Panama historic forts on Unesco gray list

Panama’s historic forts  in Portobelo and San Lorenzo, in Colón have been on the endangered list of  UNESCO  (the UN Educational Science and Culture Organization)  for six years.

The organization’s Heritage Committee included both on the gray list in  2012, due to their deteriorating state, and this year, together with its advisory bodies, published a report for further discussion at the session No. 42 of Unesco, in Bahrain (Middle East) in June.

The report in addition to requesting the retention of the sites on the list of endangered endangered heritage sites also “regretted” that the implementation of corrective measures  by Panama of the monumental complex have suffered “delays” through lack of adequate allocation of funds.

“As a consequence the property runs the risk of losing important attributes and its exceptional universal value, “says the report which had technical support from the International Council of Monuments and Sites (Icomos)

Financing aid
However, the Committee noted in its report that it welcomed the financing opportunity offered by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) for the conservation and management of cultural heritage, which includes part for the recovery of Portobelo and San Lorenzo.

The  financing has to do with the loan granted this year by the IDB to the  National Cultural Institute (INAC) over  $50 million for the restoration of  the forts; the rehabilitation of the National Theater and the Reina Torres de Araúz Anthropological Museum, in Panama.

In the case of Portobelo and San Lorenzo, some restoration works were assigned $20 million, but the work is not yet tendered.