Program > By author > Campos Luana

Nowadays, we have 1.121 heritages on UNESCO World Heritage List. In this amount, 53 heritages are on the List of World Heritage in Danger. In 2021, Brazil has 22 goods inscribed on the World Heritage List, which represent a large part of Brazilian cultural diversity, which includes archaeological goods, historical sites, cultural landscapes, indigenous cultures, religious and musical expressions. Until now, there are no Brazilian assets on the heritage list in danger; however, we analyze that this situation may change.

According to UNESCO, multiple factors can be dangerous to heritage: war and other types of violent conflicts, natural disasters, not planned and abuse uses of heritages, and others. Here, we will focus on Anthropocene and Climate Changes' effects on heritages. We already knew some examples of this situation: (1) the Archeological Zone of Chan Chan, Peru; (2) the Everglades National Park, United States; (3) the Abu Mena, Egypt; and (3) finally, the example of the Choir and its Port, Venezuela.

Nevertheless, what can we talk about Brazilian specificity? It´s impossible not mentioned our Cerrado and Amazon biomes. We recognized both as essential to human life. The fires are more intense in the first case, and we don´t have a public policy to deal with this. And, in the second case, dry seasons are longer, changing the landscape and the balance of life. Add to that, our authorities are incentivizing deforestation. Thus, we have a mix of Anthropocene, climate change effects, and a very singular public policy.

But we have other cases. And, in this presentation, we would talk about the Cais do Valongo (CV). CV is a world heritage site since 2017. For us, Valongo with the world heritage site is a conquest. Valongo is a material testimony about the lives, suffering, and resistance of thousands of enslaved Africans at Brasil. The discover contributed to our debate about dignity, human rights, equality, and other themes at present. And CV is not safe! It´s located in the port region of Rio de Janeiro, at an altitude equal to zero to sea level, and it is having suffered constantly from the effects of rising sea and torrential rains! Cais do Valongo's problems are intensified in the face of the neglect of the local authorities in establishing preventive measures to protect the site or any other protective effort. Again, we are in front of a problematic Anthropocene, Clima Change, and Public Policies.

For us - women's heritage Brazilians researcher - Valong is an example of Brazilians heritage police. Therefore, it can be different. Systemic studies and collaborative practices could allow the attribution of indexes and vulnerability to archaeological interests, such as the studies that the research groups are developing, coordinated by the Laboratory of Archeology "Paulo Duarte" from the State University of Campinas, in the state of São Paulo. Support by international studies and valorizing the local experience, we aim to understand and map the primary natural, and cultural risks to Cais do Valongo. And, after that, to create a cooperative web to lead with this problem and develop solutions.