On Sunday, the Yazd city in Iran was selected as a World Heritage Site at the 41st session of the World Heritage Committee in Poland’s Krakow.
Iran’s UNESCO-listed cities, such as Shahr-e-Soukhteh, are all uninhabited, which would make Yazd the first city on the coveted list inhabited by a large population. Iran currently has 21 world heritage sites, more than any other country in the Middle East.
Located in central Iran, Yazd is believed to be the world’s oldest adobe city, boasting a historical texture covering 2,270 hectares, of which 195.67 hectares have been proposed for UNESCO-listed status. The designated area by UNEXCO covers a buffer zone of around 700 hectares.
While addressing the session, representative of Azerbaijan Republic enumerated the unique historical features of Yazd and its cultural and social life to defend the inclusion of the Iranian city on the global list.
Kuwaiti representative was the second speaker to support selection of Yazd; “given the historic structure and magnificent brickwork of this city, it is bound to enter the UNESCO World Heritage List,” he underlined.
Envoy of Turkey also referred to the multicultural character of Yazd and peaceful coexistence of various religions like Islam, Zoroastrianism and Zenith adding “Yazd possesses all conditions of a great work of valuable world heritage.”
The World Heritage Committee is meeting in Krakow, Poland, through 12 July, where it is reviewing nomination of 33 sites for inscription on UNESCO’s World Heritage List. Also during its 41st session, the Committee will review the state of conservation of 99 World Heritage sites and of 55 sites inscribed on the List of World Heritage in Danger. Five World Heritage sites will be examined with a view to place them on the World Heritage List in Danger.
Source: Mehr News