Appia Antica, UNESCO World Heritage: associations urge mayors to

Appia Antica (UNESCO): associations call for immediate governance measures

Nearly a year and a half after the Appia Antica was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List (24 July 2024), a coalition of cultural and environmental organizations has written to the mayors of the municipalities crossed by the historic road, to the Ministry of Culture and to regional presidents requesting faster progress on site governance.

The group warns that the process to establish a national association and seven territorial coordinations is stalled. This impasse could undermine both the protection of the heritage and the territories’ ability to secure dedicated funding and sustainable tourism initiatives linked to the UNESCO designation.

Why action is urgent

• Protection and enhancement: operational bodies are needed to plan conservation and coordinated promotion along the route;
• Funding access: a clear governance framework is essential to prepare competitive project proposals;
• Active participation: third-sector organizations ask for meaningful—not merely symbolic—roles in governance structures.

Concrete requests outlined by the associations

• To municipalities in the identified coordinations (e.g., Lazio One, Puglia One): approve the memorandum of understanding by municipal resolution to allow the first coordination meetings to convene;
• To the coordinating mayors of Lazio Two, Campania One, Basilicata and Puglia Two: call the coordination meetings needed to complete the organisational structure;
• To all members of the territorial coordinations: follow the criteria set out in the draft statute of the national association «Appia Antica – Regina Viarum», ensuring operational roles for third-sector associations;
• To the Ministry of Culture, regional presidents and the mayors of the 75 involved municipalities: promptly start a dialogue to produce a program of activities with a clear timetable, aligned with the UNESCO Site Management Plan.

How citizens and visitors can help

Locals, community groups and visitors can support the process by taking part in conservation activities, reporting issues to local administrations, and promoting responsible visits. Cooperation between institutions and civil society is vital to enhance a complex heritage asset such as the Regina Viarum.

The associations’ appeal aims to convert the UNESCO recognition into tangible protection, cultural development and sustainable tourism opportunities along the Appia Antica.