This year marks the 25th anniversary of Unesco World Heritage status for the Historic Town of St George and Related Fortifications. With May being Heritage Month, this is a time for celebration — but it is also a time to take an urgent look at how we are managing the World Heritage Site to ensure that it retains this very special status for the future.

Securing Unesco status was no small feat; thanks to the vision and commitment of many individuals and organisations, St George gained global recognition for its “outstanding universal value”. But World Heritage status is not just a badge of honour; it comes with responsibilities and Bermuda needs to do better in living up to those responsibilities.

Last year’s joint report by the World Heritage Centre and its advisory body, the International Council on Monuments and Sites, laid out clear recommendations for how Bermuda can better manage, protect and promote the World Heritage Site.

At the Bermuda National Trust, we are committed to aligning our strategy and resources with these goals and we are eager to continue working with the Government and fellow heritage partners to achieve them.

Time is of the essence. While the Government leads the World Heritage effort, it is a shared responsibility involving many stakeholders — heritage professionals, community groups, cultural organisations and especially the residents and businesses of St George.

Yet many of us remain unclear about how the Government intends to respond to the report’s findings. A more intentional, transparent and collaborative approach, driven by clear political will, is urgently needed.

Why? Because continued World Heritage status is not guaranteed. Without proper stewardship, we risk losing it — not just the designation, but the heritage itself. And it is our local community that stands to lose the most.

These irreplaceable resources hold immense social, cultural and economic value; most obviously for cultural tourism but more deeply for our personal and collective senses of identity and community.

In my decade of professional involvement, we have only scratched the surface of what our Unesco status could mean for Bermuda. One critical gap is the lack of an up-to-date management plan, as required by Unesco.

This plan is an essential tool for co-ordinating the complex network of sub-sites, organisations and stakeholders that make up the historic Town of St George and its fortifications. It is also essential for monitoring progress, securing funding and guiding sustainable development.

Yet despite participation from partners such as the Bermuda National Trust in the planning process, there has been little follow-up. There is still no dedicated World Heritage management body or co-ordinator for St George — a role every other UK World Heritage Site appears to have. And notably, there was no mention of World Heritage in the 2025 Throne Speech or the 2025-26 Budget Statement.

That absence speaks volumes. As we mark this 25th anniversary, I urge government leaders to step up — to demonstrate the leadership, co-ordination and commitment that this extraordinary living heritage site deserves. Because protecting the natural and cultural heritage of the East End is not just about meeting Unesco standards; it is about honouring our past, involving our community and shaping a more vibrant and inclusive future for Bermuda.

Let’s not let this opportunity slip through our fingers.

• Charlotte Andrews, PhD is the Head of Cultural Heritage at the Bermuda National Trust