With it figuring in the Blog over the last couple of weeks and our discussions about the possiblity of Granada and Environs ever making it to Inscription it seems worth starting a new subject for this country!

Out of interest I have been looking up what has been said about Granada's potential candidacy over the past few years. There has been something in the press most years since 2011 but there is no indication that anything really significant is happening. Following my comments/questions about the Trans-Nicaraguan Canal in the blog it is interesting to note that the 2013 article indicates that any Canal would be a negative for WHS!

Jun 2011- Mention but also an assessment of poor maintenance etc
http://www.elnuevodiario.com.ni/especiales/106124_da%C3%B1os-al-patrimonio-cultural-d e-granada

Oct 2011- Spain appears to be offering to help?
http://www.nicanoticias.com/2011/10/07/granada-patrimonio-mixto-de-la-humanidad/

May 2012 – "El arquitecto Luis Maldonado Valz, especialista colombiano en procesos UNESCO para la declaración de ciudades Patrimonio de la Humanidad, está en Granada, asesorando sobre el tema a la Oficina del Centro Histórico de esta ciudad. El arquitecto Maldonado Valz se reunió la mañana del martes 22 de mayo 2012 con el Alcalde Eulogio Mejía, y abordaron la idea, la intención de las autoridades municipales de apresurar el proceso para el reconocimiento de la UNESCO de Granada como Patrimonio Mixto de la Humanidad"
http://laverdadnica.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1801:granada-con -gran-potencial-para-ser-declarada-patrimonio-mixto-de-la-humanidad-segun-especialist a&catid=39:departamentales

Feb 2013 –Report by/to the "Assemblea Nacional" of Nicaragua on UNESCO Heritage matters (both Tangible and intangible). Granada is the ONLY "Candidate" mentioned (page 20)
http://www.asamblea.gob.ni/patrimoniocn/PATRIMONIOCULTURALMUNDIAL-NICARAGUA-FEBRERO-2 013.pdf

June 2013 – Mention of concern about a possible Canal "El Canal, sea viable o no, no se debe tocar el Gran Lago Cocibolca"!! http://laverdadnica.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2595:-para-que-g ranada-sea-declarada-patrimonio-de-la-humanidad-lo-primero-que-va-pedir-la-unesco-es- que-el-centro-de-la-plaza-sean-despejados-no-mas-mercado-en-el-parque-valora-jose-joa quin-quadra-cardenal&catid=39:departamentales

Feb 2015 –Still talking about it! There seems to be an Annual Poetry Festival in Granada and "asking" for inscription seems to be a standard item on the agenda!
http://diariometro.com.ni/granada-sigue-su-camino-hasta-ser-patrimonio/

More Nicaraguan WHS hopes, but no sign of focused activity for an inscription. Acahualinca footprints

http://www.telesurtv.net/english/news/National-Pride-for-Ancient-Human-Footprints-in- Nicaragua-20150223-0023.html

Yes we saw these - Had never seen "fossilised" human footprints before so was quite impressed at the time - but they don't have the age/importance of Laetoli where "man first walked upright" etc etc! Laeotli - 3.6 mya. Acahualinca - although the above link says they are 6000 years old Wiki says c2000 , quoting this learned article by volcanologists from 2008 http://www.springerlink.com/content/f6t36212067t8236/
So, whilst they are an interesting "curiosity", is it really of OUV to have the footprints of some indigenous people walking in mud whether from 2000 or even 6000 years ago??

I do not understand why Ometepe is not proposed.

They got it accepted as a World Biosphere Reserve in 2010 (one of 3 Nicaragua has succeeded in getting). Perhaps they have quit while they are ahead!
http://www.unesco.org/new/en/natural-sciences/environment/ecological-sciences/biosphe re-reserves/latin-america-and-the-caribbean/nicaragua/ometepe-island/
Some of these do go on to WHS. If it had been thought that it had what it takes for WHS status one would have thought that would have come out in the nomination etc process and, if positive, would have been reflected by now in an addition to the T List. Although there are nomination forms and an evaluation process I have been unable to find any historical documentation of the Biosphere nomination on the above site.

This web page actually states that Ometepe IS a WHS (see "description")!! It is of no great importance or significance but it does demonstrate the lack of clarity created by all these different "lists" among those who are not directly involved or as "obsessive" as we are!
http://www.maderasrfc.org/Maderas_Rainforest_Conservancy/Neotropical_ethnobotany.html

The following article and maps might be of interest in showing how closely the "under construction" Canal is due to pass by Ometepe - too close I would have thought (and also the vast amount of dredging which has got to take place to virtually double the lake's depth along the shipping route. It will all have to be put somewhere and must totally ruin the lake's ecology and that of the surroundings which depend on it)
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jan/20/-sp-nicaragua-canal-land-opportunity-fea r-route

Ometepe is the only place during my trip that I heard the Canal mentioned (by a foreigner living there).

Ometepe in general nowadays is quite a touristy and developed island. I think it will never become a WHS as a whole, maybe only the part around the Maderas volcano has a chance.

Nicaragua wants to withdraw from UNESCO.
https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/unesco-statement-following-nicaraguas-decision-withdraw-organization