(TAP) – On the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage, UNESCO has launched the largest ever international cooperation programme involving eight countries on both shores of the Mediterranean, including Tunisia, for the safeguarding of the underwater cultural heritage of the Skerki Banks, an exceptional archaeological site located in the north-western part of the Strait of Sicily, which has been frequented since antiquity by ships travelling the trade route between Rome and Carthage.
One of the strengths of the Convention is its promotion of international cooperation in the protection of underwater cultural heritage. For the first time in the history of the Convention, eight States from both shores of the Mediterranean -Tunisia, Algeria, Croatia, Egypt, France, Italy, Morocco and Spain acting as coordinating State – have joined forces, to safeguard the underwater cultural heritage of the Skerki Banks, an area of exceptional archaeological potential located to the northwest of the Strait of Sicily.
This area is at the heart of a network of exchanges in the Mediterranean that goes back several millennia. The Skerki Banks are made up of reefs that are dangerous to navigate and are located along an ancient high sea trade route linking Ostia – the supply port of Rome – to the city of Carthage in present-day Tunisia.
Thanks to the unique state cooperation mechanism provided by the 2001 Convention, UNESCO is launching, alongside these eight partnering countries, a major campaign to study and safeguard this site. This is essential for understanding the history of the Mediterranean. A scientific survey mission to the area is planned for autumn 2021.
The 20th anniversary of the Convention provides a unique opportunity to celebrate these achievements that have advanced underwater archaeology and the protection of underwater heritage. It is also a great opportunity to raise public awareness of its protection, and to reflect, collectively, on the many challenges ahead.
“This is an occasion to mobilise more States to ratify the Convention and thereby guarantee the best possible protection of this heritage, through enhanced international cooperation,” UNESCO said.
