars, was created on the island of Sardinia. The most beautiful and complete example of this remarkable prehistoric architectural construction is the Barumini complex, which was enlarged and reinforced in the first half of the first millennium BC under pressure from the Carthaginians.
This archaeological site comprises a nuraghe complex and an important hut settlement, a unique site, which was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997. The archaeological site was brought to light in the fifties of the last century thanks to the excavations carried out by Giovanni Lilliu. From 2021, Sardinia is seeking UNESCO recognition of its entire territory as an "open museum" and cultural landscape.
17th Meeting of World Heritage Managers
On the other hand, the head of the Historical Heritage Service of the Consell Insular, Joana Gual, took part on November 17 in the XVII Meeting of World Heritage Managers held in Madrid last week.
At the round table on citizen participation,
Gual explained the long process to achieve World Heritage status for Talayotic Menorca, explaining the awareness-raising initiatives carried out by the Consell Insular, the participatory activities organised within the framework of three international congresses of good practices, the proposals and actions implemented by both public and private entities, and the challenges that have been faced over the years in different areas of participation.
This annual forum, created in 2007 by the Ministry of Cultural Affairs and Sports, analyses and debates initiatives and projects for the management of sites inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. It is a highly valued meeting among managers because it allows them to share experiences, learn about different guidelines for action and compare criteria that contribute to better management.