UNESCO Activates Emergency Procedure for Three Endangered Sites

UNESCO has added six new sites to the World Heritage in Danger list, with three—Boma-Badingilo in South Sudan, the Castles of Mount Amel in Lebanon, and Sebastia in the State of Palestine—inscribed via an emergency procedure that bypasses standard timelines. The decision was made during the UNESCO World Heritage Committee meeting in Busan, South Korea, running until July 29. Boma-Badingilo, home to the world's largest land mammal migration, faces threats from commercial poaching, wildlife trafficking, and infrastructure development. The five Crusader-era castles of Mount Amel have been damaged by Israeli bombings and remain at risk despite a June ceasefire. Sebastia, an archaeological site in Palestine, is threatened by an Israeli expropriation project announced in November 2025. Additionally, three previously listed sites—the ancient city of Chersonese Taurica in Russian-occupied Crimea, the historic center of Paramaribo in Suriname, and Tyre in Lebanon—were added to the danger list due to construction, conflict, and loss of authenticity. The emergency procedure allows states to request simultaneous inscription on both lists and access international assistance from the World Heritage Fund.