Friday, 26 April 2013
First European Marine World Heritage Sites conference commits to strong regional cooperation
From 15-16 April 2013, 25 experts from 4 European marine World Heritage Sites were brought together in Tönning (Germany) with the aim to ...

Thursday, 25 April 2013
2nd South East Europe World Heritage Youth Forum for peace and sustainable development held
The 2nd South East European (SEE) World Heritage Youth Forum for peace and sustainable development was held from 6 to 11 April 2013 in Zajecar, ...

Wednesday, 24 April 2013
UNESCO Director-General deplores continuing destruction of ancient Aleppo, a World Heritage site
UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova expressed her deep distress over reports of the continuing destruction which has severely damaged the ancient ...

Friday, 12 April 2013
11th Expert Working Group releases recommendations for Safeguarding the Bamiyan Valley, Afghanistan
A group of Afghan and international experts working on the safeguarding of Bamiyan (Afghanistan), as well as representatives of the Afghan and ...

Tuesday, 2 April 2013
Special issue of SPANDREL on the Recommendation on the Historic Urban Landscape, Journal of School of Planning and Architecture of Bhopal, India
7th issue of SPANDREL, Historic Urban Landscape. Biannual publication. 2013 The 7th issue of the SPANDREL journal for the promotion and dissemination ...

Friday, 22 March 2013
UNESCO launches project to develop a flood risk mitigation plan for Ayutthaya World Heritage site
UNESCO is launching a project to develop a flood risk mitigation plan for the World Heritage Site of Ayutthaya. The launch event at UNESCO Bangkok on ...

Friday, 22 March 2013
World Heritage sites participate in Earth Hour 2013
Once again UNESCO will partner with World Wildlife Fund (WWF) for Earth Hour, one of the world's largest and most well-known environmental ...

Wednesday, 6 March 2013
Agreement signed for reconstruction of Kasubi Tombs, Uganda
On 1st March 2013, UNESCO signed the Plan of Operation with the Government of Uganda for the project “Technical and financial assistance for the ...

Friday, 1 March 2013
Syria: The Director-General of UNESCO Appeals to Stop Violence and to Protect the World Heritage City of Aleppo
For more than a year now, I have been expressing on behalf of UNESCO my deep concern about the dramatic humanitarian situation in Syria and the ...

Tuesday, 26 February 2013
World Heritage field guide for climate change adaptation tested at Kenyan World Heritage sites
The field testing of the World Heritage Centre’s field guide for climate change adaptation in natural World Heritage sites was launched last Friday in ...

Monday, 25 February 2013
Building capacity for managing natural World Heritage sites in Africa
Managers from 10 World Heritage sites throughout Africa met at the IUCN ESARO regional offices in Nairobi, Kenya to reflect on and learn more about ...

Friday, 22 February 2013
New UNESCO website on Lumbini, the Birthplace of the Lord Buddha World Heritage site
The UNESCO Kathmandu Office has recently created a website on Lumbini, the Birthplace of the Lord Buddha, World Heritage property in Nepal: ...

Tuesday, 19 February 2013
International experts and decision makers gathered at UNESCO adopt Action Plan for Mali’s cultural heritage and manuscripts
An Action Plan for the Rehabilitation of Cultural Heritage and the Safeguarding of Ancient Manuscripts in Mali was adopted at an international ...

Friday, 15 February 2013
UNESCO and the Fondation Franz Weber partner for World Heritage preservation
On 10 January 2013, UNESCO and the Fondation Franz Weber of Switzerland signed a five-year agreement to reinforce support for the Rapid Response ...

Wednesday, 13 February 2013
UNESCO convenes international experts meeting for the safeguarding of Malian cultural heritage
The Director-General of UNESCO, together with the Government of France, is organizing an international Day of Solidarity for Mali on 18 February 2013 ...

Friday, 8 February 2013
Marine World Heritage: The Crown Jewels of the Ocean event calls for support of marine sites
On 7 February, international film stars Clive Owen and Jacques Perrin gave their support to Marine World Heritage: The Crown Jewels of the Ocean, at a ...

Monday, 4 February 2013
UNESCO has developed cultural heritage maps and a “Heritage Passport” to help protect Mali’s cultural heritage
In response to the conflict taking place in the northern regions of Mali since April 2012, UNESCO, in collaboration with the National Directorate of ...

Sunday, 3 February 2013
Director-General visits Mali with French President François Hollande
UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova made a visit to Mali on Saturday 2 February with French President François Hollande and the interim ...

Saturday, 2 February 2013
UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova in Mali to spearhead UNESCO’s commitment to safeguard and rebuild Mali’s extraordinary cultural heritage
The Director-General is visiting Mali today with French President François Hollande, with the goal to launch the assessment of the state of ...

Saturday, 2 February 2013
World Wetlands Day 2013
2 February each year is World Wetlands Day. It marks the date of the adoption of the Convention on Wetlands on 2 February 1971, in the Iranian city of ...

Friday, 1 February 2013
Project Publication on Tourism Management at World Heritage Sites of Portuguese Origin and Influence
In January 2013, the UNESCO World Heritage Centre and Turismo de Portugal (the Portuguese Tourism Authority) concluded their joint project on ...

Wednesday, 30 January 2013
UNESCO determined to help Mali restore and rebuild its cultural heritage
UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova today announced that UNESCO will do everything possible to safeguard and rebuild Mali’s extraordinary ...

Monday, 21 January 2013
World Heritage Volunteers 2013 - Patrimonito Voluntary Action - Inspiring change
Are you a youth organization and want to sensitize the young people more about the value of World Heritage sites?  Or are you an NGO and wish to ...

Monday, 14 January 2013
The Director-General of UNESCO urges military forces to protect cultural sites in Mali during air raids and ground interventions
The Director-General of UNESCO, Irina Bokova launched an appeal to all military forces in Mali: "I ask all armed forces to make every effort to ...

Monday, 7 January 2013
UNESCO holds the first International Colloquium on the Conservation of World Heritage Earthen Architecture
Within framework of the World Heritage Earthen Architecture Programme (WHEAP), an international colloquium on the conservation of earthen architecture ...

Friday, 21 December 2012
Best Wishes 2013 from the UNESCO World Heritage Centre
World Heritage sites cover a quater of all marine protected areas on the planet: 46 jewels of the ocean, beautiful but fragile. Lest's protect ...

Tuesday, 18 December 2012
First Expert/Stakeholder Meeting for Management Plan of Pompei, Herculaneum and Torre Annunziata
The First Expert/Stakeholder Meeting took place in Pompei (Italy) on 17 November 2012, within the framework of the project “Towards a governance ...

Tuesday, 18 December 2012
Successful Completion of Climate Change Adaptation Project in the Peruvian Andes
Negotiated with the support of the World Heritage Centre, this 3 year Swiss government financed project entitled "Local Capacities for climate change ...

Monday, 17 December 2012
Nairobi Convention calls for cooperation on marine World Heritage in Indian Ocean
During the recent 7th Conference of the Parties for the Nairobi Convention (December 2012, Maputo, Mozambique), dedicated to "Partnering for a Healthy ...

Sunday, 16 December 2012
US celebrates the 40th anniversary of UNESCO's World Heritage Convention in Washington, and pays tribute to the Honourable Russell Train
The Director-General of UNESCO, Irina Bokova, laid out a vision for the World Heritage Convention in the 21st century stunning some 200 people from ...

Friday, 14 December 2012
International experts meeting on earthen architecture: its preservation and potential for the future
Forty of the world’s leading experts on earthen architecture—which serves as habitat for up to one third of the world’ ...

Thursday, 6 December 2012
UNESCO pays tribute to the memory of Oscar Niemeyer, a great humanist and an engaged architect
The Director-General of UNESCO, Irina Bokova, paid tribute to the great Brazilian architect, Oscar Niemeyer, who died on Wednesday, 5 December, at the ...

Thursday, 6 December 2012
Panasonic World Heritage 2013 Calendar released in paper, online and tablet PC app formats
The UNESCO World Heritage Centre and Panasonic Corporation present the new tablet PC edition of the 2013 World Heritage calendar. Featuring stunning ...

Wednesday, 5 December 2012
New World Heritage state of conservation information system accessible to public
The World Heritage Centre, with the support from the Flanders Government, has embarked on the development a comprehensive and integrated information ...

Friday, 30 November 2012
2012-2013 World Heritage Map Available
The latest version of the World Heritage map, produced by the UNESCO World Heritage Centre and National Geographic Maps with the generous support of ...

Monday, 26 November 2012
Representatives from 30 Latin American Countries to prepare World Heritage Action Plan
The final meeting in the Second Cycle of the Periodic Report on the State of World Heritage in Latin America and the Caribbean will take place from 3 ...

Saturday, 24 November 2012
The Colmar Forum: enhanced collaboration between Council of Europe, EU, UNESCO, UNWTO and OECD
25 years of Council of Europe cultural routes celebrated in Colmar, France, 21-23 November 2012 The Colmar Forum, organized by the secretariat ...

Wednesday, 21 November 2012
Expert Working Group releases final Recommendation for Safeguarding Herat and Jam
The 3rd Expert Working Group Meeting  for the Old City of Herat and the World Heritage property of Jam (Afghanistan), met at the Museo d’ Arte ...

Friday, 16 November 2012
World Heritage Convention turns 40
The World Heritage Convention, adopted by the UNESCO General Conference on 16 November 1972, turns 40 today. The only treaty for heritage preservation ...

Friday, 16 November 2012
"Passport" booklet highlighting United States’ World Heritage sites published
In celebration of the 40th anniversary of the World Heritage Convention, Eastern National and the National Park Service’s Office of ...

Thursday, 8 November 2012
World Heritage Convention’s 40th anniversary celebration concludes and launches Kyoto Vision
The Closing Event of the 40thAnniversary of the World Heritage Convention concluded today in Kyoto, Japan, after three days of presentations and ...

Thursday, 8 November 2012
Final Meeting of the Second Cycle of the Periodic Reporting Exercise for Latin America and the Caribbean
In the framework of Document WHC-12/36.COM/10C and Decision 36 COM 10C adopted by the World Heritage Committee at its 36th session (Saint Petersburg, ...

Thursday, 8 November 2012
Preparations are being completed in Chile for the final meeting of the Second Cycle of the Periodic Reporting Exercise for LAC
Preparations are being completed in Chile, where almost everything is ready, for the final meeting of the Second Cycle of the Periodic Reporting ...

Tuesday, 6 November 2012
Gala performance by the Cuban National Ballet on the 40th anniversary of the World Heritage Convention
The Cuban National Cultural Heritage Council (CNPC) and the Cuban National Ballet (BNC) offered last October 30 a gala performance on the 40th ...

Tuesday, 6 November 2012
Reflection and future perspectives mark World Heritage Convention’s 40th anniversary closing event in Kyoto, Japan
The opening ceremony of the Closing Event taking place in Kyoto from 6 to 8 November featured a performance by UNESCO Artist for Peace Sarah ...

Monday, 5 November 2012
Closing celebration of World Heritage Convention’s 40th anniversary
A three-day event in Kyoto, Japan, will mark the end of a year-long worldwide celebration of the 40th anniversary of the World Heritage Convention ...

Wednesday, 31 October 2012
The Africa region celebrates 40th anniversary of the World Heritage Convention
On the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the UNESCO World Heritage Convention, over 300 delegates, including 16 African Ministers of Culture, ...

Thursday, 25 October 2012
Vigan, Philippines recognized for best practice in World Heritage site management
The Historic Town of Vigan (Philippines), inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1999, has been recognized as a model of best practices in World ...

Friday, 19 October 2012
International Youth Forum Go4BioDiv at Sundarbans National Park
Thirty-four young messengers (participants) from over 20 different marine World Heritage sites around the world gathered in Hyderabad from 6 to ...

Friday, 19 October 2012
Director-General condemns renewed destruction of mausoleums in Timbuktu
Irina Bokova, the Director-General of UNESCO today denounced the renewed destruction of mausoleums in northern Mali, near the World Heritage city of ...

Thursday, 11 October 2012
UNESCO Director-General deplores the increasing threats and possible damage to the Umayyad Mosque in Aleppo, Syria
UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova today expressed utmost concern over the escalation of violence in Syria, in particular in the vicinity of several ...

Monday, 8 October 2012
UNESCO launches Africa Nature programme
On 1 and 2 October 2012, a workshop took place in Nairobi, Kenya to launch the UNESCO Africa Nature Programme, which was developed following the ...

Monday, 1 October 2012
Rock Islands Southern Lagoon and Tubbataha World Heritage sites win Future Policy Award for marine resource management
This year, two Marine World Heritage sites won the Future Policy Award, which celebrates policies that create better living conditions for current and ...

Sunday, 30 September 2012
UNESCO Director-General deplores destruction of ancient Aleppo markets, a World Heritage site
UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova today expressed distress and dismay over the fire that severely damaged the ancient markets in the old city of ...

Friday, 21 September 2012
The International Protection of Landscapes conference results in Declaration on Landscape
The International Protection of Landscapes meeting was organized by UNESCO and the International Traditional Knowledge Institute and held in ...

Wednesday, 19 September 2012
Singapore becomes 190th State Party to the World Heritage Convention
On 19 June 2012, the Government of Singapore officially deposited with the Director-General of UNESCO, Irina Bokova, its instrument of ratification, ...

Wednesday, 19 September 2012
The Director-General pays tribute to leading US conservationist and one of the founding fathers of the World Heritage Convention
It was with great sadness that the Director-General of UNESCO, Irina Bokova, learned of the passing of Russell E. Train, former President of the World ...

Tuesday, 18 September 2012
10.5 billion tonnes of carbon stored in World Heritage forest sites
A study commissioned by the World Heritage Centre reviews the total carbon stored in trees, leaves forest litter and soil for all 106 World Heritage ...

Tuesday, 18 September 2012
IUCN World Conservation Congress celebrates the 40th anniversary of the World Heritage Convention and calls for maintaining the highest standards for World Heritage
On Saturday 15 September, the IUCN World Conservation Congress ended on the Island of Jeju, Republic of Korea, which harbors the “Jeju Volcanos ...

Monday, 17 September 2012
UNESCO and National Geographic partner with Intercontinental Hotels for Responsible Business Week 2012
InterContinental Hotels & Resorts Responsible Business Week to run from 17-23 September 2012 InterContinental Hotels & Resorts today embarks ...

Saturday, 15 September 2012
The Director-General visits the Historic Quarter of the City of Colonia del Sacramento in Uruguay
UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova traveled to Colonia del Sacramento today, and visited the old city, which became the first World Heritage site of ...

Saturday, 15 September 2012
The Jurassic Coast celebrates the Earth in 2012
The Jurassic Coast Earth Festival 2012 was a celebration of England’s only natural World Heritage Site – the Dorset and EastDevonCoast, ...

Friday, 7 September 2012
IUCN World Conservation Congress begins in Jeju, Republic of Korea
The IUCN World Conservation Congress, the world’s largest and most important conservation event, began 6 September on the Island of Jeju, ...

Thursday, 6 September 2012
Job opening: Cultural Heritage Specialist for Arab Regional Centre for World Heritage in Manama, Bahrain
The  recently established Arab Regional Centre for World Heritage (ARC-WH) in Manama, Bahrain, is currently recruiting a Culture Heritage ...

Wednesday, 5 September 2012
2013 UNESCO World Heritage Desk Diary published
Featuring a useful week-at-a-glance design, the Desk Diary is illustrated with colour photos of World Heritage sites, each accompanied with ...

Monday, 3 September 2012
The Director-General congratulates the Italian authorities for progress achieved in the conservation of the iconic World Heritage site of the Archaeological Areas of Pompei and Herculaneum
During her visit to Naples on the occasion of the World Urban Forum organized by UN-HABITAT, the Director-General, Irina Bokova, commended the Italian ...

Thursday, 23 August 2012
Argentina names World Heritage site to the Ramsar List
The government of Argentina has designated its 21st Wetland of International Importance, called the Humedales de Península Valdés ...

Tuesday, 21 August 2012
Patrimonito Chinese Storyboard Competition 2012 Results
In June 2012, the World Heritage Education Center for Youth (Beijing, China) and the UNESCO World Heritage Centre (WHC) launched ...

Friday, 17 August 2012
Director-General deeply concerned by wildfires in Southern Europe
UNESCO is monitoring closely the impact of wildfires in Southern Europe and the southernmost portion of the European Union. The Organization has been ...

Friday, 17 August 2012
Launch of ICOMOS-ICORP website
ICOMOS-ICORP recently launched its new website and Facebook page. ICOMOS- ICORP is the International Scientific Committee on Risk ...

Friday, 10 August 2012
Panasonic organizes UNESCO World Heritage Eco Learning event for Hanoi secondary school students
Panasonic Vietnam, in cooperation with UNESCO’s Office in Hanoi, organized the Eco Learning program on UNESCO World Heritage for students ...

Friday, 10 August 2012
Aleppo must be saved: Call by the Chairman of the World Heritage Committee
"Regardless of political positioning, the public is deeply concerned about the security situation in Aleppo and the safety of its citizens ...

Wednesday, 8 August 2012
Director-General Visits the Buddhist Monuments of Bagan
Close to one thousand years ago, Anawrahta, king of the first Myanmar Empire and a staunch advocate of Theravada Buddhism, embarked on one of the most ...

Monday, 6 August 2012
“World Heritage and indigenous peoples” - on the occasion of the International Day of the World’s Indigenous People, 9 August 2012
At its tenth session, the UN Permanent Forum on indigenous issues (UNPFII) made several recommendations relating to UNESCO, its World Heritage ...

Tuesday, 31 July 2012
UNESCO and the Smithsonian Institution team up to celebrate the World Heritage Convention
The project ‘Protection, Preservation and Prosperity: Stories of World Heritage,’ is being launched today by UNESCO and the Smithsonian ...

Friday, 27 July 2012
The Director-General of UNESCO appeals for the Protection of the World Heritage City of Aleppo
In light of escalated violence in the vicinity of several historic urban areas in Syria, the Director-General reiterates her appeal of 30 March 2012, ...

Wednesday, 25 July 2012
Creation of a Special Fund for the Safeguarding of Mali’s World Heritage sites
Echoing the call of UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova, the World Heritage Committee has established a Special Fund to support Mali’s efforts ...

Friday, 20 July 2012
RRF grant awarded to rebuilt the Okapi Wildlife Reserve
On June 24, a group of armed rebels attacked the headquarters of the Okapi Wildlife Reserve, situated in the north-east of the Democratic Republic of ...

Wednesday, 18 July 2012
Tokyo Expert Meeting (Feb 2012) published
The record of the "International Expert Meeting on the 40th Anniversary" which was held on 16 February 2012 is now available on the Japan ...

Friday, 6 July 2012
World Heritage Centre signs Memorandum of Understanding with the French Marine Protected Area Agency
The World Heritage Centre and the French Marine Protected Area Agency (AAMP) signed a Memorandum of Understanding in support of the conservation of ...

Friday, 6 July 2012
End of 36th session of the World Heritage Committee marked by concern for World Heritage sites in Mali
The World Heritage Committee Friday closed its 36th session after almost two weeks of work under the chair of Eleonora Mitrofanova, the Ambassador of ...

Wednesday, 4 July 2012
Emergency appeal for Okapi Wildlife Reserve (DRC) following murderous raid by poachers
UNESCO and the nongovernmental organization Fauna and Flora International are launching an emergency appeal to support the staff and rebuild the ...

Wednesday, 4 July 2012
21st International Radiocarbon Conference held at UNESCO Headquarters
The World Heritage Thematic Programme, Human Evolution: Adaptations, Dispersals and Social Developments (HEADS) http://whc.unesco.org/en/heads/, ...

Tuesday, 3 July 2012
Beech Forests of Europe – Further Sites for the WH list ?
After a three-day expert meeting held in Italy and ending on 20 June 2012, participants concluded that there is further potential for European beech ...

Tuesday, 3 July 2012
World Heritage Committee calls for end to destruction of Mali’s heritage and adopts decision for its support
The World Heritage Committee on 2 July condemned the destruction of World Heritage sites in Mali and decided on measures to help the country protect ...

Monday, 2 July 2012
Twenty-six new sites inscribed on UNESCO World Heritage List this year
The World Heritage Committee on Monday morning inscribed Lena Pillars Nature Park of the Russian Federation, the last site to be added to ...

Sunday, 1 July 2012
Four natural and four cultural properties added to UNESCO’s World Heritage List on Sunday
The World Heritage Committee on Sunday inscribed eight new sites on UNESCO’s World Heritage List, including Chad’s first World Heritage ...

Saturday, 30 June 2012
Bahraini pearling site and the Mosque of Isfahan inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List
Pearling, testimony of an island economy (Bahrain) and the Masjed-e Jāmé of Isfahan (Iran) were inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage ...

Saturday, 30 June 2012
Sites in Iran, Malaysia, Canada, Slovenia, Spain, Germany, Portugal and France on UNESCO’s World Heritage List
The World Heritage Committee on Saturday afternoon added the following sites to UNESCO’s World Heritage List: Gonbad-e Qābus (Iran), ...

Saturday, 30 June 2012
UNESCO Director-General of UNESCO calls for a halt to destruction of cultural heritage site in Timbuktu
UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova today expressed her distress and dismay over the destruction of three sacred tombs that are part of a World ...

Saturday, 30 June 2012
Mexican tourism project cancelled to protect Gulf of California World Heritage site
The World Heritage Centre received a letter today from the Government of Mexico’s National Commission for Natural Protected Areas formally ...

Friday, 29 June 2012
Church of the Nativity and the Pilgrimage Route in Bethlehem, Palestine, inscribed on UNESCO World Heritage List along with sites from Israel, Palau, Indonesia and Morocco
New sites have been inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List: Birthplace of Jesus: the Church of the Nativity and the Pilgrimage Route, ...

Friday, 29 June 2012
Xanadu (China), Bassari Country (Senegal) and Grand Bassam (Côte d’Ivoire) added to UNESCO’s World Heritage List
The Site of Xanadu (China), the Bassari Country: Bassari and Bedik Cultural Landscapes (Senegal) and the Historic Town Grand Bassam, the first capital ...

Friday, 29 June 2012
UNESCO Director-General preoccupied by fighting in World Heritage sites in eastern DRC
The Director-General of UNESCO, Irina Bokova, expressed her utmost concern with the recent fighting in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, which is ...

Thursday, 28 June 2012
Heritage sites in northern Mali placed on List of World Heritage in Danger
The World Heritage Committee on Thursday accepted the request of the government of Mali to place Timbuktu and the Tomb of Askia on UNESCO’s List ...

Wednesday, 27 June 2012
Better conservation in Pakistan and the Philippines allow Committee to remove two sites from World Heritage List in Danger
The World Heritage Committee on Tuesday morning recognized the success of two countries, Pakistan and the Philippines, in improving the conservation ...

Wednesday, 27 June 2012
Panamanian fortifications inscribed on List of World Heritage in Danger
Environmental factors, lack of maintenance and uncontrollable urban developments have been cited as reasons to inscribe the Fortifications on the ...

Tuesday, 26 June 2012
World Heritage Committee places Liverpool on List of World Heritage in Danger
The World Heritage Committee has placed Liverpool Maritime Mercantile City on the List of World Heritage in Danger due to the proposed construction of ...

Monday, 25 June 2012
Day 1 in St Petersburg: 2012 World Heritage Committee
Of the 33 sites nominated this year, which ones will make the cut to achieve UNESCO World Heritage status? The first day of the World Heritage ...

Sunday, 24 June 2012
36th session of World Heritage Committee opens with focus on sustainable development
The challenges facing heritage preservation as UNESCO celebrates the 40th anniversary of the World Heritage Convention were the focus of the opening ...

Sunday, 24 June 2012
36th Session of World Heritage Committee Youth Forum: Kazan (Republic of Tatarstan) 1 - 9 July, 2012
The Youth Model of the World Heritage Committee, to be held in Kazan from 1 to 9 July, is designed to attract the attention of young people of the ...

Wednesday, 20 June 2012
UNESCO and NOUH sign agreement for preservation of Historic Cairo
On 11 June, a protocol agreement for a preservation and management project for Historic Cairo (Egypt) was signed by Mr. Samir Gharib, Head of the ...

Tuesday, 19 June 2012
Successful World Heritage Candidates for the 2012 Business Planning Programme
Participants to the 4th annual World Heritage Centre / Earthwatch / Shell "Business Planning for natural World Heritage site managers" year long ...

Friday, 15 June 2012
10 Years of Dutch Support to World Heritage “From Astronomy to Zanzibar” published
Since its inception in 2001, the Netherlands Funds-in-Trust (NFiT) at the World Heritage Centre has served the international heritage community as ...

Tuesday, 12 June 2012
Preliminary findings of UNESCO mission sent to assess earthquake damage to sites in northern Italy
Following the earthquakes that struck the region of Emilia in northern Italy, notably since May 20, the UNESCO Director General Irina ...

Saturday, 9 June 2012
Consultative Meeting on World Heritage and Sustainable Development discusses principles and policy
The Consultative Meeting on World Heritage and Sustainable Development, held in Ouro Preto, Brazil from 5 to 8 February, was a ...

Friday, 8 June 2012
World Heritage celebrates World Oceans Day with new iPhone app
In celebration of World Oceans Day, the World Heritage Centre is launching an iPhone app. This years’ Oceans Day theme “Youth: the Next ...

Friday, 8 June 2012
In Memoriam: Professor Philip Tobias
The UNESCO World Heritage Centre would like to express its sincere condolences to the friends and family of Professor Philip Vallentine Tobias, who ...

Thursday, 7 June 2012
UNESCO mission assesses earthquake damage to sites in northern Italy
As requested by Director-General Irina Bokova, a team of experts has traveled to northern Italy to assess damage to World Heritage sites following ...

Friday, 1 June 2012
World Heritage Committee to consider inscription of 36 sites on UNESCO’s World Heritage List at forthcoming session (St Petersburg 22 June – 6 July)
The World Heritage Committee will consider the inscription of 36 sites on the World Heritage List during its next meeting from 24 June to 6 July, in ...

Wednesday, 30 May 2012
World Heritage Inventory of Earthen Architecture available online
The World Heritage Inventory of Earthen Architecture  is now available in English and French online: ...

Thursday, 24 May 2012
Government of Mali and UNESCO move to protect Timbuktu and other heritage sites in the north of Mali
The Government of Mali and UNESCO have defined measures to safeguard World Heritage Properties in the north of Mali, including the fabled city of ...

Wednesday, 23 May 2012
Launching Of The Rivers And Heritage Website
The Rivers and Heritage website was officially launched on 15 March 2012 at the World Water Forum in Marseille (France), during the session ...

Tuesday, 22 May 2012
Director-General concerned about attacks on World Heritage site of Ghadamès (Libya)
The Director-General of UNESCO, Irina Bokova, today called for the protection of Libya’s Old City of Ghadamès inscribed on UNESCO’s ...

Tuesday, 22 May 2012
UNESCO monitors damage to heritage in northern Italy following powerful earthquake
The Director-General of UNESCO, Irina Bokova, today extended her condolences to the inhabitants of northern Italy for the loss of human life and ...

Thursday, 17 May 2012
Living with World Heritage Conference examines sustainability and local involvement
The conference Living with World Heritage, held in Røros, Norway from 13 to 16 May 2012, was part of Norway`s official ...

Wednesday, 9 May 2012
New Recommendation on the Historic Urban Landscape
On 7 May 2012, UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova and H.E. Ms Katalin Bogyay, Ambassador of Hungary and President of UNESCO's General Conference, ...

Friday, 4 May 2012
Irina Bokova concerned about growing threats to cultural heritage in Mali
UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova expressed her great concern following the desecration of the graves of Sidi Mahmoud in Mali by the Ansar Dine ...

Friday, 20 April 2012
Frontiers of the Roman Empire World Heritage site receives funding to restore portions of Hadrian’s Wall
The World Heritage property “Frontiers of the Roman Empire” has received £537,185 (US$ 850,406) in funding from SITA Trust to ...

Friday, 20 April 2012
Recommendations for transnational heritage corridors of Silk Roads site nomination
Members of the Coordinating Committee on the Serial World Heritage Nomination of the Silk Roads release recommendations for two priority transnational ...

Monday, 2 April 2012
Sydney Opera House, other sites participate in Earth Hour 2012
Sydney Opera House was among the World Heritage sites around the globe participating in Earth Hour 2012, the environmental campaign to draw ...

Monday, 2 April 2012
UNESCO Director-General expresses concern about the situation in Mali
In reaction to recent events in Northern Mali, UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova expresses her deep concern about the possible consequences of the ...

Friday, 30 March 2012
Director-General of UNESCO appeals for protection of Syria’s cultural heritage
The Director-General of UNESCO, Irina Bokova, today called for the protection of the cultural heritage of Syria. ‘Following a number of ...

Friday, 30 March 2012
Archaeological discoveries
In the sacred place of Tenochtitlan, archaeologists from INAH-Conaculta (The Mexican National Institute of Anthropology and History and the Mexican ...

Friday, 30 March 2012
International World Heritage Expert Meeting on criterion (vi)
The International World Heritage Expert Meeting on Criterion (vi)  and associative values which took place in Warsaw, Poland, 28-30 March 2012, ...

Wednesday, 28 March 2012
UNESCO committed to stronger links between World Heritage and Tourism
UNESCO Director-General, Irina Bokova underlined the importance of better integrating cultural heritage preservation and sustainable tourism during ...

Wednesday, 28 March 2012
From World Heritage to Literacy, Philadelphia Embraces UNESCO
World Heritage and literacy were bookends to a day where Philadelphia opened its arms to UNESCO, during the second day of Director-General Irina ...

Wednesday, 28 March 2012
World Heritage and Sustainable Tourism Top Agenda in Miami Leg of Director-General’s Mission to the U.S.
With a stunning visit to the Everglades the day before serving as a strong reminder, Director-General Irina Bokova turned her attention to a ...

Wednesday, 28 March 2012
World Heritage sites participate in Earth Hour
UNESCO will partner with World Wildlife Fund (WWF) for Earth Hour, one of the world's largest and most well-known environmental campaigns in the ...

Thursday, 22 March 2012
GIS boundaries of natural and mixed World Heritage sites available
IUCN and UNEP-WCMC have compiled a KML layer with key information on the natural and mixed World Heritage sites inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage ...