Anger over a process that should have involved associations and citizens.
By Vera Mantengoli, 12 January 2019
VENEZIA. Regarding the subject of UNESCO: yesterday afternoon MIBAC Minister Alberto Bonisoli made reference to the report sent to UNESCO by the City of Venice. It’s a report that nobody has ever seen, staring with the city council. In fact, the Mayor never shared it with the citizens or the city council. However, Italia Nostra has appealed and requested access to the documents.
On 20 January the secret documents are supposed to be delivered to the association who in 2015 first wrote to UNESCO, requesting inspectors to come and evaluate the state of the lagoon. If the papers are not delivered, it will trigger an immediate appeal in court.
“We are furious and have decided to take this all the way” stated Italia Nostra President Lidia Ferosuoch. “When we have the document, which in theory, as UNESCO recommended, should have been written collaboratively among citizens and institutions, we will make our observations and take them directly to UNESCO headquarters”. The anger is over how a process that should have involved associations and citizens has generally proceeded. “The 2017 conference in Cracow that decided to place its trust in the city did not take in to account of what was said instead by commissioners in 2015”, Fersuoch clarifies, “We have sent three letters to UNESCO asking them to help us because the situation regarding the care of the lagoon was at risk, but then when we show up for the first meeting between the inspectors and the administration we were kept out. Now we are waiting for the report on the 20th, then we’ll decide what to do”.
Source: La Nuova Venezia
Campaign For A Living Venice 