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International Assistance

What is International Assistance?

International Assistance under the World Heritage Convention, articles 13.1, 13.2 and 19 to 26 is an assistance granted to the State Parties to the World Heritage Convention, in order to help them protect the World Cultural or Natural Heritage located on their territories and inscribed on the World Heritage List, the List of World Heritage in Danger or on their Tentative List. The World Heritage Committee or its Chairperson allocates International Assistance through the World Heritage Fund, priority being given to the most threatened properties. For the detailed principles and priorities for International Assistance, please refer to the Operational Guidelines for the implementation of the World Heritage Convention, paragraphs 236 to 239. International Assistance from the World Heritage Fund can support requests falling under one of the following three categories (for more details, see also the Operational Guidelines for the implementation of the World Heritage Convention, paragraph 241):

  • Preparatory assistance (maximum amount: 30,000 USD): to prepare or update tentative lists, as well as to prepare nomination files for sites inscribed on national Tentative Lists, or to prepare requests for technical cooperation or training assistance.
  • Conservation and management, which include:
    • o Training & research assistance: to support the training of staff and specialists at all levels in the fields of identification, monitoring, conservation, management and presentation of World Heritage properties, with an emphasis on group training (individual scholarships cannot be funded). It can be requested also to undertake scientific research or studies benefiting to World Heritage properties;
    • o Technical cooperation: to provide equipment or experts for the conservation, management and presentation of properties inscribed on the World Heritage List;
    • Promotional and educational assistance (maximum amount: 10,000 USD): to raise awareness and develop educational materials relating to World Heritage.
  • Emergency assistance: to address ascertained or potential threats facing properties inscribed on the World Heritage List which have suffered severe damage or are in imminent danger of severe damage due to sudden, unexpected phenomena (eg. land subsidence, extensive fires, flooding or man-made disaster).

To Submit an International Assistance Request

According to paragraph 244 of the Operational Guidelines for the implementation of the World Heritage Convention, International Assistance requests must be transmitted by a State Party National Commission for UNESCO or Permanent Delegation to UNESCO, or an appropriate governmental Department or Ministry. Individuals who do not represent one of these bodies are therefore not entitled to submit requests for International Assistance.

  • If you already have a login: you can submit your request directly into the database by clicking on Submit an International Assistance request.
  • If you do not have a login: you have to request for a login by sending your name, the institution you work in and your function by email to wh-intassistance@unesco.org. Once the login is created, you will receive it directly to your email address.
  • If your computer facilities do not allow you to make a submission on line: you can fill in the paper format in English or French language and send it duly signed by regular mail to
    UNESCO World Heritage Centre
    7, place de Fontenoy
    75352 Paris 07 SP
    France
    Email : wh-intassistance@unesco.org

In order to help you filling in the above format, here are some written guidelines giving explanations and examples:

You can also consult the evaluation criteria that will be used by the Advisory Bodies (ICOMOS, IUCN, ICCROM) in their evaluation of the request:

Rules for International Assistance

Preparatory Assistance Conservation & Management Assistance Emergency Assistance
Technical Cooperation Assistance Training & Research Assistance Educational & Promotional Assistance
Director up to $5,000 up to $5,000 up to $5,000 up to $5,000 up to $5,000
Chairperson from $5,001 to $30,000 from $5,001 to $30,000 from $5,001 to $30,001 from $5,001 to $10,000 from $5,001 to $75,000
The Chairperson cannot approve requests submitted by his/her own country
Committee N/A above $30,000 above $30,001 N/A above $75,000
Budgetary Ceiling Amount maximum = $30,000 N/A N/A Amount maximum = $10,000 N/A
Payment of contributions to the World Heritage Fund States Parties must have paid their contribution as of 31 December of the previous calendar year - for example, they can have requests approved in 2009 if they have paid as of 31 December 2008. N/A
Submission date Any time Any time
By 01 February if submission to the Committee		 Any time
By 01 February if submission to the Committee		 Any time Any time
Comments by the Advisory Bodies* Mandatory above $5,000 Mandatory above $5,000 Mandatory above $5,000 Mandatory above $5,000 Mandatory above $5,000
Evaluation by the panel** Mandatory above $5,000 Mandatory above $5,000 Mandatory above $5,000 Mandatory above $5,000 N/A

** The panel is composed of representatives from the Secretariat, the Advisory Bodies, and is chaired by the Chairperson of the World Heritage Committee or
a Vice-Chairperson. It is held at least twice a year.
* ICOMOS  and ICCROM for cultural heritage, IUCN for natural heritage, ICOMOS, ICCROM and IUCN for mixed heritage

Process for an International Assistance Request for Preparatory Assistance or Conservation & Management Assistance

 
Submission - Deadline
Evaluation by
Examination by the panel
(conveyed at least twice a year, in January & September)		 Final decision made by
Request for 5,000 USD or less Any time during the year World Heritage Centre No Director of the World Heritage Centre
Request between 5,001 USD and 30,000 USD Any time during the year Advisory Bodies Yes
Chairperson of the World Heritage Committee
Request above 30,000 USD
(conservation & management assistance only) 		1st February at the latest Advisory Bodies* Yes
World Heritage Committee (June/July)

* Advisory Bodies are: ICOMOS and ICCROM for cultural heritage requests, IUCN for natural heritage requests. The 3 Advisory Bodies evaluate mixed heritage requests (see paragraph 248 to 250 of the Operational Guidelines for the implementation of the World Heritage Convention)

Process for an International Assistance request for Emergency Assistance

 
Submission – Deadline
Evaluation by
Examination by the panel (conveyed at least twice a year, in January & September)		 Final decision made by
Request for 5,000 USD or less Any time during the year World Heritage Centre No Director of the World Heritage Centre
Request between 5,001 USD and 75,000 USD Any time during the year Advisory Bodies No Chairperson of the World Heritage Committee
Request above 75,000 USD Anytime before the Committee Advisory Bodies* No World Heritage Committee (June/July)

* Advisory Bodies are: ICOMOS and ICCROM for cultural heritage requests, IUCN for natural heritage requests. The 3 Advisory Bodies evaluate mixed heritage requests (see paragraph 248 to 250 of the Operational Guidelines for the implementation of the World Heritage Convention)

Documents Relating To International Assistance

Background information documents

  • Evaluation of International Assistance: Examination of the recommendations of the twenty-third session of the Bureau of the World Heritage Committee concerning prioritization in granting International Assistance to States Parties (document WHC.99/CONF.209/16, 21 October 1999)
  • International Assistance: Report on the Evaluation of International Assistance provided under the World Heritage Fund (document WHC.2000/CONF.204/16, 12 October 2000)
  • Progress Report on the Evaluation of the World Heritage Fund Emergency Assistance (document WHC.04/28.COM/10B, 17 June 2004)
  • Information on the Evaluation of the World Heritage Fund’s Preparatory Assistance, Technical Cooperation, Training, and Promotional and Educational Activities (document WHC.05/29.COM/14B, 30 June 2005)
  • Examination of the Recommendations on International Assistance (document WHC.06/30.COM/14A, 23 June 2006)
  • Reform of International Assistance (document WHC.07/31.COM/18B, 10 May 2007)

World Heritage Committee's Decisions Related To International Assistance