Managing the Unseen: Cumulative Human Risks and Heritage Governance in Ghadames, Libya

The city of Ghadames, which includes a UNESCO World Heritage Site along with other local heritage sites such as Roman ruins, an Ottoman fortress, and a traditional mud village, exemplifies the challenges of conserving heritage in conflict-affected and neglected urban environments. This study aims to analyse the cumulative, long-term human threats, such as neglect, weak governance, and uncontrolled tourism, that gradually erode the city’s cultural fabric. The study uses a qualitative, interpretive approach, analysing official documents and conducting semi-structured interviews with local officials and heritage management experts. The findings indicate that human risks in Ghadames are not primarily due to direct actions but rather result from systemic neglect and fragmented governance, which exacerbate the vulnerability of tangible heritage. The results also reveal that the lack of comprehensive conservation policies, along with centralised heritage management and reliance on short-term, reactive measures, such as temporary restoration or tourism-focused initiatives, has led to damage that could become irreversible over time. The paper argues that successful and sustainable heritage conservation requires integrating community-based governance, long-term policy reform, and participatory risk management. It situates these findings within the broader context of Libya’s heritage, which serves as the foundation of national memory. It emphasises that addressing human risks as cumulative processes, rather than as temporary events, is crucial to safeguarding Libyan cultural heritage and ensuring its sustainability for future generations. By examining Ghadames as a case study, the paper proposes a model for sustainable heritage protection across Libya’s vulnerable cultural landscapes.