Building a Global Sustainable Network of World Heritage Site Managers

The overarching vision of this World Heritage project is to establish links and channels of communication among World Heritage Site Managers around the world by providing a web and a social media platform to share knowledge in the field of World Heritage and share examples of best practices on site management, World Heritage related procedures, such as the Periodic Reporting exercise, nominations and monitoring processes.

Furthermore, this project will enhance synergies between the UNESCO World Heritage Centre, the academic community and heritage professionals working in the field by giving opportunities to exchange information, experiences and expertise.

Fund this project

Budget Proposed
US$ 220,000

Duration
3 years

Beneficiary
Global

Category
Conservation ● Capacity Building ● Communication
● Sustainable Development

Document
Download project description

This project is part of the Marketplace.

Context

The World Heritage Capacity Building Strategy, adopted by the World Heritage Committee at its 35th session (Paris, 2011), identified the diverse and growing audiences that require capacity building initiatives for the conservation and management of World Heritage Sites. The development of resource materials – best practice cases and communication tools – are among the activities suggested by the Strategy for improving such capacities. Social Media provides a space where communication and dissemination of information can be targeted at specific audiences, and is particularly effective where common guiding principles govern the work of individuals and institutions spread across the globe, such as in the case of the protection and management of World Heritage properties.

In addition to its central role as Secretariat to the World Heritage Committee, the World Heritage Centre seeks to encourage and facilitate the effective conservation, protection and management of World Heritage Sites by establishing connections between sites, promoting the development of capacity-building measures in different regions of the World, and engaging in active communication and outreach to increase involvement and support for World Heritage. The World Heritage Site Managers’ Network initiative is related to each of these aims and activities, and will promote the highest standards in conserving and protecting World Heritage sites.

Objectives

To open a new channel of communication via a social media platform and promote active involvement of key World Heritage stakeholders and a sustainable online community of practice among Site Managers.
To facilitate and encourage the exchange of innovative ideas, experiences, good practices and lessons learned and to create a sustainable online community of practice among Site Managers, with the involvement of stakeholders and World Heritage practitioners involved in the implementation of the Convention.
To increase the accessibility, availability and dissemination of up-to-date information on World Heritage activities being carried out in different regions hence strengthening regional and global networks, enhancing cooperation amongst types of sites, and encourage cross-regional partnerships.
To promote the development of effective capacity-building measures for the understanding and implementation of the World Heritage Convention and related instruments.
To enhance synergies with other UNESCO programmes and Conventions, putting these in context and highlighting their crossovers, etc. thus promoting interest in these instruments, while driving traffic to their individual sites and contributing to a broader understanding of the work of World Heritage and UNESCO as a whole.

Outcomes
& Beneficiaries

An active, global knowledge and information-sharing platform for World Heritage Site Managers is created; managed by the World Heritage Centre, but driven by the Site Managers themselves, it becomes a hub of knowledge, full of discussions on World Heritage related matters and activities, best practice studies, innovative ideas, experiences and lessons learned.
The community of World Heritage Site Mangers will interact via a closed social media platform which is widely used and accessible (such as a Facebook group, Instagram, etc.).
Active engagement between World Heritage Site Managers and World Heritage stakeholders is enhanced, to allow them to disseminate and share experiences with large audiences, thereby engaging larger online communities in World Heritage issues.
A sustainable, dynamic and direct line of communication between World Heritage Site Managers is established. The online forum of the network acts as a space to promote all World Heritage projects and programmes, as well as allowing trends and activities at World Heritage Sites to be followed and gaps in training and understanding to be identified.

Implementation
steps

Detailed project document, outline and budget
Research, key actors, consultation survey and data gathering
Preparation of the appropriate material
Official launch
Side-event and other visibility and outreach material
Communication and dissemination
Annual network meetings/forum
Administration, moderation, research and promotional campaigns; measuring progress.

Relevance

With more than 1,000 properties inscribed, the World Heritage List represents not only a vast, global network of cultural, natural and mixed heritage sites, but also of professionals working in the field of heritage. Each individual Site Manager has a fundamental role to play in the implementation of the World Heritage Convention.

By setting up a knowledge and information-sharing platform, aimed at these Site Managers as well as other key World Heritage stakeholders, the World Heritage Centre will be able to develop a community that can convey the World Heritage Convention in a comprehensive, interactive and accessible manner, while individual Site Managers will be able to benefit from a network of expertise, support and exchange with like-minded professionals.

“The setting up of a Site Managers’ Network will help to strengthen regional and global partnerships, which is highly needed for experience sharing
in managing UNESCO World Heritage sites better.”
Joshua Mwankunda
World Heritage Site Manager
Ngorongoro Conservation Area
(United Republic of Tanzania)

Budget

An estimated overall extrabudgetary funding of US$ 220,000 is needed for the implementation of this 3-year project (development and pilot phase).

These funds will cover human resources, media production (infographics, short videos, etc.), general communication material and communication campaigns, report production, the organisation of side-event(s), design and printing of the appropriate information material, as well as translation of the materials into the two official languages of the Convention.

Donor's visibility

A communication & visibility plan will be developed in consultation with the donor(s) and will include (but not limited to) the options below:

Visibility Material	Collaterals	Placement	Outreach	Target audience
Social Network	Promotion/recurrent visibility Donor's logo	Selected social network for the Site Manager's Network	● World Heritage Site Managers ● Other World Heritage stakeholders of the network	800 active members At least500 contribution monthly(share, comments, retweet, etc.)
Site Managers Network web page	Donor's logo	World Heritage Centre website whc.unesco.org	● Public	Statistics for 2016: 13,340 000 visits 9,735 000 unique visitors 4, 1650 00 pages viewed
Promotional and communication campaign via UNESCO different social networks as well as on UNESCO YouTube	Donor's logo	UNESCO networks: Twitter Facebook Instagram Google+ YouTube	● Public and subscribers to UNESCO social media	1,300 000 social media subscribers 5.800.000 impressions per month Statistics 2017 : : 2,64M followers : 551,130 followers : 63,841 subscribers : 1,271 453 subscribers
News and event article(s) in focus on UNESCO and World Heritage Centre website	Donor's logo	World Heritage Centre's website Site: whc.unesco.org	● Public interested in world heritage issues	Statistics for 2016: 13,340 000 visits 9,735 000 unique visitors 4, 1650 00 pages viewed 111, 343 members
	Donor's logo	UNESCO website : www.unesco.org	● Public interested in UNESCO mandate	Statistics for June 2016 to June 2017 38, 379 764 visits 26, 763 513 pages viewed
Side-events	Donor's logo	World Heritage Committee - Official Launch and promotion campaign	● Committee members ● State Parties ● Observers ● NGOs ● Site Managers ● World media present	Around 2,000 participants from 193 countries 5963 media coverage recorded during the 41COM More than 2000 live connections on YouTube
Article on the Site Managers network in paper review	Donor's Logo	The World Heritage Review and/or World Heritage Paper Series	● Public	More than 20 000 subscribers