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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 tentative lists, nominations of properties, conservation project proposals or management plans.
  • Conservation and management, which include:
    • Training & research assistance: to support group training activities, mainly for personnel working on World Heritage sites (individual scholarships cannot be funded);
    • Technical cooperation: to provide expertise and material support for management plans and various conservation activities in sites 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 enable urgent action to repair damage caused by adverse human activity or natural disasters.

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:

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 1st February at the latest 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