A self-enriching world

Twenty cultural properties, five natural wonders, and one site that is a combination of both. These are the 26 new UNESCO World Heritage sites introduced in 2024. These new additions bring the total of the UNESCO World Heritage List to 1223, spread across no less than 168 countries, out of the 195 nations recognized by the UN.

The new sites were selected during the 46th session of the World Heritage Committee in New Delhi, India, after a rigorous evaluation process.

Thus, the world has been enriched with new gems that span a wide range of cultures, histories, and landscapes.

A towering Africa. The Melka Kunture and Balchit site in Ethiopia chronicles the history of humanity through its oldest archaeological evidence. Here, archaeologists have unearthed stone tools and fossils that take us back millennia, to a time when humans were taking their first steps on the planet. The atmosphere in these places is imbued with a deep connection to our origins, offering visitors an up-close encounter with the mysteries of the stone age.

Rising forth from the heart of Burkina Faso, the Royal Palace of Tiébélé is an oasis of tradition and art. Its architecture, embellished with boldly colored wall frescoes, displays the creativity and artistic skill of the Kassena people. Each building is a work of art, a manifesto of local culture, where colors and shapes tell ancient stories. The beauty of this site lies in its authenticity, in the way it celebrates the culture and ingenuity of a community that has succeeded in passing on its traditions from generation to generation.

The historic center and archaeological site of Gedi, Kenya, takes us on a journey through the centuries, to an ancient Swahili urban center that once thrived on extensive cultural and trade exchanges between East Africa and other regions of the world. Strolling through the remains of mosques, palaces, and stone buildings is like flipping through the pages of a book recounting the glories of a maritime civilization, reflected in the tales of merchants who sailed along the African coasts.

But the wonders don't end in Africa. Prominent among the sites added in 2024 is the Appian Way, known as "Regina Viarum", the queen of roads, which in Roman times connected the city of Rome with the southern part of the peninsula, all the way to Brindisi. It winds through hills, countryside, and ancient ruins, recalling an era of grandeur and power. To walk along its stretches is to immerse oneself in history, following in the footsteps of ancient travelers and warriors who walked the same route centuries ago.

Other new members joining the natural sites category include the Badain Jaran Desert and the Migratory Bird Refuge along the coast of the Yellow Sea and Gulf of Bohai in China, The Flow Country in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the Vjetrenica Cave in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the Lençóis Maranhenses National Park in Brazil.

Last but not least, a bit of good news: Niokolo-Koba National Park in Senega has been removed from the List of World Heritage in Danger.