The Ehotilé Islands National Park is a group of six islands situated along the eastern shoreline of the Côte d’Ivoire that shelters a complex and diverse flora and fauna. It was listed as a Ramsar Site (see the ...
In October 2001, initiated by UNESCO’s World Heritage Centre, with the support of the France-UNESCO Cooperation Agreement, a workshop focused on Global Strategy raising awareness of the heritage of the Islands of ...
Preparatory assistance for inscription of the Royal Hill of Ambohimanga
The Royal Hill of Ambohimanga in Madagascar consists of a royal city and burial site, and an ensemble of sacred places. It is associated with strong feelings of national identity, and has maintained its spiritual ...
Preparatory assistance for inscription of the Rainforests of the Atsinanana, Madagascar
The Rainforests of the Atsinanana are predominantly old-growth forests, and, as such, are critically important for the maintenance of ecological processes and the survival of Madagascar’s unique biodiversity. The ...
Preparatory assistance for the inscription of Koutammakou, the Land of the Batammariba, Togo
The Koutammakou landscape in north-eastern Togo, which extends into neighboring Benin, is home to the Batammariba people whose remarkable mud tower-houses have become a symbol of Togo. In this landscape, nature is ...
Durban Meeting (South Africa) on transboundary properties in Africa
In Africa, natural heritage is often protected and sustained because it belongs to a shared system of belief and culture. Furthermore, many cultural and natural properties are transnational, and are either they are ...
In 1994, the World Heritage Committee launched the Global Strategy for a representative, balanced and credible World Heritage List. Crucial to the Global Strategy are efforts to encourage the nomination of ...
Seminar in Niamey (Niger) on Global Strategy in West Africa
Following the 4th Global Strategy Meeting for West Africa, 16 to 19 September 1998, Porto Novo, Benin, nine African States Parties to the 1972 World Heritage Convention were invited to a meeting organised by the ...
Engaging Local Communities in the Stewardship of World Heritage (COMPACT)
The role of local communities in ensuring that World Heritage contributes to sustainable development was chosen by the World Heritage Committee as the central theme for the celebration of the 40th anniversary of the ...
Technical assistance for the valorisation of the Villa Ocampo, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Thanks to Victoria Ocampo (1890-1979), one of the most important Argentine cultural figures of the 20th century, Villa Ocampo (Buenos Aires, Argentina) was the privileged witness of the French-Argentine cultural ...
At the request of Bolivian authorities, UNESCO provided technical assistance to advise on a mining museum in the City of Potosí, Bolivia (Plurinational State of). Assistance was provided as part of a research ...
In the 19th century, the riches of Chile aroused the greed of European and American powers, resulting in the establishment of large industrial plants, including intensive saltpetre mining companies. The production ...
The UNESCO Chair on Cultural Heritage Management was created in 2000 and is established at the National University of Colombia, branch located in Manizales. Its main objectives are to promote an integrated system of ...
30th Anniversary of the World Heritage Convention Virtual Congress
World Heritage in the Digital Age. Conferences, workshops and special events (China, Egypt, France, Mexico, Senegal) On the occasion of the 30th Anniversary of the World Heritage Convention, conferences and ...
Technical assistance for the management of the Joya de Cerén Archaeological Site, El Salvador
Joya de Cerén is the name given to a rural settlement dating back to the period of the Mayan civilization. The site provides a unique window into the past. Buried in the 6th century, during a volcanic eruption, ...
With its earthen constructions unique to the Caribbean, the town of Coro, Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of), is the only surviving example of a rich fusion of local traditions with Spanish Mudéjar and Dutch ...
Workshop on urban conservation and restoration and creation of a four-language glossary. The SIRCHAL Programme (Network for the Revitalization of Latin American and Caribbean Historic Centres) has several goals ...
The UNESCO Chair in Cultural Heritage Management was established in 2000 at the National University of Colombia (branch of Manizales), at the request of the Columbian State. To celebrate its inauguration, a series ...
Preparatory assistance for the inscription of the Temple of Preah Vihear, Cambodia
The Temple of Preah Vihear, which is dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva, is situated on Cambodia’s northern border with Thailand. The property consists of a series of sanctuaries which are linked by a network of paths ...
Commemoration of ten years of international co-operation at Angkor, Cambodia
Situated in the current province of Siem Reap in the northwest of Cambodia, Angkor, the ancient capital of the Khmer Kings and the group of monuments constructed between the ninth and fifteenth centuries, was ...
The Kingdom of Wu and Six Canal Towns of the Lower Yangtze River, China, are located to the south of the Yangtze River, near Lake Tai, approximately 60 km east of Shanghai, in a landscape shaped by crisscrossing ...
The Koguryo Kingdom covered the majority of Democratic People's Republic of Korea and north-eastern China, from 227 BCE until 668 CE. Some of the most significant tangible remains of this civilisation include ...
The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR) was the first of three mountain railways of India to be inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1999. The property was extended in 2005 and 2008 to include two other railroads ...
Preparatory assistance and feasibility study for the inscription of Varanasi, India
As part of the Indian Heritage Cities Network project, and in link with the “Rivers and heritage” initiative, a seminar was held in February 2007 in Varanasi, India. The objective was the enhancement of this ...
Workshop on urban conservation, Chandigarh, India
The city of Chandigarh was the first planned city in India post-independence in 1947 and is internationally renowned for its architecture and urban design. The master plan of the city was developed by Le Corbusier, ...
Preparation and publication: “Historic atlas of Kyoto”, Japan
The “Historical Atlas of Kyoto: Spatial Analysis of the Memory Systems of a City, its Architecture and Urban Landscape” (In French: « Atlas historique de Kyoto: Analyse spatiale des systèmes de mémoire d’une ville, ...
Preparatory assistance for the inscription of Issyk Kul warm-water lake, Kyrgyzstan
North of the Tian Shan Mountains, 1608 m above sea level, is the Issyk Kul Lake, Kyrgyzstan, a natural reservoir of warm water contained in a region famous for its natural resources. In the Soviet era, the lake was ...
Technical assistance for the valorisation of the Fort and Shalamar Gardens in Lahore, Pakistan
The Fort and Shalamar Gardens in Lahore, Pakistan, have been inscribed on the World Heritage List since 1981. The inscribed property includes two distinct royal complexes, the Lahore Fort and the Shalimar Gardens, ...
“Humanize Bangkok” project, Thailand
Bangkok, in Thailand, is one of the most populated cities in the world, a symbol of uncontrolled urban growth, marked by heavy pollution and huge traffic problems. In 1998, a project entitled "Humanise Bangkok" was ...
Restauration and revitalisation of the Complex of Hué Monuments and historical town, Viet Nam
Hué, Viet Nam, is one of the last large fortified citadel cities of south-east Asia which was the imperial capital until 1945. The Complex of Hué Monuments has exceptional architectural and landscape heritage which ...
This project’s objective was to provide technical assistance to set up management and conservation plans on several sites distributed across a vast territory.600 km south of Algiers, Algeria, the small M'Zab ...
Conservation and enhancement of the historic city of Bejaïa, Algeria
Carried out under the aegis of the France-UNESCO Cooperation Agreement, this project aimed to strengthen local capacity and sustain actions undertaken at the local level.Surrounded by the huge Djurdjura, the Bibans ...
Workshop for heritage in Tlemcen, Algeria
This project aimed to ensure the training of local skilled staff in restoration and rehabilitation, through organization of education programmes in partnership with the “Friends of Tlemcen” NGO.Tlemcen, Algeria, was ...
Conservation and preservation of the city of Constantine, Algeria
The project in Constantine is part of the cross-sector project “Poverty Reduction through Sustainable World Heritage Management”, launched in 2002, on the theme of eliminating poverty and extreme poverty through the ...
Technical Assistance for the protection and development of Ksar of Ait-Ben-Haddou, Morocco
Ksar of Ait-Ben-Haddou, in Morocco, is a fortified village of adobe buildings and is an interesting example of earthen architecture in North Africa. It contains barns and dwellings within its defensive walls, which ...
Preparatory assistance for the inscription of the Southern Oasis of Morocco
At the initiative of the Permanent Delegation of Morocco and the “Agence pour la promotion et le développement économique culturel et social des provinces du Sud du Royaume du Maroc” (agency for the economic, ...
In 2001, the Syrian Arab Republic’s General Directorate of Antiquities and Museums (DGAM) requested technical assistance. Within the framework of the France-UNESCO Cooperation Agreement, a seminar was organised in ...
Technical assistance for the management of the Historic Centres of Berat and Gjirokastra, Albania
With a strategic geographic position on one of the few passageways between the Adriatic Sea and the Balkan Peninsula, and on the banks of the Osum River, Berat, Albania became a rich commercial and cultural center ...
Technical assistance to the Shirak Museum, Armenia
The regional Shirak Museum, Armenia, was established in 1930. During the 1970s, tens of thousands of pieces representing the material and spiritual culture of the historical province of Shirak were collected by the ...
Private property management in historic city centres of European countries in transition
The transfer of responsibility from private ownership to local and territorial governments poses new management problems in the centres of European countries in transition. France, which has a long tradition in this ...
Seminar in Cinque Terre (Italy) on cultural landscapes
In 1992, the World Heritage Committee changed the Operational Guidelines for the inscription of cultural landscapes on the World Heritage List. It was defined as the “combined works of nature and man” as set out in ...
Technical assistance for the restoration of Saint Basil's Basilica, Moscow, Russian Federation
The construction of the Basilica Saint. Basil the Blessed, Moscow, Russian Federation, took place between 1552 and 1561 after the capture of Kazan by Tsar Ivan IV, also known as Ivan the Terrible, to commemorate his ...
The Historic Areas of Istanbul, Turkey, were inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1985, and as a strategic point in the Bosphorus peninsula between the Balkans and Anatolia, the Black Sea and the Mediterranean, ...
International Conference in Istanbul (Turkey) on the resistance of historic buildings to earthquakes
The “International Conference on the Seismic Performance of Traditional Buildings” was held in Istanbul, Turkey from 16 to 18 November 2000, under the patronage of UNESCO, ICOMOS and Turkey’s Ministry of Culture. It ...
Zeugma is an ancient city situated on the Euphrates south of Turkey. It is composed of two cities on either side of the Euphrates: Seleucia and Apamea. The construction of a new dam on the Euphrates in Turkey ...
Seminar at the Royal Saltworks of Arc-et-Senans (France) on Tourism and World Heritage Sites
An international expert meeting focusing on “Tourism and World Heritage Sites” was held from 6 to 8 March 2008 at the Royal Saltworks of Arc-et-Senans, France. (The Saltwork is part of a property inscribed on the ...
The Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage was signed on 16 November 1972. The 30th Anniversary celebrations included the organization of the international conference “World ...
Heritage and poverty alleviation (Senegal, Benin, Lao People's Democratic Republic, China, Guyana)
Urban heritage preservation policies, when separated from development strategies, can lead to a marginalization of the poorest populations. Constraints caused by regulations, in the absence of assistance mechanisms, ...
The objective of this project was to establish a global network of World Heritage forests to assist the World Heritage Forest Programme.In 1998, the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), IUCN and the ...
“Public works and heritage”. International seminar in Paris, (France) on bridges
Connecting river banks and cultures, bridge are a work which has, today, acquired great symbolic value, whether as historical testimony or contemporary creation. Reconstruction of the Mostar Bridge (which is part of ...
The rationale of this project was to provide technical assistance through an advisory mission for the development of management mechanisms and tourism management for two recently inscribed sites, one natural and one ...
Preparatory assistance for the updating of the national inventory of cultural heritage of Cameroon
In order to identify and protect its heritage, Cameroon launched a national inventory of cultural heritage in 2001. The French Embassy in Cameroon passed on the request for technical assistance to the French ...
Support for the identification, safeguarding and protection of heritage in Comoros
The Comoros islands possess a rich cultural and material heritage as well as a rich intangible heritage. The country ratified the World Heritage Convention in 2000 and identified 4 sites for inscription on the ...
Preparatory assistance for inscription of the Royal Domain of Mbé cultural landscape, Congo
Located 200km from Brazzaville, Congo, the Royal Domain of the Mbé was inscribed on the Tentative Lists in 2008. The property, which is also of significant historical value, is made up of a group of areas linked to ...
Support for conservation and management of the Historic Town of Grand Bassam, Côte d’Ivoire
Grand-Bassam is the first capital of the former French colony of Côte d’Ivoire, from 1893 to 1900. The historic city, or “France quarter” as it was called, was built on a stretch of land between the Ouladine Lake to ...
Preparatory assistance for an extension to the site of Tiya, Ethiopia
Ethiopia has numerous megalithic sites. The most important of them is Tiya, which was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1980. It has thirty-six monuments, including thirty-two stelae inscribed with sometimes ...
Technical assistance to update the national inventory of cultural heritage of Ethiopia
Realizing the richness of Ethiopian cultural heritage, the organization in charge of cultural heritage within the Ministry of Culture, the ARCCH (Authority for Research and Conservation of Cultural Heritage), ...
Founded in the ninth century, the Agadez, Niger, occupies a prominent position on the crossroads of the principal commercial routes of the Sahara, which allowed it to play an important role in the region until the ...
Emergency assistance to the Okapi Wildlife Reserve of the Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Okapi Wildlife Reserve has been on the World Heritage List since 1996. It occupies about one-fifth of the Ituri forest in the northeast of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, near the borders of Sudan and ...
Urban heritage and local development in Africa: participation in the Africities Summits
The France-UNESCO Cooperation Agreement developed several activities centred on heritage and sustainable local development in Africa in particular. Since 2003, this Cooperation Agreement initiated the organisation ...
Within the framework of the France-UNESCO Cooperation Agreement, the French Ministry of Culture and the Director General of heritage for several African countries organized a week of meetings for directors of the ...
Support for African local governments in the field of heritage (EU-AIMF project)
In 2009, a programme called “Heritage and Development” was initiated under the France-UNESCO Cooperation Agreement to respond to the requests expressed during the special sessions of the Africities Summits on ...
Caribbean archaeological heritage has been the subject of enhancement initiatives at the beginning of the years 2000, to valorise underrepresented heritage on the World Heritage List in the region. An international ...
The property Vat Phou and Associated Ancient Settlements within the Champasak Cultural Landscape, Lao People's Democratic Republic, was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 2001, as a cultural landscape, at the ...
The France-UNESCO Cooperation Agreement provided support to the valorisation of the Pacific Marine Heritage and support to the World Heritage Marine Programme. The “Marine heritage project: Central pacific”, on ...
Le Corbusier is one of the greatest architects of the 20th century, and his work both built and written have had a huge impact on the world, and demonstrate major technical and conceptual changes of the Modern ...
Managing a heritage site today involves much more than just conservation. It's also about site protection, enhancement and the arrangements for hosting and managing visitor flows, as well as commitment to developing ...
Learning from experiences of the Rivers and Heritage initiative The Rivers and Heritage initiative proposes to support the process of cultural development of rivers and to contribute to the protection and the ...
Cities and urban areas are the most represented types of heritage on the World Heritage List. World Heritage Cities are also among the World Heritage Properties that appear most often in state of conservation ...
Support for the World Heritage Earthen Architecture Programme (WHEAP)
In 2007, the World Heritage Centre, with the support of the France-UNESCO Cooperation Agreement, launched a study and analysis of the World Heritage List and the Tentative Lists (of States parties which have signed ...
Small Island Developing States (SIDS) are islands of the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans. They are generally small in size, relatively remote, vulnerable to environmental challenges, and ...
Global Strategy: Support to agro-pastoral cultural landscapes
Pastoralism is defined as a system of livestock farming which depends, for the most part, on the generally non-intensive use of naturally-occurring plant materials for grazing, either on a farm or as part of a ...
With the support of the Flemish Government, and later within the framework of the France-UNESCO Cooperation Agreement, the World Heritage Centre launched an online Information System on the state of conservation ...
Following the international donors conference for the Rehabilitation of the Cultural Heritage in Kosovo* (13 May 2005), organised by UNESCO in collaboration with the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in ...
Developing a Sustainable Tourism Strategy for the Silk Roads Heritage Corridors
Developing a Sustainable Tourism Strategy for the Silk Roads Heritage Corridors © UNESCO / Roland Lin Acclaimed as the ‘greatest route in the history of mankind’, the ancient Silk Road formed the ...
World Heritage Education Programme Brochure
The World Heritage Education Programme gives young people a chance to voice their concerns and to become involved in the protection of our common cultural and natural heritage. This brochure offers overview of the ...
At its 19th session (UNESCO, 2013), the General Assembly of States Parties to the World Heritage Convention decided (Resolution 19 GA 4) to fully apply Article 8, paragraph 2, of the World Heritage Convention which ...
Extra-budgetary Projects Latin America and the Caribbean A number of specific conservation projects within the Region undertaken mostly through funding provided by extra-budgetary resources. The projects financed ...
World Heritage and Sustainable Development
Heritage was long absent from the mainstream sustainable development debate despite its crucial importance to societies and the wide acknowledgment of its great potential to contribute to social, economic and ...
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Culture and Development: World Heritage in the Caribbean
The results of the Second Periodic Report on the State of World Heritage in Latin America and the Caribbean were presented at the 37th session of the World Heritage Committee held in Phnom Penh (Cambodia), in June ...
Youth from Caribbean SIDS and Central American give focus on Marine Biodiversity & Climate Change
The World Heritage Youth Project on Marine Biodiversity & Climate Change, held from 25th to 29th of January 2016 in Panama at the World Heritage site of Coiba National Park and its special zone of marine ...
The two years 2016-2018 UNESCO/Japanese Funds-in-Trust project “Support to the South Asian Cultural Landscape Initiatives” was officially approved by the Japanese authorities on 31 May 2016. The project aims to ...
#MyOceanPledge I pledge to protect the ocean for future generations Please do not email me Newsletter Sign the Pledge #MyOceanPledge was started by children living ...
Rapid Response Facility (RRF) Protecting natural World Heritage sites in times of crisis
Natural World Heritage sites face many challenges that threaten their existence. They represent a global heritage recognized as being of outstanding universal value, unique and irreplaceable. As the rate of global ...
Revival of the Historic City of Sankhu (Nepal)
Sankhu is a traditional Newar settlement located in the North East of the Kathmandu Valley, Nepal, and was inscribed on the tentative World Heritage List in 2008. The April and May 2015 earthquakes had a ...
Small Islands Developing States (SIDS) have a rich cultural and natural heritage, yet this is not currently fully reflected in the World Heritage List. Between 2011 and 2016, SIDS States Parties to the World ...
Emergency Safeguarding of the Portico of the Temple of Bel in Palmyra
In summer 2016, the Temple of Bel, among other important archaeological monuments of the World Heritage Site of Palmyra, was intentionally destroyed. An element of the structure of the Temple, the Portico, remained ...
Stratégie pour le tourisme durable dans le Parc National du Banc d’Arguin
Le projet vise à aider le Parc National du Banc d’Arguin (PNBA) à développer une stratégie pour le tourisme durable dans ce bien du patrimoine mondial, en donnant un rôle effectif aux communautés locales des ...
Heritage Impact Assessments at World Heritage Properties: Database and Guidance Tools
Heritage impact assessments (HIAs) and Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) are increasingly required to analyze possible effects and consequences of development on the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of World ...
Mitigating threats to Rock Art Heritage in Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe has benefited from several initiatives in the field of Rock Art conservation. These initiatives mainly consisted of participation in training programmes with sub-regional scope that took place about a ...
Properties of Religious Interest – Sustainable Management [PRI-SM] Thematic Paper & General Guidance
The issue of the protection and management of properties of religious interest is increasingly prominent in contemporary conservation debates. In today’s interconnected world grappling with serious socio-economic ...
Disaster Risk Management Plan for Quebrada de Humahuaca
This project aims to fund the elaboration of a Risk Management Plan for the property Quebrada de Humahuaca by providing technical support to the State Party of Argentina and to provide specific training to the local ...
Improving the Effectiveness of the World Heritage Reactive Monitoring Process
The Reactive Monitoring process established under the World Heritage Convention is one of the most comprehensive systems of monitoring ever developed under an international legal instrument in conservation. However, ...
Developing an official UNESCO World Heritage Mobile application
UNESCO seeks to encourage the identification, protection, preservation and conservation of cultural and natural heritage around the world considered to be of outstanding value to humanity. This is embodied in the ...
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 ...
Le but de ce projet est de financer des ateliers de formation au profit des gestionnaires du patrimoine mondial en Egypte en vue de leur permettre de maîtriser les techniques de réalisation des études d’impacts de ...
Objectives Established in 1959 as a multiple land use area, with wildlife coexisting with semi-nomadic Maasai pastoralists practicing traditional livestock grazing, Ngorongoro Conservation Area (NCA) was inscribed ...
#OurLakeOhrid Photo & Story Contest 2017
The second Photo & Story Contest for the Lake Ohrid region and its natural and cultural heritage is organized within the framework of the project "Towards strengthened governance of the shared transboundary ...
World Heritage and Ramsar Convention on Wetlands
64% of the world’s wetlands have disappeared since the beginning of the last century. In most regions across the world, wetlands continue to decline compromising the benefits that wetlands provide to people. ...
Fourteen youth, with common interests in marine biodiversity and climate change, developed tourist guides for the Coiba National Park in Panama, in the framework of the World Heritage Youth Project on Marine ...
Strengthening World Heritage properties’ resilience to face climate change
Climate change is becoming one of the most significant threats to World Heritage properties, jeopardizing the disappearance of their Outstanding Universal Value, their integrity and the potential for economic and ...
Heritage of Science and Technology: World Heritage Potential of Space Technology
The issues of identification and preservation of the heritage of science and technology have been discussed at a number of international meetings organized within the framework of the UNESCO Thematic Initiative ...
Providing a platform for youth’s participation in World Heritage conservation
The World Heritage Youth Forum is a flagship activity carried out under the World Heritage Education Programme since 1995. The forum serves as a platform by bringing young people, educators and heritage experts ...
World Heritage Policy Compendium
The ‘Policy Compendium’ will aim to provide States Parties with a consolidated source of policy decisions made under the Convention. It will respond to the need of States Parties for readily accessible information ...
World Heritage Fund Consultation Survey 2017
Voluntary annual fee by the properties inscribed on the World Heritage List Online consultation survey Online consultation survey concerning a voluntary annual fee by the properties inscribed on the World ...
Research and global thematic survey
Elaboration of a thematic paper proposing to the States Parties to the World Heritage Convention general guidance regarding the management of their cultural and natural heritage of religious interest. This could be ...
Case studies and Thematic Questionnaire PRI-SM
This case-study approach aims to define the main principles for building general guidance for World Heritage properties of Religious Interest, seeking to understand the needs, challenges and best practices for the ...
Educational Resource Kit ‘World Heritage in Young Hands’
Education is the key to personal fulfilment, development, conservation, peace and well-being. Through education, young people can find new ways to build commitment and strengthen action in favour of preserving our ...
Instagram Video ContestOpen to 18 - 32 years old Post your video about an African World Heritage site using the hashtag #MyAfricanHeritage and stand the chance to win one of our prizes. Top ...
Patrimonito’s World Heritage Adventure cartoon series is a flagship activity carried out under the World Heritage Education Programme since 2002. The cartoon series aim to raise the awareness of the importance of ...
World Heritage sites and museums: A pact for sustainable development
Every historical site has a story to tell, and these stories connect the past, present and future. World Heritage sites are vital sources for our culturally and socially sustainable development. As outstanding ...
Developing an online tool for the World Heritage Policy Compendium
The World Heritage Policy Compendium (2015-2019) The proposed activities are presented in the framework of the ongoing development of a compendium of policy for the World Heritage Convention, a project that was ...
Participatory Management Plan for Jesuit and Franciscan Missionary Heritage
This project aims to strengthen the management capacity between the authorities responsible for cultural heritage management in Bolivia, and ensure the active participation of departmental, regional and local ...
Strengthening Sustainable Resource Management and Local Livelihoods in Los Katíos National Park
This project aims to strengthen sustainable natural resource management in Los Katíos National Park in a way that also provides sustainable livelihood options for local communities living in the area and its buffer ...
Five years of Conflict - The State of Cultural Heritage in the Ancient City of Aleppo
The first comprehensive account of the devastation wrought on the World Heritage site of the Ancient City of Aleppo during years of armed conflict in the Syrian Arab Republic has just been published by UNESCO and ...
Based on a strong appeal from national and local stakeholders, the 2030 Agenda adopted by the UN General Assembly integrated, for the first time, the role of culture, through cultural heritage and creativity, as an ...
UNESCO advocates the reaffirmation of identity, mutual respect, dialogue, and unity in diversity, solidarity and a positive interaction among the cultures of the world. This is valid for all areas, including for ...
Enhancing the credibility of the World Heritage List: Tentative List good practices
Tentative Lists are inventories of sites forming part of the cultural and natural heritage of a State Party, which have a strong potential to be inscribed on the World Heritage List. These national inventories are ...
Uplifting the perception of the List of World Heritage in Danger
Article 4 of the World Heritage Convention refers to the conservation of properties inscribed on the World Heritage List and indicates that “Each State Party to this Convention recognizes that the duty of ensuring ...
World Heritage Journeys of Buddhist Heritage Sites
UNESCO is currently implementing a project to develop a unique Buddhist Heritage Route for Sustainable Tourism Development in South Asia with the support from the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA). ...
Initiative on Heritage of Astronomy, Science and Technology
One type of scientific heritage under-represented on the World Heritage List concerns sites connected with natural sciences and the development of their application through engineering and technology.
Improvement of the conservation of Koutammakou, the Land of the Batammariba
Following the collapse of several Takienta during the rainy season in 2018, an on-site emergency mission was carried out by UNESCO from 19-24 October 2018 to assess the extent of the damages caused. The mission ...
Lately, the Djoudj National Park is subject to discharges of agricultural effluents and proliferation of invasive plants that threaten its natural balance. This situation is notably due to the installation of rice ...
Engaging local communities in the conservation of the Maloti-Drakensberg Park World Heritage site
Local communities and indigenous peoples are, and have been for centuries, the custodians of many World Heritage sites. Launched in the year 2000, the Community Management for Protected Areas Conservation (COMPACT) ...
Engaging local communities in the conservation of the Okavango Delta World Heritage site
Local communities and indigenous peoples are, and have been for centuries, the custodians of many World Heritage sites. Launched in the year 2000, the Community Management for Protected Areas Conservation (COMPACT) ...
Identification and Promotion of Muslim Heritage in Central Europe
The Muslim heritage of Central Europe is very rich. It is a synthesis of Eastern and European cultural elements, embodied in the values of tangible and intangible culture. This are primarily mosques and mizars ...
Compilation of Case Studies and Pilot Projects (PRI-SM)
As endorsed by the World Heritage Committee at its 42nd session (Manama, 2018), States Parties are invited to actively contribute to the implementation of the UNESCO Initiative on Heritage of Religious Interest by ...
Developing Sustainable Fisheries in Lake Malawi National Park (Malawi)
Lake Malawi National Park was established in 1980 as a National Park and inscribed as a World Heritage Site in 1984 for its natural beauty (criterion vii) and outstanding biodiversity values, notably due to its ...
Koutammakou is a vast transboundary cultural landscape stretching from north-eastern Togo to north-western Benin. It is the land of the Batammariba, a people remarkable in particular for its highly elaborate organic ...
Supporting biodiversity and sustainable livelihoods in Lake Malawi National Park
Lake Malawi National Park was established in 1980 and inscribed as a World Heritage site in 1984 for its natural beauty (criterion vii) and outstanding biodiversity values, notably due to its value to science as a ...
Finalisation of the Zakouma National Park nomination file on the World Heritage List
Zakouma National Park is located in southeastern Chad. Inscribed in the Tentalive List in 2005, it covers an area of nearly three hundred and five thousand (305,000) hectares. Created in 1963, Zakouma National Park ...
The Diy Gid Biy Cultural Landscape (DGB) is a set of sixteen (16) dry stone sites distributed in seven (7) villages in the Far North Region of Cameroon. The DGB sites are complexes of terraces and platforms spread ...
Enhancing the implementation capacity of the 1972 Convention at Natural World Heritage sites
Ethiopia is among the African countries, which have nine sites inscribed on the World Heritage List. Eight cultural sites and only one natural property, the Simien National Park inscribed in 1978. The Ethiopian ...
Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve (RNIMN) (Côte d'Ivoire/Guinea) was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1981. Thereafter, the property has been inscribed on the List of World Heritage in Danger for 29 years due ...
In early May 2020, torrential rain occurred in and around Rwenzori Mountains National Park (Uganda), a property inscribed on the World Heritage List. The excessive rain caused heavy flooding and destroyed wildlife ...
Over the last decade, several countries from the Sahel region have experienced insecurity and conflicts generated by rebel groups. This has affected the lives of the communities, worsening the region’s economic ...
Lake Malawi fish conservation project
Located at the southern end of the great expanse of Lake Malawi, with its deep, clear waters and mountain backdrop, the national park is home to many hundreds of fish species, nearly all endemic. Its importance for ...
The current state and trend of World Heritage values of the Dja Faunal Reserve are threatened by pressures from development projects (dams, plantations, logging) in the periphery of the Reserve. There is concern ...
At the 43rd session in Baku (2019), the World Heritage Committee requested the State Parties “to continue reflecting on the mechanisms and tools needed to assess and guide interventions in and around urban ...
The property was inscribed on the List of World Heritage in Danger in 2018 due to the potentially irreversible loss of the property’s OUV caused by the impacts of various development projects (Kuraz irrigation ...
Daily monitoring system of heritage sites in the Baekje Historic Areas (Republic of Korea)
The daily monitoring of the conservation status of the heritage sites is carried out by local residents, who were trained as daily heritage inspectors by the managing authority. This monitoring system is a flexible, ...
Improvement of the conservation of Koutammakou, the Land of the Batammariba - Phase 2
Following the collapse of several Sikien during the rain season in 2018, an on-site emergency mission was carried out by UNESCO from 19-24 October 2018 to assess the extent of the damages caused. The mission ...
Celebrating community and heritage through the George Town Heritage Celebrations (Malaysia)
The annual celebration features an interactive and educational programme that includes workshops and performances in the streets of the historic city of George Town. Through the Celebrations, the local communities ...
The initiative aims to educate and share the history, culture and heritage of the Brazilian territory of Missions. The exhibition is part of an ongoing project developed by the National Institute for Historic and ...
Supporting cultural and environmental education programmes in Lopé National Park
The Lopé National Park in Gabon was inscribed on the World Heritage List under the name of “Ecosystem and relict cultural landscape of Lopé-Okanda” in 2007. It is qualified as mixed (nature / culture) because of ...
Heritage Education Programme in Puebla (Mexico)
The local government of Puebla has developed a comprehensive Heritage Education Programme to raise awareness about the city’s cultural heritage and aid its conservation. The programme includes educational events, ...
Creative youth at Indonesian heritage sites
A programme by UNESCO Jakarta and Citi Foundation aims to promote youth entrepreneurship and raise awareness about cultural and natural heritage by linking local communities’ livelihoods with the heritage sites.
Promoting field-based heritage education in Cartagena de Indias (Colombia)
In early 2020, the University of Pennsylvania carried out a field research seminar in Cartagena de Indias, Colombia. The educational exercise was used as an opportunity to study the city’s cultural heritage in more ...
Heritage-based urban planning for Sustainable Development in Gwalior and Orchha (India)
A new initiative aims to implement the approach of the 2011 UNESCO Recommendation on the Historic Urban Landscape in the Indian cities of Gwalior and Orchha. The project is born out of a collaboration between the ...
Community-led urban planning in Durham (United Kingdom)
The City of Durham Neighbourhood Plan was developed between 2014 and 2021 following a comprehensive community-centred approach, which included a Neighbourhood Forum, extensive consultations and a public referendum. ...
In order to face challenges such as urban gentrification, the abandonment of the city centre and the impact of tourism, the City of Santiago de Compostela developed a comprehensive framework for heritage ...
Guidebook for urban and architectural regulation of Cidade Velha (Cabo Verde)
The Guidebook aims to make the urban legislation of the city of Cidade Velha more accessible and understandable to the public. This document constitutes an exemplary tool for awareness raising of local communities ...
Participatory budgeting in Trogir (Croatia)
The participatory budgeting and decision-making model enables local residents to decide on the application of part of the city’s budget and the practical initiatives to be carried out in their city.
Inventory of Cultural Heritage in Gabon
Gabon currently has two properties inscribed on the World Heritage List, the Ecosystem and Relict Cultural Landscape Lopé - Okanda and the Ivindo National Park, inscribed in 2021 at the 44th enlarged session of the ...
Thanks to the support of the Government of Japan, the four-year “Capacity-building programme for the nomination of World Heritage sites in the Africa Region”, in line with UNESCO Global Priority Africa, aims at ...
Challenges and opportunities of historic urban centres: case study of the Medina of Tunis (Tunisia)
To protect this historic site at the centre of a bustling metropolis and promote its sustainable development, several actions are addressing the preservation and promotion of its cultural heritage.
“Qhapaq Ñan, Andean Road System: New steps towards its sustainable conservation”
The 2021 publication compiles good practices and expert perspectives on the conservation and sustainable management of this serial property, including regarding tangible and intangible heritage conservation, ...
Developing a participatory approach to World Heritage management in Mtskheta (Georgia)
National and local stakeholders are brought together in the Georgian World Heritage Protection Council. The Council reviews all proposals within the World Heritage properties and buffer zones and ensures adequate ...
Avebury Residents’ Pack: bringing together diverse stakeholders in Avebury (United Kingdom)
The Avebury Residents' Pack, developed between 2006 and 2008 by the local world heritage management office, aimed to reconnect the local communities with the archaeological sites in the village, bringing together ...
Since the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between UNITAR-UNOSAT and UNESCO in June 2015, cultural heritage around the world has continued to suffer on an unprecedented scale from intentional attacks, ...
Socio-economic impacts of World Heritage Listing
Socio-economic Impacts of World Heritage Listing © UNESCO Cultural and natural heritage is not only an irreplaceable source of identity and inspiration, but also a key driving force for ...
Entitled “The Power of Culture: Supporting Community-Based Management and Sustainable Tourism at World Heritage sites in South-East Asia, the UNESCO Office in Jakarta with the technical assistance of the UNESCO ...
World Heritage Marine Sites - Best Practice guide
Managing effectively the world’s most iconic Marine Protected Areas What is the purpose of this guide? This guide is a primer on how to accomplish effective, pro-active management to ensure the long-term ...
World Heritage at the IUCN World Parks Congress 2014: the promise of Sydney
For the one-year anniversary of the IUCN World Parks Congress, UNESCO has published the proceedings of this Congress to highlight the recommendations of the global conservation community on World Heritage for the ...
Extrabudgetary Support for UNESCO’S World Heritage Convention The opportunities for the application of the World Heritage Convention regarding the identification and conservation of the world’s most outstanding ...
UNESCO Cultural World Heritage Sites in Europe
Supported by the European Union, World Heritage Journeys showcases UNESCO recognised outstanding cultural heritage in a travel platform that promotes sustainable tourism development across Europe. The World ...
#OurLakeOhrid Photo & Story Contest
#OurLakeOhrid Photo & Story Contest © UNESCO The Photo Contest was organized in the framework of the Project: "Towards strengthened governance of the shared transboundary natural and ...
World Heritage and Extractive Industries
Over the years, and based on the many cases which have arisen at natural World Heritage properties, the World Heritage Committee has expressed many times its clear position that that mineral, oil and gas exploration ...
World Heritage and Tourism in a Changing Climate
This report provides an overview of the increasing vulnerability of World Heritage sites to climate change impacts and the potential implications for and of global tourism. It also examines the close relationship ...
World Heritage in the High Seas
World Heritage in the High Seas The world’s ocean areas beyond national jurisdiction span half the globe. Just as on land, the deepest and most remote ocean areas harbour globally unique ecosystems. To date, none ...
World Heritage, Sustainable Development and Community Involvement
With an emphasis on sustainable development and the interaction between communities and their shared heritage, this project aims to help local communities in South Asia develop traditional crafts suitable for ...
Marine Programme: State of Conservation Reporting
Marine Programme: State of Conservation Reporting © World Heritage status signifies that a place is unique and irreplaceable. But the recognition comes with responsibilities. As a condition for ...
Ocean Science Roadmap for UNESCO Marine World Heritage
Ocean Science Roadmapfor UNESCO Marine World Heritage In the context of the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021 – 2030). © Shane Gross Ocean Science ...
World Heritage Youth Forum (1996) First European
Young People's Appeal from Dubrovnik We, the young people "Patrimonitos" (heritage protectors), as we call ourselves, are so happy to be here in the World Heritage City of Dubrovnik. During this forum we became ...
World Heritage Youth Forum (2002) Russia
International World Heritage Youth Forum : first WHY Forum organized in Russian Federation at Velikiy Novgorod, 24-29 August 2002. The working program of the Forum included three round tables: Associated Schools ...
World Heritage Youth Forum (1999) and the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade
Dakar-Gorée, Sénégal 23-27 August 1999 Objectives The World Heritage Youth Forum and the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade By mobilizing the youth from different schools all around the world, UNESCO desired, through the ...
World Heritage Youth Forum (2001) for Latin America on Sustainable Tourism
Lima, Peru 23 February - 1 March 2001 Objectives The main objective of the Forum was to find ways to protect the areas that are threatened by tourism. The global phenomenon of the increase of tourism forces ...
World Heritage Youth Forum (2001)
Karslkrona, Sweden3-8 September 2001 Objectives The 10th World Heritage Youth Forum Theme was: " Both sides of the coin - how the dark and light sides of my World Heritage can become keys to understand the present ...
World Heritage in Young Hands Visual Arts Workshop (2005)
Durban, South Africa, 12-14 July 2005 Objectives In parallel with the 29th World Heritage Committee meeting in Durban a visual arts workshop for young people was held. The objective was to translate the ...
Youth Component, 32nd session of the World Heritage Committee (2008)
From 21 June to 10 July 2008, thirty young people met in Canada to deepen their knowledge of different aspects of World Heritage in the framework of the 32nd session of the World Heritage Committee. Organizers The ...
World Heritage Youth Forum (2007) Asia Pacific
Thirty students and 36 delegates throughout the Asian Pacific region met from 18 to 24 June 2007 in New Zealand to deepen their knowledge of the Maori and Pacific heritage in the framework of the 31st session of the ...
World Heritage Youth Forum (2010) 2nd Ibero-American
Aranjuez , the only Spanish site declared Cultural Landscape in the World Heritage List of UNESCO will host the 2nd World Heritage Ibero-American Youth Forum from 20 to June 30, 2010. The event comes in the wake of ...
World Heritage Youth Forum (2010), Brasilia, Brazil
In conjunction with the 34th World Heritage Committee meeting, forty-six young students met in order to exchange experiences and ideas on how to become involved in heritage conservation and preservation. From the ...
World Heritage Youth Forum (2011) First South East Europe (SEE)
Networking for a better common future The First South East Europe World Heritage Youth Forum, held 21-26 May 2011 in Porec, Croatia (from May 21 to 23), in Skocjan Cave and Lipika, Slovenia (from May 24 to 26), was ...
World Heritage Youth Forum (2011) 3rd Ibero-American
The 3rd Iberoamerican World Heritage's Youth Forum is an international event organized by the Ministry of Education, Culture and Sport of Spain, through its national Heritage Education Program: "Patrimonio ...
World Heritage Youth Forum (2012) 4th Edition
The 4th World Heritage Youth Forum focusing on the implementation of the World Heritage Convention was held from 10 to 20 June 2012 in Alcalá de Henares (Madrid) and Mollina, (Málaga). Forty-six young people aged ...
The Second SEE World Heritage Youth Forum for peace and sustainable development was held from 6th until 11th April 2013 in Zajecar, Eastern Serbia, where the World Heritage site Gamzigrad – Felix Romuliana / Palace ...
World Heritage Youth Forum (2016) “At the Crossroads of Multi-Layered Heritage”
28 delegates 26 countries 12 days One challenge How can we rethink heritage? How can the conservation, promotion and transmission of heritage be adapted to the challenges of the ...
World Heritage Young Professional Forum (2017) Memory: Lost and Recovered Heritage
One challenge How can we rethink heritage? How can the conservation, promotion and transmission of heritage be adapted to the challenges of the future? Urbanisation, climate change, global inequality, armed ...
World Heritage Young Professionals Forum (2019) Azerbaijan
With the increased opportunities and scope of engaging with heritage, the protection of heritage has also become a global challenge in the 21st century. Youth are the most affected by the key development changes, ...
World Heritage Youth Forum (1997) Asia-Pacific (Beijing, China)
Students' recommendations We, the participants of the first Asia-Pacific World Heritage Youth Forum are here to express our views on the importance of preserving World Heritage. We can appreciate and see all ...
World Heritage Youth Forum (1996) First African Edition
Student's appeal "We, the youth of Africa, have met at the UNESCO World Heritage Forum for Africa in Zimbabwe (18-24 September 1996). During this week, we have discovered just how important it is to conserve and ...
World Heritage Youth Forum (1999) First Arab Edition
Ifrane, Morocco 22-28 November 1999 Objectives The Forum aims to stimulate young people's interest in preserving the world's cultural and natural heritage. The Forum will give participants the opportunity to ...
World Heritage Youth Forum (2000) First Pacific
This World Heritage Youth Forum from 23-28 November 2000 in Cairns, Australia, was the first such forum to be held in the Pacific region. This enabled a unique Pacific focus with students and teachers from 14 ...
World Heritage Youth Forum (1995)
Our Pledge, Bergen, Norway Cultural and natural sites form the environment on which human beings are dependent psychologically, religiously, educationally and economically. Their destruction or even deterioration ...
World Heritage Youth Forum (2003) 7th OWHC Symposium
During the 7th International Symposium of the Organization of World Heritage Cities (OWHC) in Rhodes, Greece (23-26 September) a Youth Forum was held within the framework of the UNESCO World Heritage in Young Hands ...
World Heritage Youth Forum (1998) Second International
Osaka, Japan, 22-29 November 1998 Objectives The objective of the youth Forum was to build a "Bridge to the New Millennium" by promoting: Peace, Restoration & Preservation, Natural Environment and ...
World Heritage Youth Forum (2002) Sub-regional, First Central European Meeting
First Central European Meeting - World Heritage in Young Hands - in Bratislava, Slovakia, 24-29 June 2002. The purpose of the meeting was to initiate innovative educational approach and develop a sense of shared ...
CAWHFI component funded by the United Nation Foundation (2004-2010)
CAWHFI’s first component focused its action on the improvement of the management of the Sangha Trinational, Gamba-Mayumba-Conkouati and Dja-Odzala-Minkebe Trinational transborder landscapes, so as to significantly ...
CAWHFI component funded by the French Global Environmental Fund (2007-2012)
Early in the implementation of Central African World Heritage Initiative’s first phase, the project partners felt the need to better integrate the project into the whole local ecological, socio-economic and cultural ...