Jamaica’s iconic coastal town, Port Royal, has joined the list of global cultural sites to be inscribed on the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) World Heritage list.
Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment, Olivia Grange, announced the updated recognition in a statement.
The list comprises a roster of cultural and natural sites deemed to have “outstanding universal value” are recognised for their exceptional importance to humanity and are protected for present and future generations as per UNESCO.
The decision to inscribe ‘The Archaeological Ensemble of 17th Century Port Royal’ was made at the meeting of the World Heritage Committee now underway in Paris, France.
Speaking on the latest update, Minister Grange, expressed pride in recognition of the iconic site, reaffirming the country’s continued effort in ensuring its preservation.
In her video statement following the inscription, the Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, the Honourable Olivia Grange, said Jamaica was “proud that our nomination of this unique terrestrial and submerged site has been accepted….This inscription to the World Heritage List supports our national efforts to preserve this heritage for all humanity”.
The Minister expressed appreciation to all those who supported Jamaica’s nomination and played a role in the successful nomination. “In this regard, I express appreciation to the World Heritage Centre, the International Council of Monuments and Sites, the governments of Mexico, Canada, the Netherlands and Japan, as well as the people of Port Royal whose livelihood is inextricably linked to the preservation, promotion and sustainable development of the site”.
Port Royal was inscribed on the basis of criterion 4 and criterion 6. Criterion 4 refers to ‘an outstanding example of a type of building, architectural or technological ensemble or landscape which illustrates significant stages in human history’. Criterion 6 requires the nominated site to be ‘directly or tangibly associated with events or living traditions, with ideas, or with beliefs, with artistic and literary works of outstanding universal significance’.
In its recommendation that Port Royal should be inscribed, the evaluation team wrote: “The integrity of the property is based on the terrestrial and underwater evidence of the 17th-century town of Port Royal. The archaeological ensemble contains all the attributes necessary to convey the Outstanding Universal Value, including the entire town encircled by the six fortifications present at the time of the devastating earthquake in 1692, and its 17th-century urban plan….The underwater sections of the town are exceptionally well preserved under layers of sediments”.
Port Royal joins the Blue and John Crow Mountains as Jamaican sites on the World Heritage List.
