To be included on the World Heritage List, a site must be of outstanding universal value and meet at least one out of ten selection criteria.
Cattolica, an Adriatic town in the province of Rimini on the northern tip of Italy’s Emilia-Romagna region, has undertaken the preliminaries for recognition of this ancient fishing town as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In February 2023, a conference and workshop were held by the Emilia-Romagna government to discuss the progress of the preliminary work already done and the nature of the journey ahead. Regional government officials and project consultants described to those present the different facets of the proposal and the milestones to be accomplished. The consultants outlined the technical phases of the research and investigation phases of the effort. Following the presentations, the gathering was opened for those present to ask questions and share ideas and suggestions. Many of those present were workers employed in various capacities in the fishing sector. Participation in the event was strong and many supported the goal of seeing a town synonymous with fishing gain recognition by UNESCO.
