Trinidad, Itapúa Department, Paraguay – Paraguay has underscored its firm commitment to the protection of World Heritage through inter-institutional collaboration, announcing the initial results of the project "Design and Implementation of the Risk Management Plan for the Jesuit Missions of La Santísima Trinidad de Paraná and Jesús de Tavarangue," an initiative carried out with technical assistance from UNESCO and support from the Dutch Funds-in-Trust.

The main outcomes of this collaborative project between the National Tourism Secretariat (SENATUR) of Paraguay, the UNESCO Office in Montevideo, and the Latin America and Caribbean Unit of the UNESCO World Heritage Centre have been unveiled. Notably, the technical assistance project for the development of a risk management plan for the Jesuit Missions of La Santísima Trinidad de Paraná and Jesús de Tavarangue, inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1993, saw the active participation of various national and local stakeholders, including the National Culture Secretariat, adding significant value to the initiative.

"This document is expected to serve as a national risk management plan, considering the responsibility that all Paraguayans have towards World Heritage, the diverse risks identified, and those that may be added in the future," emphasized Angie Duarte, Minister of the National Tourism Secretariat of Paraguay.

The work undertaken to produce the risk management plan document through various workshops and training sessions has laid the foundation for long-term inter-institutional cooperation between SENATUR and the National Culture Secretariat (SNC), and has secured a firm commitment to close collaboration with key entities of the central administration, including local and ministerial governments, the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the National Emergency Secretariat, the National Institute of Indigenous Affairs, the Armed Forces, the National Police, and Interpol Paraguay.

This cooperation will continue to evolve risk prevention and management procedures to prevent or reduce the negative impacts of potential disasters on the World Heritage site and safeguard its Outstanding Universal Value.

"The importance of this project is paramount, considering the need to continuously promote and coordinate these types of activities to preserve this World Heritage that makes our nation special," highlighted Adriana Ortiz, Minister of the National Culture Secretariat.

The project results were presented at events held at both the Jesús and Trinidad Mission sites, attended by national authorities from SENATUR, local government representatives, and site managers, as well as members of the local community, civil society, academia, and church representatives.

During the event, Elma Stoppelen, Policy, Press and Culture Officer at the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Buenos Aires, conveyed a message stating, "Risk identification and mitigation are central to World Heritage management, and for this reason, we appreciate the collaboration with the Paraguayan government and the involvement of other government entities for the execution of this project."

Alcira Sandoval Ruiz, Culture Specialist at the UNESCO Regional Office in Montevideo, stated that "with this project, Paraguay is fulfilling one more of the requirements set for the adequate conservation of the site," and expressed gratitude to the national and international consultants responsible for the plan's execution.

The project also included studies on the carrying capacity of the World Heritage sites and the impact of climate change, which will serve as crucial inputs to complement the risk management plan and align with the provisions of the 2014-2024 Action Plan for World Heritage in Latin America and the Caribbean and the World Heritage Climate Action Policy document.

The upcoming Phase II will involve working group meetings with the partners involved in this process to define practical guidelines for action and the distribution of responsibilities. Through this, Paraguay is expected to establish an even stronger foundation for the sustainable preservation and management of the Jesuit Guaraní Missions World Heritage site. 

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