Tell Umm Amer Heritage Site

Source- This post on the Tell Umm Amer Heritage Site has been created based on the article “Why inclusion of Gaza’s Tell Umm Amer in the World Heritage Site List matters” published in “Indian Express” on 29 July 2024.

The World Heritage Committee (WHC) decided to include the Palestinian site of Tell Umm Amer in both the UNESCO World Heritage Site List and the List of World Heritage in Danger during its 46th session in New Delhi.

About Tell Umm Amer Heritage Site

1. Tell Umm Amer is situated on the coastal dunes of the Nuseirat Municipality, just 10 km south of Gaza city.

2. This site is home to an ancient Christian monastery founded in the fourth century by Hilarion the Great (291-371 CE). It is also known as the ‘Monastery of Saint Hilarion.’

3. Tell Umm Amer holds the distinction of being the first monastic community in the Holy Land, laying the groundwork for the spread of monastic practices throughout the region.

4. The monastery occupied a strategic position at the crossroads of major trade and communication routes between Asia and Africa.

International Protection and Support

1. The inclusion of Tell Umm Amer in the UNESCO World Heritage Site List and the List of World Heritage in Danger underscores the need for its protection.

2. The World Heritage Convention of 1972 to which Israel is a party, mandates the identification, protection, and preservation of World Heritage sites.

3. This convention prohibits states from taking any deliberate measures that might cause direct or indirect damage to such sites.

4. In December 2023, UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Committee for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict had already granted provisional enhanced protection to the monastery under the 1954 Hague Convention and its Second Protocol.

Benefits of Inclusion

1. Being listed as a World Heritage in Danger enables Tell Umm Amer to receive enhanced international technical and financial assistance to ensure its protection and rehabilitation.

2. This status facilitates global attention and resources, crucial for preserving the site amidst the ongoing conflict in Gaza.

3. The UNESCO statement emphasized that this inclusion is vital for safeguarding the monastery’s cultural and historical significance for future generations.

UPSC Syllabus: International Organisation