UNESCO designates Djerba, Tunisia as World Heritage Site

By Adel Thabeti

TUNIS, Tunisia (AA) – The UN cultural agency UNESCO on Monday added Tunisia’s Djerba island to its list of World Heritage Sites.

In a statement, The Tunisian Culture Ministry said the resort island was voted to the list during the 45th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee in the Saudi capital Riyadh.

The ministry said Djerba island takes the number of Tunisian sites on the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites to nine.

The list already includes Amphitheatre of El Jem site, the Archaeological Site of Carthage, the Medina of Tunis, the Ichkeul National Park, the Punic Town of Kerkuane and its Necropolis, Kairouan, Medina of Sousse and the Dougga archeological site, which was the last to be added to the list in 1997.

Covering an area of nearly 500 square kilometers (198 square miles), Djerba island is situated in the Gulf of Gabes on the Mediterranean Sea.

With a population of 160,000, the resort island is a main attraction for foreign tourists in Tunisia.

The island is known for its religious diversity, having ancient mosques, churches and synagogues in addition to its natural landscape.

Djerba is a special destination for thousands of Jewish visitors every year who stop by the El Ghriba synagogue built 2,400 years ago for Jewish prayers and rituals.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar