The WHEF is hosted by the University of Newcastle in conjunction with the Council for British Archaeology and the Hadrian’s Wall Community and Education Team, the Forum is targeted at students between 15 and 18.
All students are accompanied by a teacher, and a number of schools are also bringing a representative of their local World Heritage Site. At present ten schools from the UK will be attending as they have been working on the World Heritage sites of Durham Cathedral and Castle, Greenwich, Hadrian’s Wall Liverpool, Saltaire and The Monasteries of Jarrow and Wearmouth (the latter two being on the Tentative List only). Overseas schools are attending from China, Italy and possibly Jordan and Malta. The Forum will focus on two existing (Hadrian’s Wall and Durham Cathedral and Castle) and one Tentative List (The Monasteries of Jarrow and Wearmouth) World Heritage sites in the North East of England. Participants will also role-play a World Heritage Committee meeting where students will discuss the nomination of the monasteries of Jarrow and Wearmouth and decide whether or not the site should be inscribed on the World Heritage List.