Venice and Its Lagoon Unesco World Heritage Site The
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VENICE AND ITS LAGOON UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE THE MANAGEMENT PLAN 2012-2018 VENICE AND ITS LAGOON UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE THE MANAGEMENT PLAN 2012-2018 VENICE AND ITS LAGOON UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE THE MANAGEMENT PLAN 2012-2018 VENICE AND ITS LAGOON Responsible bodies of the Site UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE THE MANAGEMENT PLAN 2012-2018 Regional Department of Cultural Heritage and Landscape of Veneto Superintendence of the Architectural Heritage and Landscape of Venice and its Lagoon Municipality of Venice Superintendence of the Archaeological Heritage of Veneto Superintendence of SPSAE and of the museum pole of Venice Mayor Giorgio Orsoni and of the municipalities in the lagoon boundary area Superintendence of Archives of Veneto Councillorship of Town Planning Councillor: Ezio Micelli (in charge until 28.5.2013) State Archive of Venice Department for Territorial Development Director: Oscar Girotto Executive Manager: Vincenzo de Nitto Venice Water Authority Scientifi c Coordination and technical planning Giorgio De Vettor Port Authority of Venice Katia Basili Working group Diocese of Venice Giovanna Boscaino Andrea Mancuso Leonardo Marotta Veneto Region Specialist contributions Giorgio Gianighian Francesco Palazzo e Francesco Sbetti (Sistema snc) Province of Padua English translation ENDAR - International Centre For Technical Conference Services Province of Venice Review John Millerchip Editorial Curator Municipality of Campagna Lupia Katia Basili Elisa Paulin Graphic design Municipality of Cavallino-Treporti Arte Laguna The Management Plan 2012-2018 has been funded by the Ministry of National Heritage and Culture Municipality of Chioggia and Tourism (Law 77/2006) and by the Project SUSTCULT: “Achieving SUSTainability through an integrated approach to the management of CULTural Municipality of Codevigo heritage”, co-funded by the European Union in the framework of the South-East Europe Programme (SEE). Municipality of Jesolo Municipality of Mira CiTy OF VENiCE Municipality of Musile di Piave Offi ce of the World Heritage Site “Venice and its Lagoon” Department for Territorial Development Palazzo Contarini Mocenigo, Municipality of Quarto d’Altino San Marco 3980 - 30124 Venice Tel 041.274.7135 - 7169 Fax 041.274.7178 uffi [email protected] www.veniceandlagoon.net Municipality of Venice The Management Plan 2012-2018 was prepared with the invaluable cooperation of all the bodies responsible for the Site through their appointed representatives sitting on the Steering Committee. A special thank you goes to the Regional Bureau of UNESCO for Science and Culture in Europe, based in Venice, for contributing to the organization of the consultation process aimed at the preliminary definition of objectives and contents of the Plan. INTRODUCTION Giorgio Orsoni Ezio Micelli Mayor of Venice Councillor of Town Planning (in charge until 28.5.2013) The International Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage states that on our Planet there are properties and sites that must be considered as part of the world heritage of mankind as a whole and that it is therefore incumbent on the international community to participate in the protection of the cultural and natural heritage of Outstanding Universal Value for future generations. Studies and researches, as well as financial resources, should be developed so that the protection of these assets is not jeopardized. Venice has always been a special city, which, as Giuseppe De Rita says “on the grounds of its uniqueness it founded not only its architecture, but also its right to exist in its peculiar cultural and social identity”. A special and resilient city, capable of rebirth following a flood - such as the one in 1966 - and of constantly improving the living conditions of its citizens, of its guests, and daily commuters. Today, 40 years on from the “Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage” adopted in Paris on November 6th 1972, and 25 years from the inscription of the site “Venice and its Lagoon” in the World Heritage List, we present the Management Plan 2012- 2018. This document analyses and assesses the existing emergencies according to a systemic approach, encompass- ing the interactions involving environmental, physical, biological and anthropic components and subsequent individual problems and concerns; it assesses the efficacy of actions already being taken and it addresses interventions which are believed necessary to pursue the Strategic Objectives of protection and enhancement of the Site heritage resources. “on the grounds Of its uniqUENESS IT founded not only its architecture, bUT also its right to ExIST in its pECULIAR CULTURAL and social identity” Giuseppe De Rita Management Plans are used to set up programmes and coordination activities, in order to plan cultural heritage protection interventions and to coordinate all the interests related to the UNESCO sites. It suggests the estab- lishment of a relationship between the institutional bodies in charge of the management of the concerned natural resources and cultural heritage, based on a thorough going coordination, on the identification of good decision making and organizational practices through the exchange of opinions and ideas, and by appraisal of various management criteria. The Management Plan 2012-2018 is the result of a long and complex consultation among the Administrations and the local communities through their municipal representatives, associations and citizens, and envisages that each body should establish more efficient management relationships, according to their own competences and institutional responsibilities. The vision embraced by the Management Plan originates from a key and inviolable principle, that of the responsibility of safeguarding and protecting the Outstanding Universal Value of Venice and its Lagoon for current and future generations. Preserving the environmental, urban and cultural heritage means preserving the existing assets, but also and above all upgrading, reviving and revitalizing natural elements and historic and rural settlements from a perspective of modernity and intelligent, sustainable progress. This means engaging in networked actions aimed at enhancing the urban and architectural heritage according to the policies encouraging the establishment and development of activities and services in the field of cultural production and scientific and university training. It means enhancing the lagoon system as a creative research and testing labora- tory for environmental preservation, historic-architectural heritage protection and for the development of the cultural productive sector. Venice and its Lagoon is a delicate and fragile environment on which the efforts of all institutions should converge for the promotion of a sustainable and aware enjoyment, not only of the physical nature of the site, but also of its strong environmental, landscape, architectural and cultural values. A joint effort and commitment is required to stimulate and boost the spirit that drove and urged UNESCO to declare Venice and the territories of its Lagoon an emblematic Site towards which the attentions of the community should be directed as an outstanding example of World Heritage of undisputed priority. The commitment of the municipal Ad- ministration of Venice to achieve the objectives set out by the Plan will be very important, as we are perfectly aware of the huge responsibility imposed by the daily work of conservation and enhancement of this extraordinary reality. VII Fausta Bressani Regional Executive Manager, Department of Cultural Heritage Being included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, means that the various bodies identified as responsible for the Site should adopt a Management Plan, presenting and describing the fundamental guidelines aimed at implementing actions designed to guarantee the integrity, preservation and continuity of the exceptional values the Site embodies. Although the document is not in itself a regulatory instrument, it must take full account of current planning and other provisions concerning the management and administration of the territory; special attention should also be devoted to careful analysis of the set of aspects and elements that make up the context to be protected, however complex. It goes without saying that in this specific case, when confronted with a complex and delicate reality such as that of Venice and its Lagoon, the difficulties to be tackled in defining such a Plan are numerous and substantial. For this reason, the Municipality of Venice, which took on the responsibility for coordinating the works in its capacity as contact body for the UNESCO World Heritage Site, chose to follow a road that had already been successfully explored by others in the past, and it set up a Steering Committee with the aim of initiating a process of involvement, sharing and participation of all stakeholders. The journey has been quite long and strewn with obstacles associated with the different issues that quite understandably surfaced along the way, especially with regard to the concerns highlighted in the management of such a multifaceted context, as well as with respect to the objectives, policies and approaches to be discussed and decided as the basis for future developments. In this well organized path, the Municipality of Venice has provided a concrete example of good practice, once again confirming the advisability in such circumstances of applying the principle of collaboration