The World Heritage Centre is at the forefront of the international community’s efforts to protect and preserve.
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: 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 ...
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.
The following audio excerpts are taken from a virtual interview conducted with Themba Wakashe by Christina Cameron and Mechtild Rössler in May 2023. Mr. Wakashe recounts his experience as Chair of the Committee in ...
The following audio excerpts are from an interview with Federico Mayor by Christina Cameron and Carmen Anon Feliu the 18 June 2009 in Madrid in Spain. He highlights the human dimension of World Heritage, which he ...
Oral Archives: Jukka Jokilehto
The following audio excerpts are from an interview with Jukka Jokilehto by Christina Cameron and Mechtild Rössler the 5 May 2010 in Rome, Italy. They reveal his expertise and deep understanding of World Heritage ...
Interview Peter Fowler Oral Archives of the World Heritage Convention Peter Fowler is a British archaeologist and landscape specialist. A graduate of Oxford University, he served as secretary ...
Interview Jad Tabet Oral Archives of the World Heritage Convention Jad Tabet is a Franco-Lebanese architect and urban planner. A graduate in architecture from the American University of ...
The following audio excerpts are from an interview with Gérard Bolla by Christina Cameron and Mechtild Rössler in October 2007 at UNESCO headquarters in Paris, France. These capsules reveal, thanks to Gérard Bolla's ...
Interview Irina Bokova Oral Archives of the World Heritage Convention Irina Bokova is a Bulgarian politician and diplomat. She served as Director General of UNESCO from 2009 to 2017. She ...
Oral Archives: Azedine Beschaouch
The following audio excerpts are from an interview with Azedine Beschaouch by Christina Cameron and Mechtild Rössler in July 2010 in Brasilia, Brazil. Through his many recollections, he recounts the first years of ...
Oral Archives: Françoise Bercé
The following audio excerpts are from an interview with Françoise Bercé by Christina Cameron the 28 March 2019 in Paris, France. She shares with us her reminiscences of key issues in the implementation of the ...
Interview Webber Ndoro Oral Archives of the World Heritage Convention Webber Ndoro is an archaeologist and Zimbabwean heritage expert. He holds a BA in History from the University of ...
Dialogue between Kat Borlongan and Chance Coughenour
Kat Borlongan and Chance Coughenour discussed digital innovation and inclusivity. As thinkers, they explored the interconnection between technologies and heritage, agreeing that an inclusive digital environment is ...
Dialogue between Rachel Sibande and Johanna Figueira
The dialogue between Rachel Sibande and Johanna Figueira centred around the digital empowerment of communities. They agreed that technology can benefit local communities to share their own stories and conceive ...
Dialogue between Fatemah Alzelzela & Alfred Brownell
The dialogue between Fatemah Alzelzela and Alfred Brownell centred around communities and vulnerabilities. Fatemah and Alfred agreed that the natural phenomena have severely impacted heritage. This negative impact ...
Dialogue between Rita Keegan and Laura Yawanawa
The dialogue between Rita Keegan and Laura Yawanawa was centred on the cultural and economic protection of people from underrepresented regions. They pointed out that the cultural values and knowledge of minority ...
Dialogue between Gabriel Zuchtriegel and Doris Maria Woerfel
The dialogue between Gabriel Zuchtriegel and Doris Maria Woerfel centred on the engagement of the local community in tourism. They agreed that involving local communities is fundamental to sustainable tourism ...
Dialogue between Adrian Jo Milang and Mariam Kamara
The dialogue between Adrian Jo Milang and Mariam Kamara focused on the importance of understanding the true narratives of local and indigenous communities. Adrian and Mariam concurred that local culture should not ...
Dialogue between Ibrahim Mahama and Azra Akšamija
Ibrahim Mahama and Azra Akšamija discussed the role of culture and heritage to highlight narratives of the under-represented regions. Both address questions of the ethics of preservation and how we deal with ...
Dialogue between Nicolas Nova and Habiba Djahnine
Nicolas Nova and Habiba Djahnine discussed the role of new media and technologies in a balanced representation of culture. They agreed that technologies, including films and documentaries, can raise recognition of ...
Dialogue between Jimmy Jean-Louis and Hoor Al-Qasimi
Jimmy Jean-Louis and Hoor Al-Qasimi emphasized the importance of connecting people with the help of culture, but they expressed different ways of working to that end. Al Qasimi believes that the essence of culture ...
Dialogue between Ammar Khammash & Bianca Jagger
The dialogue between Ammar Khammash and Bianca Jagger focused on indigenous peoples and their link to technology. Ammar and Bianca agree that the knowledge of indigenous peoples should play a significant role in ...
Dialogue between Kidlat Tahimik and Bahia Shehab
The dialogue between Kidlat Tahimik and Bahia Shehab was mainly about celebrating local narratives to move towards a balanced representation of heritage. The two artists noted that popular culture today is greatly ...
Dialogue between Kamal Mouzawak and Kotchakorn Vorrakhom
The dialogue between Kamal Mouzawak and Kotchakorn Vorrakhom centred on the importance of local communities for sustainable tourism. They agreed that sustainable tourism must pay paramount attention to locals and ...
Dialogue between Jana Apih and Jascivan Carvalho
The dialogue between Jana Apih and Jascivan Carvalho highlighted the value of local communities for sustainable tourism. They agreed that knowledge of local communities can be used to promote sustainable practices ...
Dialogue between Bruce Yerkovich and Aubin Arroyo
During the dialogue, Bruce Yerkovich and Aubin Arroyo introduced their innovative practices that create positive change in people towards sustainability. Bruce underlined that sustainable tourism can truly empower ...
Dialogue between Hamdan Abdul Majeed and Michael Pinksy
The dialogue between Hamdan Abdul Majeed and Michael Pinksy focused mainly on how sustainable tourism could benefit local communities. Tourists are generally confined to their ‘bubble’, which is not conducive to ...
Dialogue between Carissa Klein and Neeshad Shafi
Carissa Klein and Neeshad Shafi focused on the relationship between human-induced climate issues and heritage preservation. They both agreed that reducing carbon emissions should be a priority to safeguard heritage.
Dialogue between Rana Dajani and Zoe Butt
Dialogue between Rana Dajani and Zoe Butt centred around storytelling and the narrative of the Global South. Since storytelling is fundamental to transferring knowledge and informing different situations, ...
Dialogue between Krista Kim and Ahmed Salman
Krista Kim and Ahmed Salman mainly discussed the intersectionality between art and science. COVID-19 highlighted the importance of bridging the gap between science and culture in order to reduce scepticism and ...
Dialogue between Maria Fernanda Espinosa and Salim Abdool Karim
The dialogue between Maria Fernanda Espinosa and Salim Abdool Karim was centred on the impacts and pre-exisiting problems of society during COVID-19. The pandemic uncovered the vulnerability of a divided society and ...
Dialogue between Adi Utarini and Frank Snowden
The dialogue between Adi Utarini and Frank Snowden mainly focused on the close collaboration between public health and heritage. Utarini and Snowden agreed that the pandemic was a multifaceted problem that affected ...
Dialogue between Jean-Michel Jarre and Ethel Delali Cofie
The dialogue between Jean-Michel Jarre and Ethel D. Cofie mainly addressed the role of digital tools for heritage accessibility. They agreed that digital technologies can contribute to making heritage more ...
Dialogue between Max Tegmark and Tino Sehgal
The dialogue between Max Tegmark and Tino Sehgal centred around the dangers and opportunities of technological development for heritage. The two thinkers agreed that we must take into account the impacts of ...
Dialogue between Abeer Abu Ghaith and Vít Šisler
The dialogue between Abeer Abu Ghaith and Vít Šisler centred around respecting different cultural values, and the ways they are shared and transferred. Ghaith emphasized the importance of having protocols to protect ...
Dialogue between Refik Anadol and Anab Jain
The dialogue between Refik Anadol and Anab Jain focused mainly on synergies between built heritage and digital technologies. As digital artists, Anadol and Jain elaborated on projects that explore diverse digital ...
Dialogue between Małgorzata Górska and Hans Cosmas Ngoteya
Malgorzata Gorska and Hans Cosmas Ngoteya spoke about their experiences in protecting natural habitats and possible methods for natural heritage preservation. They both envision the next 50 years with specific legal ...
Dialogue between Max Tegmark and Tino Sehgal
Dialogue between Max Tegmark and Tino Sehgal 50 Minds for the Next 50. Imagining Heritage in the Digital Dimension Session © Max Tegmark Cosmologist, physicist and professor at the ...
Oral Archives: Russell E. Train
The following audio excerpts are from an interview with Russell E. Train by Christina Cameron the 7 December 2008 in Springfield, Virginia. In particular, he recalls the role he played in the development and ...
The following audio excerpts are from three interviews with Herb Stovel by Christina Cameron in February, March and April 2011. They highlight his leading role in the development of the World Heritage Convention and ...
The following audio excerpts are from an interview with Sok An by Christina Cameron and Mechtild Rössler the 18 June 2014 in Doha, Qatar. The interest of his testimony lies particularly in his vision of the aims of ...
The following audio excerpts are from an interview with Roland Silva by Christina Cameron the 11 October 2011 in Victoria, Canada. They highlight the important contributions of the first Asian President of ICOMOS, ...
Oral Archives: Léon Pressouyre
The selected audio excerpts clips are from an interview with Léon Pressouyre by Christina Cameron and Mechtild Rössler the 18 November 2008 at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris, France. He describes the early years ...
Oral Archives: Robert C. Milne
The following audio excerpts are from an interview in English conducted with Rob Milne by Christina Cameron and Mechtild Rössler the 2 March 2009 at UNESCO headquarters in Paris. There are enlightening details about ...
The audio excerpts come from an interview with Henry Cleere by Christina Cameron the 24 January 2008 in London. Mr. Cleere explains his role as an ICOMOS World Heritage Coordinator and draws on his long experience ...
Oral Archives: Eleonora Mitrofanova
The following audio extracts are from an interview with Eleonora Mitrofanova by Christina Cameron in July 2019 in Baku, Azerbaijan. She recounts her long experience at UNESCO and her views on the politicization of ...
The following audio clips are from an interview with Stephen Morris by Christina Cameron on 24 April 2019 in Springfield, Virginia. Stephen Morris applauds the awareness of the endangered places that the popularity ...
Oral Archives: Jonathan Putnam
The following audio clips are from an interview with Jonathan Putnam by Christina Cameron on 24 April 2019 in Springfield, Virginia. Putnam argues that more effort should be invested in conservation rather than ...
The following audio extracts are from an interview with Jean Musitelli by Christina Cameron the 6 December 2019 at UNESCO headquarters in Paris. The interviews highlights in particular the values of universalism and ...
Interview David Hales Oral Archives of the World Heritage Convention David Hales is an American environmentalist. Currently, he is a director of the World Parliament of Religions, where he ...
Oral Archives: Mounir Bouchenaki
The following audio excerpts are from an interview with Mounir Bouchenaki by Christina Cameron and Mechtild Rössler the 5th February 2009 at UNESCO headquarters in Paris, France. The interview touches on his long ...
The following audio excerpts are from an interview with Max Bourke by Christina Cameron the 30th October 2013 in Canberra, Australia. He describes his personal involvement and that of his country in the early years ...
The following audio excerpts are from an interview with Hans Caspary by Christina Cameron and Mechtild Rössler the 1st July 2011 in Mainz, Germany. He provides an enlightened personal view on the mechanisms and ...
Oral Archives: Lucien Chabason
The following audio excerpts are from an interview with Lucien Chabason by Christina Cameron and Petra van den Born 2 October 2012 at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris. The memories of Lucien Chabason offer a very ...
Oral Archives: Alissandra Cummins
Interview Alissandra Cummins Oral Archives of the World Heritage Convention Following studies in art history at the University of East Anglia, Alissandra Cummins completed her Masters in ...
Oral Archives: Catherine Dumesnil
The following audio excerpts are from an interview with Catherine Dumesnil by Christina Cameron and Mechtild Rössler the 25 November 2009 at the UNESCO headquarters in Paris. She shares her positive and optimistic ...
The following audio excerpts are from an interview with Hal Eidsvik by Christina Cameron the 3 July 2009 in Ottawa, Canada. Well-informed through his experience with World Heritage, he shares a global perspective on ...
The following audio excerpts come from an interview conducted with Tamás Fejérdy by Christina Cameron the 11 May 2018 in Budapest. The interviewee recounts his experience as President of the World Heritage Committee ...
The following audio excerpts are from an interview with Guo Zhan by Christina Cameron the 3 August 2010 in Brasilia, Brazil. He describes the challenges and particularities of the implementation of the World ...
Oral Archives: Natarajan Ishwaran
The following audio excerpts are from an interview with Natarajan Ishwaran by Christina Cameron and Mechtild Rössler the 24 November 2009 at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris. Through his extensive knowledge of UNESCO's ...
The audio excerpts come from an interview with Joseph King by Christina Cameron and Mechtild Rössler the 19 June 2014 in Doha, Qatar. They offer an interesting perspective on the activities of ICCROM, a consultative ...
Oral Archives: Vera Lacoeuilhe
The following audio excerpts are from an interview with Vera Lacoeuilhe by Christina Cameron and Mechtild Rössler the 16 November 2017 in Paris. Lacoeuilhe comments on the current challenges of the implementation of ...
Oral Archives: Vera Lacoeuilhe
The following audio excerpts are from an interview with François LeBlanc by Christina Cameron the 7 April 2009 in Ottawa, Canada. His involvement in World Heritage dates back to the early years of the Convention and ...
Oral Archives: Francisco Lopez Morales
The audio excerpts are from an interview with Francisco Lopez Morales by Christina Cameron the 3 August 2010. He provides interesting insights into the length and representativity of the World Heritage List and ...
Oral Archives: Jean-Louis Luxen
The audio excerpts are from an interview with Jean-Louis Luxen by Christina Cameron the 26 March 2009 at Louvain in Belgium. These excerpts reflect his optimistic and sometimes critical vision for the objectives and ...
Oral Archives: Julia Marton-Lefèvre
The following audio excerpts are from an interview with Julia Marton-Lefèvre by Christina Cameron the 28 March 2019 in Paris. Marton-Lefèvre talks about how, as Director General of IUCN, she wanted to recognize the ...
Oral Archives: Koïchiro Matsuura
The following audio excerpts are from an interview with Koïchiro Matsuura by Christina Cameron and Mechtild Rössler the 24 November 2009 at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris. The former UNESCO Director General discusses ...
Oral Archives: Jeffrey A. McNeely
The following audio excerpts are from an interview with Jeff McNeely by Mechtild Rössler the 17 September 2010 in Gland, Switzerland. He shares with insight his vision of the natural dimension of the World Heritage ...
Oral Archives: Krzysztof Pawlowski
The following audio excerpts come from an interview with Krzysztof Pawlowski by Christina Cameron the 8 May 2018 in Warsaw. The interviewee recounts his involvement in the beginnings of the World Heritage ...
Oral Archives: Adrian Phillips
The following audio excerpts are from an interview with Adrian Phillips by Christina Cameron the 24 January 2008 in London, U.K. Adrian Phillips takes a critical look at the successes and limitations of the World ...
Oral Archives: Harald Plachter
The following audio excerpts are from an interview with Harald Plachter by Christina Cameron and Mechtild Rössler the 1 July 2011 at Mainz, Germany. He comments on the growing imbalance between the role of ...
The following audio excerpts are from an interview with Michael Turner by Christina Cameron the 9 July 2017 in Krakow. Turner discusses issues concerning Israel's involvement in the World Heritage Convention, ...
The following audio excerpts come from an interview with Jacek Purchla by Christina Cameron the 10 May 2018 in Krakow. The interviewee recounts his experience as Chair of the World Heritage Committee, his efforts to ...
The audio excerpts are from an interview with John Reynolds in Springfield, Virginia, by Christina Cameron the 18 May 2011, Springfield, United States of America. Among the most suggestive passages are Reynolds' ...
Oral Archives: Sharon Sullivan
The following audio excerpts are from an interview with Sharon Sullivan by Christina Cameron the 30 October 2013 in Canberra. Sharon Sullivan provides an original, critical and encouraging vision of the objectives ...
Oral Archives: Abdelaziz Touri
The following audio excerpts are from an interview conducted with Abdelaziz Touri by Christina Cameron and Petra Van Den Born the 22 June 2011 at UNESCO headquarters in Paris. He recounts his vision of World ...
Oral Archives: Bernd von Droste
The following audio excerpts are from two interviews conducted with Bernd von Droste by Christina Cameron and Mechtild Rössler the 5 April 2007 and 1st February 2008 at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris. He describes his ...
Oral Archives: Jane Robertson Vernhes
The following audio excerpts are from an interview with Jane Robertson Vernhes by Christina Cameron and Mechtild Rössler the 24 November 2009 at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris. The capsules provide an enlightened ...
Oral Archives: Licia Vlad Borrelli
The audio excerpts come from an interview with Licia Vlad Borrelli by Christina Cameron and Mechtild Rössler the 6 May 2010 in Rome. She describes her long and rich experience of World Heritage, evoking in parallel ...
The following audio excerpts are from an interview with Zsolt Visy by Christina Cameron the 12 May 2018 in Budapest, Hungary. We learn about Mr. Visy's experience in the preparation of several nominations to the ...
The following audio excerpts are from an interview with Ray Wanner by Christina Cameron the 18 May 2011 in Springfield, Virginia. Having attended nearly 20 sessions of the Committee during his career, he recounts ...
Oral Archives: Gamini Wijesuriya
The following audio excerpts are from an interview conducted with Gamini Wijesuriya by Christina Cameron and Mechtild Rössler the 29 June 2018 in Manama, Bahrain. According to Wijesuriya, the Convention provides a ...
Oral Archives: Christopher Young
The following audio excerpts are from an interview with Christopher Young by Christina Cameron the 16 May 2018 in Paris. We hear about his experience as the manager of Hadrian's Wall, as well as the beginnings of ...