Rwandans have expressed delight after Unesco added five sites to its prestigious World Heritage list on Wednesday.
Nyungwe National Park, a biodiverse rainforest, earned recognition for its unique flora and fauna, including the endangered eastern chimpanzee and golden monkey.
Arcos Network, a Rwandan based conservation NGO called the development “exciting”. It’s leader Sam Kanyamibwa told the BBC that “it proves Rwanda’s efforts and conservation policy, that is commended globally, works”.
Additionally, four genocide memorial sites joined the list.
Nyamata, Murambi, Gisozi and Bisesero sites commemorate the tragic events of the 1994 Rwandan Genocide, where an estimated 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus were murdered.
More than 20 new sites could be be added on the current list of world heritage sites with “outstanding universal value to humanity”. However, the global distribution of the sites has been a matter of debate amongst many.
Europe only has more than a third of the sites, and countries like France or Germany have more than 50 each.
Before this addition, 27 countries, including 12 African nations, lacked any inscribed sites on the World Heritage list.
Source: BBC
