Friday, November 24, 2006
New cooperation agreement signed between Belgian Science Policy Office and World Heritage Centre
On 21 November 2006, the Director of the UNESCO World Heritage Centre, Francesco Bandarin, signed a new cooperation agreement with Minister Marc ...

Thursday, November 23, 2006
Hippo Massacre in Virunga National Park (DRC): UNESCO Reacts
Conservation activities continue in the World Heritage sites of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), with particular attention given to Virunga ...

Wednesday, November 22, 2006
Jet Tours and World Heritage Centre Implement Safeguarding Projects
In an ongoing commitment to sustainable tourism, Jet tours will support two safeguarding projects scheduled for implementation early 2007. The ...

Thursday, November 9, 2006
New Report on World Heritage and Climate Change
Threats to cultural and natural heritage sites from the effects of climate change are further substantiated in a new report presented at the 12th ...

Monday, November 6, 2006
Preserving Congolese Heritage in Armed Conflict
On the occasion of the United Nations' International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict, the World ...

Tuesday, October 31, 2006
UNESCO World Heritage Desk Diary 2007 Now Available
The UNESCO World Heritage Desk Diary 2007 has just been published. Featuring a useful week-at-a-glance design, it is illustrated with 77 colour photos ...

Saturday, October 7, 2006
UNESCO and Partners Demonstrate Space Technologies for Monitoring World Heritage
At the 57th International Astronautical Federation (IAF) Congress held in Valencia, Spain from 2-6 October 2006, UNESCO and the European Space ...

Friday, September 29, 2006
Handbook on Cultural Heritage and Local Development for African Local Governments Published
The handbook "Cultural heritage and local development: A Guide for African local governments" was created in response to the request ...

Monday, September 25, 2006
No Survivors of WWF Helicopter Crash in Nepal
WWF Nepal has confirmed there are no survivors from Saturday's helicopter crash which occurred while transporting 24 delegates to attend the ...

Thursday, September 21, 2006
Sao Tome and Principe ratifies the World Heritage Convention
On 25 July 2006, the Government of Sao Tome and Principe officially deposited with the Director-General of UNESCO, Koïchiro Matsuura, its instrument ...

Wednesday, September 20, 2006
Melina Mercouri International Prize for the Safeguarding and Management of Cultural Landscapes (UNESCO-Greece), Deadline approaches
Nominations for the prize have to be at UNESCO by 1 November 2006!The purpose of the Melina Mercouri International Prize (UNESCO-Greece) is to reward ...

Tuesday, September 19, 2006
UNESCO Mission reports on war damage to cultural heritage in Lebanon
Experts* sent to Lebanon by UNESCO to assess the state of the country's cultural heritage sites have called for urgent measures to clean up the ...

Tuesday, September 19, 2006
A 7000 Euro Grant for the Realization of a Cultural Project Concerning the Mediterranean World
Born after 31 December 1977 you will be under 30 years of age in 2007. You are a native of a Mediterranean country. You wish to develop a project ...

Wednesday, September 13, 2006
A Virtual Tour of World Heritage Sites
On the occasion of Journées Européennes du Patrimoine (European Heritage Days), and as part of the UNESCO-Vocations Patrimoine Fellowships programme ...

Tuesday, September 12, 2006
TourismAfrica 2006 Promotes African World Heritage
With the support of UNESCO's World Heritage Centre, TourismAfrica 2006 (10-15 September, Geneva, Switzerland) is actively raising awareness of ...

Friday, September 8, 2006
UNESCO sends experts to carry out technical assessment of the effects of the war on Lebanon’s cultural heritage
The Director-General of UNESCO, Koïchiro Matsuura, today announced that the Organization will send a mission of experts, from September 10 to 16, ...

Friday, August 25, 2006
Decisions adopted at the 30th session of the World Heritage Committee now available online
The Decisions adopted at the 30th session of the World Heritage Committee, held in Vilnius, Lithuania, from 8 to 16 July 2006, are now available ...

Friday, August 11, 2006
UNESCO Director-General launches “heritage alert” for the Middle East
The Director-General of UNESCO, Koïchiro Matsuura, today launched an alert to protect heritage in the Middle East. The full text of the declaration ...

Thursday, August 3, 2006
2006 International Youth Camp Held for Restoration of Khami Ruins National Monument
The 2006 International Youth Volunteer Camp on the Restoration of Khami Ruins National Monument took place from 15 June to 8 July. The goal of the ...

Wednesday, August 2, 2006
Worldwide photography project launched in support of World Heritage
A new partnership to promote UNESCO World Heritage sites has been launched with the signing on 19 July of a Memorandum of Understanding between UNESCO ...

Friday, July 21, 2006
Dresden City Council Votes Against Bridge Construction at World Heritage Site
The World Heritage Committee at its 30th session in Vilnius decided to place the cultural landscape of Dresden Elbe Valley on the List of World ...

Friday, July 21, 2006
New Sites Added to the World Heritage List 2006
During the 30th session of the World Heritage Committee held in Vilnius, Lithuania from 8-16 July, 18 new sites were inscribed on the World Heritage ...

Thursday, July 20, 2006
UNESCO Courier, Virtual visit to five new World Heritage Sites
Five sites newly inscribed into UNESCO's World Heritage List are highlighted in the July-August issue of the UNESCO Courier.Bisotun (Islamic ...

Tuesday, July 18, 2006
UNESCO, EVERGREEN Digital Contents and NTT DoCoMo Work Together to Promote World Heritage Education in Japan
UNESCO and its long standing media partner EVERGREEN Digital Contents have launched a new partnership through a project aiming to promote World ...

Sunday, July 16, 2006
Enhancing our Heritage: Monitoring and managing for success in natural World Heritage sites
The 30th meeting of the World Heritage Committee in Vilnius, Lithuania has been discussing the state of conservation of natural and cultural World ...

Thursday, July 13, 2006
Ancient irrigation system (Oman) and Palaces of Genoa (Italy) among ten new sites on World Heritage List
The World Heritage Committee Thursday inscribed ten new sites on UNESCO's World Heritage List. A number of outstanding proposals for inscription ...

Thursday, July 13, 2006
World Heritage Committee puts Medieval Monuments in Kosovo on Danger List and extends site in Andorra, ending this year’s inscriptions
The World Heritage Committee Thursday decided to extend the site inscribed on UNESCO's World Heritage List in 2004 as Dečani Monastery (Serbia) ...

Wednesday, July 12, 2006
Giant panda sanctuaries and Tequila-producing area of Mexico among the eight new sites added to World Heritage List
The World Heritage Committee Wednesday added eight new sites and one extension to UNESCO's World Heritage List and removed the archaeological site ...

Tuesday, July 11, 2006
World Heritage Committee threatens to remove Dresden Elbe Valley (Germany) from World Heritage List
The World Heritage Committee decided Tuesday to place the cultural landscape of Dresden Elbe Valley on the List of World Heritage in Dangerwith a view ...

Monday, July 10, 2006
Cologne Cathedral (Germany), Djoudj Bird Sanctuary (Senegal), Ichkeul National Park (Tunisia), and Hampi (India) removed from List of World Heritage in Danger
Improved conservation allowed the World Heritage Committee to remove Cologne Cathedral (Germany), Djoudj National Bird Sanctuary (Senegal), the Group ...

Monday, July 10, 2006
World Heritage Committee adopts strategy on heritage and climate change
The World Heritage Committee on Monday adopted the recommendations on ways to respond to the threat of climate change to many World Heritage sites ...

Monday, July 10, 2006
30th session of World Heritage Committee opens in Vilnius
The 30th session of the World Heritage Committee, chaired by Ina Marčiulionytė, the Ambassador and Permanent Delegate of Lithuania to UNESCO, started ...

Tuesday, July 4, 2006
World Heritage Committee to inscribe new sites on UNESCO’s World Heritage List
Thirty-seven new sites will be proposed for inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List during the 30th session of the World Heritage Committee ...

Thursday, June 8, 2006
Economy Minister Confirms French Commitment to Protect Congo Forests
On April 13, 2006, Mr. Breton, French Minister of the Economy, Finance and Industry met with Mr. Doumba, Minister of Forest Economy, Water, Fisheries ...

Monday, May 22, 2006
Celebrating World Biodiversity Day May 22: How the World Heritage Convention Contributes to Global Biodiversity Conservation Agenda
Having been identified as a cross-cutting theme for global biodiversity conservation initiatives at the Fifth World Parks Congress in Durban, South ...

Wednesday, May 17, 2006
World Heritage in Young Hands Kit Available in Hungarian
Világörökség ifjú kezekben, the Hungarian version of the World Heritage in Young Hands educational resource kit for teachers, has just been published ...

Thursday, May 11, 2006
Guinea-Bissau ratifies the World Heritage Convention
On 28 January 2006, the Government of Guinea-Bissau officially deposited with the Director-General of UNESCO, Koïchiro Matsuura, its instrument of ...

Wednesday, May 3, 2006
Launch of African World Heritage Fund
A fund to help the States of sub-Saharan Africa improve the preservation of their cultural and natural heritage will be launched in South Africa on 5 ...

Friday, April 28, 2006
Director-General and World Heritage Committee Chair welcome decision to alter course of pipeline near Lake Baikal
The Director-General of UNESCO, Koïchiro Matsuura, and the Chairperson of the World Heritage Committee, Ina Marčiulionytė, today welcomed the decision ...

Tuesday, April 18, 2006
"Promoting and Preserving Congolese Heritage" Publication Now Available
The proceedings of the International Donors' Conference "Promoting and Preserving Congolese Heritage: Linking Biological and Cultural ...

Friday, April 14, 2006
Swaziland ratifies the World Heritage Convention
On 30 November 2005, the Government of Swaziland officially deposited with the Director-General of UNESCO, Koïchiro Matsuura, its instrument of ...

Wednesday, April 12, 2006
Cities Named '2010 European Capital of Culture' include World Heritage sites
The selection panel for the 2010 European Capital of Culture have recommended that the German town Essen and the Hungarian city of Pécs should share ...

Monday, April 10, 2006
Mali Launches Development of Timbuktu Management and Conservation Plan
Since January 2006, the Malian authorities have been developing a management and conservation plan for Timbuktu, a World Heritage site since ...

Sunday, April 9, 2006
World Heritage Centre Recognizes First World Migratory Bird Day
The World Heritage Centre highlights the importance of World Heritage sites for mirgratory birds on the occasion of the first World Migratory Bird Day ...

Wednesday, April 5, 2006
Opportunities for Small Islands States to Nominate Marine World Heritage Sites in the Caribbean
Representatives from 15 States Parties of the Caribbean region participated in a regional training workshop on marine World Heritage held in ...

Tuesday, April 4, 2006
Nature Conservation NGOs Pledge to Support World Heritage and Biodiversity Conventions
Following the January 2006 meeting on the Convention on Biological Diversity's (CBD) Programme of Work on Protected Areas (PoWPA), six of the ...

Friday, March 24, 2006
World Heritage Committee Chairperson Sends Letter to President of Russian Federation concerning Lake Baikal
The Chairperson of the World Heritage Committee, Ina Marčiulionytė, has sent a letter to the President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir ...

Friday, March 24, 2006
New Centre for World Heritage Studies at University of Minnesota, USA
The College of Architecture and Landscape Architecture (CALA) at University of Minnesota, USA, has established a Center for World Heritage Studies to ...

Tuesday, March 21, 2006
Experts discuss World Heritage and Climate Change; results to be submitted to World Heritage Committee in July
A two-day expert meeting on World Heritage and Climate Change successfully concluded at UNESCO Headquarters on Friday, bringing together over 50 ...

Monday, March 20, 2006
The Basic Texts of the World Heritage Convention Available in Portuguese
As part of its commitment to World Heritage in Portuguese-speaking countries, the Portuguese National Commission for UNESCO has generously supported ...

Thursday, March 16, 2006
Co-sponsored Fellowships for World Heritage Site Managers
UNESCO's World Heritage Centre has signed a partnership agreement with the French not-for-profit organization, ‘Vocations Patrimoine, ...

Tuesday, March 7, 2006
Second Spanish Edition of World Heritage in Young Hands Kit
Patrimonio Mundial en Manos de Jovenes, the second Spanish edition of the World Heritage in Young Hands educational resource kit for teachers has just ...

Monday, March 6, 2006
Information Related to the World Heritage Convention Available in Arabic
Within the framework of the World Heritage Convention, the clarity and precision of the information made available to the States Parties are two ...

Wednesday, March 1, 2006
First Steering Committee of the Central Africa World Heritage Forest Initiative
On February 13-16, 2006, the World Heritage Centre organized the Steering Committee of the Central Africa World Heritage Forest Initiative (CAWHFI) in ...

Thursday, February 23, 2006
Rapid Response Facility Launched for Natural World Heritage Sites
The World Heritage Centre, the United Nations Foundation, and Fauna and Flora International have launched a Rapid Response Facility (RRF) for natural ...

Thursday, February 23, 2006
Meeting Held to Support Implementation of Biological Diversity Convention Programme
From January 30 to February 1st, 2006, a meeting was held in Paris to consider actions in support of the implementation of the Convention on ...

Tuesday, February 21, 2006
Poster Competition Raises Awareness of Samoan Heritage
A poster competition for high school students was part of the "Heritage in Young Hands" awareness-raising campaign to promote understanding and ...

Thursday, February 16, 2006
UNESCO Presents Design for Reinstallation of Aksum Obelisk
The project for the reinstallation of Aksum Obelisk (Stela 2) is completed UNESCO has completed the engineering design for the reinstallation of the ...

Friday, January 20, 2006
2006 World Heritage Map: New UNESCO World Heritage Centre, National Geographic and Hewlett Packard Partnership
The UNESCO World Heritage Centre is pleased to announce the publication of the 2006 World Heritage map, the first to be produced in collaboration with ...

Thursday, January 19, 2006
Jane Goodall receives UNESCO’s 60th anniversary medal
The Director-General of UNESCO, Koïchiro Matsuura, awarded UNESCO's 60th Anniversary Medal to Jane Goodall, the British-born primatologist, on Tuesday ...

Friday, January 13, 2006
Conservation and Sustainable Management of Wildlife surrounding National Parks of the Congo Basin
On Friday November 25, 2005, the French Global Environmental Fund (FGEF) approved the financing of an ambitious project of the UNESCO World Heritage ...

Thursday, December 22, 2005
Ten years of decentralised cooperation between the cities of Chinon and Luang Prabang sponsored by UNESCO
On the occasion of the celebration of the 10th anniversary of Luang Prabang's inscription on the World heritage list, this brochure presents the ...

Thursday, December 22, 2005
Workshop Held for Identification of Cultural World Heritage in the Pacific Region
The World Heritage Centre and the Vanuatu Cultural Centre (with funding from the World Heritage Fund, and the technical contribution of the Department ...

Tuesday, December 20, 2005
Fourth Expert Working Group on the Preservation of the Bamiyan Site issued recommendations for Safeguarding Bamiyan
The Fourth Expert Working Group on the Preservation of the Bamiyan Site was successfully held in Kabul/ Aghanistan from 7 to 10 December 2005. Afghan ...

Tuesday, December 20, 2005
Goldman Sachs declares World Heritage sites “off limits”
Following in the footsteps of Shell International and the International Council on Mining & Metals (an industry association of the largest mining ...

Friday, December 9, 2005
Town of Bamberg Spared Construction Project Potentially Harmful to World Heritage Values
Ongoing efforts by the Office of the Mayor of Bamberg (Germany) to preserve the Town of Bamberg, inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1993 ...

Friday, December 9, 2005
Cultural and Ecotourism Developments in Central Asia
Within the framework for the project on the Development for Cultural and Ecotourism in the Mountainous Regions of Central and South Asia, there is ...

Wednesday, December 7, 2005
Fourth Expert Working Group on the preservation of the Bamiyan World Heritage site
Bamiyan remains one of the most important examples of Gandharan art in the world, despite the Taleban’s destruction of its two monumental Buddhas in ...

Friday, December 2, 2005
[in French only] Sauver les derniers rhinocéros blancs du Nord du Parc national de la Garamba (RDC)
[in French only] Le Centre du Patrimoine mondial de l’UNESCO, l’Institut Congolais pour la Conservation de la Nature, l’Union mondiale pour la nature, ...

Monday, November 28, 2005
UNESCO World Heritage Desk Diary 2006
The perfect planner for all those with a passion for World Heritage! The UNESCO World Heritage Desk Diary 2006 features a helpful week-at-a-glance ...

Friday, November 18, 2005
World Heritage Alliance launched
United Nations Foundation and Expedia announced the launch of the World Heritage Alliance, an innovative joint initiative to promote sustainable ...

Tuesday, October 25, 2005
Second training workshop for Jet tours guides held at UNESCO HQ
After a successful first workshop held on 29 September, the second of a series of training workshops for Jet tours guides is to be held at UNESCO ...

Monday, October 17, 2005
Monuments and Sites in their Setting: Conserving Cultural Heritage in Changing Townscapes and Landscapes
The 15th ICOMOS General Assembly and the International Scientific Symposium with the theme Monuments and Sites in their Setting: Conserving Cultural ...

Tuesday, October 11, 2005
Final Result of the election to the World Heritage Committee
The 15th session of the General Assembly of States Parties to the World Heritage Convention elected Kenya and Peru to the World Heritage Committee at ...

Tuesday, October 11, 2005
Results of the election to the World Heritage Committee
The 15th session of the General Assembly of States Parties to the World Heritage Convention elected Cuba to the World Heritage Committee at the 2nd ...

Monday, October 10, 2005
Election to the World Heritage Committee
The 15th session of the General Assembly of States Parties to the World Heritage Convention elected Mauritius to the World Heritage Committee ...

Monday, October 10, 2005
[in French only] 15e Assemblée générale des Etats parties à la Convention de 1972 sur la protection du patrimoine mondial, culturel et naturel
[in French only] UNESCO Flash Info : A l’heure où la protection du patrimoine mondial occupe une place sans cesse croissante dans les préoccupations ...

Monday, October 10, 2005
Results of the election to the World Heritage Committee
States Parties elected at the 1st Open Ballot: Canada Israel Korea, Republic of Madagascar Morocco Spain Tunisia United States of ...

Saturday, October 8, 2005
15th session of the General Assembly of States Parties to the World Heritage Convention
The 15th General Assembly of States Parties to the World Heritage Convention will be held in Room IV on 10-11 October. During the meeting, the General ...

Thursday, September 29, 2005
Final Decisions of the 29th Session of the World Heritage Committee now available
The Decisions adopted at the 29th session of the World Heritage Committee, held in Durban, South Africa from 10 to 17 July 2005, are now available ...

Friday, September 23, 2005
Nova Scotia Provincial Government buys 17 waterfront properties in the Town of Lunenburg, Canada
In mid-August 2005 the Government of the Province of Nova Scotia, Canada, finalized the purchase of seventeen properties, including 22 buildings and ...

Friday, September 16, 2005
China's Pingyao forms yoke of friendship with Provins of France
Pingyao city of north China's Shanxi Province signed an accord of friendship ties with Provins of France, as part of the on-going concluding ceremony ...

Monday, September 12, 2005
Biodiversity-Related Conventions Speak on Millennium Development Goals
BiodiversityLife Insurance for our Changing WorldThis week, in New York, leaders of the world will review progress made towards achieving the ...

Wednesday, September 7, 2005
Hurricane Katrina Causes Damage to Everglades National Park
Everglades National Park in Florida, USA, has almost entirely reopened to the public following damage from Hurricane Katrina, which passed directly ...

Monday, September 5, 2005
Melina Mercouri Prize for the Safeguarding and Management of Cultural Landscapes goes to the Iranian village of Maymand
The historical village of Maymand in southern Iran will be awarded the Melina Mercouri International Prize for the Safeguarding and Management of ...

Friday, July 15, 2005
Mostar, Macao and Biblical vestiges in Israel are among the 17 cultural sites inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List
Durban (South Africa) – The World Heritage Committee, chaired by Themba Wakashe, South Africa’s Deputy Director-General for Heritage and ...

Thursday, July 14, 2005
Norwegian Fjords and Japan’s Shiretoko peninsula are among the seven natural sites added to UNESCO’s World Heritage List
Durban (South Africa), The World Heritage Committee chaired by Themba Wakashe, South Africa’s Deputy Director-General for Heritage and National ...

Wednesday, July 13, 2005
Three sites withdrawn from UNESCO’s List of World Heritage in Danger
Improvements in the preservation of three threatened World Heritage sites have led to their withdrawal from the List of World Heritage in Danger. The ...

Thursday, June 30, 2005
New Sites to be Inscribed on UNESCO World Heritage List
Forty-two new sites will be proposed for inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List during the 29th session of the World Heritage Committee ...

Tuesday, June 21, 2005
New findings from Peking Man site
The results of the latest geological and geophysical surveys conducted at the site of the Peking Man in Zhoukoudian (China) will be presented at the ...

Tuesday, June 14, 2005
Colleagues Honoured for 25 and 30 years at UNESCO
Director-General Koïchiro Matsuura awarded diplomas and medals to colleagues who had completed 25 and 30 years of service to UNESCO at a June 14 ...

Monday, May 30, 2005
Opening of UNESCO Intl. Symposium on “Conserving Cultural and Biological Diversity”
The Symposium, an activity of the World EXPO 2005 in Aïchi, Japan has opened today at the United Nations University, Tokyo, and will continue until 2 ...

Monday, May 9, 2005
World Heritage and contemporary architecture: Towards new conservation standards
Growing understanding that the outstanding universal value of urban heritage goes well beyond the value of the individual buildings it contains, has ...

Monday, April 25, 2005
Major archaeological discoveries in Aksum
Major archaeological vestiges have been discovered at the World Heritage site of Aksum (Ethiopia) by the experts UNESCO sent to Aksum (Ethiopia) to ...

Monday, April 25, 2005
Durmitor World Heritage site is no longer threatened
The government of Montenegro, Serbia and Montenegro, has cancelled a project to build a dam that would flood part of the Tara River Canyon in the ...

Wednesday, April 20, 2005
Aksum obelisk arrives in Ethiopia
The first of three parts of the Aksum obelisk arrived in Ethiopia by airplane on April 19. The two other pieces of the obelisk, which has been in Rome ...

Friday, April 15, 2005
Space branch of Chinese Science Academy joins UNESCO’s World Heritage Preservation
China has signed an agreement to join UNESCO in the Open Initiative on the Use of Space Technology in Support of the World Heritage Convention. The ...

Thursday, April 7, 2005
World Heritage Cities in Mauritania celebrated at UNESCO April 11 to 14
The President of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, Maaouya Ould Sid'Ahmed Taya, the Director-General of UNESCO, Koïchiro Matsuura and the World ...

Wednesday, April 6, 2005
Space technology to protect mountain gorillas
Accurate and detailed maps of inaccessible zones in Central Africa that will allow authorities to monitor the habitat of the region's threatened ...

Monday, April 4, 2005
Paper Series N°12 "The State of World Heritage in the Asia-Pacific Region (2003)"
The State of World Heritage in the Asia-Pacific Region (2003) is now available as publication number 12 in the World Heritage Paper Series. This ...

Monday, April 4, 2005
Trinidad and Tobago ratifies the World Heritage Convention
On 16 February 2005, the Government of Trinidad and Tobago officially deposited with the Director-General of UNESCO, Koïchiro Matsuura, its instrument ...

Thursday, March 17, 2005
Aksum obelisk returns to Ethiopia: UNESCO to handle its reintegration into the World Heritage site
At the request of the Ethiopian and Italian governments, UNESCO will send an evaluation team to Aksum, in northern Ethiopia, to prepare the return of ...

Wednesday, March 2, 2005
Sierra Leone ratifies the World Heritage Convention
On 7 January 2005, the Government of Sierra Leone officially deposited with the Director-General of UNESCO, Koïchiro Matsuura, its instrument of ...

Tuesday, March 1, 2005
Agreement between UNESCO and NASA will strenghten conservation of World Heritage
Koïchiro Matsuura, Director-General of UNESCO, and Frederick D. Gregory, Deputy Administrator of the United States National Aeronautics and Space ...

Friday, February 18, 2005
UNESCO Director-General attends World Heritage inscription ceremony in Saint Lucia
The Director-General, Mr Koïchiro Matsuura, paid his first official visit to St Lucia from 13 to 15 February 2005. It was the first official visit of ...

Monday, February 7, 2005
WHC participates in the UN World Conference on Disaster Reduction
The World Heritage Centre participated in the United Nations World Conference on Disaster Reduction, held in Kobe, Japan, from the 18th to the 22nd of ...

Wednesday, February 2, 2005
Operational Guidelines for the implementation of the World Heritage Convention
The World Heritage Centre is pleased to inform you that the Revised Operational Guidelines for the implementation of the World Heritage Convention are ...

Tuesday, February 1, 2005
The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia sentences a former Yugoslav General, among other things, for the destruction of and damage to the World Heritage site of the Old Town of Dubrovnik
On 31 January 2005, the Trial Chamber of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia sentenced retired General Pavle Strugar of the ...

Tuesday, February 1, 2005
Agreement between Lithuania and the Russian Federation keeps Curonian Spit off List of World Heritage in Danger
The Curonian Spit, an elongated sand-dune peninsula straddling the border of Lithuania and the Russian Federation, will not be inscribed on UNESCO’s ...

Wednesday, January 26, 2005
First meeting of experts on the cultural heritage of the Old City of Jerusalem
UNESCO Director-General Koïchiro Matsuura today opened the first meeting of a Committee of Experts on the Cultural Heritage of the Old City of ...

Sunday, January 23, 2005
The decisions taken by the World Heritage Committee during its 7th Extraordinary Session can now be consulted online
The decisions taken by the World Heritage Committee during its 7th Extraordinary Session, held in Paris from 6 to 11 December 2004, can now be ...

Tuesday, January 11, 2005
Further information about damage to two World Heritage sites in Indonesia
The conservation community mourns the loss of several staff members of the Gunung Leuser National Park, one of the three national parks within the ...

Wednesday, January 5, 2005
World Heritage sites in regions hit by the recent earthquake and tsunami
The Director-General of UNESCO, Koïchiro Matsuura, has offered UNESCO’s support to the countries devastated by the earthquake off the ...

Tuesday, January 4, 2005
Countess Setsuko Klossowska de Rola named UNESCO Artist for Peace
The Director-General of UNESCO, Koïchiro Matsuura, will name the internationally renowned painter, Countess Setsuko Klossowska de Rola, UNESCO Artist ...

Thursday, December 30, 2004
UNESCO offers tsunami assistance to countries in South Asia
The Director-General of UNESCO, Koïchiro Matsuura, has offered UNESCO’s support to the countries devastated by the earthquake off the coast of Sumatra ...

Thursday, December 23, 2004
Protected Areas and World Heritage
Six case studies, looking at manager experience of how World Heritage may help to build support for protected areas are now available ...

Thursday, December 23, 2004
First anniversary of the earthquake at World Heritage city of Bam (Iran)
The inscription of Bam and its Cultural Landscape, the ancient Silk Road landmark, on UNESCO’s World Heritage List and on the World Heritage List in ...

Tuesday, December 14, 2004
UNESCO World Heritage Desk Diary 2005
The 2005 UNESCO World Heritage Desk Diary is now available. Discover 54 natural and cultural sites with beautiful colour photographs and informative ...

Monday, December 13, 2004
UNESCO and Japanese Broadcasting Corporation NHK Launch Partnership for heritage images archives initiative
On Friday, 27 August 2004, UNESCO Director-General Koïchiro Matsuura and Nippon Hoso Kyokai (NHK) President Katsuji Ebisawa held a public signing ...

Tuesday, December 7, 2004
International Donors’ Conference in support of the World Heritage in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), UNESCO, Paris, 13 - 17 September 2004
The opening and closure speeches as well as the PowerPoint presentations are now available on: http://whc.unesco.org/en/events/95 ...

Monday, December 6, 2004
Opening of the 7th Extraordinary Session of the World Heritage Committee
The 7th Extraordinary Session of the World Heritage Committee opened on 6 December 2004 at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, under the chairmanship of Mr ...

Thursday, November 18, 2004
Professor Chamaeleo, Ambassador at Large for Diversity
You can now access a film featuring Professor Chamaeleo, Ambassador at Large for Diversity, in which he urges everyone to unite and act for the ...

Friday, October 22, 2004
Workshop Discusses World Heritage Nomination of Central Pacific Islands And Atolls from Kiribati
Within the framework of the World Heritage Central Pacific Project, a workshop was held over the previous seven days on Kiritimati (Christmas) Island, ...

Friday, October 22, 2004
Three new publications in the World Heritage Papers Series
There are three new publications in the World Heritage Papers Series: No.9: Partnerships for World Heritage Cities - Culture as a Vector for ...

Wednesday, October 20, 2004
Safeguarding of Tangible and Intangible Cultural Heritage: Toward an Integrated Approach
The Director-General of UNESCO, Koïchiro Matsuura, participated today in Nara (Japan) at the opening ceremony of the international symposium “ ...

Friday, October 15, 2004
NHK - World Heritage on the screen
A new partnership between UNESCO and the Japanese Television channel NHK will see the co-production and broadcast of some 200 short television ...

Thursday, October 14, 2004
Launch of the book Les 200 plus beaux sites du monde
A new book Les 200 plus beaux sites du monde (The 200 most beautiful sites in the World), published by Hachette-Tourism to commemorate 10 years of ...

Thursday, October 14, 2004
Michel Batisse (1923-2004)
The World Heritage Centre deeply regrets to announce the passing away, in Paris on Monday 27 September, of Michel Batisse (1923-2004), UNESCO ...

Monday, October 11, 2004
New weekly radio chronicle on World Heritage sites
Every Sunday, listeners of the French radio station France Info can learn more about UNESCO's World Heritage sites, by listening to a new chronicle ...

Thursday, October 7, 2004
A 7000 Euro Grant For The Realization Of A Cultural Project Concerning The Mediterranean World
B orn after 31 December 1975 you will be under 30 years of age in 2005. You are a native of a Mediterranean country. You wish to develop a ...

Thursday, October 7, 2004
The Director-General opens exhibition on "World Heritage Sites in Croatia" and appoints Mr Relja Bašic as UNESCO Artist for Peace
On 6 October, the Director-General of UNESCO, Koïchiro Matsuura, opened an exhibition on "World Heritage Sites in Croatia" in the presence of Mr ...

Friday, September 10, 2004
"Congo - Nature and Culture in the Democratic Republic of Congo"
On Thursday 9 September, the Director-General of UNESCO together with H.R.H. Prince Philippe of Belgium, Mr Z’Ahidi Ngoma, Vice-President of the ...

Wednesday, September 8, 2004
Congo - Heritage in Danger
UNESCO is organizing, with the United Nations Foundation (UNF) the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and several conservation ...

Friday, August 27, 2004
UNESCO and Japanese Broadcasting Corporation NHK Launch Partnership for heritage images archives initiative
On Friday, 27 August 2004, UNESCO Director-General Koïchiro Matsuura and Nippon Hoso Kyokai (NHK) President Katsuji Ebisawa held a public signing ...

Wednesday, July 28, 2004
The 28th Session of the Committee
The 28th session of the World Heritage Committee was held in Sushou, China, under the chairmanship of Zhang Xinsheng, Vice Minister of Education of ...

Monday, July 26, 2004
Periodic Report and Regional Programme: Arab States 2000-2003
This document was prepared by the Arab States Unit of the World Heritage Centre, following the request of the World Heritage Committee that an ...

Friday, July 16, 2004
New Chinese edition of UNESCO World Heritage Review
A new Chinese edition of UNESCO’s World Heritage Review is being launched by the publishing house World Affairs Press of the People’s Republic of ...

Wednesday, July 7, 2004
Ruins of Kilwa Kisiwani and Ruins of Songo Mnara in Tanzania inscribed on World Heritage in Danger List
The ruins of the great sea-ports of Kilwa Kisiwani and of Songo Mnara situated off the coast of the United Republic of Tanzania were inscribed ...

Tuesday, July 6, 2004
World Heritage Committee sounds the alarm for Cologne Cathedral
One of Europe’s masterpieces of Gothic architecture, was inscribed today on the List of World Heritage in Danger by the 21-member World Heritage ...

Sunday, July 4, 2004
Angkor Among the three Properties Removed from Unesco’s List of World Heritage in Danger
Cambodia’s celebrated temples and palaces at Angkor were removed from UNESCO's List of World Heritage in Danger today, as were the Bahla Fort ...

Saturday, July 3, 2004
Iran's Ancient City of Bam among the 34 new sites inscribed on World Heritage List
The rich archaeological remains of the Iranian city of Bam, where 26,000 lost their lives in the earthquake of December 26, 2003, was inscribed on ...

Friday, July 2, 2004
13 more properties added to World Heritage List at 2004 Committee session
The Democratic People's Republic of Korea had its first site inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List today with the addition of a complex of ...

Thursday, July 1, 2004
First wave of new properties added to World Heritage List for 2004
A glacier-fjord in Greenland, the Ilulissat Icefjord, is among the five new natural sites inscribed on UNESCO's World Heritage List, while the ...

Tuesday, June 22, 2004
New properties to be added to World Heritage List
Forty-eight sites will be considered for inscription on UNESCO’s World Heritage List of outstanding cultural and natural sites during the 28th session ...

Friday, June 11, 2004
World heritage to the fore in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe
The Fifth International Volunteer Khami Restoration Camp (3-26 June) near Bulawayo is now in progress, to be followed by a “1972 World Heritage ...

Friday, June 11, 2004
IUCN News
The web site for one of the World Heritage Advisory Bodies, the World Conservation Union (IUCN), regularly updates news on IUCN's work on protected ...

Friday, June 4, 2004
Jebel Ouenat Technical Report
Tripoli-Kufra-Jebel Ouenat, 27 March - 5 April 2004Jebel Ouenat (in Arabic "Mountain of the springs") is a natural and cultural heritage site located ...

Sunday, May 30, 2004
Preparations for 28th Session of World Heritage Committee going smoothly

Wednesday, May 26, 2004
Workshop on Conservation of the Kathmandu Valley (3-7 May 2004, Kathmandu, Nepal)
The workshop focused on the redefinition of the boundaries, the preparation of an Action Plan addressing conservation challenges and the discussion of ...

Wednesday, May 19, 2004
Promoting and Preserving Congolese Heritage
UNESCO Conference 16-17 September at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris to evaluate the current status and future needs of the World Heritage Centre / UNF ...

Tuesday, May 18, 2004
Second workshop on the use of Information Technology for World Heritage Sites in the Arab Region
The 2nd workshop obtained excellent feedback from the fifteen Arab trainees nominated by their governments. Experts were again brought in from leading ...

Monday, May 3, 2004
ITB Features First Ever Unesco World Heritage Stand
Presentations will be made everyday at 10am, 1pm and 3pm on issues such as World Heritage destinations, sustainable tourism at World Heritage sites, ...

Monday, May 3, 2004
Training Workshop: Information Technology for Natural Heritage Sites in the Arab Region, Tunis 2004
2nd training workshop to be organized in the Arab region for the application of Information Management for World Heritage Sites, fucusing on ...

Wednesday, April 28, 2004
Announcing the 28th Session of the World Heritage Committee
The World Heritage Committee consists of representatives from 21 of the States Parties to the Convention for the Protection of the World Cultural and ...

Wednesday, March 31, 2004
Deadline for submissions of entries for UNESCO Heritage Awards
The United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) is still accepting entries for the 2004 UNESCO Asia-Pacific Heritage ...

Tuesday, November 11, 2003
UNESCO signs agreement with NHK Television to digitalise cultural heritage for future generations
The Director-General of UNESCO, Koïchiro Matsuura, today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Atsunori Kawarmura, Executive Producer of ...

Monday, June 16, 2003
Letter from the Chairperson of the World Heritage Committee concerning Yellowstone
The letter follows the receipt of numerous individual letters and e-mails sent to the UNESCO World Heritage ...

Wednesday, March 26, 2003
Web Site of the 27th Session of the World Heritage Committee
Paris - The Web site of the 27th session of the World Heritage Committee, which will take place in Suzhou (China), from the 29th of June to the 5th of ...

Monday, February 17, 2003
Hatra
A large fortified city under the influence of the Parthian Empire and capital of the first Arab Kingdom, Hatra withstood invasions by the Romans in ...

Wednesday, February 5, 2003
Fire Destroys Yuzhengong Palace in Hubei Province of China
On 20 January 2003, a fire broke out in the Ancient Building Complex in the Wudang Mountains in Hubei Province, China.Two-and-a-half hours later, the ...

Wednesday, February 5, 2003
Letter From the Chairperson Concerning the "Historic Centre of Sighisoara" (Romania)
Following decision from the President of Romania to halt the proposed development of the themepark "Draculaland" at the World Heritage site ...

Tuesday, November 26, 2002
Belgium Signs Joint Cooperation Agreement with UNESCO for World Heritage Conservation
Brussels - The Belgian Government and UNESCO signed an Agreement of Cooperation today, wishing to enhance their cooperation, especially between the ...

Saturday, November 16, 2002
30th Anniversary of the World Heritage Convention
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Thursday, September 12, 2002
1972-2002: 30th Anniversary of the World Heritage Convention
Special events and activities Record of Decisions of the 26th session of the World Heritage Committee Budapest, Hungary, 24-29 June 2002 Budapest ...

Tuesday, August 20, 2002
Message on the Occasion of the Floods Affecting a Number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites
From Mr Francesco Bandarin, Director of the World Heritage Centre We have noted with great concern, the news of massive floods sweeping across Europe ...

Monday, July 15, 2002
Tipasa (Algeria) Added to List of World Heritage in Danger
Inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1982, Tipasa on the shores of the Mediterranean, comprises Phoenician, Roman, palaeochristian and Byzantine ...

Monday, July 15, 2002
World Heritage Committee Concludes 26th Session in Budapest, Hungary
The World Heritage Committee concluded its 26th session (24 to 29 June 2002) by adopting the Budapest Declaration on World Heritage, marking the 30th ...

Monday, July 1, 2002
World Heritage Sites, June 2002 inscriptions
This map was produced by the Cartographic Section of the World Heritage Centre. The boundaries, colors, denominations and any other information shown ...

Wednesday, June 26, 2002
World Heritage Committee Inscribes 9 New Sites on the World Heritage List
Budapest, Hungary. The World Heritage Committee, meeting in Budapest since June 24, has inscribed today 9 new sites on the World Heritage List. The ...

Monday, June 24, 2002
26th Session of the World Heritage Committee opens in Budapest, Hungary; Elects New Bureau
Budapest, Hungary - 24 June 2002. The World Heritage Committee opened its 26th annual session in Budapest, Hungary, on Monday, 24 June. The opening ...

Wednesday, June 5, 2002
Three States Join the World Heritage Convention
Three States have recently signed the World Heritage Convention. This will bring the total of States Parties to the Convention to 170. The three ...

Tuesday, April 9, 2002
New World Heritage Web Address
Important announcement for the visitors of the World Heritage Centre portal The UNESCO World Heritage Centre has established a new simpler web ...

Wednesday, January 9, 2002
Report of the 25th Session of the World Heritage Committee
The annual report of the du World Heritage Committee (Helsinki, Finland, 11 - 16 décember 2001) has been ...

Thursday, December 13, 2001
World Heritage Committee Inscribes 31 New Sites on the World Heritage List
Helsinki, Finland - 14 December 2001. The World Heritage Committee, meeting in Helsinki since December 11, has inscribed 31 new sites on the World ...

Wednesday, December 12, 2001
World Heritage Committee Inscribes Two Sites on the the List of World Heritage in Danger
Helsinki, Finland - In its annual review of the state of conservation of sites on the World Heritage List, the World Heritage Committee today decided ...

Tuesday, December 11, 2001
25th Session of the World Heritage Committee opens in Helsinki, Finland
Helsinki, Finland - The World Heritage Committee opened its 25th annual session in Helsinki, Finland, on Tuesday, 11 December. The meeting, hosted by ...

Tuesday, October 30, 2001
Summary Report of the First Day of the Thirteenth General Assembly of States Parties to the World Heritage Convention
Paris. The General Assembly of States Parties to the World Heritage Convention opened Tuesday, 30 October 2001 at 10 a.m. in the presence of the ...

Tuesday, October 30, 2001
Summary Report of the Second Day of the Thirteenth General Assembly of States Parties to the World Heritage Convention
Paris - The 13th session of the General Assembly of the State Parties of the World Heritage Convention ended on the 31st October with the election of ...

Friday, October 26, 2001
Thirteenth General Assembly of States Parties to the World Heritage Convention
Paris - The Thirteenth General Assembly of States Parties to the World Heritage Convention will take place this week at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris. ...

Friday, June 22, 2001
Twenty-fifth Session of the Bureau of the World Heritage Committee to meet, 25 - 30 june at UNESCO Headquarters, Paris
The twenty-fifth session of the Bureau of the World Heritage Committee will open on Monday, 25 June for its annual six-day meeting at UNESCO ...

Thursday, June 21, 2001
World Heritage Committee to hold 26th Annual Session in Budapest, Hungary, 24 - 29 june 2002
Paris - The World Heritage Committee will hold its 26th annual session from June 24 to 29 in Budapest, Hungary, during which it will inscribe new ...

Thursday, November 30, 2000
World Heritage Committee Inscribes 61 New Sites on World Heritage List
Cairns - UNESCO's World Heritage Committee, meeting since November 27 in Cairns, Australia, has inscribed 61 new cultural and natural sites on the ...

Wednesday, November 29, 2000
World Heritage Committee Adds Three Sites to the List of World Heritage in Danger
Cairns - On the third day of its 24th session, the World Heritage Committee added three sites to the List of World Heritage in Danger. The three ...

Monday, November 27, 2000
World Heritage Committee opens 24th Session in Cairns, Australia, Elects New 7 Members Bureau
Cairns, Australia - The World Heritage Committee today opened its 24th annual session in Cairns, Australia. The meeting, hosted by the Australian ...

Wednesday, November 15, 2000
World Heritage Committee to Hold 24th Annual Session in Cairns, Australia, November 27 - December 2
The World Heritage Committee will hold its 24th annual session from November 27 to December 2 in Cairns, Australia, during which it will inscribe new ...

Friday, October 20, 2000
Chairman of World Heritage Committee Named as Candidate for post of Director-General of UNESCO
Paris - UNESCO's 58-member Executive Board - whose 157th session opened on October 5 - today nominated, in the third round of voting, Koichiro ...

Tuesday, March 7, 2000
President of Mexico Announces Decision to Halt Saltworks Project at World Heritage Site, El Vizcaino Whale Sanctuary
The President of Mexico, Ernesto Zedillo, announced on 2 March 2000 that the development of the proposed saltworks at San Ignacio would not ...

Wednesday, December 8, 1999
The Whale Sanctuary of El Vizcaino in Mexico Inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1993
The World Heritage Committee at its twenty-third session held in Marrakesh (Morocco) from 29 November to 4 December 1999, adopted the conclusions and ...

Thursday, December 2, 1999
World Heritage Committee Inscribes 48 New Sites on Heritage List
Marrakesh - UNESCO's World Heritage Committee, meeting since November 29 in Marrakesh (Morocco), has inscribed 48 new cultural and natural sites on ...

Tuesday, November 30, 1999
World Heritage Committee Adds Four Sites to the List of World Heritage in Danger
Marrakesh - UNESCO's World Heritage Committee, meeting in Marrakech (Morocco) since November 29, has today included four new sites on its List of ...

Monday, November 29, 1999
United Nations Foundation (UNF) Broadens Support for World Natural Heritage
Marrakesh - The 23rd session of the World Heritage Committee in Marrakesh, Morocco, was informed today that the United Nations Foundation (UNF) would ...

Monday, July 12, 1999
In Depth Debate on Kakadu National Park in Extraordinary Session of UNESCO's World Heritage Committee
UNESCO's World Heritage Committee in an Extraordinary meeting today welcomed efforts by the Australian government to help resolve the controversy ...

Tuesday, May 25, 1999
Second letter from the Chairperson of the World Heritage Committee to the Environmental Groups concerning the Whale Sanctuary of El Viscaino (Mexico)
Second letter from the Chairperson of the World Heritage Committee to the Environmental Groups concerning the Whale Sanctuary of El ...

Friday, December 4, 1998
Letter from the Chairperson of the World Heritage Committee Concerning the Whale Sanctuary of El Vizcaino (Mexico)
The letter follows the receipt of about 30,000 petitions received and numerous individual letters and e-mails sent to the UNESCO World Heritage ...

Wednesday, December 2, 1998
UNESCO World Heritage Committee Adds 30 Sites to World Heritage List
Kyoto,Japan - UNESCO's World Heritage Committee, meeting in Kyoto since November 30, has added 30 new sites and one extension to its World Heritage ...

Tuesday, December 1, 1998
World Heritage Committee Removes Old City of Dubrovnik and Wieliczka Salt Mine from its List of Endangered Sites
Kyoto, (Japan) - UNESCO's World Heritage Committee today announced it removed the Old City of Dubrovnik (Croatia) and the Wieliczka Salt Mines ...

Wednesday, November 25, 1998
World Heritage Committee to Announce New Sites on December 5 in Kyoto, Japan
Paris - UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee will hold its annual meeting from November 30 to December 5 in Kyoto (Japan) at the close of which it will ...

Monday, April 27, 1998
Disaster for Doñana - a Spanish World Heritage Site
At 3.30 AM on Saturday 25th April 1998 the south coast of Spain was host to what has been dubbed the worst environmental disaster in Europe. A ...

Sunday, December 7, 1997
World Heritage Committee Inscribes 46 New Sites on World Heritage List
The following sites have been inscribed on the World Heritage List by the World Heritage Committee at its 21st session, meeting in Naples, Italy, 1-6 ...

Monday, September 22, 1997
Kakadu, Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Sites, Australia
Threats to World Heritage areas in Australia continues to claim media headlines. At the Kakadu World Heritage area the Australian Government is ...

Thursday, September 18, 1997
Publication Of The Proceedings Of The International Symposium In Hildesheim, Germany: World Cultural Heritage - A Global Challenge
The organizers of a symposium on world cultural heritage, held in Hildesheim, Germany 23 February - 1 March 1997 have announced the publication of the ...

Friday, September 12, 1997
Fire At Machu Picchu, Peru, 6-11 September
Between 6 and 11 September, the Incan ruins of Machu Picchu, were threatened by a large brush fire, eventually consuming over 800 hectares of mountain ...

Wednesday, September 10, 1997
New E-Mail Mailing List For International Conservation: Icons_L
We have opened the ICONS_L mailing list for discussing issues related to the International Conservation Networking System (ICONS), a relational ...

Wednesday, September 3, 1997
UNESCO Launches Appeal To Safeguard Island Of Mozambique
Paris - UNESCO'S Director-General Federico Mayor launched yesterday in Maputo an international appeal to safeguard the Island of Mozambique. He also ...

Monday, September 1, 1997
Ninth Forum Of Ministers Of Cultural Heritage Of Latin America And The Caribbean Endorses Proposed WH Nomination Of "Fortifications In The Caribbean"
The Ninth Forum of Ministers of Cultural Heritage of Latin America and the Caribbean, which took place in Cartagena, Colombia from 27 to 30 June 1997 ...

Thursday, August 14, 1997
Unesco Director-General Expresses Sadness Over Death Of Raymond Lemaire
Paris - UNESCO Director-General Federico Mayor expressed sadness over the reported death yesterday of Raymond Lemaire, his special advisor and ...

Thursday, July 24, 1997
Best Practices In Heritage Development And Cultural Tourism
The National Center for Heritage Development with conference host, the Illinois & Michigan Canal National Heritage Corridor, announce Rally III for ...

Saturday, July 19, 1997
New Web Addresses for Advisory Bodies and World Heritage Natural Site Data Sheets
Both ICOMOS and ICCROM have recently established new addresses on the World Wide Web. In addition to its site at www.icomos.org in North America, ...

Monday, July 7, 1997
Request for Proposals: Surveys at the Monasteries of St. Paul and St. Anthony and the Ottoman fort at Quseir, Red Sea, Egypt
The Antiquities Development Project of the American Research Center in Egypt is committed to undertaking three dimensional architectural surveys at ...

Wednesday, July 2, 1997
Archaeologis, a GIS Programme in the Mediterranean Area
in the environment of EU INFO2000 programme has been realized a proposal regarding an Archaeological Geographic Information System in the ...

Saturday, June 28, 1997
21st Session of the Bureau of the World Heritage Committee, 23-28 june 1997
The twenty-first session of the Bureau of the World Heritage Committee was held at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris from 23 to 28 June 1997. The seven ...

Monday, June 23, 1997
Asia & West Pacific Network for Urban Conservation (AWPNUC)
The Asia & West Pacific Network for Urban Conservation (AWPNUC) was formed in 1991 for the purpose of exchanging cultural information and technical ...