Today, 12 December, the
Minister of Culture, Miquel Iceta, visited the Trepucó Talayotic settlement, accompanied by the president of the Consell Insular de Menorca (CIM), Susana Mora, and the vice-president and conseller for Cultural Affairs, Miquel Àngel Maria. The visit represents further support for the nomination by Central Government, which this year awarded
a grant of one million euros to the CIM to fund to archaeological interventions at Trepucó and Torre d'en Galmés.
Mr Iceta specifically had the opportunity to learn about the nature of the intervention scheduled at
Trepucó, courtesy of the head of the CIM Heritage Service, the archaeologist Simón Gornés. The archaeological work will focus on the western sector of the settlement, which contains a talayot, a bastion of the fortified wall, and a domestic area.
The space was the focus of archaeological intervention conducted in the 1980s by the Museu de Menorca. The proposal is now to
complete the excavation, and to restore and consolidate the structures of the habitation, while preparing the area for visitors, so as to be included in the tour of the site. The project has a budget of €629,700, while €370,000 will be assigned to Torre d'en Galmés.
Mr Iceta highlighted the great work and effort that has been made from Menorca to achieve recognition as World Heritage. “It is an offer that we make to the world so that it participates in the joy of having preserved this exceptional heritage. We are very optimistic about the nomination because Talayotic Menorca is worth it, it is an honor and responsibility”.
For his part, the conseller of Cultural Affairs was at pains to express his gratitude for the Minister's visit, as a public expression of national government support in the huge challenge represented by Talayotic Menorca's World Heritage nomination. "I have always emphasised the constant support from the World Heritage technical team at the Ministry of Culture, who helped us draw up a winning nomination, which we trust will very soon be recognised by UNESCO". The conseller recalled that such support has more specifically during this year taken the form of a contribution of one million euros for two archaeological interventions at Trepucó and Torre d'en Galmés, thanks to an amendment by the senator Vicenç Vidal to the General State Budget. "We today had the opportunity to explain to the minister how we will use these funds for our work at Trepucó, in an intervention which will help to conserve the site and add interest for visitors," Mr Maria added.
Following his tour of Trepucó, the minister received gifts comprising the book
The Talayotic Culture of Menorca, by the local archaeologists Antoni Ferrer and Irene Riudavets; and a Talayotic Menorca pack.
Extraordinary UNESCO meeting
This morning, Paris was the venue for the
17th extraordinary session of the World Heritage Committee, at which the Saudi Arabian ambassador, Princess Haifa Al-Mogrin, took over the presidency of the body following the resignation of the Russian ambassador from his position as president of the Committee in late November.
The change could
unblock the difficult situation at UNESCO following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which led to the suspension of the 45th World Heritage Committee back in July. This was the meeting which was scheduled to reach a decision as to the inclusion of Talayotic Menorca on the World Heritage List.
All the signs would seem to be that a final date for the next session of the Committee will be scheduled during the month of January, at which a decision will be made as to the future of the Talayotic Menorca nomination. Culture minister Iceta confirmed the news "that should be a stimulus for the dissemination and conservation of a unique heritage."
Both the president of the Consell and conseller Miquel Àngel Maria took a positive view of this step. For Maria, “we must bear in mind that this is only the first step needed for a forthcoming meeting, at which a decision could be reached for a session of the World Heritage Committee finally to be held during 2023 to issue a declaration on those nominations which remain pending. We hope to be given a date and venue for the event soon, and have high hopes that Talayotic Menorca's time has now come".