A few hours before critical consultations on the monastery’s ownership Sinaithe Hellenic ICOMOS (International Monument and Location Council – UNESCO official technical adviser), in its announcement, expresses its strong concern about the ownership status and the confiscation of the monastery’s assets, as provided by a recent decision by Egyptian justice.
The announcement emphasizes, inter alia, that while UNESCO asked the Egyptian authorities to interrupt the construction projects in the area, this “no intention” will happen, endangering “the monastic way of operating the Holy Brotherhood” and the pilgrimage of the monastery. The result that developments will bring will be the “Desolation of the monastery” and “the annexation of the Arab population to the great transformation”.
Specifically, the announcement states that:
“The monastery was founded in the middle of the 6th century by Emperor Justinian I, and is the oldest monastery that operates continuously for 15 centuries, remaining Orthodox. Its monastery and its environment have emerged over time in a sanctuary for 3 religions, Judaism, Christianity and Mohammedanism, and had remained largely intact by major interventions until the early 21st century.
In 2002, the monastery with the surrounding area of 60,100 hectares was recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Monument. At the same time, the area has been declared as a natural ecosystem shelter, which includes rare samples of geological formations and rare species of plants and animals. During the last decade, the implementation of a Great Transfiguration Project has begun. This program, before it is completed and operated, has already changed the look and character of the place.
The UNESCO World Heritage Committee has asked the Egyptian authorities to respect the contracts applicable to World Heritage Sites: to discontinue construction projects in the area, until detailed studies are carried out, including their impact studies on the impact of their implementation. World Heritage Site, as well as its management plans.
There is no intention of the Egyptian authorities to interrupt work. The problem that has emerged, with the adoption of the decision of a pending judicial proceedings over the monastery status, is not isolated. Enrolled in a network of policies and actions on a global scale, which They are inextricably linked to those scaled last in the Eastern Mediterranean and causing rapidly radical changes In the political, economic and ecological balances of the area. “
‘Irreversible’ the effects on the pilgrimal character of the monastery
“Egyptian authorities’ assurances that the religious and functional nature of the monastery will be preserved do not negate the substantial confiscation of its land. The effects of “safeguarding the monastic way of operating the Holy Brotherhood and the pilgrimage” will be non -reverse, resulting in the desolation of the monastery and the annexation of the Arab population in the context of large transformation.
The monastery will be maintained as a tourist attraction, without essential religious content. No reference is made to the foolish relicswhich have been kept for centuries in its buildings, which are recorded in both material and intangible heritage and which, consequently, are protected as an integral part of the exceptional global value of the particular world heritage monument, defined by UNESCO as “Saint Catherine”.
The issuance of the Egyptian Court of Justice has highlighted one of the major and complex problems in the management of the World Cultural Heritage, in the widespread sense of the management of the World Humanitarian Heritage, at the cultural and social level. In the area of the Sinai and Palestinian peninsula, monuments and sanctuaries are “crowded”, associated with the beginning of three great religions. The prospect of tourism exploitation of these monuments and sacred, as well as their natural resources, is of interest Financial giants, which do not hesitate to destroy meaningful values cultural and humanitarian heritage, which claim to be exploiting.
In such a context, even at best, monuments become objects of a figurative historical –
cultural – humanitarian reality, without serious content. “
‘Take measures to cancel the decision’
“Greek IComos is concerned about the future of the Monastery of St. Catherine on the Sinai Peninsula, and he thinks that the Governments of Egypt and Greece, UNESCO, the ICOMOS National Committees, the UN and the European Community must take action to cancel the decision of the Egyptian Court of Justice. of this World Heritage Site.
We also consider it appropriate, such as UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee, at its upcoming July 2025 meeting, Monastery of St. Catherine on Sinai Peninsula in the World Heritage List in dangerin order to take enhanced protection measures.