Young Professionals Forum 2023
Continuing the 50th anniversary celebrations of the UNESCO World Heritage Convention, the 2023 edition of the World Heritage Young Professionals Forum was implemented in Riyadh in September 2023, reiterating the ...
Dive into Heritage is creating an innovative online platform that leverages digital technologies to safeguard and promote World Heritage sites and its related intangible heritage, and transmit it to future ...
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The objective of the Guidance is to provide easy-to-understand and user-friendly information on wind energy projects and World Heritage protection and management, and to highlight processes and tools for overcoming ...
World Heritage Marine Programme
50 flagship marine protected areas of Outstanding Universal Value: Beacons of Hope In a Changing Ocean
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UNESCO Urban Heritage Atlas: Cultural mapping for historic cities and settlements
The Urban Heritage Atlas is an atlas and an archive that documents and explains, visually, narratively and with analytical maps, the diversity and uniqueness of the world’s historic cities and settlements. As such, ...
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Historic Monuments Zone of Querétaro (Mexico) UNESCO Urban Heritage Atlas: Cultural mapping of historic cities and settlements Plaza de Armas © Roberto Galán / Shutterstock.com* World ...
Under the Almohads and the Hafsids, from the 12th to the 16th century, Tunis was considered one of the greatest and wealthiest cities in the Islamic world. Some 700 monuments, including palaces, mosques, mausoleums, ...
Historic City of Ahmedabad (India) UNESCO Urban Heritage Atlas: Cultural mapping of historic cities and settlements Teen Darwaza, gate of the historic city walls © AnilD / ...
Founded in the 11th and 12th centuries to serve the caravans crossing the Sahara, these trading and religious centres became focal points of Islamic culture. They have managed to preserve an urban fabric that ...
"Located at over 2,000 m above sea level, the capital of Eritrea developed from the 1890s onwards as a military outpost for the Italian colonial power. It is an exceptional example of early modernist urbanism at the ...
Historic Centre of Cordoba (Spain) UNESCO Urban Heritage Atlas: Cultural mapping of historic cities and settlements Jocelyn Erskine-Kellie, CC BY-SA, via Flickr World Heritage Cities UNESCO ...
Young Professionals Forum 2024
As an integral part of the 46th session of the World Heritage Committee and in the framework of the UNESCO World Heritage Education Programme, the Ministry of Culture through the Archaeological Survey of India, will ...
Marine World Heritage in a Changing Climate © Climate change has become the biggest threat to the conservation of the 51 marine sites on UNESCO’s World Heritage List. Some 70% of these sites are ...
Marine Programme: World Heritage marine managers
World Heritage Marine Managers A flagship network empowered to transform how we protect Watch © The World Heritage List includes 51 marine sites across 37 nations. Local managers at these sites ...
World Heritage Online Map Platform
Funded by the Flanders UNESCO Trustfund (FUT), an online geographic information system for World Heritage is being developed.
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Thesis on World Heritage issues and/or World Heritage Sites
Authors of thesis are encouraged to send an abstract of their work and their personal data by filling the attached form. This will allow academics and researchers to know about their domain of research and to ...
World Heritage Cities Programme
The World Heritage Cities Programme is one of six thematic programmes formally approved and monitored by the World Heritage Committee. The programme concerns the development of a theoretical framework for urban ...
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UNESCO Culture|2030 Indicators Expert Facility
The Expert Facility is an international pool of recognized experts that have relevant experience to support countries and cities in implementing the UNESCO Culture|2030 Indicators
New and Old Towns of Edinburgh (United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland)UNESCO Urban Heritage Atlas: Cultural mapping of historic cities and settlements © Chris Fleming, CC BY-SA 2.0, via ...
Houses in the historical centre of Samarkand are rarely more than 100 years old but follow centuries-old traditions in their sitting and typological organisation, use of interior spaces and construction practices. ...
Inhabited since 250 B.C., Djenné became a market centre and an important link in the trans-Saharan gold trade. In the 15th and 16th centuries, it was one of the centres for the propagation of Islam. Its traditional ...
Although the overall urban fabric and townscape give Stone Town its unique character, many individual buildings of historical and architectural significance represent local architecture and building traditions. ...
The following audio excerpts are from a virtual interview with Oliver Martin conducted by Christina Cameron and Mechtild Rössler in August 2023. Oliver Martin discusses the impact of the Cairns reforms, particularly ...
Oral Archives of the World Heritage Convention
Oral Archives of the World Heritage Convention Canada Research Chair on Built Heritage --> Under the leadership of the Canada Research Chair on Built Heritage at the University of Montreal, ...
Oral Archives: Amadou-Mahtar M’Bow
The following audio excerpts are from an interview with Amadou-Mahtar M'Bow by Mechtild Rössler and Petra Van Den Born the 22 October 2009 in Paris, France. In particular, he gives an account of UNESCO's first ...
World Heritage and Sustainable Tourism Programme
The UNESCO World Heritage and Sustainable Tourism Programme represents a new approach based on dialogue and stakeholder cooperation where planning for tourism and heritage management is integrated at a destination ...
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World Heritage Site Managers' Forum
In recent years, it has become an established practice that a forum is organised in conjunction with each World Heritage Committee session. Since the 41st session of the Committee (Krakow, 2017), site managers from ...
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Understanding, managing and conserving World Heritage properties requires up-to-date knowledge and well-honed skills. To help build the capacity of all stakeholders in World Heritage – whether they are ...
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World Heritage Programme for Small Island Developing States (SIDS)
Small Island Developing States (SIDS) are islands of the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans. They are some of the most beautiful places on Earth, with atolls of white sand beaches, mountain ...
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Retrospective Inventory and "boundary clarifications"
The Retrospective Inventory is a project aiming at the identification and collection of baseline data (such as boundaries, geographical coordinates, serial components, area of properties in hectares, etc.) for ...
Renewable Energy Transition and World Heritage
Climate change is one of the defining issues of our time, and with over 30 programs in the sciences, education, culture and communication sector, UNESCO is actively contributing to create knowledge, educate and ...
The UNESCO-Greece Melina Mercouri International Prize for the Safeguarding and Management of Cultural Landscapes was created in 1995 to reward outstanding examples of action to safeguard and enhance the world’s ...
This large format full-color map features the World Heritage sites and brief explanations of the World Heritage Convention and the World Heritage conservation programmes, as well as superb photos of World Heritage ...
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Uplifting the perception of the List of World Heritage in Danger
The World Heritage Centre has developed a project with the objective to conduct an overall reflection and study on the image/perception of the List of World Heritage in Danger and to propose approches aiming at ...
Guidance and Toolkit for Impact Assessments in a World Heritage Context
UNESCO and the Advisory Bodies to the World Heritage Committee have issued new guidance for assessing impacts from projects that could potentially affect the planet’s most precious heritage places. Designed ...
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Promoting traditional environmental knowledge in the M’Zab Valley (Algeria)
The traditional settlements of the M’Zab valley were adapted to their environment and climate. Floodable areas were occupied only by temporary structures and not by dwellings. Water infrastructure was a core ...
A research project tests tools such as photogrammetry, laser scanning and community mapping, to record the interaction between tangible and intangible layers of traditional settlements in China and India.
The Million wells for Bengaluru campaign is an initiative to build one million shallow wells using traditional well-digging techniques. The initiative for the revival of traditional water systems integrates ...
Preventing climate-related impacts in the Chan Chan Archaeological Zone (Peru)
After Chan Chan was placed on the List of World Heritage in Danger, a disaster risk reduction plan was developed and integrated with heritage management mechanisms. The plan provided valuable strategies for ...
Reintroduction of hydropower in the mills district of the Town of Bamberg (Germany)
The installation of a new water turbine at the site of the former water mills in the Town of Bamberg follows traditional water practices while respecting the Outstanding Universal Value of the property. The new ...
Promoting climate change adaptation and mitigation in Lamu Old Town (Kenya)
Lamu Old Town faces multiple threats from climate change, energy needs and rapid social and economic transformation. The Lamu Old town management plan and the Lamu Municipality Waste Management Policy focused on ...
The World Heritage properties of Africa face a variety of threats from armed conflict to development pressures, rapid urbanisation, growth and climate change. Several of these properties are located in conflict and ...
Toward removing Niokolo-Koba National Park from the List of World Heritage in Danger
Created in 1954, the park was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1981 under criterion (x) for its rich fauna, its unique ecosystems, and its remarkable diversity of wildlife. However, in 2007, various ...
Salonga National Park boundary demarcation project
Created in 1970, the park is the second largest forest park in the world in terms of size. It boasts an extraordinary biological richness, with diverse vegetation that constitutes important habitats for species. ...
Ecological Monitoring in Garamba National Park
Over the last decades, Garamba National Park has been a major target of militant ivory and bushmeat poachers, which threatens the site drastically. Therefore, an effective law enforcement strategy and ecological ...
Conflict mitigation in Okapi Wildlife Reserve
With 13,720 km², the Okapi Wildlife Reserve has rich biodiversity and a forest ecosystem with cultural and economic importance for the traditional nomadic pygmy hunters Mbuti and Efe who it is believed, have been ...
Securing Manovo-Gounda St. Floris National Park
play_arrow The Manovo-Gounda St Floris National Park (PNMGSF) is the largest park in the Central African savannas. Inscribed on UNESCO World Heritage List in 1988, the park is a unique refuge of biodiversity, ...
Ecological restoration of the Air and Ténéré Natural Reserves
In 1992, one year after its inscription, the Air and Ténéré Natural Reserves were placed on the List of World Heritage in Danger due to the deterioration of the state of conservation of the property, caused by ...
Avian Flu – A Threat to Biodiversity
Highly pathogenic avian influenza, known as bird flu, is causing significant mortality of wild birds and mammals worldwide, requiring authorities to take action to curb its spread. Previously affecting mostly ...
World Heritage and Biodiversity
Biological diversity underpins ecosystem functioning and the provision of ecosystem services essential for human well-being. World Heritage properties are the most outstanding places on the planet and constitute a ...
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World Heritage Volunteers 2024 Campaign
The UNESCO World Heritage Centre is pleased to announce the selected projects of the World Heritage Volunteers (WHV) 2024 Campaign, under the theme of ‘World Heritage Volunteers 2024 - Working on the Future’.
In recent years, the framework for training and research in the field of World Heritage has changed significantly. Among the factors that have contributed to these rapid changes, is the emerging of many new ...
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Synergies to protect World Heritage
Synergies to protect Global Heritage Cooperation with other Conventions and programmes © The World Heritage Committee recognises the benefits of closer coordination and synergies between global ...
World Heritage Volunteers Initiative
World HeritageVolunteers Initiative Within the framework of the UNESCO World Heritage Education Programme, the World Heritage Volunteers (WHV) Initiative was launched in 2008 in collaboration with the Coordinating ...
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The UNESCO-Greece Melina Mercouri International Prize for the Safeguarding and Management of Cultural Landscapes has been awarded for 2001 jointly to Murjadjo Djebel, Planters' Wood and Old Town of Sid Hourari ...
The Park of Koga (Japan) was awarded the Melina Mercouri International Prize for the Safeguarding and Management of Cultural Landscapes for its 2003 edition. Park of KogaJapan Park of Koga (Japan) © ...
The historical village of Maymand in southern Iran has been awarded the UNESCO-Greece Melina Mercouri International Prize for the Safeguarding and Management of Cultural Landscapes for its 2005 edition. The prize ...
The Borodino Battlefield in the Russian Federation was awarded the Melina Mercouri International Prize for the Safeguarding and Management of Cultural Landscapes.
The Gunditjmara community was awarded the 2023 edition of the UNESCO-Greece Melina Mercouri International Prize for the Safeguarding and Management of Cultural Landscapes in recognition of its outstanding efforts to ...
The Public Institute of Kozjansko Park in Podsreda (Slovenia) was awarded the 2021 edition of the UNESCO-Greece Melina Mercouri International Prize or the Safeguarding and Management of Cultural Landscapes.
The 2019 UNESCO-Greece Melina Mercouri International Prize for the Safeguarding and Management of Cultural Landscapes was awarded on 18 November to Instituto do Património Cultural in Cabo Verde for its outstanding ...
In 2011, the UNESCO-Greece Melina Mercouri International Prize for the Safeguarding and Management of Cultural Landscapes has been awarded jointly to Battir Cultural Landscape (Palestine) and the Museum-Reservation ...
The UNESCO-Greece Melina Mercouri International Prize for the Safeguarding and Management of Cultural Landscapes has been awarded for its first edition in 1999 jointly to Valle de Viñales (Cuba), the Elishia's Park ...
Culture|2030 Indicators Kenya and the city of Nakuru Project Page
UNESCO Kenya and the City of Nakuru Project Page © IUCN Partners Implementation of the UNESCO Culture|2030 Indicators in Kenya and the city of Nakuru is with the support and partnership of ...
UNESCO Mentorship Programme for African Heritage professionals
The UNESCO Mentorship Programme was developed in 2020, in collaboration with the African World Heritage Fund (AWHF) and the three Advisory Bodies (ICOMOS, ICCROM and IUCN) to create opportunities for African ...
The World Heritage Convention is one of the most successful international instruments to protect the most extraordinary natural places on the planet, characterized by their natural beauty or outstanding ...
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Oral Archives: Francesco Francioni
The following audio excerpts are from an interview with Francesco Francioni by Christina Cameron and Mechtild Rössler the 10 May 2010 in Rome. He offers an interesting overview of the Convention's mechanisms from a ...
The following audio excerpts are from an interview with Jim Thorsell by Christina Cameron the 11 August 2010 in Banff, Canada. Thorsell explains the prominent role he played in IUCN's World Heritage activities for ...
The audio excerpts are from an interview with David Sheppard by Christina Cameron and Mechtild Rössler in Kyoto, Japan the 8 November 2012. He discusses various World Heritage issues such as the length of the List, ...
Interview Jim Collinson 1939-2024 Oral Archives of the World Heritage Convention After studying Agricultural Economics at the University of Manitoba, Jim Collinson completed a ...
The audio excerpts are from an interview with Dawson Munjeri by Christina Cameron the 3 August 2010 in Brasilia, Brazil. He draws on his rich experience with the World Heritage Convention to comment on the ...
Oral Archives: Souayibou Varissou
The following audio extracts are taken from a virtual interview conducted with Souayibou Varissou by Christina Cameron and Mechtild Rössler in December 2022. Mr. Varissou shares his extensive experience in the ...
Designer, engraver and graphic artist, Michel Olyff created dozens of logos, emblems, posters, lithographs, stamps and other arts.
World Heritage Convention 40th anniversary
World Heritage is a building block for peace and sustainable development. It is a source of identity and dignity for local communities, a wellspring of knowledge and strength to be shared. In 2012, as we celebrate ...
World Heritage Youth Forum (2009) 1st Ibero-American
In conjunction with the 33rd session of the World Heritage Committee, sixty-eight participants, of which, thirty-nine secondary school students from 10 countries learned new skills to preserve and conserve the ...
Adapting the approach of the HUL Recommendation for Indonesian universities
The 2021 publication Historic Urban Landscape (HUL) Quick Scan Method. Handbook for Indonesian University Lecturers aims to adapt the HUL Approach to the Indonesian context and promote interdisciplinary learning in ...
Over the past few years, the security situation at the W-Arly-Pendjari Complex has become a major concern as several armed groups have been operating in the region, causing the evacuation of management staff in some ...
Shaping the future of climate adaptation through Resilient Reefs
Climate change is today the biggest threat to coral reefs. Under a business-as-usual scenario, nearly 90% of the 29 World Heritage-listed coral reefs are expected to severely bleach twice-per-decade by 2040.
Funded by the Government of Japan through the UNESCO/Japanese Funds-in-Trust, implementation from 2022 to 2024. Four World Heritage sites from Asia, Africa, the Arab region and Latin America and the Caribbean work ...
The UNESCO Thematic Indicators for Culture in the 2030 Agenda (Culture|2030 Indicators) is a framework of thematic indicators whose purpose is to measure and monitor the progress of culture’s enabling contribution ...
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Climate Change and World Heritage
World Heritage properties are affected by the impacts of climate change at present and in the future. Their continued preservation requires understanding these impacts to their Outstanding Universal Value and ...
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Natural World Heritage sites are the planet’s most precious gifts to humanity. But our work across these 257 sites is not simply about protecting and preserving some of the world’s most beautiful locations, ...
Corporate sector and the World Heritage ‘no-go’ commitment
Across the extractives, finance, insurance and hydropower sectors, among others, major public and private companies and industry associations have committed to protect UNESCO World Heritage sites. They have often ...
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The World Heritage Young Professionals Fora are among the flagship activities of the World Heritage Education Programme, designed to foster learning and exchange by bringing together young people and heritage ...
Sustainable planning and management of tourism is one of the most pressing challenges concerning the future of the World Heritage Convention today and is the focus of the UNESCO World Heritage and Sustainable ...
Guide 4: Engaging local communities and businesses
This guide 4 will tell you how to reach out and engage with local businesses and the community in a dialogue explaining the mutual benefit that comes with making tourism more sustainable.
Guide 3: Developing effective governance
This guide 3 will tell you why good destination management and governance matters, and how you can start to develop it in your World Heritage destination.
Guide 2: Developing a strategy for progressive change
This guide 2 will tell you how to develop a strategy for your destination that complements both the sensitive nature of a heritage site, as well as the task of sustainable and profitable tourism.
Guide 1: Understanding tourism at your destination
This guide will help you understand why tourism matters, some key questions you may need to ask and answer, and some ways to fill evidence gaps, such as utilising other partner's resources. Continue reading below to ...
Guide 10: Monitoring success with sustainable tourism
This guide 10 will tell you why benchmarking matters and suggest some ideas on how you can develop site and destination specific benchmarks.