A charity has called for an update on efforts to safeguard St George’s World Heritage Site status in the wake of the 25th anniversary of its designation.

The Bermuda National Trust said in a statement that it had requested a meeting with the Government and stakeholders to support a “co-ordinated path forward” after a Unesco report highlighted key gaps in the management and governance of the site last year.

However, the charity said that as of yesterday it had not received a response.

Charlotte Andrews, the head of cultural heritage at BNT, said the anniversary marked an opportunity and a challenge that it should be both a moment of pride and a catalyst for action.

Dr Andrews said: “Unesco has provided clear guidance, and effective stewardship requires timely communication and government leadership alongside active partnership.

“Protecting our World Heritage Site’s outstanding universal value is a responsibility we all share.

“Many partners contribute expertise, resources and community engagement, but progress depends on Government establishing the framework and direction needed for genuine collective stewardship — to protect our heritage for generations to come and support our unique cultural tourism product.

“This anniversary should mark not only 25 years of recognition, but the beginning of a more sustainable future for Bermuda’s World Heritage Site.”

A government spokesman did not respond to a request for comment as of press time.

Unesco formerly declared the Historic Town of St George and Related Fortifications a World Heritage Site in November 2000 after a campaign by local heritage advocates.

The organisation said the town was an “outstanding example of the earliest English urban settlement in the New World” and the fortifications surrounding it illustrated the development of English military engineering from the 17th to the 20th century.

In April 2024, a Unesco delegation visited the island after being invited to provide input on the future of the World Heritage Site as part of an “advisory meeting”.

A report, released in November 2024, found the state of conservation of the Town of St George to be very good, stating that it retains a “remarkable degree of integrity and authenticity”.

The report added that while the mission did not visit all the fortifications in the area, their conservation varied from good to poor.

It said the authenticity was “acceptable” for most, but found many in “complete neglect” without any specific group tasked with preserving them — leaving some in “urgent need of conservation and restoration”.

It said the property as a whole urgently needed “a responsible management body and a comprehensive management plan to guide its actions”.

It also recommended that the Government of Bermuda develop both an emergency and risk-preparedness plan and a sustainable tourism plan for the property and integrate them into its World Heritage Management Plan.

The report also urged that plans to build additional residential buildings at the St Regis Hotel be reconsidered, stating that the Government had failed to exercise sufficient care when considering the potential impact of the hotel development.

Lieutenant-Colonel David Burch, the Minister of Public Works when the report was released, said the report was positive overall and noted that the Government had a “clear and well defined legal framework” for balancing development with cultural assets of national significance.

He added that non-governmental groups involved in the town’s strategic direction would be consulted and that many had already been given the report.