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Wednesday, 13 March 2024
Following the first case of Avian Influenza in the Galápagos, the Rapid Response Facility (RRF), a UNESCO World Heritage Centre and Fauna and Flora joint initiative has provided US$ 40,000 to support active surveillance of seabird populations, aiming to understand the extent and limit the spread of the potentially devastating virus. In mid-September 2023 the first case of H5N1 Avian ...
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Wednesday, 13 March 2024
In a groundbreaking move aimed at fostering socio-economic development and preserving cultural heritage, the Government of Japan provided 400,000 USD in support of the Rehabilitation of the Majestic Cinema theatre in Stone Town of Zanzibar, the United Republic of Tanzania and the Government of Zanzibar has now agreed on the strategy, methodology and business plan for the renovation of the ...
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Friday, 8 March 2024
UNESCO in collaboration with the Kilimanjaro National Park (KINAPA) authority have implemented a project titled “Empowering young women and men for adaptation to climate change at the Kilimanjaro National Park World Heritage site” funded by the Netherlands Funds in Trust (NFIT) from 2022 to 2023, as part of its support to the implementation of the Flagship Programme 3 of Priority Africa. ...
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Monday, 4 March 2024
The Cook Islands and Tuvalu, two SIDS State Parties in the Pacific, submitted their first Tentative Lists in January 2024, marking a significant step in their continuing efforts on preserving their unique heritage. The Cook Islands officially submitted their first Tentative List to the UNESCO World Heritage Centre on 17 January 2024, featuring the “Maungaroa Cultural Landscape” situated in ...
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Wednesday, 28 February 2024
The Bern III Conference convened from 23-25 January 2024 in Bern, Switzerland, bringing together representatives of parties and secretariats of 16 Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs), including the 7 biodiversity-related Conventions, as well as stakeholders, organizations, and experts, to develop ideas for increased collaboration among MEAs at global, regional, and national levels in ...
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Wednesday, 28 February 2024
The 15th episode of the Patrimonito cartoon series on the theme of World Heritage and Climate Change is now available. This episode of the Patrimonito cartoon series is based on the winning storyboard of the Partimonito Storyboard Competition in 2022. It was selected by a jury among 710 submissions from 47 State Parties from around the world. In this adventure, Patrimonito explores World ...
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Tuesday, 27 February 2024
From 2021 to 2023, the UNESCO Office in Jakarta partnered with the Government of Sawahlunto and the Southeast Asia Museum Services to bring to life a project titled “Supporting Interpretative Strategy, Community Outreach and Community-Led Tourism in World Heritage Site: Ombilin Coal Mining Heritage of Sawahlunto Indonesia.” Built for the extraction, processing, and transport of high-quality ...
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Tuesday, 20 February 2024
Last Friday, the Lagoons of New Caledonia: Reef Diversity and Associated Ecosystems World Heritage site in France took a proactive step to safeguard its coral reefs with the launch of its first strategic reef resilience plan. The strategy brings all partners across the World Heritage-listed coral reef together behind a shared future for the reef. It is expected to boost climate change ...
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Friday, 16 February 2024
The initiative aims to enhance the cultural, social, economic, and environmental value of the site and its integration with the Sustainable Development Goals. In an effort to empower the local community in the management and protection of the Maya Site of Copán, UNESCO has conducted an update workshop for the management plan. This workshop is an integral part of the project "Post-COVID-19 ...
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Wednesday, 14 February 2024
The upcoming Mid-Cycle Review Workshop for World Heritage Focal Points, set to take place from 27-29 February 2024 in Cape Town, South Africa, is a cornerstone event for advancing the assessing the level of implementation of the Regional Action Plan for Africa 2021-2027, after its adoption by the World Heritage Committee in 2021. This workshop provides a unique forum for national focal points ...
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Wednesday, 14 February 2024
First technical mission to the Jesuit Missions of Santísima Trinidad de Paraná and Jesús de Tavarangüe to launch risk management project In the framework of the project "Design and implementation of the Risk Management Plan for the Jesuit Missions of Santísima Trinidad de Paraná and Jesús de Tavarangüe, World Heritage site in Paraguay", financed by the Netherlands Funds-in-Trust and to be ...
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Wednesday, 14 February 2024
UNESCO has launched a new digital platform, the UNESCO Urban Heritage Atlas that leverages the power of digital technology to support the conservation and management of the world’s historic cities and promote their diversity. Historic cities and settlements have their own unique character that is the outcome of the history, geography, local culture and influences that have shaped them. The ...
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Monday, 12 February 2024
Ahead of the International Day of Commemoration in Memory of the Victims of the Holocaust, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, and Slovenia signed a historic agreement at UNESCO Headquarters to renovate Block 17 of the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum and install a new and joint permanent exhibition on the Holocaust in the former Yugoslavia and the fate ...
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Friday, 2 February 2024
Celebrated annually on 2 February, World Wetlands Day aims to raise global awareness about the vital role of wetlands for people and the planet. In every corner of the world, human beings have depended on wetlands for centuries, drawing sustenance, inspiration and resilience from these important environments. This year’s theme: ‘Wetlands and Human Wellbeing' highlights the linkages between ...
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Monday, 29 January 2024
UNESCO expresses its full support to the Argentinian fire-fighters and authorities regarding the fire that broke out on the night between 25 and 26 January 2024 in the Eastern side of the World Heritage site of Los Alerces National Park in Argentina, located in northern Patagonia. We commend the hundreds of Argentinian fire-fighters working to bring the blaze under control and the national ...
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Friday, 19 January 2024
On January 19, the Museum of Science in Boston, inaugurated a new exhibition in partnership with UNESCO which sheds light on World Heritage sites threatened by climate disruption. Until 5 May, visitors can experience an immersive journey through 4 UNESCO-listed sites. From the Pyramids of Giza (Egypt) and the Lagoon of Venice (Italy) to the island community of Rapa Nui (Chile) and the cliff ...
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Friday, 19 January 2024
UNESCO is deeply concerned about recent reports of military activities on the Island of Meroe, in Sudan, whose archaeological sites are inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The Organization calls on parties not to target or use these sites for military purposes. The Archaeological Sites of the Island of Meroe, a semi-desert landscape between the Nile and Atbara rivers, were the ...
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Thursday, 18 January 2024
Following an oil spill that occurred from the stranded “Gulf Dove” tanker in early 2023, polluting the coast of Delisha in Socotra Archipelago, a World Heritage site in Yemen, emergency assistance has been provided by UNESCO World Heritage to carry out an impact and pollution risk assessment and to prepare a response. © Mario Caruso  Although the coast of Delisha had been mostly cleaned ...
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Monday, 15 January 2024
After sixteen years of grassroots youth activities and international cooperation, the World Heritage Volunteers (WHV) Initiative continue to involve young people, communities and site managers in building together new, inclusive societies where World Heritage is a source of resilience, humanity and innovation, beyond the challenges that faces the World. This year, the WHV Campaign will also ...
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Monday, 15 January 2024
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), and the Netherlands Commission for Environmental Assessment (NCEA) have signed an agreement to reinforce capacity building and quality assurance for Strategic Environmental Assessments (SEAs) and Environmental and Social Impact Assessments (ESIAs) for World ...
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Monday, 8 January 2024
You are invited to submit a proposal for services of [Support the Comoros in the preparation of the proposal to include the Historical Sultanates of the Comoros on the World Heritage List] in accordance with this invitation to tender. The call for proposals with annexes Download Appendix I Instructions to Bidders Annex II General Conditions of the Contract Annex III Terms of Reference ...
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Monday, 8 January 2024
A training workshop on strengthening World Heritage site management planning in Egypt took place in Luxor, Egypt, from 10 to 14 December 2023. Focusing on the site ‘Ancient Thebes with its Necropolis’ in particular, the workshop provided site managers and practitioners concerned with the management, conservation and planning of World Heritage sites in Egypt, with a global perspective on ...
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Friday, 22 December 2023
Application Deadline: 8 January 2024 (Midnight Paris Time).  Application materials: CV and Motivation letter to be sent to: WH-Africa@unesco.org with copy to Jessica Roland Williams j.roland-williams@unesco.org The need to enhance capacities of African experts in heritage management and conservation is urgent. The World Heritage Capacity Building Strategy has acknowledged that States ...
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Friday, 22 December 2023
On 1 December 2023, the Director of World Heritage at UNESCO and H.E. Ms Kerstin Pürschel, Ambassador and Permanent Delegate of Germany to UNESCO signed an agreement for a contribution to the World Heritage Convention, for a total amount of 600 000 Euros.  This generous contribution has been provided by the German Federal Foreign Office to support UNESCO activities linked to the World ...
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Thursday, 21 December 2023
On 5 and 6 December 2023, World Heritage focal points in the Arab States region, along with representatives from ICOMOS, ICCROM and IUCN, came together in Manama, Bahrain, to review and discuss progress in the implementation of the Regional Action Plan for the Arab States (2021-2027). The Action Plan was endorsed at the extended 44th session of the World Heritage Committee in 2021, and a ...
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Wednesday, 20 December 2023
On 17 November 2023, a session on culture and digital technologies was organized by UNESCO in the framework of the Partnerships Hub at the sideline of the 42nd session of UNESCO’s General Conference, with the support of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The session highlighted the UNESCO innovative approaches to the implementation of six different cultural projects funded by the Kingdom of Saudi ...
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Monday, 18 December 2023
In 2018, the region of Gävleborg, Sweden, created the international World Heritage Residence Scholarship at the World Heritage site ‘Decorated Farmhouses of Hälsingland’. The 6th call for applications is now open until 15 February 2024. One aim of UNESCO’s World Heritage Convention is to create links between people and promote international cooperation with peace as a central concept. The ...
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Thursday, 14 December 2023
On 14 December 2023, the UNESCO World Heritage Centre organized the Third Coordination Group meeting on ‘Post COVID-19 World Heritage Site Management: Integration of Conservation, Tourism and Local Livelihood Strategies at World Heritage Sites’, a project funded by the government of Japan through the UNESCO/Japanese Funds-in-Trust. The Deputy Director of World Heritage welcomed Tunisia as a ...
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Wednesday, 13 December 2023
Approximately 200 participants – World Heritage secretariat, Advisory Bodies, National Focal points, Site managers and category 2 Centres representatives from the Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) region –  took part, on 11 December, in the launching of the World Heritage Action Plan for the LAC region (2023–2029). The launching was held in the form of an on line 3-hour meeting where the ...
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Monday, 4 December 2023
The World Heritage community deeply mourns the death of Jukka Jokilehto who passed away on 23 November 2023. Jukka Jokilehto was a Finnish architect and urban planner and his involvement in World Heritage dates back to 1972 when he joined the International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property (ICCROM) as coordinator of the programme in architectural ...
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Monday, 4 December 2023
The UNESCO Chairs Workshop on "Protecting Historic Cities and Landscapes - Compatible Design for New Interventions" was held from 28 to 29 September 2023, marked with the 15th anniversary of the inscription of ‘Mantua and Sabbioneta’ on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The event was organised by UNESCO Chair in Architectural Preservation and Planning in World Heritage Cities, with support from ...
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Friday, 1 December 2023
On 14 November 2023, UNESCO and the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science of the Netherlands signed a new four-year (2023-2026) Funds-in-Trust Agreement for the Implementation of the World Heritage Convention, for a total amount of 1.5 million Euros. The Netherlands Funds-in-Trust (NFiT) at the UNESCO World Heritage Centre started in 2001 and is one of the longest and continued FiT ...
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Friday, 1 December 2023
In the face of Africa's modernization and socioeconomic transformation lies the intrinsic challenges of nurturing sustainable development that considers the invaluable threads that weave through the continent’s diverse heritage. Recognizing this pivotal moment, the Strategy for World Heritage in Africa aligned with UNESCO Global Priority Africa, Flagship Programme 3 (Fostering Cultural ...
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Monday, 27 November 2023
The UNESCO World Heritage Centre is seeking an evaluator to carry out the “External Evaluation of the UNESCO-Greece Melina Mercouri International Prize for the Safeguarding and Management of Cultural Landscapes (2017-2023)” to be carried out from January to February 2024. The UNESCO-Greece Melina Mercouri International Prize for the Safeguarding and Management of Cultural Landscapes was ...
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Friday, 24 November 2023
UNESCO has published a report, "Urban Heritage for Resilience", reflecting the results of the third consultation with the Member States on implementing the Recommendation on the Historic Urban Landscape (HUL). The consultation was conducted between June and November 2022, through which Member States informed their implementation efforts at the national (country) and local (cities and ...
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Wednesday, 22 November 2023
The 24th General Assembly of the States Parties to the World Heritage Convention is meeting from 22 to 23 November 2023 at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, France, convening the 195 States Parties to the World Heritage Convention. During the session, the General Assembly elected nine members to the World Heritage Committee: Ukraine, Republic of Korea, Viet Nam, Kenya, Senegal, Lebanon, ...
Wednesday, 22 November 2023
On 22 November 2023, the Republic of Kenya and UNESCO signed the Letter of Agreement to establish a partnership for the implementation of the UNESCO Thematic Indicators Culture in the 2030 Agenda (UNESCO Culture|2030 Indicators) in Kenya. The UNESCO Culture|2030 Indicators is a framework to measure and monitor culture’s contribution to the national and local implementation of the UN 2030 ...
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Tuesday, 21 November 2023
UNESCO and the Advisory Bodies to the World Heritage Committee - ICCROM (International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property), ICOMOS (International Council on Monuments and Sites) and IUCN (International Union for the Conservation of Nature)- have released a newly revised toolkit for assessing the effectiveness of management systems of World Heritage ...
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Thursday, 16 November 2023
The 2023 edition of the UNESCO-Greece Melina Mercouri International Prize for the Safeguarding and Management of Cultural Landscapes will be awarded to the Gunditjmara community for its long-standing efforts to safeguard and manage the Budj Bim Cultural Landscape, a property inscribed on the World Heritage List since 2019. The laureate will receive US$30,000 as prize. The jury recognized the ...
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Wednesday, 15 November 2023
UNESCO is deeply concerned about the allegations in the report of Amnesty International regarding the population relocation programme in Angkor carried out by the Cambodian authorities. UNESCO reiterates that at no point did it request, support, or participate in this programme. It is important to note that the Angkor site is not only a heritage site, it is also a living site: the presence ...
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Saturday, 11 November 2023
In the framework of UNESCO’s Global Priority Africa (Flagship Programme 3: “Fostering cultural heritage and capacity development” ), the Mentorship Programme for African Heritage Professionals was developed in collaboration with the African World Heritage Fund (AWHF) and the three Advisory Bodies (ICOMOS, ICCROM and IUCN) to expand the roster of Africa experts and create opportunities for ...
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Friday, 10 November 2023
From 16th November - 2nd December 2023, AlUla will host the annual Ancient Kingdoms Festival, a fortnight of unique immersive experiences across a network of ancient sites in the ancient landscapes of AlUla. This year, the Festival shines an especially bright light on the cities of the Incense Road including Dadan and Hegra. These sites carry a rich legacy of being a historic crossroads ...
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Wednesday, 8 November 2023
The UNESCO World Heritage Centre and the three Advisory Bodies – ICCROM, ICOMOS and IUCN – are developing their first joint toolkit on climate action for World Heritage. Developed with initial funding from the Australian Government, the toolkit will support States Parties and site managers to integrate climate change in the management strategies of UNESCO World Heritage sites. A call for case ...
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Friday, 3 November 2023
In an important milestone, the Rock Islands Southern Lagoon in Palau launched its first comprehensive resilience strategy that aims at providing a sustainable future for both its people and its natural environment. Implementation of the strategy has already begun with the launch of four projects, valued at USD$620,000, each addressing crucial resilience challenges for the marine World ...
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Friday, 3 November 2023
November 27 - December 08, 2023Fada, Republic of Chad Context In 2016, UNESCO inscribed Ennedi Massif: Natural and Cultural Landscape on the World Heritage List as a mixed natural and cultural property. Two years later, the public-private partnership between African Parks Network (APN) and the government of Chad was signed, with the aim of rehabilitating and maintaining the natural ...
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Thursday, 2 November 2023
Meeting in Kotor (Montenegro), in the heart of one of the first World Heritage properties, Natural and Culturo-Historical Region of Kotor, on 24 and 25 October 2023, the national focal points for the implementation of the World Heritage Convention and the representatives of the national cultural and natural heritage institutions of Southeast Europe took stock of the implementation of 2015 ...
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Tuesday, 31 October 2023
The 2011 Recommendation on the Historic Urban Landscape (HUL Recommendation) is a perfect herald for the theme of the 2023 World Cities Day, “Financing sustainable urban future for all”. The HUL Recommendation is a crucial instrument for managing urban heritage in and around settlements and cities to recognize, protect and integrate historic built environments into urban planning for ...
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Monday, 30 October 2023
On October 27, 2023, UNESCO successfully launched an International Expert Workshop Online for the renewal of the UNESCO Culture|2030 Indicators Expert Facility. This kick-off session constituted the first part of a comprehensive training that has been organized in two parts. The second parts will take place from 15 January to 17 January 2024 in three online sessions of three hours each. The ...
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Tuesday, 24 October 2023
The UNESCO Chair for World Heritage and Sustainable Tourism Management in the Arab Region at the German University of Technology in Oman GUtech, and the Arab Regional Centre for World Heritage (ARC-WH) in Bahrain, are pleased to invite academics, professionals and policymakers to participate in their upcoming international Conference Opportunities for Heritage: Fostering Innovation, ...
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Tuesday, 24 October 2023
WRC Promoter, the company responsible for the promotion of the International Automobile Federation (FIA) World Rally Championship (WRC) and European Rally Championship (ERC), has announced a commitment to safeguard natural and mixed UNESCO World Heritage sites, making it the first-ever motorsport organization to pledge its support to World Heritage. WRC Promoter will also assess the steps ...
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Tuesday, 17 October 2023
This lush, photo-driven guide introduces 50 of the most magnificently biodiverse places around the world, revealing not only their physical beauty but also celebrating the flora and fauna that make them unique. Did you know that Kakadu National Park in Australia boasts some of the oldest exposed rock on the planet and is known to have been inhabited continuously for over 40,000 years? That ...
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Tuesday, 10 October 2023
From 5 to 9 October 2023, managers from the 50 marine sites on UNESCO’s World Heritage List gathered to discuss critical challenges and solutions in protecting ocean biodiversity of outstanding universal value to humanity. The conference’s objective was to accelerate conservation successes by sharing what works and what doesn’t, and to avoid costly mistakes that can be prevented when ...
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Monday, 9 October 2023
Sub-Saharan Africa only represents less than 10% of the sites inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. This figure highlights our shared responsibility to make more room to the rich heritage of this region. The 45th session of the World Heritage Committee resulted in undeniable progress in addressing this challenge. The list of World Heritage sites does not yet fully embody its ...
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Wednesday, 27 September 2023
On 26 September 2023, global marine protected area (MPA) practitioners met online with global experts, who shared firsthand insights about how blue carbon credits work, what incites businesses to invest, what a high-quality blue carbon project looks like, and how to assess viability as a sustainable financing stream in support of marine conservation. Marine World Heritage sites, and MPAs ...
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Monday, 25 September 2023
The 45th session of the World Heritage Committee concluded on Monday 25 September in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. This year, the Committee inscribed 42 new sites and approved the extension of 5 sites on UNESCO's World Heritage List. At the end of its fortnight's work, the Committee inscribed 42 new sites, of which 33 are cultural sites and 9 are natural sites. These sites will now benefit from the ...
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Friday, 15 September 2023
The World Heritage Committee, meeting in Riyadh until 25 September, decided today to inscribe the sites of "The Saint Sophia Cathedral and Related Monastic Buildings and Lavra of Kyiv-Pechersk" and "L’viv – the ensemble of the historic centre" on the List of World Heritage in Danger, due to the threat of destruction the Russian offensive poses. The UNESCO World Heritage Committee considers ...
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Tuesday, 12 September 2023
Today the World Heritage Committee, which is meeting in Riyadh until 25 September, decided to remove the site of the Tombs of the Buganda Kings in Kasubi (Uganda) from the List of World Heritage in Danger, following the successful restoration work carried out by Uganda with UNESCO’s support. In 2010, a violent fire devastated the Tombs of the Kings of Buganda at Kasubi which are inscribed on ...
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Monday, 11 September 2023
The extended 45th session of the World Heritage Committee begins in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, we express our gratitude to our hosts for convening the first in-person Committee since the onset of COVID-19. Surrounded by old friends and young professionals alike, we are reminded that this meeting is more than the sum of important decisions taken. It is a powerful platform where we rekindle ...
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Monday, 11 September 2023
The extended 45th session of the World Heritage Committee opens this Monday in Riyadh (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia). Fifty sites will be examined for inscription on UNESCO's World Heritage List. Press conference On Monday 11 September at 1.30pm (local time UTC+3), UNESCO and the Saudi authorities will hold a press conference to present the work ahead of the Committee. Registration is compulsory ...
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Friday, 8 September 2023
The latest version of the World Heritage map, produced by the World Heritage Centre and Geo4Map with the generous support of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, can now be ordered from the World Heritage Centre website. The featured image on the map presents the Ḥimā Cultural Area World Heritage property in Saudi Arabia, country hosting the next session of the World Heritage Committee in September ...
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Wednesday, 6 September 2023
UNESCO has learned with great sadness and expresses its deep regret at the loss of Jim Thorsell, who passed away in his native country Canada. Thorsell started his career as a park ranger in Banff National Park, then worked as a researcher, trainer and project manager, first in Canada and then in international conservation projects, including as a lecturer at the African Ranger Training ...
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Thursday, 31 August 2023
A UNESCO and IUCN assessment of the status of species reveals that UNESCO World Heritage sites harbour over 20% of mapped global species richness within just 1% of the Earth’s surface. Safeguarding these biodiversity hotspots is essential if the Kunming – Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework is to be achieved. UNESCO is appealing to the 195 States Parties to the Convention to scale up ...
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Wednesday, 16 August 2023
In line with UNESCO's Global Priorities for Africa and Gender Equality, UNESCO developed a Mentorship Programme to train young African experts on World Heritage. In close partnership with the African World Heritage Fund (AWHF) and the Advisory Bodies (ICCROM, ICOMOS and IUCN), 50 women experts will be trained to further support African Members States to implement the World Heritage Convention ...
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Friday, 11 August 2023
From 26 to 30 July 2023, UNESCO organized an intensive training course for more than 20 cultural heritage professionals from eight regions of Ukraine, including the cities of Odesa, Kyiv and L’viv, threatened by increasingly frequent attacks. With the support of Japan, the in-person training aimed to strengthen the knowledge and expertise of Ukrainian heritage professionals in disaster risk ...
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Friday, 4 August 2023
On 24 July 2023, the UNESCO World Heritage Centre in partnership with the African World Heritage Fund (AWHF) and ICCROM, held an online workshop dedicated to “Re-discovering African urban heritage through the lenses of the 2011 Recommendation on the Historic Urban Landscape” (HUL). Thanks to the generous support of the Government of Norway, the workshops recorded the participation of over 100 ...
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Monday, 31 July 2023
Last July, students joined an environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling campaign in the ocean areas bordering the pebble beaches of the Península Valdés World Heritage site, as part of the global eDNA expeditions that UNESCO is currently piloting across 25 marine World Heritage sites to better understand ocean biodiversity and the effects of climate change. Water samples were collected from 5 ...
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Friday, 28 July 2023
On 22 June 2023, the UNESCO World Heritage Centre organized a Learning & exchange workshop on ‘Post COVID-19 World Heritage Site Management: Integration of Conservation, Tourism and Local Livelihood Strategies at World Heritage Sites,’ a project funded by the government of Japan through the UNESCO/Japanese Funds-in-Trust. (c) Dr Ang Ming Chee. Extract from the PowerPoint Presentation ...
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Wednesday, 26 July 2023
Living Heritage: Revitalising Stone Town of Zanzibar Socioeconomic Development On 25 July 2023, UNESCO organized a launch event for the project, Living Heritage: Revitalising Stone Town of Zanzibar Socioeconomic Development. Honorable Simai Mohammed Said, Minister of Tourism and Heritage in the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar graced the event. The launch was participated by government ...
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Sunday, 23 July 2023
UNESCO is deeply dismayed and condemns in the strongest terms the brazen attack carried out by the Russian forces, which hit several cultural sites in the city center of Odesa, home to the World Heritage property ‘The Historic Centre of Odesa’. The attack took the lives of at least two people, according to preliminary reports, and damaged a number of significant cultural sites, including the ...
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Monday, 17 July 2023
The 4th Huangshan Dialogue on UNESCO-designated sites and Sustainable Development held on 29-30 June in Huangshan, China by the International Centre on Space Technologies for Natural and Cultural Heritage (HIST) under the auspices of UNESCO, adopted the Huangshan Vision calling for tech-enhanced heritage protection cooperation. The Huangshan Vision emphasizes the potential role of space, ...
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Monday, 17 July 2023
In 2023 many natural World Heritage sites in Africa have faced serious challenges related to civil unrest and conflicts threatening biodiversity. The Rapid Response Facility (RRF), a UNESCO World Heritage Centre and Fauna and Flora International joint initiative, has quickly mobilized resources to partners on the ground to tackle these emergency situations. © Wild Africa ...
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Thursday, 13 July 2023
Among the damage found, much of it as a result of the fires that occurred in October 2022, there are serious alterations in 22 moai, caused by various factors, which must be addressed in the short term. After this first phase of diagnosis following the fires, a participatory risk management plan will be developed. Simultaneously, training will be conducted on topics such as mitigation, ...
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Thursday, 13 July 2023
The final online session of the World Heritage Site Managers' Forum centered around the crucial role of people in managing and preserving UNESCO World Heritage sites. With a focus on "Managing World Heritage - the People," the session brought together site managers, heritage professionals, and experts from around the world to discuss the challenges, opportunities, and future directions of ...
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Tuesday, 11 July 2023
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Secretariat to the World Heritage Convention and the Secretariat of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) signed a landmark agreement on Monday 26 June 2023 in a new effort to ensure the sustainability of trade in species of wild animals and plants occurring in ...
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Monday, 10 July 2023
On 5 July 2023, five new projects in the field of cultural heritage were launched during a kick-off coordination meeting between UNESCO and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Over US$ 10 million will be provided across three years in the framework of the Fund-in-Trust Agreement signed in January 2020 between UNESCO and the Ministry of Culture of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. “The major contribution ...
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Thursday, 6 July 2023
Site managers from Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea, Mali, Niger, and Senegal, gathered from 12 to 16 June 2023 in Toubacouta in the Saloum Delta (Senegal) to reaffirm their strong commitment to work towards the Desired State of Conservation of six West African sites to remove them from the List of World Heritage in Danger. This important workshop was hosted by the Government of Senegal, and ...
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Thursday, 6 July 2023
The final report of the 4th regional workshop on the Role of Visitor Centres in UNESCO Designated Sites has been released online. It provides insight from participants on fostering tourism sustainability and effective visitor management. The workshop, held in Buzau in November, brought together managers from 22 UNESCO sites across 16 European countries, offering a platform to exchange ...
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Thursday, 6 July 2023
A highly anticipated inception workshop titled "Heritage for Peace: Enhancing Transboundary and Regional Cooperation for Natural and Mixed World Heritage Sites in Asia" was successfully held on 6 July 2023, in an online format. This experts’ workshop marked a crucial step towards promoting transboundary conservation efforts and unlocking the immense potential of Asia's natural and mixed ...
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Wednesday, 5 July 2023
The second online session of the 5th World Heritage Site Managers' Forum was successfully held on 4 July 2023, with active participation from UNESCO World Heritage site managers worldwide. Around 145 participants gathered for this session, resulting in a collaborative and informative gathering. The first part of the session was led by UNESCO, which provided a comprehensive overview of the ...
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Tuesday, 4 July 2023
The Call for Applications for the 2023 Global Awards for World Heritage Education Innovative Cases is now open until the 31st of July.  Introduction Film for 2023 Global Awards for World Heritage Education Innovative Cases play_arrow play_arrow Watch Organizations National Commission of the People's Republic of China for UNESCO Co-organized by: World Heritage Institute of ...
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Monday, 3 July 2023
Copenhagen, 3 July 2023 – The city of Barcelona has been officially designated as World Capital of Architecture for 2026 by the Director-General of UNESCO, Audrey Azoulay. The designation was made on the recommendation of the Joint UNESCO-UIA Committee for the World Capital of Architecture that is presided by the eminent architect, Dominique Perrault. We are pleased to see the baton of the ...
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Wednesday, 28 June 2023
Over 40 students collected environmental DNA (eDNA) samples in the Socotra Archipelago World Heritage site, as part of the global eDNA expeditions UNESCO is currently piloting across 25 marine World Heritage sites to better understand ocean biodiversity and the effects of climate change. From 28 June to 3 July 2023, 44 students aged 11 to 16 years from four schools collected water samples at ...
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Monday, 26 June 2023
The 5th World Heritage Site Managers' Forum (WHSMF23), in conjunction with the 45th extended session of the World Heritage Committee, started its first online session on 19 June 2023. This year's Forum, with the theme "Managing World Heritage for the Next 50 Years" is being hosted by the Ministry of Culture of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, represented by the National Committee and the Heritage ...
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Wednesday, 14 June 2023
UNESCO, with its unique mandate in Earth Sciences, plays a vital role in promoting a sustainable world, with geoscience at the core of its mission. A workshop on geoheritage management in UNESCO designated sites will be held on 19 - 22 October 2023 for personnel working with current or aspiring natural UNESCO designated sites. A call for applications is now open until 13 August 2023. UNESCO ...
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Tuesday, 13 June 2023
By developing pioneering resilience strategies, both Ningaloo Coast in Australia and Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System in Belize work to safeguard their World Heritage-listed coral ecosystems from the impacts of climate change and strengthen the resilience of local communities that depend on the reef for their livelihoods. On 18 May 2023, experts in resilience-based management and local ...
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Tuesday, 13 June 2023
In response to the deteriorating security situation at the W-Arly-Pendjari Complex World Heritage property, the States Parties of Benin, Burkina Faso and Niger have agreed to strengthen their cooperation to improve the management and protection of the property through a "Support Initiative for the Sustainable Management of the W-Arly-Pendjari Complex". Financed by the Government of Norway's ...
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Thursday, 8 June 2023
The International Centre on Space Technologies for Natural and Cultural Heritage (HIST) under the Auspices of UNESCO is calling for case studies on best practices of digital technologies for the conservation and sustainable development of UNESCO-designated sites. Objective The HIST Award on Sustainable Development of UNESCO-designated sites aims at recognizing exemplary efforts by site ...
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Wednesday, 7 June 2023
Each year, between mid-May and early June, UNESCO celebrates three international days focused on subjects that are as vital as they are complementary. This is an opportunity to jointly consider the three systemic pillars of our planet: biodiversity, the environment and the ocean – the latter being the theme of this world day. The ocean connects, sustains and supports us all. However, its ...
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Tuesday, 6 June 2023
UNESCO welcomes Australia’s decision to implement urgent new protection measures to safeguard the Great Barrier Reef recommended by UNESCO. The measures include a ban on fishing with gillnets. The Australian government formalized its commitments in a letter addressed to Audrey Azoulay, the Director-General of UNESCO this week. "The Great Barrier Reef is a fragile jewel of world heritage. ...
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Wednesday, 31 May 2023
On May 30, 2023, UNESCO successfully launched an online International Workshop on the pilot implementation of the Culture|2030 Indicators. The workshop began with a video address by Mr. Ernesto Ottone R., UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Culture, and opening remarks from Ms. Erica Gerretsen, Director of the Directorate-General for International Partnerships (DG-INTPA) of the European ...
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Thursday, 25 May 2023
The Maya Site of Copán is an important archaeological site inscribed on the World Heritage List since 1980. With the support of UNESCO, Honduras has begun a collaborative process to develop an updated management plan for the Maya Site of Copan, an important archaeological site inscribed on the World Heritage List since 1980. This process started between May 17 and 19, 2023, through a ...
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Wednesday, 24 May 2023
UNESCO is concerned about reports of proposed legislative changes at the regional level to the Special Management Plan for the Irrigation Zones in the northern part of the Forest Crown of Doñana (the “Strawberry Plan”), which could threaten the very reasons for the recognition of Doñana National Park as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Doñana has also been a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve since ...
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Monday, 22 May 2023
Each year, between the end of May and the beginning of June, three international days serve as a reminder of three vital and interdependent issues on which the future of our planet depends: biological diversity, the environment and the ocean. And with each year comes an even greater need to understand the urgency of coming together and tackling the immense challenge of preserving nature and ...
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Thursday, 18 May 2023
On 18 May 2023, Tuvalu became the 195th State Party to the Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage (1972). With this new ratification, the UNESCO World Heritage Convention nears universal recognition, as one of the most ratified legal instruments in the world. Represented by H.E. Samuelu Laloniu, Special Envoy of the Tuvaluan Government, Tuvalu ...
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Tuesday, 16 May 2023
From 2020 through 2022, UNESCO Jakarta carried out a project “Towards a sustainable future for the Tropical Rainforest Heritage of Sumatra UNESCO World Heritage site: integrating management and reviewing boundaries for the long-term protection of the Outstanding Universal Value,” funded by the UNESCO/Netherlands Funds-in-Trust, in close coordination with the Directorate General of Natural ...
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Saturday, 13 May 2023
13 May 2023 – World Migratory Bird Day highlights the importance of water for migratory birds and calls for more action to protect water resources and aquatic ecosystems. UNESCO World Heritage sites are crucial safe havens for all 12 migratory bird species that are celebrated today. Water is fundamental to life on our planet. Many migratory birds rely on aquatic ecosystems during their life ...
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Thursday, 11 May 2023
From June until November 2022, Member States were invited to report on the implementation of the 2011 Recommendation at the national and urban levels. Progress in the Member States’ implementation of the 2011 Recommendation since the Second Consultation in 2019 is evident and encouraging, with reports received from 69 Member States reported with 62 national reports and 125 local reports out ...
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Saturday, 6 May 2023
From 3 to 6 May 2023, 11 students aged 10 to 14 from the Banc d'Arguin National Park UNESCO World Heritage site participated in UNESCO's Environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling campaign, as part of a global effort to better understand ocean biodiversity and the effects of climate change. Eleven young people from the 4 schools in the park’s coastal villages of Mamghar, R'Gueiba, Teichott and Iwik ...
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Friday, 5 May 2023
Message from Ms Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO, on the occasion of African World Heritage Day Each year, on 5 May, UNESCO and its partners come together to celebrate African heritage. The richness and diversity of this heritage are embodied in natural sites of breathtaking beauty, which are often home to a unique biodiversity, such as the Ivindo National Park in Gabon, listed as ...
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Wednesday, 3 May 2023
On Tuesday 2 May, the Director of UNESCO World Heritage, Lazare Eloundou Assomo, accompanied by the Director of the UNESCO Regional Office for Culture in Latin America and the Caribbean, Anne Lemaistre, visited the Convent of Santa Clara, the first women’s convent in Havana (founded in 1644), part of the World Heritage property “Old Havana and its Fortification System,” inscribed on the ...
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Wednesday, 3 May 2023
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, 3-12 September 2023Looking Ahead: The Next 50 Years of Protecting Natural and Cultural Heritage As an integral part of the extended 45th session of the World Heritage Committee, and in the framework of the UNESCO World Heritage Education Programme, the Ministry of Culture in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia through the National Committee for Education, Culture and ...
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