The state of conservation of Serengeti National Park was examined at the 34th Session of the World Heritage Committee meeting in Brasilia, in July 2010, and the Committee expressed its utmost concern about a proposed highway in the northern wilderness area of the Serengeti National Park. This proposed highway is a part of Tanzania's Transport Sector Improvement Program (2002-2012). The North ...

In an effort to involve the young generation in the decision-making process and present their experience in biodiversity conservation, young adults representing natural World Heritage sites around the world have joined the Go4BioDiv International Youth Forum. The Forum is held from 16-29 October at Mt Fuji and Nagoya, Japan, parallel to the Convention on Biological Diversity's 10th Conference ...

On 14 October 2010, UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova convened Israeli, Jordanian and Palestinian experts for a 'brainstorming meeting' to reactivate the UNESCO Action Plan for the safeguarding of the cultural heritage of the Old City of Jerusalem and its Wall, building on the constructive decision taken at the 34th session of the World Heritage Committee in Brasilia last August. In her ...

You wish to undertake a project related to  Mediterranean cultures or art and crafts ?Are you a national from a Mediterranean country ?Born after 31 December 1981, you will be under 30 years of age in 2011.The Marc de Montalembert Foundation offers a 7000 euros grant  for qualifying projects.The grant aims to encourage better knowledge and appreciation of the cultural diversity ...

The news of a massive toxic spill that occurred 4 October 2010 at an aluminum plant in Hungary has caused great concern in the international community. We deeply deplore the impact of this disaster, especially the loss of lives. The flood reached the Danube River from the Raab River on 7 October 2010, and while pH levels are diminishing, heavy metals and other substances could have a ...

Promotion of the World Sky Race, an unprecedented race among skyships, blimps and zeppelins to begin in September 2011, was launched on two giant screens in Times Square, New York City on September 30 and October 1, 2010. Scheduled to begin next year in London, the race involves competing teams that will fly around the world in 180 days and return to London. The team with the best ...

The German Minister of the Environment Hans-Heinrich Sander (Lower Saxony) and the Minister of Fishery Dr Juliane Rumpf (Schleswig-Holstein) received the UNESCO certificate for the transboundary World Heritage site of the Wadden Sea during the inscription ceremony on 2 October 2010 on a boat off the town of Büsum in the Schleswig-Holstein Wadden Sea National Park. While the World ...

In an effort to involve young people in the decision-making process and present their experience in biodiversity conservation, young conservationists representing natural World Heritage sites are invited to an International Youth Forum from 16-29 October at Mt Fuji and Nagoya, Japan. Held in parallel to the Convention for Biological Diversity's 10th Conference of Parties (COP10) in Japan, the ...

The proceedings of the special session "Heritage and Development: diversity as an alternative" held on 18 December 2009 in the framework of the Africités V Summit in Marrakesh, have just been published. Organized by UNESCO with the support of the France-UNESCO Convention and in collaboration with the International Association of Francophone Mayors (AIMF), the session was opened by Mr ...

UNESCO, in cooperation with the Egyptian Ministry of Culture and the Governorate of Luxor, will organize the first Scientific Committee meeting on the safeguarding project of New Gourna Village in Luxor, Egypt. The UNESCO initiative aims to assist the Government of Egypt in its efforts to preserve this precious heritage situated within the World Heritage property of Ancient Thebes. New Gourna ...

One of America's most renowned photographers, Tom Till's work has appeared in magazines such as Time, Life, National Geographic and The New Yorker, as well as in numerous books. Along with his World Heritage collection, Mr. Till has photographed the landscapes, nature and history of more than 60 countries worldwide. The World Heritage exhibit includes photos of 32 sites, taken in 23 ...

On 20 September Mr Frédéric Mitterrand, Minister of Culture and Communication, Ms Chantal Jouanno, Secretary of State for Ecology and Mr Yves Dauge, President of the Association of French World Heritage Sites signed a Charter of Commitment for the Management of World Heritage sites in France. The ceremony took place at the Ministry of Culture and Communication with Dr Mechtild ...

On 17 September, UNESCO Assistant Director General for Culture Mr Francesco Bandarin signed a three-year Memorandum of Understanding with Ms Francine C. Berkowitz, Director of International Relations of the Smithsonian Institution, creating an unprecedented agreement between the two institutions for cooperation on cultural and natural heritage programmes. Ms Berkowitz signed on ...

According to reports from the Secretary of the Civil Defense of Mexico, the heavy rains and the downpour of the past few weeks have generated severe flooding in the country, including seriously affecting the Tlacotalpan World Heritage site. The storms have also resulted in the forced relocation of almost 8500 people from the city, and at least five persons have been reported killed over the ...

The Panamanian non-governmental organization FUNDICCEP (Fundación de Desarrollo Integral, Comunitario y Conservación de los Ecosistemas en Panamá), in coordination with the national authorities, has applied to the Rapid Response Facility (RRF) for funding for urgent analysis into the capacity of Río Chiriquí Viejo watershed, near La Amistad Biosphere ...

[in French only] Besançon, Chinon, Lorient, Rennes et Strasbourg accueilleront, du 28 septembre au 5 octobre 2010, des représentants de villes et d'Etats indiens afin d'échanger sur les bonnes pratiques en matière de développement urbain global et durable à partir de la prise en compte des centres historiques. Ce voyage d'études et de visites, ...

Finland has taken the lead in applying the Enhancing our Heritage (EoH) management effectiveness assessment toolkit to cultural World Heritage sites. Finnish representatives participated in a World Heritage Nordic Foundation regional workshop on management planning for Nordic countries in 2009 in which the EoH toolkit had been presented. They were impressed by the toolkit's ...

The first preparatory meeting for the Second Cycle of the Periodic Reporting exercise for World Heritage in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) for the Mexico and Central America sub region was held from 6 to 8 September 2010 at the Antiguo Convento Franciscano de Propaganda FIDE, currently the Guadalupe Museum in Zacatecas (Mexico). The meeting coincided with the inauguration of the World ...

[in French only] * Réunion du Comité Mixte de Coordination de la CFU, 11 mai 2010. * Départ d'Isabelle Longuet du secretariat de la CFU. * Valorisation du partenariat avec le Ministère de l'écologique, de l'énergie, du développement durable et de la mer (MEEDDM). Ingénierie de projet en vue de la soumission de projets au Fonds ...

The second phase of the Business Skills for World Heritage programme, designed to develop the business management skills of UNESCO World Heritage site staff, is about to start. The participants of the first team met on 27 August in Borneo (Malaysia), where the training will take place. Teams from six World Heritage sites will be partnered with business mentors from global energy company ...