MTA ACTIVITY REPORT

Objectives and achievements during the first half of the project; To promote an environmental impact methodology of assessment based on the World Heritage Marine programme sustainability indicators. To develop advanced guidelines on environmental sustainability for underwater and coastal archaeological sites of the Mediterranean basin.

Objectives and achievements during the first half of the project 2 Sub-objectives: Realisation of a co-ordination and comparison action, among circum-Mediterranean Countries, through the analysis of case studies and researches developed in the fields of climate change, geological events and seismic risks; protection from coastal corrosion and prevention of natural hazards due to sea-level rise; a balance between visitors’ interests and good conservation of site conditions; promotion of sustainable cultural tourism and traditional economy.

Objectives and achievements during the first half of the project 3 Sub-objectives: Enhancement of sites from the environmental, cultural and socio-economic point of view, improving communication and sharing management choices among Northern and Southern Mediterranean countries and elaborating an innovative, valid approach to tackle the problems of coastal and underwater archaeological sites linked to biological and cultural diversity.

Objectives and achievements during the first half of the project 4 International Committee has examined the contribution given by the public and private cultural organizations that manage the underwater and coastal sites and the contribution offered by the NGOs that operate for the diffusion of the cultural heritage.

Objectives and achievements during the first half of the project 5 Every single partner, has presented its organization giving its contribution preparing a file describing the archaeological sites under their management as well as the related methodology applied Palermo and Gerona meetings have lead to a shared concise GIS file already used by the Soprintendenza del Mare of the Sicily Region.

Objectives and achievements during the first half of the project 6 GIS file has been fitted on the coastal archaeological sites by Wirt Artna Foundation of Malta Gibraltar Museum contribution will allow to widen the methodology used for listing and classifying by resorting to criteria of priority management (for ex. degree of conservation, risks runned by the site) Liaisons Mediterranée Association has contributed developing the socio-economic aspects of the archaeological site of Cartagine, already included in the UNESCO heritage, making the same ones fit for other pilot sites

Objectives and achievements during the first half of the project 7 Soprintendenza del Mare has prepared the Starting Environmental Analysis file for the underwater and coastal sites; UNESCO has defined a set of environmental indicators for pilot sites starting from those ones normally used for Agenda 21 and adapting them to project needs.

Objectives and achievements during the first half of the project 8 During this Rome meeting : science contribution for archaeological sites management has been analyzed; action lines for a better pilot sites management has been identified; guidelines has been developed by identifying management best practices and by developing the scientific lines for policies support.

Objectives and achievements during the first half of the project 9 During this Rome meeting : the structure of a model for long distance teaching has been developed with the interview to cultural and scientific representatives of project partners. UNINETTUNO and UNISOM, are working to arrange the structure of a Master dedicated to the coastal and underwater archaeological sites management.