World Heritage Capacity-Building Understanding, managing and conserving World Heritage properties requires up-to-date knowledge and well-honed skills. To help build the capacity of ...
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The World Heritage Young Professionals Fora are among the main activities of the World Heritage Education Programme designed to foster intercultural learning and exchange by bringing students and teachers together ...
Building climate change resilience and adaptation of the Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System (Belize)
The Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System is facing multiple impacts of climate change such as coral bleaching, more severe storms, and rising sea levels. The Resilient Reefs Initiative is focused on building Belize’s ...
Reconstruction of the destroyed mausoleums of Timbuktu (Mali)
After armed conflict resulted in the destruction of several historical mausoleums, these were reconstructed using traditional knowledge systems as part of an international cooperation campaign. The reconstruction of ...
World Heritage Online Map Platform
Funded by the Flanders UNESCO Trustfund (FUT), this project aims to develop an online geographic information system for World Heritage in Europe and North America.
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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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Balancing development and conservation in Grand-Bassam (Côte d’Ivoire)
The inscription of the Historic Town of Grand-Bassam on the World Heritage List has provided new opportunities to promote sustainable development in the city. From the creation of a local World Heritage management ...
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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World Heritage and Indigenous Peoples
Many cultural and natural World Heritage sites are home to indigenous peoples. As the UNESCO policy on engaging with indigenous peoples recognizes, World Heritage sites are often located within land managed by ...
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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 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 ...
Impacts of Wind Energy Projects and their Assessment
This part of the Guidance provides heritage and impact assessment practitioners, site managers and heritage institutions an overview of the process for assessing the impacts of wind energy projects associated with ...
World Heritage Marine Programme
50 flagship marine protected areas of Outstanding Universal Value: Beacons of Hope In a Changing Ocean
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Promoting sustainable tourism in response to COVID-1
Many of the world’s World Heritage sites are dependent upon tourism to maintain their economic, environmental, social and cultural well-being. However, the impact of the global COVID-19 pandemic has hit World ...
Recommendation on the Historic Urban Landscape
The Recommendation on the Historic Urban Landscape (HUL Recommendation) is an additional tool to integrate policies and practices of conservation of the built environment into the wider goals of urban development in ...
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UNESCO-Greece Melina Mercouri International Prize for the Safeguarding and Management of Cultural Landscapes Podsreda Castle (Slovenia) © Teo Hrvoje Oršanič The UNESCO-Greece Melina Mercouri ...
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.
Marine Programme: World Heritage marine managers
World Heritage marine managers Marine Programme Watch © Marine World Heritage managers: A flagship network empowered to transform how we protect The World Heritage List includes 50 ...
In the period between 2004 to 2008, Historic England was dealing with an increased number of renewable energy applications that could be seen from the Hadrian’s Wall World Heritage site. In response, Historic ...
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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In order to avoid negative impacts of wind turbines on the Upper Middle Rhine Valley, a planning and heritage consultancy was commissioned with an expert report on the ‘Mapping of Exclusion Zones for Wind Turbines ...
The Competence Centre for Nature Conservation and Energy Transition (Kompetenzzentrum für Naturschutz und Energiewende, KNE) is a publicly funded organization that fosters a nature compatible energy transition. As ...
The transboundary World Heritage property is managed according to the trilaterally adopted Wadden Sea Plan (WSP), a common framework for the protection and sustainable management of the Wadden Sea as an ecological ...
Case Study: Planning offshore wind turbines along the coast of Normandy, France
The Multiannual Energy programme provides for the development of new offshore wind projects in France, including a 1-gigawatt (GW) project along the coast of Normandy.
In 2013, the national government and the provinces of the Netherlands agreed on allocating the onshore wind power production per province to jointly reach the national target of 6,000 MW.
Case Study: Assessment of cumulative impacts of multiple developments near a World Heritage property
In 2016, the World Heritage Committee requested Canada prepare a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) for the World Heritage property of Wood Buffalo National Park to assess the cumulative impacts of all ...
Note 5 – Visual Impact Assessment
A Visual Impact Assessment (VIA) is a specific study that focuses on assessing the visual and aesthetic impacts of a proposed project. This type of assessment is not a stand-alone study but should be part of the ...
Cumulative impacts can be defined as a result of several additional, often individually insignificant changes or effects. They are often neither measured nor accounted for before their effect grows progressively ...
The following table may assist also in the preparation of the scoping report
Note 3 – Identification des détenteurs de droits et autres parties prenantes, et outils d’engagement
Identifying rights-holders and other stakeholders is a key activity to better understand the relationship between communities and individuals with a property. The identification of rights-holders and other ...
Note 2 Identifying sensitive areas and preparing vulnerability assessment related to wind energy projects © UNESCO About Purpose and Scope Context Notes Case Studies ...
Note 1 Identifying and mapping attributes that convey the Outstanding Universal Value of a World Heritage property © UNESCO About Purpose and Scope Context Notes Case ...
World Heritage: Benefits Beyond Borders
Published on the 40th anniversary of the World Heritage Convention, this thematic collection of case studies provides a thorough understanding of World Heritage sites and their Outstanding Universal Value in the ...
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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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, ...
World Heritage Volunteers 2023 Campaign
The UNESCO World Heritage Centre is pleased to announce the selected projects of the World Heritage Volunteers (WHV) 2023 Campaign, under the theme of ‘World Heritage Volunteers 2023 - Working on the Future’.
Protecting World Heritage during the Energy Transition
National strategies and policies for the transition to renewable energy and initiatives for decarbonization are often based on the strategic principles and guidelines set in international agreements and directives. ...
Guidance for Wind Energy Projects in a World Heritage Context
The following text explains the basics of the Convention to better understand its spirit and underlying principles. It further outlines good practices that assist complying with recommended international ...
This part of the Guidance offers an overview of wind energy related information primarily for heritage practitioners and decision-makers not familiar with this field. A brief overview of the main technical features ...
Towards a Balanced Representation of World Heritage Sites
The World Heritage List was conceived to identify and protect sites around the world. Over the 50 years since the World Heritage Convention was adopted, great strides have been made in preserving sites, but for now ...
Educating visitors on how to enjoy Namibia’s World Heritage Wonders Responsibly
Educating visitors to enjoy Namibia’s World Heritage responsibly © Putting tourism on a more sustainable path has been a core priority of the Government of Namibia as visitors return to ...
Restoring Life to the Community in Lamu Old Town, Kenya
The Lamu Old Town, a World Heritage Site on the coast of East Africa about 350 km north of Mombasa, has seen its public spaces refreshed, access improved, and pride in the city's status as the oldest and best ...
Helping local homestay hosts to be more sustainable businesses in Indonesia
Helping local homestay hosts to be more sustainable in Indonesia © Tourism constitutes one of Indonesia's priority government investment areas to boost national GDP. A programme of ...
Reducing waste and improving visitor experience in Viet Nam
Reducing waste and improving visitor experience in Viet Nam © The long closure of the sites led to reduced income, disruption of community life and reduced maintenance. Viet Nam’s ...
Building the skills to care for Georgia’s Colchic Rainforests and Wetlands
Building the skills to care for Georgia’s Colchic Rainforests and Wetlands © Around 100 people are employed across the parks and protected areas that make up the Colchic Rainforests and ...
Improving visitor infrastructure in Angkor, Cambodia.
Improving visitor infrastructure in Angkor, Cambodia © The Angkor World Heritage site has long attracted visitors to Cambodia, providing a major driver for the country’s economy with a ...
Supporting local tourism in the Old City of Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Supporting local tourism in the Old City of Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina © The picturesque Old Bridge Area of the Old City of Mostar was the first World Heritage site in Bosnia and ...
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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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 ...
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Empowering youth for heritage: 10 years of the World Heritage Volunteers Initiative
This publication provides a retrospective of the first 10 years of the World Heritage Volunteers Initiative, to increase its visibility and sustainability and support the organizations committed to its values. From ...
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 8 – Case Study: Wadi Al-Hitan (Egypt)
Wadi Al-Hitan – also known as Whale Valley – is located in the Western Desert of Egypt. It is an ‘open-air museum’ of invaluable fossil remains of the earliest, and now extinct, suborder of whales (Archaeoceti), as ...
Guide 3 – Case Study: Melaka and George Town, Historic Cities of the Straits of Malacca (Malaysia)
George Town and Melaka were jointly inscribed on the World Heritage List in 2008 due to their shared rich multi-cultural trading heritage. However, they have also been subject to criticism and a feeling of ...
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 1 – Case Study: Historic Town Of Vigan (Philippines)
Vigan is an exceptionally intact and well-preserved example of a European trading town in East and South-East Asia. The architecture of the city reflects its historic roots and rich culture in both materials and ...
Guide 2 – Case Study: Ichkeul National Park (Tunisia)
Ichkeul National Park is characterized by a very specific hydrological functioning system, based on seasonal alternation of water levels and salinity. The lake and surrounding marshes constitute a stopover for ...
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 4 – Case study: Old and New Towns of Edinburgh (United Kingdom)
The World Heritage Status Report showed that 41% of visitors to Edinburgh are aware that it is a World Heritage site, and 17% of all visitors think that Edinburgh’s World Heritage status influenced their choice. ...
Guide 4 – Case study: Røros Mining Town and the Circumference (Norway)
Røros Mining Town and the Circumference is linked to the copper mines, established in the 17th century, which were used for 333 years until 1977. The site includes the Town and its industrial-rural cultural ...
Guide 6: Managing the development of tourism infrastructure
This guide 6 will tell you why infrastructure is vital to sustainable tourism and how to begin the process of developing appropriate infrastructure.
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 2 – Case Study: Angkor and The Tourism Development Strategic Plan 2012–2020
Guide 2 Case Study: Angkor and The Tourism Development Strategic Plan 2012–2020 © Toolkit About the Sustainable Tourism Toolkit How to use this guide? Our Objective ...
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.
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 5: Communicating with visitors
This guide 5 will tell you why communicating with visitors matters, and how you can do it effectively, in a culturally appropriate manner.
Guide 8: Adding value through products, experiences, and services
This guide 8 will tell you how to think about developing products, services, and experiences as a key way to sustain the OUV of the site, enthuse tourists, and benefit local communities.
Guide 7: Adding value through products, experiences, and services
This guide 7 will tell you how to think about developing products, services, and experiences as a key way to sustain the OUV of the site, enthuse tourists, and benefit local communities.
Guide 9: Securing funding and investment
This guide 9 will tell you some ways that you can secure investment in order to help make the aspirations developed from these guides for your site and the destination as a whole a reality.
Guide 4 – Case Study: Avebury World Heritage site, Wiltshire (United Kingdom)
Avebury stone circle or ‘henge’ lies at the centre of half the Stonehenge, Avebury, and Associated Sites inscribed as World Heritage. It is the sister-site to the perhaps more widely recognizable monument: ...
Guide 4 – Case study: Great Barrier Reef (Australia)
Coral reefs around the world are threatened both by natural and anthropogenic factors, with tourism having an important role in the latter. Direct impacts in coral reefs are related with badly managed tourism ...
Guide 5 – Case study: Røros Mining Town and the Circumference (Norway)
In was back in 1922 when the Chief Inspectorate of Ancient Monuments and Buildings (Riksantikvaren) first understood the potential value of Røros Mining Town heritage. At that time, a recommendation of protection ...
Guide 6 – Case Study: Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape (United Kingdom)
The Cornwall and West Devon mining landscape was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 2006 comprised of 10 different mining landscapes across the area. As the largest World Heritage site in the United Kingdom, ...
Guide 7 – Case study: Røros Mining Town and the Circumference (Norway)
Røros Mining Town and the Circumference is a clear case of a cultural landscape sustained by traditional socio-economic systems. In 2009 there were 21 active farms within the property and a number of redundant farms ...
Guide 9 – Case study: Land of Frankincense (Oman)
The Land of Frankincense (LoF) World Heritage site is composed of four archaeological sites related to the antique trade of Frankincense and other luxury items across the Dhofar province of Oman: Shisr (sometimes ...
Preparing World Heritage Nominations
The aim of this Resource Manual (Second Edition 2011) is to help States Parties to achieve good quality World Heritage nominations.
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 ...
UNESCO World Heritage Forests © David Geldhof / Yosemite National Park Forests are some of the most biodiversity-rich habitats on Earth. They play a crucial role in climate regulation ...
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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50 Minds for the Next 50. Dialogue Series
UNESCO launches “50 Minds for The Next 50” to convene fifty leading, innovative, bold, respected thinkers of our times from diverse disciplines for the most interdisciplinary discussion on World Heritage ever to be ...
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Support for the Silk Roads World Heritage Sites in Central Asia (Phase II)
The UNESCO Japan Funds-in-Trust (Japan-FIT) project “Support for Documentation Standards and Procedures of the Silk Roads World Heritage Serial and Transnational Nomination in Central Asia (Phase I)” (Feb 2011 – ...
Heritage-based city branding in Trogir (Croatia)
A new city branding strategy based on cultural values and community participation aims to enhance Trogir’s attractiveness as a destination for cultural tourism.
Accessible cultural tourism in the old city of Luxembourg (Luxembourg)
On the 25th Anniversary of the site's inscription on the World Heritage List, new tours aim to open the World Heritage site to everyone, including citizens with special needs. By partnering with relevant community ...
Developing a new methodology for urban regeneration: the ROCK project in Bologna (Italy)
A pilot project to enhance public spaces using participatory processes helped to identify key lessons which can be later applied to other areas and cities.
Transmitting and documenting the vernacular architecture of the Asante Traditional Buildings (Ghana)
Published in 2021, a new edition of the 1999 reference publication “Asante Traditional Buildings” updates and expands this important record of their outstanding architecture, making it once again available for the ...
Setting up a World Heritage management framework in Kyiv (Ukraine)
A new, unified buffer zone and a management plan aim to preserve the Outstanding Universal Value of the World Heritage site “Kyiv: Saint-Sophia Cathedral and Related Monastic Buildings, Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra” and ...
Conservation as a driver for development: the case of Vigan (Philippines)
Along with the nomination process of the Historic City of Vigan as a World Heritage site in 1999, the local government developed an ambitious conservation and management plan for the site. By implementing this ...
Between 2013 and 2020, an extensive programme of expert surveying, studies and conservation works aimed to reinforce and stabilise the military structures of the World Heritage site. The programme was implemented ...
An innovative initiative employs the Sustainable Development Goals as monitoring tools to track the contribution of heritage-related initiatives towards sustainable development.
Literary tourism in the university town of Coimbra (Portugal)
A project to create a digital map of places associated with literature aims to promote sustainable cultural tourism, relieving tourism pressures in the historic areas and encouraging visitors to explore other parts ...
Update of the Management Plan of the Historic Monuments Zone of Querétaro (Mexico)
The revised Management Plan includes several strategic actions, such as urban rehabilitation and renovation programmes, regularisation of informal settlement and enhancement of public spaces.
Creating a digital archive of historic documents and photographs of World Heritage sites in Iraq
In order to preserve historical documents related to World Heritage sites, the Iraqi State Board of Heritage and Antiquities has proposed to digitise historical documents from different archives and archive in a ...
Rubem Braga Elevator Complex: connecting the favelas with the city of Rio de Janeiro (Brazil)
An urban intervention becomes a major gateway linking the favelas and the lower city via two elevators, stairs and a pedestrian bridge. The complex was built on the premise of fostering inclusivity for the urban ...
Conservation and revitalisation programme of Ancient City of Ping Yao (China)
Through innovative management and financing models and a combination of conservation actions aimed at both tangible and intangible heritage, the programme aims to make a contribution to the long-term sustainability ...
Cultural entrepreneurship in Cidade Velha, Ribeira Grande (Cabo Verde)
A wide-ranging programme aims to build capacity amongst local residents to understand the potentials offered by cultural heritage, by supporting and enhancing local cultural entrepreneurship. The initiative includes ...
Developing sustainable rural tourism in San Gimignano (Italy)
In reaction to the sharp increase in incoming visitors over the last decades, San Gimignano has developed several initiatives to support jobs and local livelihoods while respecting the town’s cultural heritage, ...
A community engagement programme has provided key data and inputs for the sustainable development of the World Heritage site.
In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the World Heritage site “Royal Exhibition Building and Carlton Gardens” began a process to review its World Heritage Management Plan. The review process began with a community ...
Promoting local businesses in Mexican World Heritage Cities
An online platform connects and supports small- and medium-sized enterprises located in World Heritage Cities in Mexico, promoting national tourism and increasing local businesses' digital presence.
Connecting young people with their cultural heritage in Saint Petersburg (Russian Federation)
The community event encourages young people to deepen their knowledge about cultural heritage and propose ideas for its conservation through workshops, cultural visits, educational activities and an ideas ...
The multi-level, heritage-based development and spatial plan aims to link the World Heritage site and buffer zone with the wider city context by using town planning as a tool to bridge spatial and social divides.
Washing of the Valongo Wharf, Rio de Janeiro (Brazil)
The symbolic ritual of cleaning and purification pays tribute to the spirits of the African ancestors who reached this entry port in captivity. The ritual started shortly after the discovery of the remains in 2011, ...
Polo del '900: an inclusive, multi-functional cultural centre in downtown Turin (Italy)
The model of the Polo del 900 proposes collaboration as a solution for institutional and cultural fragmentation which forms the core of a new ecology of creative cultural systems and puts community at the core of ...
Understanding the movement of people through phone use analysis in Florence (Italy)
The local government analysed mobile usage data from major telephone operators to collect useful data for infrastructure design and tourism management.
An ongoing programme in a remote Algerian town aims to connect the local community with the archaeological site through workshops and activities for young residents.
Bolstering community identity through cultural programmes in Cusco (Peru)
A variety of projects aim to protect Cusco’s cultural heritage, promote social development through crafts and strengthen traditional knowledge for sustainable development.
Pedestrianisation of historic streets and public spaces in Graz (Austria)
As part of a wider effort to create a pedestrian-only zone in the historic centre, the city of Graz carried an ambitious programme to re-design its historic streets and public spaces through high-quality design ...
Integrating cultural and natural heritage values in urban development processes in Lyon (France)
The 2019 urban plan aims to protect cultural and natural heritage values and their attributes through specific planning tools, such as green and blue infrastructure planning and the development of heritage ...
Local management system of the Historic Town of Guanajuato (Mexico)
The system includes a new local coordination office dedicated to the conservation and sustainable development of the historic centre.
Atlas World Heritage: sharing knowledge and skills amongst European World Heritage cities
The initiative Atlas World Heritage brings together the cities of Florence, Santiago de Compostela, Edinburgh, Oporto, Bordeaux to share their experiences and strategies to safeguard the sites’ OUV. The project has ...
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 ...
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 ...
Preserving traditional farming through cooperative systems in Røros (Norway)
A farming cooperative system conserves the agricultural landscape around the historic town of Røros and promotes sustainable tourism.
From port city to World Heritage site: case study of George Town (Malaysia)
The multi-cultural historic city of George Town developed a strategy to build on its rich and diverse cultural heritage as a resource for local development and livelihoods after its free trade port status was ...
Creating a shared framework in the serial World Heritage property of Mantua and Sabbioneta (Italy)
In order to improve the coordination between the two component cities of this serial property, the Municipalities of Mantua and Sabbioneta have created a central management office. This office is in charge of ...
Through a series of strategic actions, Urbino has sought to improve its environmental sustainability and promote climate change mitigation and adaptation. An update of the management plan is currently under way in ...
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 ...
Taking nature into account in the World Heritage Management plan of Strasbourg (France)
An update of the World Heritage management plan and urban planning tools seeks to integrate cultural and natural heritage values and their attributes in order to improve the city’s liveability and micro-climate.
Strengthening residents’ connection with their gardening heritage in Bamberg (Germany)
In the city of Bamberg, traditional gardening practices are part of the city’s strategy to promote urban sustainability. The COVID-19 pandemic helped to strengthen the local community’s connection with its gardening ...
Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan of the historic city of L’Aquila (Italy)
The long-term plan aims to promote sustainable urban transportation, reduce emissions and pollution, and enhance liveability in the historic city by enhancing cycling networks and infrastructure, improving existing ...
After the World Heritage Committee warned in 2016 that the poor state of conservation of the property could lead to its inscription on the List of World Heritage in Danger, a number of local, national and ...
Cash for work: promoting local employment through heritage conservation in historic cities (Yemen)
In the context of long-standing conflict, a cash-for-work scheme provides young people with employment opportunities while contributing to the conservation of urban heritage in four historic cities.
Community-centred revitalisation of Souq al-Silah in Cairo (Egypt)
A long-standing project has been working to revitalise a commercial street in the historic district of Darb al-Ahmar and reconnect the local community with their cultural heritage. The project, developed with help ...
The Next 50 - 50th anniversary of World Heritage
50th anniversary of the World Heritage Convention (16 November 2022): World Heritage as a source of resilience, humanity and innovation
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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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TBS (System Broadcasting Tokyo) 2022
Tokyo Broadcasting System (TBS) has partnered with the World Heritage Centre to communicate important messages about World Heritage to a large public audience, using television, radio, and other media. TBS strives ...
The mid ocean ridge systems are the largest geological features on the planet. The Mid-Atlantic Ridge (MAR) is a mostly underwater mountain range in the Atlantic Ocean that runs from 87°N -about 333km south of the ...
Corporate sector and the World Heritage ‘no-go’ commitment
Corporate sector and the World Heritage ‘no-go’ commitment © Shutterstock / lukaszemanphoto / Destruction of forests Across the extractives, finance, insurance and hydropower sectors, ...
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Periodic Reporting 2nd Cycle : Latin America and the Caribbean (2013)
The preliminary process was implemented in cooperation with some Regional Offices (Lima, Quito, Montevideo, Guatemala, Costa Rica and Havana), and some of the Category 2 Centres approved by the General Conference in ...
Sustainable Tourism Capacity Building
In the framework of the World Heritage and Sustainable Tourism Programme (WH+ST Programme), the UNESCO World Heritage Centre has developed a capacity building tool for site managers (“How To” Guides) to help them ...
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 ...
Safeguarding Heritage against Climate Crisis
Climate change is among the greatest threats facing cultural and natural heritage today. One in three natural sites and one in six cultural heritage sites are currently threatened by climate change. In recent years ...
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 ...
Heritage in the post-COVID World
The COVID-19 pandemic is an unprecedented health crisis that has affected each one of us, and we still cannot predict its long-term effects. Inevitably, our World Heritage sites suffered too: the abrupt halt in ...
Imagining Heritage in the Digital Dimension
The digital aspects of heritage are growing enormously, ranging from creating virtual visits and online exhibitions to cataloguing inventory of heritage objects and creating 3D models of archaeological sites. ...
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.
Sustainable Tourism, Sustainable Heritage. 50 Minds for the Next 50
There are now more than 1,000 World Heritage sites in 177 countries, and a great many of them are important tourist destinations. At best, tourism drives economic development and brings needed financial and social ...
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 ...
Patrimonito Patrimonito's World Heritage Adventures © Patrimonito means 'small heritage' in Spanish and the character represents a young heritage guardian. Patrimonito has been ...
Saving nature and livelihoods: Belize
The Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System (BBRRS) won its place on the World Heritage List in 1996 as an outstanding natural system, consisting of the largest barrier reef in the northern hemisphere, offshore atolls, ...
Community conservation: Timbuktu
As of May 2012, the Government of Mali sought help from the international community through UNESCO. Timbuktu and the Tomb of Askia were placed on the List of World Heritage in Danger and UNESCO initiated a series of ...
The site’s values are communicated to the public through signage, publications and interpretation at visitor centres. The Maori have been involved in creating displays explaining the cultural and natural ...
Creating reconciliation: Mostar Bridge
During the conflict that tore apart the former Yugoslavia in the 1990s, the beautiful Old Bridge in Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina, was completely destroyed.
The two Temples of Ramses II at Abu Simbel and the Sanctuary of Isis at Philae are the most illustrious of the Nubian Monuments from Abu Simbel to Philae (Egypt), listed as World Heritage since 1979. The Great ...
The Ancient Ksour of Ouadane, Chinguetti, Tichitt and Oualata (Mauritania) were founded in the 11th and 12th centuries to serve the caravans crossing the Sahara, these trading and religious centres became rich and ...
Sharing best practices in World Heritage management
The World Heritage Capacity Building Strategy, adopted by the World Heritage Committee in 2011, responds to the identified needs of a diverse and growing audience for capacity building for World Heritage ...
Basic Texts of the 1972 World Heritage Convention, Edition December 2021
Basic Texts of the 1972 World Heritage Convention, Edition December 2021 DownloadEdition December 2021 English French Convention concerning the Protection of the ...
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Environmental DNA Expeditions in UNESCO World Heritage marine sites
Environmental DNA Expeditions is a global, citizen science initiative that will help measure marine biodiversity, and the impacts climate change might have on the distribution patterns of marine life, across UNESCO ...
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 ...
World Heritage and wind energy planning
Protecting visual integrity in the context of the energy transition. Inspiring practices from four European countries. This study presents examples from four European countries and shows how they deal with wind ...
Preservation Of The Historic Town Of Grand-Bassam
Following the October 2019 floods that had invaded the main arteries of the Historic Town (residential, administrative and commercial areas) as well as the N'zima village which suffered the heaviest toll, an ...
Culture|2030 Indicators City of Elvas Urban Report
City of Elvas Urban Report City results Elvas Alajuela Baguio Bogotá Cluj-Napoca Dubrovnik Elvas Essaouira Hue Leskovac Ouagadougou Skopje Vietnam ---> The Urban Report The ...
Engaging Local Communities in the Stewardship of World Heritage (COMPACT)
COMPACT Engaging Local Communities in the Stewardship of World Heritage © Local communities and indigenous peoples are, and have been for centuries, the custodians of many World ...
Urban Notebooks The e-magazine of the World Heritage Cities Programme features diverse voices on urban heritage, practices, and opinion pieces. February 2022 Issue 20 Dr. ...
Culture|2030 Indicators First Phase of Implementation 2021-2022
The UNESCO Culture|2030 Indicators framework is being implemented by Member States at the national and urban levels.
Securing Manovo-Gounda St. Floris National Park
The Manovo-Gounda St Floris National Park (PNMGSF) is under strong pressure due to the combined effects of poaching, insecurity, regional transhumance, artisanal mining, as well as the absence of monitoring and ...
Culture|2030 Indicators National Report of Burkina Faso
National Report of Burkina Faso Country results Burkina Faso Burkina Faso Columbia Costa Rica Croatia Morocco North Macedonia Philippines Portugal Romania Serbia Viet Nam Vietnam ---> The ...
UNESCO Bosnia and Herzegovina and the cities of Ljubuški, Banja Luka, Trebinje, Mostar, Sarajevo and the Canton of SarajevoProject Page © Silvan Rehfeld / Old Bridge Area of the Old City of ...
Culture|2030 Indicators North Macedonia and the city of Skopje Project Page
UNESCO North Macedonia and the City of Skopje Project Page © Milan Piroš Partners Implementation of the UNESCO Culture|2030 Indicators in North Macedonia and the city of Skopje is ...
Culture|2030 Indicators Morocco and the city of Essaouira Project Page
UNESCO Morocco and the City of Essaouira Project Page Partners Implementation of the UNESCO Culture|2030 Indicators in Morocco and the city of Essaouira is with the support and ...
Culture|2030 Indicators Burkina Faso and the city of Ouagadougou Project Page
UNESCO Burkina Faso and the City of Ouagadougou Project Page © Shutterstock Partners Implementation of the UNESCO Culture|2030 Indicators in Burkina Faso and the city of ...
Culture|2030 Indicators Philippines and the city of Baguio Project Page
UNESCO Philippines and the City of Baguio Project Page © Shutterstock Partners Implementation of the UNESCO Culture|2030 Indicators in the Philippines and the city of Baguio is ...
Culture|2030 Indicators Viet Nam and the city of Hue Project Page
UNESCO Viet Nam and the City of Hue Project Page © Trang An/ Landscape Complex Partners Implementation of the UNESCO Culture|2030 Indicators in Viet Nam and the city of Hue is ...
Culture|2030 Indicators Costa Rica and the city of Alajuela Project Page
UNESCO Costa Rica and the City of Alajuela Project Page © Shutterstock Partners Implementation of the UNESCO Culture|2030 Indicators in Costa Rica and the city of Alajuela is with ...
Culture|2030 Indicators Romania and the city of Cluj-Napoca Project Page
UNESCO Romania and the City of Cluj-Napoca Project Page © Daniel Vrabioiu / Roșia Montană Partners Implementation of the UNESCO Culture|2030 Indicators Romania and the city of ...
Portugal and the city of Elvas
UNESCO Portugal and the City of Elvas Project Page © Limes.Media/Tim Schnarr Partners Implementation of the UNESCO Culture|2030 Indicators in Portugal and the city of Elvas is ...
Culture|2030 Indicators Croatia and the city of Dubrovnik Project Page
Implementation of the UNESCO Culture|2030 Indicators in Croatia and the city of Dubrovnik is with the support and partnership of the Ministry of Culture and Media and the city of Dubrovnik. This is part of the pilot ...
Culture|2030 Indicators Serbia and the city of Leskovac Project Page
UNESCO Serbia and the City of Leskovac Project Page © Daniel Vrabioiu / Roșia Montană Partners Implementation of the UNESCO Culture|2030 Indicators in Serbia and the city of ...
Culture|2030 Indicators Colombia and the city of Bogota Project Page
UNESCO Colombia and the City of Bogota Project Page © Sacred sites / Martin Gray | Archaeological park of San Augustin Partners Implementation of the UNESCO Culture|2030 ...
Culture|2030 Indicators City of Dubrovnik Urban Report
City of Dubrovnik Urban Report City results Dubrovnik Alajuela Baguio Bogotá Cluj-Napoca Dubrovnik Elvas Essaouira Hue Leskovac Ouagadougou Skopje Vietnam ---> The Urban ...
Culture|2030 Indicators National Report of Croatia
National Report of Croatia Country results Croatia Burkina Faso Columbia Costa Rica Croatia Morocco North Macedonia Philippines Portugal Romania Serbia Viet Nam Vietnam ---> The National ...
Culture|2030 Indicators City of Skopje Urban Report
City of Skopje Urban Report City results Skopje Alajuela Baguio Bogotá Cluj-Napoca Dubrovnik Elvas Essaouira Hue Leskovac Ouagadougou Skopje Vietnam ---> The Urban Report The ...
Culture|2030 Indicators National Report of North Macedonia
National Report of North Macedonia Country results North Macedonia Burkina Faso Columbia Costa Rica Croatia Morocco North Macedonia Philippines Portugal Romania Serbia Viet Nam Vietnam ...
Culture|2030 Indicators City of Alajuela Urban Report
City of Alajuela Urban Report City results Alajuela Alajuela Baguio Bogotá Cluj-Napoca Dubrovnik Elvas Essaouira Hue Leskovac Ouagadougou Skopje Vietnam ---> The Urban ...
Culture|2030 Indicators City of Hue Urban Report
City of Hue Urban Report City results Hue Alajuela Baguio Bogotá Cluj-Napoca Dubrovnik Elvas Essaouira Hue Leskovac Ouagadougou Skopje Vietnam ---> The Urban Report The ...
Culture|2030 Indicators City of Essaouira Urban Report
City of Essaouira Urban Report City results Essaouira Alajuela Baguio Bogotá Cluj-Napoca Dubrovnik Elvas Essaouira Hue Leskovac Ouagadougou Skopje Vietnam ---> The Urban ...
Culture|2030 Indicators City of Ouagadougou Urban Report
City of Ouagadougou Urban Report City results Ouagadougou Alajuela Baguio Bogotá Cluj-Napoca Dubrovnik Elvas Essaouira Hue Leskovac Ouagadougou Skopje Vietnam ---> The Urban ...
Culture|2030 Indicators City of Cluj-Napoca Urban Report
City of Cluj-Napoca Urban Report City results Cluj-Napoca Alajuela Baguio Bogotá Cluj-Napoca Dubrovnik Elvas Essaouira Hue Leskovac Ouagadougou Skopje Vietnam ---> The Urban ...
Culture|2030 Indicators City of Bogotá Urban Report
City of Bogotá Urban Report City results Bogotá Alajuela Baguio Bogotá Cluj-Napoca Dubrovnik Elvas Essaouira Hue Leskovac Ouagadougou Skopje Vietnam ---> The Urban Report The ...