Ecobreves – CUBA: Re-investing in Sustainable Heritage

By IPS Correspondents and - - Reprint | | Print |

HAVANA, Oct 10 2005 (IPS) - Declared Heritage of Humanity by the United Nations in 1982, the historic center of Havana in 10 years generated 160 million dollars in tourism, services and taxes, most of which was reinvested in rehabilitating the district itself. Forty-five percent of the revenues are earmarked for productive and building projects, 30 percent for social programs, and the rest goes to the government reserves, or to rehabilitation efforts in other areas of the capital.

The sustainable development model of Old Havana stems from “taking into account the population that inhabits it,” Patricia Rodríguez, director of the plan for the City of Havana's Office of History, told Tierramérica.

“Today we have one-third of the territory rehabilitated or in the process,” she added.