Heritage | 10 years after UNESCO listing | ‘Authenticity and integrity’ of Macau at stake

South Korean scholar Hae Un Rii has criticized the fact that the Guia Lighthouse has lost visibility when seen from the sea. “Macau has changed a lot with the newly reclaimed land, where high-rises have been built. That is good in a certain way, but it is not so good from the heritage conservation perspective”, she explained on the sidelines of an academic seminar to mark the ten-year anniversary of the inscription of Macau’s historical center as a UNESCO World Heritage site.
The Dongguk University scholar provided the example of the Guia Lighthouse as one of the places where “[urban] integrity has been lost,” a fact that should prompt an evaluation of “the authenticity and integrity of future developments in Macau.”
Hae Un Rii pointed out that more promotional efforts must be made in order to change the city’s image as a destination exclusively for gambling. “Visitors think that Macau is a place to gamble and are unaware of the fact that 25 of its monuments are listed as World Heritage sites. They only visit some places, like the St Paul’s Ruins or the Senado Square. That should be changed in the future,” the scholar said. MDT/Lusa