Quale ‘restauro’ per i siti patrimonio dell’Umanità. Riflessioni a partire da alcuni casi studio nei Paesi emergenti

The inscription of a cultural asset on the World Heritage List entails increasing tourist flow as the first and direct effect. The advantages and criticalities of these processes have been investigated for some decades. On the contrary, what and how the UNESCO aegis acts regarding concrete interventions on cultural heritage are less studied. There is no specific reference in the Convention, and the methods and the interventions are under the responsibility of the individual countries. However, understanding “what restoration” is essential for the survival of heritage authenticity and for the inclusion and maintenance of the inscription in the List. Without claiming to be exhaustive, the paper wants to try to outline some initial considerations on the “UNESCO effect” in the practice of conservation of built heritage. Through the analysis of the conservation state of some sites in Emerging Countries (Armenia, Egypt, Georgia, Vietnam) after the realization of works, the contribution reflects on the implications of a “World Heritage site”.