The World Heritage Centre is at the forefront of the international community’s efforts to protect and preserve.
Safeguarding of the Bamiyan Site, Phase III
Phase III of this project aims to implement activities to ensure site security; ensure the structural stability of the two standing Giant Buddha niches; ensure adequate state of conservation of archaeological ...
“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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
Afghanistan’s cultural heritage: Safeguarding Campaign
The focus of this Campaign is the safeguarding of all aspects of Afghan cultural heritage, both tangible and intangible, including museums, monuments, archaeological sites, music, art, traditional crafts ...
Archaeology in the Caribbean - Martinique 2004
From the 20 to the 23 September 2004, the UNESCO World Heritage Centre organised an international seminar involving official representatives and experts in the area of Archaeology in the Caribbean for the ...
Atelier "Paysages urbains historiques ". Bordeaux, 7-8 juin 2009.
Dans le contexte du travail mené par l'UNESCO sur l'élaboration d'une nouvelle Recommandation internationale sur la question urbaine, une réunion d'experts français sur les « paysages urbains historiques » s'est ...
The Heritage Office of the Instituto Colombiano de Cultura, COLCULTURA, organized the Caribbean Fortification Experts Meeting, financed by the UNESCO World Heritage Fund, for purposes of encouraging the inclusion of ...
Case Studies on the Conservation and Management of Historic Cities
Since 2008, the World Heritage Centre, within the framework of the France-UNESCO Cooperation Agreement, supported and participated in the initiative “Developing Historic Cities: Keys for Understanding and Taking ...
In 1993 Tongariro became the first property to be inscribed on the World Heritage List under the revised criteria describing cultural landscapes. The mountains at the heart of the park have cultural and religious ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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.
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
Handbook on Cultural Heritage and Local Development for African Local Governments
The handbook "Cultural heritage and local development: A Guide for African local governments", co-edited by the France-UNESCO Cooperation Agreement and CRATerre-ENSAG in 2006, was designed as a tool for decision ...
Initiative on Heritage of Religious Interest
There exist a great variety of religious and sacred sites that are representative of the different cultures and traditions of the world. Approximately 20 percent of the properties inscribed on the World Heritage ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
The France-UNESCO Cooperation Agreement, similar to the technical cooperation provided to the Town of Luang Prabang in the Lao People's Democratic Republic, has provided technical and financial support to national ...
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 ...
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 ...
Preparatory assistance for the inscription of Stone Circles of Senegambia
Africa is underrepresented on the World Heritage List, particularly concerning archaeological sites. This is why it is important to assist countries in the preparation of nominations. In a territory approximately ...
The Ancient Villages of Northern Syria constitute one of the most extraordinary archeological ensembles in the world. There are more than 700 sites from the Roman and Byzantine eras located in a vast region. They ...
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, ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
State of conservation Information System
Conservation, at the core of the World Heritage Convention Article 4 of the World Heritage Convention refers to the conservation of properties inscribed on the World Heritage List and indicates that “each State ...
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 ...
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 ...
Support for the creation of the Indian Heritage Cities Network (IHCN)
From 2006 to 2013, the France-UNESCO Cooperation Agreement, with the support of the French Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, has been providing support to the UNESCO Regional Office in New ...
Support for the establishment of the national inventory of cultural heritage of Senegal
The President of the Republic of Senegal (by Decree 2001-1065 of 20 December 2001) requested the Ministry of Culture (in particular, the Department of Cultural Heritage) conduct an inventory of historical sites and ...
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 ...
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 ...
Technical assistance for the conservation of the Group of Monuments at Hampi, India
Situated in an exceptionally beautiful landscape and covering a vast area of 42 km2, Hampi, in India, contains major archaeological remains of what was once the capital of the last great Hindu kingdom and one of the ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 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 ...
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 ...
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 Centre of Riga, Latvia, was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1997 for its urban and architectural values. The city’s urban morphology is a fine example of the development and evolution phases of ...
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, ...
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 ...
The technical cooperation for the protection, enhancement and development of the Town of Luang Prabang, Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a remarkable example of tripartite cooperation between the Lao People's ...
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, ...
The Chii`k Naab mural paintings: Calakmul. The conservation of mural paintings in tropical climates
Since 1993, the Calakmul Archaeological Project has made an enormous contribution to interdisciplinary research, ensuring the integral conservation of the Outstanding Universal Value, as was established by the World ...
The Inventory of the historic city of Sana'a: a tool for urban conservation
This publication documents the main outcomes of the studies undertaken in 2003 - 2006, by UNESCO's World Heritage Centre and the General Organisation for the Preservation of the Historic Cities of Yemen (GOPHCY), in ...
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 ...
Making Culture a Motor for ReconstructionHaiti, the "land of a thousand colours" "Haiti will certainly not die, because its painters started painting again, its poets started creating, its singers composing, its ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
World Heritage – Pacific 2009 Programme
Despite its extraordinary cultural and biological diversity and richness, the Pacific is the most under-represented sub-region on the World Heritage List. To redress this imbalance, World Heritage Global Strategy ...
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 ...
The Arctic Ocean urgently needs protection as melting sea ice is opening up previously inaccessible areas to activities such as shipping, bottom trawl fishing and oil exploration, according to a scientific report ...
Activities to protect Afghanistan’s moveable cultural property
UNESCO assists the Afghan authorities in preventing the illicit trafficking of cultural property. UNESCO's policy on the protective safekeeping of cultural property is straightforward. Where there is a serious ...
The International Coordination Committee for the Safeguarding of Afghanistan's Cultural Heritage (ICC) was formed in 2002 to coordinate all international efforts for the safeguarding of cultural heritage in ...
Safeguarding of the Bamiyan site, Phase I
The aims of this project were the consolidation of the cliffs and niches, the conservation of mural paintings in the Buddhist caves, the definition of the archaeological zone through soundings, as well as the ...
Safeguarding of the Bamiyan Site, Phase II
The aims of this project are to substantially improve the state of preservation of the Bamiyan site, to ensure the long term consolidation of the site, to increase the national capacity in the conservation of ...
Activities in Tikal National Park
At Tikal National Park in Guatemala, the Institute of Anthropology and History, part of the culture ministry, is working to protect one of the world's most important ancient Mayan sites and part of the largest ...
International Coordination Committee for the Safeguarding of the Cultural Heritage of Iraq
The Executive Board of UNESCO approved at its 167th session (decision 9.2) the establishment of the International Coordination Committee for the Safeguarding of the Cultural Heritage of Iraq. The Committee, which ...
The town of Harar dates from before the thirteenth century. Its strategic location between the coastal lowlands and central highlands led to its development as an important centre of Islamic culture and commerce. A ...
Lake Tana - Churches and Monasteries
The Lake Tana area was important in the fourteenth, fifteenth and sixteenth centuries in view of its role in maintaining the Christian faith against contemporary pressures, and the rise of the Solomonic Dynasty ...
The Rescue of Nubian Monuments and Sites
The most famous of the monuments affected by the Aswan High Dam Project was the temple complex on the island of Philae. Sacred to the goddess Isis, the sanctuary dates mostly to the Graeco-Roman period and was later ...
Expert Working Group releases recommendations for Safeguarding Bamiyan
Following their meeting in Tokyo in December 2004, a group of Afghan and international experts working on the safeguarding of Bamiyan (Afghanistan), as well as representatives of the Afghan and Japanese governments ...
Pakistan- International Campaign for the Safeguarding of Moenjodaro
In 1974, after an appeal from the Pakistani Government, UNESCO launched the International Safeguarding Campaign for Moenjodaro. It lasted until 1997 and mobilized around 8 million US $ from its Member States for ...
Safeguarding Koguryo Tombs & Mural Paintings in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea
Since 2001, with the support of the UNESCO/Republic of Korea Funds-in-Trust, the World Heritage Centre coordinates conservation and capacity building activities in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea to ...
Tajikistan- Operational project for the preservation of the Buddhist Monastery of Ajina Tepe
UNESCO, in cooperation with the Japanese Government, has launched several cultural heritage conservation projects along the Silk Roads. Two projects in China (the Longmen Grottoes and the Kumtra Thousand Caves), and ...
Conservation and Restoration of the Royal Plaza, the Bayon and Angkor Wat
Following four preliminary survey missions fielded by the Japanese Government in response to the request of the Royal Government of Cambodia, the Japanese Government Team for Safeguarding Angkor (JSA) was set up in ...
Complex of the Celestial Lady (Thien Mu)
This complex was built on the exact spot where, according to tradition, a "celestial lady" dressed in red appeared and asked the local lord to build a pagoda in order to control the subterranean forces and dominate ...
Complex of the mausoleum of King Minh Mang
Begun in 1841 by Minh Mang it was completed in 1843. Located extra muros, the complex comprises several buildings surrounded by gardens and pools.
Complex of the Palace of Audiences (Dien Can Chanh)
This complex was built in 1811, but burned down in 1947. The local authorities wanted it to be reconstructed exactly as before on the basis of the surviving plans and documents. The western and eastern pavilions, ...
Complex of the Temple for the Worship of the Nguyen Emperors (Thé Mieu)
This complex, located to the south-east of the Imperial City, comprises: the temple itself (Thé Mieu) built in 1820; the Temple of the Resurrection (Hung Mieu), dedicated to the worship of the father of Emperor ...
Complex of the Temple for the Worship of the Nine Nguyen Lords (Thai Mieu)
This complex is located to the south-east of the Imperial City. It was built in 1805 by Gia Long. In 1956 its roof was carried away by a typhoon. The temple was restored in 1963, but in 1972 it was demolished and ...
Complex of the tomb of the King Tu Duc
Tu Duc's reign began in 1848 and ended in 1883. The king attached considerable importance to the construction of his final residence and the buildings and gardens around it. The many buildings it comprises blend ...
International Safeguarding Campaign of the City of Venice (1966, Italy)
Venice, with its surrounding lagoon, is unique. In this city on the water, where the idea of terra firma is meaningless, a thousand years has seen the creation of an extraordinary museum of architecture. But this ...
Romania - International support for the restoration and preservation of the Probota Monastery
Probota Monastery, located in north-east Romania, has been on the World Heritage List since 1993. The present church, built between 1528 and 1530 by Petru Rares. It is the beautiful internal and external frescos, ...
Bosnia and Herzegovina - Preservation plan of the historical center of Mostar
By the end of the first month of work, the international team of experts headed by Professor Carlo Blasi of the University of Florence (Italy) was established to set up the general framework for the safeguarding of ...
Maintenance of restored Church S. Maria del Giglio
Pro Venezia, Switzerland has always been sensitive to the need for constant monitoring and prompt maintenance of restored buildings.True to this principle, the Swiss Committee provided funds for tests to be carried ...
Restoration of the Painted Crucifixion group in wood
Mid-sixteenth century painted Crucifixion group in wood, with the Virgin and St. John, from the Church of San Michele. Following its long and painstaking restoration, the remarkable Crucifixion group financed by ...
Ethiopia-International Campaign to Safeguard the Principal Monuments and Sites of Ethiopia
The area of Africa that is present-day Ethiopia has a long history rich in tradition; its sites and monuments bear witness to the civilizations that have had their roots in this territory for more than 2,700 years. ...