Al Nusairat, Gaza, July 31, 2024
Photo: euronews.com
The Monastery of St. Hilarion in Gaza, which dates back to the 4th century, has been added to both UNESCO’s World Heritage List and its list of endangered sites.
The monastery had been on UNESCO’s tentative heritage list since 2012. The organization granted the monastery provisional enhanced protection in December, and at the latest session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee in New Delhi, the site was granted full UNESCO status, reports Euro News.
According to the outlet, St. Hilarion Monastery was home to the first monastic community in the Holy Land.
“This decision recognizes both the site’s value and the need to protect it from danger,” UNESCO said in a statement, adding that the organization “expresses deep concern about the impact of the ongoing conflict on cultural heritage, particularly in the Gaza Strip.”
Inclusion on the list grants the site eligibility for technical and financial assistance to ensure its preservation and, when needed, support its rehabilitation.
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