The Director-General of UNESCO Irina Bokova has expressed her deep regret following the declaration of the Thai Minister Suwit Khunkitti during the 35th session of the World Heritage Committee being held at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris from 19 to 29 June 2011, on the intention of Thailand to denounce the 1972 World Heritage Convention. Irina Bokova reiterated that "The World ...

The World Heritage Committee has inscribed three new sites on UNESCO’s World Heritage List so far today: the Ancient Beech Forests of Germany as an extension to the World Heritage site of Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians (Slovakia, Ukraine), Historic Bridgetown and its Garrison, the first heritage site of Barbados to enter the World Heritage List; and Hiraizumi – Temples, ...

The Coffee Cultural Landscape of Colombia (Colombia), the Archaeological Sites of the Island of Meroe (Sudan), Wadi Rum Protected Area (Jordan) and The Longobards in Italy, Places of Power , 568 – 774 A.D. (Italy), and the Fagus Factory in Alfeld (Germany), have been added to UNESCO’s World Heritage List. Inscriptions will continue on Monday. The Coffee Cultural Landscape of ...

The World Heritage Committee has inscribed the West Lake Cultural Landscape of Hangzhou, comprising the West Lake and the hills surrounding its three sides, on UNESCO’s World Heritage List.The inscribed landscape has inspired famous poets, scholars and artists since the 9th century. It comprises numerous temples, pagodas, pavilions, gardens and ornamental trees, as well as causeways and ...

The World Heritage Committee has inscribed Ogasawara Islands, the Japanese islands situated some 1,000 km south of the country's main archipelago, on UNESCO's World Heritage List for the wealth of their ecosystems which reflect a wide range of evolutionary processes. The property numbers more than 30 islands clustered in three groups and covers surface area of 7,939 hectares. The islands ...

The World Heritage Committee has inscribed Saloum Delta (Senegal) and its vestiges of more than two millennia of human occupation on UNESCO’s World Heritage List. Fishing and shellfish gathering have sustained human life in the 5,000 km2 property, which is formed by the arms of three rivers. The site comprises brackish channels encompassing over 200 islands and islets, mangrove forest, ...

In an important decision taken at the current session of the World Heritage Committee at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, France, the United Republic of Tanzania has stated it will reconsider its North Road project, which would have split the northern part of the Serengeti wilderness and seriously disturbed the migration patterns of animals there. The alternative is to maintain the 53 km stretch ...

The World Heritage Committee has inscribed the Kenya Lake System in the Great Rift Valley (Kenya) and Australia's Ningaloo Coast on UNESCO's World Heritage List. The Kenya Lake System in the Great Rift Valley (Kenya), a natural property of outstanding beauty was the first to be added to UNESCO's World Heritage List during the current Committee session. It comprises three inter-linked ...

The need to mobilize support and raise awareness to overcome threats facing the 2.5 million hectare Tropical Rainforest Heritage of Sumatra has led the World Heritage Committee to place the property on the List of World Heritage in Danger. The Tropical Rainforest Heritage of Sumatra , inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List in 2004 for its biodiversity, has been placed on the Danger ...

The Honduran World Heritage site of Río Plátano Biosphere Reserve , one of the few tropical rainforest remains in Central America, has been inscribed on UNESCO's World Heritage List in Danger to mobilize support for its preservation. The government of Honduras requested the World Heritage Committee to place the property on the List in Danger in view of the combined threats of ...

Significant improvements in the preservation of Manas Wildlife Sanctuary have allowed for its withdrawal from the List of World Heritage List Danger. Situated on the foothills of the Himalayas the Manas sanctuary, home to a great variety of wildlife, including many endangered species, such as the tiger, pygmy hog, Indian rhinoceros and Indian elephant, was inscribed on the List in Danger in ...

The future of the World Heritage Convention ahead of its 40th anniversary next year and the growing challenges of heritage preservation were the key themes of the opening addresses of the 35th session of the World Heritage Committee at UNESCO in Paris today. The session will end on 29 June. The Chairperson of 35th session, Shaikha Mai bint Muhammad Al Khalifa, Minister of Culture of the ...

A selection of 50 photographs of World Heritage sites are on display during the 35th session of the World Heritage Committee held from 19 to 29 June at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, France. 'Our Place' has been an official partner of the UNESCO World Heritage Centre since 2006, compiling a large database of images by professional photographers from around the world to draw attention to World ...

The MEA Information and Knowledge Management (IKM) Initiative brings together the UN, UNESCO, FAO and UNEP, and 12 global UN Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEA) to develop harmonized and interoperable information systems in support of knowledge management activities among MEAs for the benefit of Parties and the environment community at large. The Initiative is facilitated and ...

Since the early 1980s, forty-three marine sites have been inscribed on the World Heritage List, covering about 1.4 million km2 of ocean surface - an area about the size of the Gulf of Mexico. Each of these forty-three sites represents exceptional features in the ocean - features that are recognized by the international community for their outstanding natural beauty, exceptional ...

UNESCO's World Heritage Centre and Panasonic Corporation on 3 June announced a strategic partnership agreement to promote sustainable development through World Heritage conservation and environmental education for the next generation. "This new partnership with Panasonic will strengthen our ability to accomplish our mission," said Irina Bokova, UNESCO Director General. "It's an excellent ...

The First South-East Europe World Heritage Youth Forum is currently underway with the theme 'World Heritage education: Networking for a Better Common Future'. It was opened on Sunday 22 May in Porec, Croatia by UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova with the Croatian Minister of Culture, Jasen Mesić and the State Secretary of the Ministry of Culture of Slovenia, Stojan Pelko. Ms ...

The UNESCO World Heritage Centre would like to congratulate Parks Canada on its 100th anniversary, and for receiving the Gift to the Earth award from WWF. The Gift to the Earth is WWF's highest accolade to applaud conservation work of outstanding merit. In recognizing a conservation action as a Gift to the Earth, WWF highlights both environmental leadership and inspiring conservation ...

[in French only] « Construire ensemble l'avenir des sites patrimoniaux : élaborer et mettre en œuvre une gestion durable pour un site patrimonial ». Abbaye de Cluny - Bourgogne, France, du 4 au 10 décembre 2011 et immersion du 12 au 14 décembre 2011 dans un site partenaire. Thème : Construire et mettre en œuvre un plan de ...

In celebration of the World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development On the 19th and 20th May 2011, the World Heritage Centre of UNESCO and the Community of Cergy-Pontoise will organise an international conference bringing together renowned architects and artists such as Otto Piene, Daniel Buren, Dani Karavan, Rem Koolhaas, Peter Eisenman as well as key decision-makers to ...