
#Unite4Heritage campaign launched by UNESCO Director-General in Baghdad
Saturday, 28 March 2015

Ngorongoro Conservation Area sets path for sustainable tourism
Tuesday, 24 March 2015
UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova and French President Francois Hollande today sent a strong message of solidarity to the people of Iraq and Syria, and reiterated the urgent need to safeguard cultural heritage of both countries.
President Hollande and the Director-General Bokova met at the Louvre Museum in Paris, which houses several major works reflecting the splendid cultural ...
UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova today condemned the deadly attack at the Bardo Museum in Tunis, and expressed her support and solidarity with Tunisia and the families of the victims. Ms Bokova spoke of the assault during a meeting with French President Francois Hollande at the Louvre Museum in Paris. The two leaders were addressing media on the destruction of cultural heritage by ...

Save Virunga’s elephants
Wednesday, 18 March 2015

First Management Planning Workshop to begin for transboundary Lake Ohrid region
Wednesday, 18 March 2015

Launch of Website – Germany looking forward to hosting World Heritage Committee
Tuesday, 17 March 2015
UNESCO, in partnership with the Japanese Agency for Cultural Affairs (ACA), the Japanese National Institutes for Cultural Heritage (NICH), ICCROM and ICOMOS has organized a special session on "Resilient Cultural Heritage" within the framework of the Third United Nations World Conference Disaster Risk Reduction (WCDRR), which has taken place between 14 and 18 March at Sendai, Japan.
The ...

UNESCO mobilizes the international community to end cultural cleansing in Iraq
Wednesday, 11 March 2015
Minister of State at the Federal Foreign Office and Chair of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee Maria Böhmer issued the following statement in Berlin on 9 March following the destruction of Iraqi artefacts in Nimrud by the terrorist group ISIS:
“The ongoing barbaric attacks perpetrated by the ISIS terrorist group in Iraq are devastating. In particular the abductions in Tikrit, the burning ...
Since the beginning of the conflict in Iraq, in addition to the tragic loss of human life and the humanitarian crisis associated to the persecution of cultural and religious minorities, cultural heritage has been the target of intentional destruction, with the aim of erasing the history of the country and thus undermining the peaceful coexistence of diverse communities.
Attacks against the ...

UNESCO Director General condemns destruction of Nimrud in Iraq
Friday, 6 March 2015

Director-General welcomes UN Security Council statement on destruction of artifacts at Mosul Museum
Saturday, 28 February 2015

UNESCO Director-General welcomes the reopening of the Baghdad Museum
Saturday, 28 February 2015

March 3rd is World Wildlife Day
Friday, 27 February 2015

UNESCO calls for mobilization to stop "cultural cleansing" in Iraq
Friday, 27 February 2015

Director-General requests UN Security Council meeting on destruction of heritage in Mosul
Thursday, 26 February 2015

International Conference on Archaeological Parks and Sites held in Oman 23-25 February 2015
Wednesday, 25 February 2015

Call for expression of interest for the evaluation of the African World Heritage Fund
Wednesday, 18 February 2015

World Heritage Young Experts Forum 2015 in Germany “Towards a Sustainable Management of World Heritage Sites”
Wednesday, 18 February 2015
The Director-General of UNESCO, Ms Irina Bokova, welcomed the adoption of a new UN Security Council Resolution 2199 that condemns the destruction of cultural heritage and adopts legally-binding measures to counter illicit trafficking of antiquities and cultural objects from Iraq and Syria.
“The adoption of resolution 2199 is a milestone for enhanced protection of cultural heritage in Iraq ...

UNWTO/UNESCO World Conference on Tourism and Culture gathers Ministers of Tourism and Culture for the first time
Wednesday, 11 February 2015

Banc d’Arguin National Park inspires young people to preserve World Heritage
Tuesday, 10 February 2015

Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) Director General, job vacancy
Tuesday, 10 February 2015

Ecuador intensifies actions to reduce risks from ship stranding in Galápagos Islands
Friday, 6 February 2015

2014-2015 World Heritage Map Published
Friday, 6 February 2015
Since their first agreement signed in 2011, UNESCO and Panasonic have worked together to educate young people about protecting natural and cultural heritage. Long-term success of the program depends on the children of today, hence their involvement is of key importance.
As part of the cooperation with UNESCO, Panasonic China hosted 50 pupils and teachers in a school excursion from 3 to 6 ...
World heritage site managers and tourism stakeholders from Zambia and Zimbabwe came together for the first time to initiate the process to develop a sustainable tourism strategy for the Mosi-oa-Tunya/Victoria Falls World Heritage site. The workshop was held in Livingstone, Zambia from 22 to 24 January 2015.
The workshop takes place within the framework of the UNESCO World Heritage and ...

World Heritage N° 74: Disasters and resilience
Monday, 2 February 2015

Bamako conference urges emergency action to safeguard manuscripts
Friday, 30 January 2015

Experts and practitioners draft policy on World Heritage and sustainable development
Wednesday, 28 January 2015
Following a week-long constructive discussion with UNESCO's World Heritage Centre and IUCN, the government of Belize agreed to start talks on critical conservation challenges related to the removal of the Belize Barrier Reef from the World Heritage List in Danger.
From 19-23 January 2015, UNESCO's World Heritage Centre, in cooperation with the International Union for the Conservation of ...

Celebrating World Wetlands Day: 2 February 2015
Thursday, 22 January 2015

Safeguarding Mali’s ancient manuscript collections, an international conference in Bamako
Wednesday, 21 January 2015

Earthwatch launches its 2015 Business Skills Transfer Programme
Tuesday, 20 January 2015
Announcement for Internship Opportunities (South Africa and Benin)
Tuesday, 20 January 2015

Another Fire at the Royal Palaces of Abomey World Heritage site in Benin
Sunday, 18 January 2015
In the framework of the France-UNESCO Cooperation Agreement (an agreement for the protection and enhancement of monumental, urban and natural heritage, between the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization and the Government of France) UNESCO has technical and financial assistance at their disposal through the following Ministries of France: Ministry of Culture and ...

The Polynesian Voyaging Society embarks on a worldwide voyage through marine World Heritage sites
Thursday, 8 January 2015

Online Travel Itinerary launched about World Heritage sites in the United States
Wednesday, 7 January 2015

Director-General Presents World Heritage Certificates to Turkey
Tuesday, 6 January 2015

Panasonic World Heritage 2015 Calendar in paper, online and tablet PC app formats now available
Monday, 22 December 2014

UNWTO and UNESCO to organize first World Conference on Tourism and Culture
Friday, 19 December 2014
The Panasonic Corporation in cooperation with UNESCO Office Jakarta organised a launching ceremony of LED Lighting Installment in Prambanan Temple Compounds on 17 December 2014. The ceremony was attended by more than 100 participants representing different stakeholders including the National and Local Government, UNESCO Jakarta and Headquarters, local communities, craftsmen, NGOs, as well as ...

Serious concern for oil spill in the Sundarbans, Bangladesh
Thursday, 18 December 2014

Panasonic hosts event for environmental education at Budapest World Heritage site
Monday, 15 December 2014

Venice and its Lagoon rest in fragile balance. Findings of new study on the World Heritage site
Friday, 12 December 2014

UNESCO concludes training course on “First Aid to Cultural Built Heritage in Syria”
Thursday, 11 December 2014

UNESCO Conference calls for protected cultural zones to be established Syria and Iraq
Wednesday, 3 December 2014

UNESCO recognized for promoting Mediterranean cultural heritage
Friday, 28 November 2014

e-patrimoines: a new e-learning training program launched by the French Ministry of culture and communication
Wednesday, 26 November 2014

World Heritage Paper on “Engaging Local Communities in Stewardship of World Heritage” published
Tuesday, 25 November 2014

In memoriam: Prof. Karel Anthonie Bakker (PhD)
Thursday, 20 November 2014
The General Assembly of the States Parties to the World Heritage Convention met for its 1st extraordinary session on 13-14 November 2014 at UNESCO Headquarters under the Chairpersonship of Ms Vera Lacoeuilhe, Permanent Delegate of Saint-Lucia to UNESCO, with the mandate of examining the proposals made by the Open-ended Working Group to revise the Rules of Procedure in order to achieve the ...

The Ramsar Convention Secretariat is looking for a Deputy Secretary General
Tuesday, 18 November 2014

UNESCO Director-General calls on all parties to protect Libya's unique Cultural Heritage
Tuesday, 18 November 2014

Compliance Management Workshop great success
Monday, 17 November 2014

New publication: Conserving Cultural Landscapes
Monday, 17 November 2014

World Heritage Volunteers 2015 – Call for Projects
Monday, 17 November 2014

UNESCO Announces the Bamiyan Cultural Centre Design Competition
Sunday, 16 November 2014

Director-General meets with experts responsible for health of Great Barrier Reef
Sunday, 16 November 2014

First Youth Forum of Paraguayan Heritage - "World Heritage - Intergenerational Meeting"
Friday, 14 November 2014

UN Goodwill Ambassador Gisele Bündchen Lends Her Support to Marine World Heritage
Friday, 14 November 2014

Rapid Response Facility releases the 2014 legacy report
Friday, 14 November 2014

Protected areas key to safeguarding the global environment Director-General tells Parks Congress
Friday, 14 November 2014

Emergency plan to safeguard Iraq’s cultural heritage
Thursday, 6 November 2014

IUCN World Parks Congress 2014: Parks, people, planet: inspiring solutions
Wednesday, 5 November 2014

UNESCO participates in 20th International Cultural Heritage Show
Tuesday, 4 November 2014

First Entrepreneurship Field Training held for African site managers and community representatives
Wednesday, 22 October 2014
The Asian World Heritage Media/Communication Training Workshop for young people: "Passing the Culture Message" was held in Gyeongju, Republic of Korea, from 9 to 13 October 2014. Fourteen participants from the Asia-Pacific region participated in the programme, which included the opportunity to visit and film three World Heritage sites: Gyeongju Historic Areas, Seokguram Grotto and Bulguksa ...

Emergency appeal to combat militant elephant poaching in Democratic Republic of the Congo
Monday, 20 October 2014

Strengthening Collaboration for the Dja Faunal Reserve
Monday, 13 October 2014

A 7000 Eur Grant for a Project Awarded to a young person from the Mediterranean
Tuesday, 23 September 2014
Small Island Developing States (SIDS) are islands of the Caribbean Sea, the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans. They are some of the most beautiful places on Earth, with atolls of white sand beaches, mountain ranges, historic ports and towns, and agricultural landscapes.
SIDS share similar interests, concerns and challenges, such as marine and coastal management, impacts of climate changes, ...

The World Heritage Convention has entered into force for the Bahamas
Friday, 15 August 2014

UNESCO strengthens action to safeguard cultural heritage under attack
Tuesday, 12 August 2014

Panasonic hosts event for environmental education at Ogasawara Islands World Heritage site
Tuesday, 5 August 2014

State of conservation of Alto Douro Wine Region (Portugal)
Monday, 4 August 2014

Network of World Heritage Sites in Portugal created
Friday, 1 August 2014

'Culture and Development: World Heritage in the Caribbean' now published
Thursday, 31 July 2014

Emergency Response Action Plan to safeguard Iraqi heritage
Thursday, 17 July 2014

[in French only] Le braconnage s’intensifie dans le Parc National de la Garamba
Thursday, 17 July 2014
On the occasion of the 38th Session of the World Heritage Committee (Doha, Qatar), the Chairperson of the World Heritage Committee, Her Excellency Sheikha Al Mayassa Bint Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani, joined the Director-General of UNESCO, Ms Irina Bokova, and the Chairperson of the African World Heritage Fund, Mr Sibusiso Xaba, at a roundtable discussion on 21 June 2014 featuring interventions ...

Agreement for Phase II of 'Strengthening Conservation and Management of Lumbini'
Wednesday, 2 July 2014

Re-building Cultural Heritage in Mali
Tuesday, 1 July 2014

Emergency appeal launched to combat rise in elephant poaching
Monday, 30 June 2014

Call for Applications: Master's in World Heritage Studies
Friday, 27 June 2014

Twenty six new properties added to World Heritage List at Doha meeting
Wednesday, 25 June 2014
In the framework of UNESCO’s Action plan for the safeguarding of Mali’s cultural heritage adopted in February 2013, and as part of the World Heritage Earthen Architecture Programme (WHEAP 2007-2017), the World Heritage Centre has now published the Conservation Manual and the Study on Timbuktu’s Mausoleums.
Both publications compile valuable documentation on this prominent World Heritage ...

Six new sites inscribed on World Heritage List
Monday, 23 June 2014
Doha, 22 June – Botswana’s Okavango Delta became the 1000th site inscribed on the World Heritage List today. Okavango was inscribed as a natural site by the World Heritage Committee, which is meeting in Doha (Qatar) under the Chair of Sheikha Al Mayassa Bint Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani.
The Committee also inscribed sites in France, Israel, Italy,Turkey and the United States ...

Myanmar’s first site inscribed to World Heritage List
Sunday, 22 June 2014

Four new cultural sites inscribed on World Heritage List
Sunday, 22 June 2014

Sites in Latin America and Germany inscribed on World Heritage List
Saturday, 21 June 2014

Sites in Iraq, Japan, the Netherlands and Saudi Arabia inscribed on World Heritage List
Saturday, 21 June 2014
Meeting of Chairpersons of Committees of UNESCO’s Cultural Conventions
Saturday, 21 June 2014
Doha, 20 June – The World Heritage Committee today began the examination of 36 sites nominated for inclusion on the World Heritage List. The first property discussed was Palestine: Land of olives and vines, Cultural Landscape of Southern Jerusalem, Battir, submitted by Palestine as an emergency nomination.
The Committee approved the inscription of the site on the World Heritage List. It ...
This compilation of 40 case studies on the conservation and management of historic cities is now available in hard copy format, in English, French and Spanish.
The compilation is available online in three languages: English, French and Spanish.
This compilation of case studies on the conservation and management of historic cities Developing historic cities: keys for ...
New Historic Urban Landscape website
Friday, 20 June 2014
Delegates to the 2014 World Heritage Youth Forum held in Doha from 4 to 15 June, made it clear they expect to play a much bigger role in safeguarding the world’s heritage, and proposed a range of projects aimed at getting young people more involved.
The Youth Forum has become an annual meeting held in conjunction with the session of the World Heritage Committee. This year’s Forum ...

Poaching puts Tanzania’s Selous Game Reserve on List of World Heritage in Danger
Wednesday, 18 June 2014

Decision on status of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef deferred until 2015
Wednesday, 18 June 2014
Doha, 17 June – The World Heritage Committee meeting in Doha (Qatar) today inscribed the City of Potosi (Plurinational State of Bolivia) on the List of World Heritage in Danger, because of continued and uncontrolled mining operations in the Cerro Rico Mountain that risk degrading the site.
In the 16th century, Potosi was regarded as the world’s largest industrial complex. The ...
The World Heritage Committee meeting in Doha (Qatar) has found that management and safeguarding of the Ruins of Kilwa Kisiwani and Ruins of Songo Mnara in the United Republic of Tanzania have improved to the point where the site can be removed from the List of World Heritage in Danger.
Located on two islands close to each other just off the Tanzanian coast about 300km south of Dar es ...

The World Heritage Resource Manual Series - Now in Spanish
Monday, 16 June 2014
Doha, 16 June – UNESCO and cruise operator Seabourn today announced a six-year, $1 million partnership agreement aimed at reinforcing protection for World Heritage and promoting sustainable tourism.
The partnership will work to foster wider support and understanding in the travel industry and among travelers, for UNESCO’s mission of identifying, safeguarding and promoting ...

World Heritage Committee meeting opens in Doha
Sunday, 15 June 2014
UNESCO has welcomed the announcement by SOCO international this week to halt oil exploration activities in the Virunga National Park, a World Heritage Site in Danger in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
In a joint statement with the World Wildlife Fund, the British company agreed “not to undertake or commission any exploratory or other drilling within Virunga National Park unless ...

World Heritage Centre partners with pioneer Catlin Seaview Survey
Wednesday, 11 June 2014

Today at UNESCO: A virtual dive to celebrate World Oceans Day
Tuesday, 10 June 2014

Special Issue of World Heritage magazine dedicated to Qatar
Friday, 6 June 2014
From 23 to 24 May 2014, the UNESCO World Heritage Centre in collaboration with the Beijing Zhongkun Investment Group organized the workshop “Strengthening South-South collaboration on World Heritage and Sustainable Tourism” in Hongcun Village, China.
Hongcun Village is one of the Ancient Villages in Southern Anhui inscribed on the World Heritage List in 2000. The event gathered World ...
On 15 May 2014, the Government of the Bahamas officially deposited with the Director-General of UNESCO, Irina Bokova, its instrument of ratification for the Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage.
The World Heritage Convention will enter into force for the Bahamas on 15 August 2014, making the island country the 191st State Party to the Convention, ...
Report published following Workshop on World Heritage and Human Rights
Monday, 2 June 2014

World Heritage Committee to meet in Doha from 15 to 25 June
Wednesday, 28 May 2014
In May 2014, forty participants, including site managers and local community representatives from World Heritage sites in Africa, participated in two separate “Entrepreneurial Training Workshops for World Heritage” in Ghana and Senegal, coordinated by the African World Heritage Fund (AWHF) in partnership with the World Heritage Centre, UNESCO Offices in Accra and Dakar, the Ecole ...

UNESCO to create an Observatory for the Safeguarding of Syria’s Cultural Heritage
Wednesday, 28 May 2014
The Kingdom of Buganda, once the largest of all the traditional kingdoms in East Africa, bears an eloquent witness to the living cultural traditions of present day Uganda. At the heart of this legacy lies the former palace of the Kabakas (Kings) of Buganda, built in 1882 and later converted into the royal burial grounds known as the Muzibu Azaala Mpanga.
After the fire in 2010 the main ...

Safeguarding sites for sustainable development in Ethiopia
Tuesday, 27 May 2014

UNESCO World Heritage Centre renews partnership for elementary education
Thursday, 22 May 2014
A practical guide on climate change adaptation for natural World Heritage sites has been published in the latest edition of the UNESCO World Heritage Paper Series, thanks to the generous support of the Netherlands Funds-in-Trust and the Belgian Federal Public Service Health, Food Chain Safety and Environment.
Climate change has become more prominent as a management concern. The World ...

2014 State of conservation reports now available online
Tuesday, 20 May 2014

3rd Roundtable of African Ministers on World Heritage in Africa
Monday, 19 May 2014

Reconstruction of the Tombs of the Buganda Kings begins
Tuesday, 13 May 2014

Global Ocean Summit makes Marine World Heritage “pitch for action”
Wednesday, 7 May 2014
UNESCO Bangkok Director Gwang-Jo Kim and Designated Areas for Sustainable Tourism Administration (DASTA) Director-General Nalikatibhag Sangsnit officially launched the “Cultural Heritage Specialist Guides for the Historic Town of Sukhothai and Associated Historic Towns World Heritage Site” project at a ceremony in Sukhothai on 21 April.
The Historic Town of Sukhothai and ...

2013-2014 World Heritage map published in Arabic
Wednesday, 23 April 2014

Director-General condemns attack on Emmanuel de Merode, Director of the Virunga National Park
Thursday, 17 April 2014

The Loire Valley: view from the train
Tuesday, 15 April 2014
The Director-General of UNESCO, Irina Bokova, today expressed deep concern over the destruction caused by fires that have been raging around the city of Valparaiso and pledged the Organization’s support for Chile in safeguarding the Historic Quarter of the Seaport City of Valparaíso inscribed on the World Heritage List in 2003.
“I wish to present my heartfelt condolences ...