After a 12-year wait, Mount Olympus, the mythical home of the ancient Greek gods, has been inducted into Unesco's World Heritage List. Greece's highest mountain, standing 2,918 meters, was inscribed as a mixed world heritage site, recognizing both its cultural and natural significance.
The designation was announced at a Unesco committee meeting in Busan, South Korea, on Sunday. Alongside Olympus, the Second World War D-day landing beaches in Normandy, the ancient Japanese capitals of Asuka and Fujiwara, and South Sudan's Boma-Badingilo landscape also received the honor.
Euphoria in Greece
The news was met with near euphoria in Greece. Georgios Koumoutsakos, head of Greece's Unesco delegation in Busan, hailed the decision. "It reaffirms our unwavering commitment to safeguarding Mount Olympus for the benefit of present and future generations," he said. "As Greek mythology wisely reminds us, it is always best to remain on good terms with the gods."
Evangelos Geroliolios, the region's mayor, had said before the announcement that the site's induction would "place greater responsibility on our part to protect the [local] environment," particularly its extraordinary biodiversity.
D-Day Beaches Inscribed
Efforts to get the D-day beaches in Normandy inscribed also went back years. France first nominated the 50-mile stretch in 2008. The beaches—Omaha, Utah, Sword, Gold and Juno—and Pointe du Hoc were included. More than 150,000 allied troops came ashore on 6 June 1944, with 4,000 soldiers dying in the largest amphibious operation ever mounted.
Ahlem Gharbi, France's permanent delegate to Unesco, said the designation carried particular weight amid international tensions. Hervé Morin, president of the Normandy region, said inclusion would represent "immense recognition" for the soldiers. He added, "This decision places a responsibility upon us. It compels us to preserve this site, to protect it, to cherish it even more, and to promote its value."
The international council on monuments and sites had warned of threats from tourism, climate change, rising sea levels and windfarm development, calling for stronger monitoring. Unesco said the beaches formed an "exceptional cultural landscape shaped both by the events of 1944 and by their enduring remembrance."
Other Sites and Significance
The committee's annual meeting, ending Wednesday, is expected to examine about 30 nominations. Successful sites join 1,428 across 170 countries. Inscribed monuments are legally protected under an international treaty overseen by Unesco, which also provides advice and financial support.
Greek officials said the decision was made sweeter by earlier signs of possible delays—Unesco had signalled the Mount Olympus file might be referred back for details, but the nomination won unanimous support.
