The World Monuments Watch is a flagship advocacy program of the New York–based private non-profit organizationWorld Monuments Fund (WMF) and American Express aimed at identifying and preserving the world’s most important endangered cultural landmarks.[1] It targets selected sites for immediate action, to call attention to the need for innovative approaches to protect threatened sites throughout the world.[1]
Selection process
Every two years, the program publishes a select list known as the Watch List of 100 Most Endangered Sites that is in urgent need of preservation funding and protection. The sites are nominated by governments, private organizations active in the field of heritage conservation, and concerned individuals.[1] An independent panel of international experts then convene to evaluate and select 100 candidates from these entries to be part of the Watch List, based on the significance of the urgency of its situation, the viability of proposed remedies, and the site's overall significance.[1] WMF and American Express award grants to sites included on the Watch List through the WMF Fund, which is composed of donations from corporate, individual and foundation sponsors.[1] These grants are meant to support activities such as strategic planning, emergency and technical assistance, educational and local fund raising programs, and conservation treatment.[1]
1996 Watch List
The 1996 World Monuments Watch List of 100 Most Endangered Sites was launched on August 4, 1995.[1]
List by country/territory
Brazil's Serra da Capivara National Park has the largest concentration of prehistoric small farms on the continent.The Churches of Chiloé in Chile are a unique architectural phenomenon in the Americas and one of the most prominent buildings of Chilota architecture.The temples of the Angkor area in Cambodia comprise the most significant site of Khmer architecture.The historic center of Split, centered on Diocletian’s splendid palace, is today the cultural heart of the Croatian city.[2]India’s Taj Mahal is considered the finest example of Mughal architecture.[3][4]Borobudur, a shrine to the Lord Buddha and a place for Buddhist pilgrimage, is Indonesia's single most visited tourist attraction.[5][6][7]In 2003, UNESCO proclaimed the White City in Tel Aviv, Israel a World Heritage Site, as "an outstanding example of new town planning and architecture in the early 20th century."[8]The Ibn Danan synagogue contains perhaps the only complete set of Moroccan synagogue fittings in existence.[2]Typhoon Nadia in 1994 and an influx of refugees escaping civil war on the mainland have strained the already stressed architectural environment of Mozambique Island.[2]Russia’s Alexander Palace is primarily known as the favoured residence of the last Russian Emperor, Nicholas II, and his family.The Church of the Holy Ascension played a significant role in evangelizing the indigenous people in then Russian Alaska.
The following countries/territories have multiple sites entered on the 1996 Watch List, listed by the number of sites:
Number of sites
Country/Territory
11
Italy
7
United States of America
4
Croatia and Mexico
3
Chile, China, Poland, Russia and Turkey
2
Austria, Czech Republic, France, India, Israel, Jordan, Morocco, Nepal, Peru, Romania and Vietnam
Notes
^ A. Numbers list only meant as a guide on this article. No official reference numbers have been designated for the sites on the Watch List. ^ B. Names and spellings used for the sites were based on the official 1996 Watch List as published. ^ C. The references to the sites' locations were based on the official 1996 Watch List as published.
^Lesley A. DuTemple (March 2003). The Taj Mahal. Lerner Publishing Group. p. 26.
^Mark Elliott (November 2003). Indonesia. Melbourne: Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd. pp. 211–215. ISBN1-74059-154-2.
^Mark P. Hampton (2005). "Heritage, Local Communities and Economic Development". Annals of Tourism Research. 32 (3): 735–759. doi:10.1016/j.annals.2004.10.010.
^E. Sedyawati (1997). "Potential and Challenges of Tourism: Managing the National Cultural Heritage of Indonesia". In W. Nuryanti (ed.). Tourism and Heritage Management. Yogyakarta: Gajah Mada University Press. pp. 25–35.