UNESCO has added six medinas in the Comoros - some dating back to the 12th century - to its World Heritage List, raising hopes for their preservation.
The ancient cities of palaces, mosques, public squares, and narrow streets, as seen as examples of the characteristic monumental style of the archipelago’s sultanate era.
"This listing is not a finish line but a starting point," said Comoros culture minister Said Mohamed Ali Said.
The medinas are the first sites from the Comoros to join the UNESCO list, which counts more than 1,200 properties around the world considered worth protection.
They "are not just historical sites for us, they are living towns, where people still pray, trade, and celebrate life's great moments exactly as our ancestors did", the minister said.
