Val di Noto on the UNESCO World Heritage List
by Manuel Roberto Guido

The nomination concerns some groups of buildings in the historic centres of eight towns pertaining to the Val di Noto region (Caltagirone, Catania, Militello Val di Catania, Modica, Noto, Palazzolo Acreide, Ragusa and Scicli). Any property proposed for inscription on the World Heritage List must first of all fulfil the main requisite of the “outstanding universal value”, but also provide testimony to answer the fixed criteria of authenticity/integrity, to be submitted to protection measures, to be in a good state of conservation and, finally, to be adequately managed. As to this last criterion, there has been a growing requirement to provide such properties with a “management plan”.
The nomination of Val di Noto, which was proposed by the Superintendenza di Siracusa, has been subject to evaluation by ICOMOS. The Unesco consultative body for cultural heritage asked that a management plan should be set up and implemented, as the sole monumental and urban protection laws in force were considered to be insufficient. This was an occasion to start up a vast reflection on the relation between heritage protection and socio-economical development.