The World Heritage Committee removed 3 sites from the List of Sites in Danger but added 3 new ones at its 2004 meeting.
First the good news. The three removed from the list were Angkor in Cambodia, Bahla Fort in Oman and Rwenzori Mountains National Park in Uganda.
- Restoration and security activities have reduced the main threats to preservation of Angkor's celebrated temples and palaces, namely illicit excavation, pillaging and landmines.
- Improved management and Oman’s decision to desist from using modern materials and construction techniques near the site led to the removal of the immense earthen Bahla Fort from the Danger List.
- In Uganda's Rwenzori Mountains National Park, authorities have regained control, security has been restored and proper management has been re-established, reducing the threat to the park's preservation that had been caused by lack of security and resources.
Now the unfortunate news. Three sites were added to the List of Sites in Danger.
- Construction of several high-rise buildings on the bank of the Rhine River across from the Cologne Cathedral threatens the historical legacy of the cathedral and its urban landscape. These are the German city’s only outstanding cultural heritage elements that survived World War II.
- The Ruins of Kilwa Kisiwani and Ruins of Songo Mnara, located in Tanzania, are adversely affected by sea erosion, lack of maintenance that is leading to the collapse of buildings, inadequate management and demographic pressure. Portugal has offered the United Republic of Tanzania assistance to preserve the site.
- Bam and Its Cultural Landscape, which holds archaeological remains of ancient settlements and irrigation systems dating from the 6th century BC, was inscribed both as a new site and as a site in danger. The area was hit by a devastating earthquake in December 2003. In the midst of the damage, archaeologists discovered new evidence of the history of the site. Efforts continue to salvage this city's cultural heritage.
(Source: World Heritage Centre.)
