Forum World Heritage Site

winterkjm:

"There has been some minor discussions about nominating another site however the conversations are now stagnant

Indeed!
In Jan 2019 Belize set up the "The Belize World Heritage Advisory Committee" (BWHAC). I seems that the then recent removal of the Belize Barrier Reef from its endangered status stimulated action to keep on top of World Heritage related preservation. These photos show the 15 members from among the Belizan "great and good" in the natural and conservation world being welcomed with a lot of gladhanding........
Since then I can find very little indication of progress on new sites. Maybe the emphasis has been placed on management of the current WHS and general improvement of conservation across the country.

Mind you Belize doesn't really have a lot to work on when it comes to potential further WHS - it already has the single WHS granted to every country whether really justified or not (and the Belize Reef certainly was "justified") - so where does it go from there??

2 Facebook posts in 2019 suggest that thought was given very early on in the life of the BWHAC as to what might come next even if no subsequent progress can be found....

a. From Jun 2019 suggesting a couple of candidiates
b. From Aug 2019 suggesting the same 2 potential sites being actively pursued - "since the drive is now geared towards nominating and listing"....

The 2 being (Links to Wiki for each)
a. Natural - Chiquibul Forest
b. Cultural - The Mayan site of Caracol
(or the 2 combined as a Mixed site - presumably using Tikal as a model??)

Is either of them strong enough within their respective domains, given all the other inscribed and potential Meso-American forests and Mayan archaeological sites? The Chiquibul Cave system inside the Forest might provide an alternative narrative as it is "is one of the largest and best-known cave systems in Central America." and includes "Belize Chamber - with dimensions of 300 m by 150 m by 65 m, it is one of the largest natural caverns in the world" (both Wiki). It would certainly seem to require a transborder nomination with a friendly Guatemala "on board" with such cooperation, which already has what may (or may not?) be a part of the same cave system on its T List, in the form of "The Caves of Naj Tunich". But Guatemala has only identifed its caves for Cultural reasons......

Currrently the most "visited" Maya sites in Belize are at
Xunan Tunich
Lamanai
Altun Ha
Cahal Petch
But none seems to have been regarded, at least initialy by BWHAC, as significant enough to justify potential inclusion in any future Belize T List.. Caracol seems to justify its "uniqueness" on the basis of its city size etc

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	winterkjm Partaker	#1 \| Posted: 15 Mar 2025 10:04 \| Edited by: winterkjm
		In regards to Belize producing a Tentative List as of 2023 there is no measurable activity to develop a Tentative List, but perhaps this will change. "There has been some minor discussions about nominating another site however the conversations are now stagnant." - Periodic Reporting 2023 The ICJ will likely rule on the Belize-Guatemala Territorial Dispute in 2025. Perhaps closing this ongoing issue leads to more cooperation between both nations. Potential expansion of the 'Tren Maya' to Belize and even Tikal. - Article 2025

	Solivagant Partaker	#2 \| Posted: 15 Mar 2025 15:37 \| Edited by: Solivagant
		winterkjm: "There has been some minor discussions about nominating another site however the conversations are now stagnant Indeed! In Jan 2019 Belize set up the "The Belize World Heritage Advisory Committee" (BWHAC). I seems that the then recent removal of the Belize Barrier Reef from its endangered status stimulated action to keep on top of World Heritage related preservation. These photos show the 15 members from among the Belizan "great and good" in the natural and conservation world being welcomed with a lot of gladhanding........ Since then I can find very little indication of progress on new sites. Maybe the emphasis has been placed on management of the current WHS and general improvement of conservation across the country. Mind you Belize doesn't really have a lot to work on when it comes to potential further WHS - it already has the single WHS granted to every country whether really justified or not (and the Belize Reef certainly was "justified") - so where does it go from there?? 2 Facebook posts in 2019 suggest that thought was given very early on in the life of the BWHAC as to what might come next even if no subsequent progress can be found.... a. From Jun 2019 suggesting a couple of candidiates b. From Aug 2019 suggesting the same 2 potential sites being actively pursued - "since the drive is now geared towards nominating and listing".... The 2 being (Links to Wiki for each) a. Natural - Chiquibul Forest b. Cultural - The Mayan site of Caracol (or the 2 combined as a Mixed site - presumably using Tikal as a model??) Is either of them strong enough within their respective domains, given all the other inscribed and potential Meso-American forests and Mayan archaeological sites? The Chiquibul Cave system inside the Forest might provide an alternative narrative as it is "is one of the largest and best-known cave systems in Central America." and includes "Belize Chamber - with dimensions of 300 m by 150 m by 65 m, it is one of the largest natural caverns in the world" (both Wiki). It would certainly seem to require a transborder nomination with a friendly Guatemala "on board" with such cooperation, which already has what may (or may not?) be a part of the same cave system on its T List, in the form of "The Caves of Naj Tunich". But Guatemala has only identifed its caves for Cultural reasons...... Currrently the most "visited" Maya sites in Belize are at Xunan Tunich Lamanai Altun Ha Cahal Petch But none seems to have been regarded, at least initialy by BWHAC, as significant enough to justify potential inclusion in any future Belize T List.. Caracol seems to justify its "uniqueness" on the basis of its city size etc