The Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict was adopted at The Hague (Netherlands) in 1954 in the wake of massive destruction of cultural heritage during the Second World War. It is the first international treaty with a worldwide vocation focusing exclusively on the protection of cultural heritage in the event of armed conflict.
This Convention is an international cooperation framework against the illicit trafficking of cultural property requiring States Parties to take preventative measures and adhere to restitution provisions. It covers immovable and movable cultural heritage, including monuments of architecture, art or history, archaeological sites, works of art, manuscripts, books and other objects of artistic, historical or archaeological interest, as well as scientific collections of all kinds regardless of their origin or ownership.
Read the full text of the Convention.
Source(s): http://www.unesco.org/new/en/culture/themes/armed-conflict-and-heritage/convention-and-protocols/1954-hague-convention/The objectives of the 1970 Convention are to protect and safeguard the world cultural property against damage, theft, clandestine excavations, illicit import, export and transfer of ownership, trafficking, to implement preventive measures and raise awareness of the importance thereof, to establish a moral and ethical code for the acquisition of cultural property, to provide a platform among State Parties to the Convention for facilitating the recovery and return of stolen, illicitly excavated or illicitly exported cultural property, and to promote international cooperation and assistance.
For more information, visit the 1970 Convention webpage.
The same General Conference that adopted the Convention concerning the Protection of World Cultural and Natural Heritage (the World Heritage Convention) in 1972 also adopted the Recommendation concerning the Protection, at National Level, of the Cultural and Natural Heritage.
According to this Recommendation, “In conformity with their jurisdictional and legislative requirements, each State should formulate, develop and apply as far as possible a policy whose principal aim should be to co-ordinate and make use of all scientific, technical, cultural and other resources available to secure the effective protection, conservation and presentation of the cultural and natural heritage” (II. National policy, Article 3).
The Recommendation also encourages States to organise their public services and take appropriate protective, legal and financial measures that will contribute to the protection of cultural and natural heritage, and to undertake educational campaigns to inform the public about the importance of heritage, and to seek international co-operation and support when needed.
Source(s): https://whc.unesco.org/en/convention/The UNESCO Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage, adopted in 2001, is intended to enable States to better protect their submerged cultural heritage.
The main principles laid out in the Convention are the obligation to preserve underwater cultural heritage, the prioritization of in-situ preservation and the stipulation that underwater cultural heritage should not be commercially exploited for trade or speculation, and that it should not be irretrievably dispersed.
For more information, visit the website of the 2001 Convention.
Source(s): http://www.unesco.org/new/en/culture/themes/underwater-cultural-heritage/2001-convention/
The main goal of the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage is to safeguard the practices, representations, expressions, knowledge and skills that communities, groups and, in some cases, individuals recognize as part of their cultural heritage.
Such heritage may be manifested in domains such as oral traditions and expressions, performing arts, social practices, rituals, festive events, knowledge and practice about nature and the universe, and traditional craftsmanship. This definition provided in Article 2 of the Convention also includes the instruments, objects, artefacts and cultural spaces associated with intangible cultural heritage.
For more information, visit the website of the 2003 Convention.
Source(s): https://ich.unesco.org/en/working-towards-a-convention-00004
The Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions, adopted in 2005 by the UNESCO General Conference, is a binding international legal instrument. Its goal is to protect and promote the diversity of cultural expressions, particularly as embodied and conveyed in cultural activities, goods and services, which are the vehicles of contemporary culture. It sets out to create a legal framework favourable to all with regard to the production, distribution/dissemination, access to and enjoyment of a wide range of cultural expressions of diverse origin.
The Convention highlights the decisive role of cultural policies and defines the rights and obligations of Parties with regard to the protection and promotion of the diversity of cultural expressions, both nationally and internationally. States have agreed on the urgent need for this instrument, given that the accelerating processes of globalization tend to heighten the disparities between those countries lacking and those possessing the capacity to create, produce and disseminate their cultural expressions.
For more information, visit the website of the 2005 Convention.
The Recommendation on the Historic Urban Landscape was adopted on 10 November 2011 by UNESCO General Conference. It outlines the Historic Urban Landscape (HUL) approach, which moves beyond the preservation of the physical environment and focuses on the entire human environment with all of its tangible and intangible qualities. It seeks to increase the sustainability of planning and design interventions by taking into account the existing built environment, intangible heritage, cultural diversity, socio-economic and environmental factors along with local community values.
The HUL approach does not replace existing doctrines or conservation approaches; rather, it is an additional tool to integrate policies and practices of conservation of the built environment into the wider goals of urban development in respect of the inherited values and traditions of different cultural contexts. The tool is a “soft-law” to be implemented by Member States on a voluntary basis.
Source(s):
New Life for Historic Cities – The Historic Urban Landscape Approach Explained
https://whc.unesco.org/en/news/1026/ https://whc.unesco.org/en/hul/
On 19 November 2015, the 20th General Assembly of the States Parties to the World Heritage Convention adopted a Policy on the Integration of a Sustainable Development Perspective into the Processes of the Convention.
The overall goal of the policy is to assist States Parties, practitioners, institutions, communities and networks, through appropriate guidance, to harness the potential of World Heritage properties and heritage in general, to contribute to sustainable development and therefore increase the effectiveness and relevance of the Convention whilst respecting its primary purpose and mandate of protecting the Outstanding Universal value of World Heritage properties.
In line with the ‘2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development’, adopted by the UN General Assembly, this policy revolves around the three dimensions of sustainable development, namely environmental sustainability, inclusive social development and inclusive economic development, complemented by the fostering of peace and security. Its adoption represents a significant shift in the implementation of the Convention and an important step in its history.
Source(s): https://whc.unesco.org/en/sustainabledevelopment/
On 1 January 2016, the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development — adopted by world leaders in September 2015 at a historic UN Summit — officially came into force. They are a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity.
Building on the success of the Millennium Development Goals, the SDGs include new areas such as climate change, economic inequality, innovation, sustainable consumption, peace and justice, among other priorities. The goals are interconnected – the key to success on one often involves tackling issues more commonly associated with another.
Read more about the Sustainable Development Goals.
Source(s): http://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/sustainable-development-goals.html
The instruments of "acceptance" or "approval" of a treaty have the same legal effect as ratification and consequently express the consent of a state to be bound by a treaty. In the practice of certain states acceptance and approval have been used instead of ratification when, at a national level, constitutional law does not require the treaty to be ratified by the head of state [Arts.2 (1) (b) and 14 (2), Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties 1969].
Source(s): United Nations Treaty Collection Glossary"Accession" is the act whereby a state accepts the offer or the opportunity to become a party to a treaty already negotiated and signed by other states. It has the same legal effect as ratification. Accession usually occurs after the treaty has entered into force. The Secretary-General of the United Nations, in his function as depositary, has also accepted accessions to some conventions before their entry into force. The conditions under which accession may occur and the procedure involved depend on the provisions of the treaty. A treaty might provide for the accession of all other states or for a limited and defined number of states. In the absence of such a provision, accession can only occur where the negotiating states were agreed or subsequently agree on it in the case of the state in question [Arts.2 (1) (b) and 15, Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties 1969].
Source(s): United Nations Treaty Collection Glossary
According to Paragraph 23 of the 'Policy Document for the Integration of a Sustainable Development Perspective into the Processes of the World Heritage Convention' (World Heritage Sustainable Development Policy), "Gender equality is one of UNESCO’s two global priorities. The UNESCO Priority Gender Equality Action Plan (2014-2021), moreover, requires Member States and the governing bodies of UNESCO regulatory instruments “to establish gender-sensitive, gender-responsive and gender-transformative policies and practices in the field of heritage”.
In addition, achieving gender equality and empowering all women and girls is essential for achieving sustainable development, and is one of the post-2015 Sustainable Development Goals.
The World Heritage Sustainable Development Policy also states that States Parties should:
“Ensure respect for gender equality throughout the full cycle of World Heritage processes, particularly in the preparation and content of nomination dossiers;
“Ensure social and economic opportunities for both women and men in and around World Heritage properties;
“Ensure equal and respectful consultation, full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership and representation of both women and men within activities for the conservation and management of World Heritage properties;
“When or where relevant, ensure that gender-rooted traditional practices within World Heritage properties, for example in relation to access or participation in management mechanisms, have received the full consent of all groups within the local communities through transparent consultation processes that fully respects gender equality.”
Source(s):
World Heritage Sustainable Development Policy
The UNESCO Priority Gender Equality Action Plan (2014-2021)
A nominated property is independently evaluated by two Advisory Bodies mandated by the World Heritage Convention: the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), which respectively provide the World Heritage Committee with evaluations of cultural and of natural sites nominated. The third Advisory Body is the International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property (ICCROM), an intergovernmental organization which provides the Committee with expert advice on conservation of cultural sites, as well as on training activities.
Three international non-governmental or intergovernmental organizations are named in the Convention to advise the Committee in its deliberations.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is an international, non-governmental organization that provides the World Heritage Committee with technical evaluations of natural heritage properties and, through its worldwide network of specialists, reports on the state of conservation of listed properties. With more than 1000 members, IUCN was established in 1948 and is located in Gland, Switzerland.
The International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) provides the World Heritage Committee with evaluations of cultural and mixed properties proposed for inscription on the World Heritage List. It is an international, non-governmental organization founded in 1965, with an international secretariat in Paris.
The International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property (ICCROM) is an intergovernmental organization created to promote the conservation of all forms of cultural heritage, in every region of the world. Its mission is to provide Member States with the best tools, knowledge, skills and enabling environment to preserve their cultural heritage in all of its forms, for the benefit of all people. Through its work, ICCROM is contributing to the environmental, social and economic sustainability of communities.
Source(s): https://whc.unesco.org/en/advisorybodies
For example ministries of culture, ministries of the environments, national agencies for heritage or conservation, heritage boards etc.
Article 5 of the World Heritage Convention, states:
"To ensure that effective and active measures are taken for the protection, conservation and presentation of the cultural and natural heritage situated on its territory, each State Party to this Convention shall endeavor, in so far as possible, and as appropriate for each country:
to adopt a general policy which aims to give the cultural and natural heritage a function in the life of the community and to integrate the protection of that heritage into comprehensive planning programmes;
to set up within its territories, where such services do not exist, one or more services for the protection, conservation and presentation of the cultural and natural heritage with an appropriate staff and possessing the means to discharge their functions;
to develop scientific and technical studies and research and to work out such operating methods as will make the State capable of counteracting the dangers that threaten its cultural or natural heritage;
to take the appropriate legal, scientific, technical, administrative and financial measures necessary for the identification, protection, conservation, presentation and rehabilitation of this heritage; and
to foster the establishment or development of national or regional centres for training in the protection, conservation and presentation of the cultural and natural heritage and to encourage scientific research in this field."
Source(s): The World Heritage Convention
According to the Resource Manual 'Preparing World Heritage Nominations', "Attributes are aspects of a property which are associated with or express the Outstanding Universal Value. Attributes can be tangible or intangible. The Operational Guidelines indicate a range of types of attribute which might convey Outstanding Universal Value, including:
- form and design;
- materials and substance;
- use and function;
- traditions, techniques and management systems;
- location and setting;
- language, and other forms of intangible heritage; and
- spirit and feeling (Paragraph 82).
This list is for guidance. It is essential that the attributes identified for a property should flow from the Statement of Outstanding Universal Value and the justification for the criteria. Attributes must be identified as they are vital to understanding authenticity and integrity, and are the focus of protection, conservation and management.
For natural properties, it is more common to speak of ’features’, although the word attributes is sometimes used. Examples of attributes for natural properties could include:
- visual or aesthetic significance;
- scale of the extent of physical features or natural habitats;
- intactness of physical or ecological processes;
- naturalness, and intactness of natural systems;
- viability;
- rarity”.
Source(s): The World Heritage Resource Manual Preparing World Heritage Nominations (2nd edition, UNESCO 2011)
See 'attributes'.
The condition of the attributes of Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) is a good guide to the overall state of conservation of a World Heritage property.
The categories of the condition of the attributes can be defined as follows:
- Lost: Loss or alteration to most aspects of this attribute has occurred and has caused a major loss of significance of this attribute.
- Seriously compromised: Loss or alteration of many aspects of this attribute has occurred, which is leading to a significant reduction in the significance of this attribute.
- Compromised: Some loss or alteration of the aspects of this attribute has already occurred, but their overall condition is not causing persistent or substantial effects to this attribute.
- Preserved: This attribute is essentially intact, and its overall condition is stable or improving. Available evidence indicates only minor, if any, disturbances, to this attribute.
Source(s): Presentation by Jon Day - ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies at the 39th session of the World Heritage Committee (Bonn, 2015)
Attributes, more commonly called features in the case of natural properties, are those elements, processes or features that convey and make manifest the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of a property. Identification and understanding of their interrelationships are crucial to understanding OUV and therefore to ensuring appropriate protection and management mechanisms.
Attributes can be physical qualities or fabric, or the relationships between them. Attributes can also be processes impacting on physical qualities, such as natural or agricultural processes, social arrangements or cultural practices that have shaped distinctive landscapes. For natural properties, they can include landscape features, habitats, aspects of environmental quality (such as intactness, high/pristine environmental quality), scale and naturalness of habitats, and size and viability of wildlife populations.
Authenticity only applies to cultural properties and to the cultural aspects of ‘mixed’ properties. Authenticity can be seen as the link between attributes and Outstanding Universal Value.
According to paragraph 82 of the Operational Guidelines, a World Heritage property ”[] may be understood to meet the conditions of authenticity if their cultural values (as recognized in the nomination criteria proposed) are truthfully and credibly expressed through a variety of attributes”.
A set of general attributes which may be conveying or expressing the property’s Outstanding Universal Value is suggested, and includes:
- form and design;
- materials and substance;
- use and function;
- traditions, techniques and management systems;
- location and setting;
- language and other forms of intangible heritage;
- spirit and feeling; and
- other internal/external factors.
The concept of Authenticity is described in the Operational Guidelines paragraphs 79-86.
A comprehensive definition of authenticity in relation to cultural heritage is contained in the Nara Document on Authenticity which was drafted in 1994 in Nara, Japan.
Source(s): Operational Guidelines for the Implementation of the World Heritage Convention
According to Paragraph 217 of the Operational Guidelines, States Parties “[…] are encouraged to raise awareness of the need to preserve World Heritage. In particular, they should ensure that World Heritage status is adequately marked and promoted on-site".
Paragraph 218 of the Operational Guidelines states:
“The Secretariat provides assistance to States Parties in developing activities aimed at raising public awareness of the Convention and informing the public of the dangers threatening World Heritage. The Secretariat advises States Parties regarding the preparation and implementation of on-site promotional and educational projects to be funded through International Assistance. The Advisory Bodies and appropriate State agencies may also be solicited to provide advice on such projects".
Source(s): Operational Guidelines for the Implementation of the World Heritage Convention
A key benefit of ratification, particularly for developing countries, is access to the World Heritage Fund and International Assistance. This is made available to assist States Parties in identifying, preserving and promoting World Heritage sites. Emergency assistance may also be made available for urgent action to repair damage caused by human-made or natural disasters. In the case of sites included on the List of World Heritage in Danger, the attention and the funds of both the national and the international community are focused on the conservation needs of these particularly threatened sites.
Today, the World Heritage concept is so well understood that sites on the List are a magnet for international cooperation and may thus receive financial assistance for heritage conservation projects from a variety of sources.
Sites inscribed on the World Heritage List also benefit from the elaboration and implementation of a comprehensive management plan that sets out adequate preservation measures and monitoring mechanisms. In support of these, experts offer technical training to the local site management team.
Finally, the inscription of a site on the World Heritage List brings an increase in public awareness of the site and of its outstanding values, thus also increasing the tourist activities at the site. When these are well planned for and organized respecting sustainable tourism principles, they can bring important funds to the site and to the local economy.
Source(s): https://whc.unesco.orgOnce a country signs the World Heritage Convention, and has sites inscribed on the World Heritage List, the resulting prestige often helps raise awareness among citizens and governments for heritage preservation. Greater awareness leads to a general rise in the level of the protection and conservation given to heritage properties. A country may also receive financial assistance and expert advice from the World Heritage Committee to support activities for the preservation of its sites.
Source(s): https://whc.unesco.org
A generic term for treaties, conventions, protocols, and other binding instruments. This term is usually applied to instruments of a geographic scope between two states.
Source(s): United Nations Information Portal on Multilateral Environmental Agreements
The United Nations Information Portal on Multilateral Environmental Agreements defines Biodiversity as:
1) Genetic diversity: the variation between individuals and between populations within a species; species diversity: the different types of plants, animals and other life forms within a region; community or ecosystem diversity: the variety of habitats found within an area (grassland, marsh, and woodland for instance).
2) An umbrella term to describe collectively the variety and variability of nature. It encompasses three basic levels of organisation in living systems: the genetic, species, and ecosystem levels. Plant and animal species are the most commonly recognized units of biological diversity, thus public concern has been mainly devoted to conserving species diversity.
Source(s): United Nations Information Portal on Multilateral Environmental Agreements
In order to enhance coherence and cooperation in implementation, a liaison group was established between the heads of the secretariats of the six biodiversity-related conventions. The Biodiversity Liaison Group or BLG, was formed in June 2004 and meets regularly to explore opportunities for synergistic activities and increased coordination, and to exchange information.
The Biodiversity Liaison Group (BLG) consists of the Heads of the Secretariat of the following conventions:
- Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage;
- Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD);
- Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species in Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES);
- Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS);
- Convention on Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar Convention);
- International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA);
- International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC).
Read the Modus Operandi of the Biodiversity Liaison Group.
Protected areas that are strictly set aside to protect biodiversity and also possibly geological/geomorphological features, where human visitation, use and impacts are strictly controlled and limited to ensure protection of the conservation values. Such protected areas can serve as indispensable reference areas for scientific research and monitoring.
Source(s): United Nations Information Portal on Multilateral Environmental Agreements
Biosphere reserves are areas comprising terrestrial, marine and coastal ecosystems. Each reserve promotes solutions reconciling the conservation of biodiversity with its sustainable use.
Biosphere reserves are ‘Science for Sustainability support sites’ – special places for testing interdisciplinary approaches to understanding and managing changes and interactions between social and ecological systems, including conflict prevention and management of biodiversity.
Biosphere reserves are nominated by national governments and remain under the sovereign jurisdiction of the states where they are located. Their status is internationally recognized.
Biosphere reserves have three interrelated zones that aim to fulfil three complementary and mutually reinforcing functions:
- The core area(s) comprises a strictly protected ecosystem that contributes to the conservation of landscapes, ecosystems, species and genetic variation;
- The buffer zone surrounds or adjoins the core areas, and is used for activities compatible with sound ecological practices that can reinforce scientific research, monitoring, training and education;
- The transition area is the part of the reserve where the greatest activity is allowed, fostering economic and human development that is socio-culturally and ecologically sustainable.
Source(s): http://www.unesco.org/new/en/natural-sciences/environment/ecological-sciences/biosphere-reserves/
Source(s):Operational Guidelines for the Implementation of the World Heritage Convention
The World Heritage Resource Manual Preparing World Heritage Nominations (2nd edition, UNESCO 2011), draws up some principles concerning boundaries for World Heritage properties:
”the property boundaries must encompass the attributes necessary to meet the condition of integrity, that is a complete and intact set of attributes that convey potential Outstanding Universal Value;• boundaries must be logical and defensible in relation to the identification of attributes that convey the value of the property;
• boundaries must be clearly defined in relation to the legal protection and management of the property;
• boundaries should be readily identifiable if they are to be useful for management. They will often be based on physical features and sometimes on natural features. Effective boundaries may also be based on human-made features such as roads, which may often be critical features in relation to management. However, more care is needed with using such features to ensure that the area enclosed meets the condition of integrity;
• good-quality mapping of boundaries is essential; and
• it is also essential that the establishment of boundaries (including zoning schemes) within a nominated property is carried out in conjunction with defining the management priorities and requirements for the property, and with effective stakeholder engagement. This is to create a strong link between this process and protection, conservation and management.""
“Inadequacies in the boundaries make it difficult to maintain the property's Outstanding Universal Value” implies that theurce attributes conveying the Outstanding Universal Value are indeed within the boundaries, but they are considered inadequate for other reasons (too limited, lack of buffer zone, etc.)
Source(s): The World Heritage Resource Manual Preparing World Heritage Nominations (2nd edition, UNESCO 2011)
Buffer zones are clearly delineated area(s) outside a World Heritage property and adjacent to its boundaries which contribute to the protection, conservation, management, integrity, authenticity and sustainability of the Outstanding Universal Value of the property. Although buffer zones are not regarded as part of the inscribed property, their boundaries and relevant management approaches should be evaluated, approved and formally recorded at the time they are proposed by a State Party. Where buffer zones are defined, they should be seen as an integral component of the State Party’s commitment to the protection, conservation and management of the World Heritage property. The functions of the buffer zone should reflect the different types and levels of protection, conservation and management needed to protect the attributes that sustain the Outstanding Universal Value of the World Heritage property.
Source(s): The World Heritage Resource Manual Preparing World Heritage Nominations (2nd edition, UNESCO 2011)
Buffer zones are described in The World Heritage Resource Manual Preparing World Heritage Nominations (2nd edition, UNESCO 2011) as follows:
”Every World Heritage property needs protection and management arrangements for activities outside the property, including their immediate setting. Buffer zones are one commonly used means to achieve this protection, conservation and management. However a buffer zone is not always a requirement if, as outlined in the Operational Guidelines, there are also legal, regulatory and other methods available to protect the property from wider threats (Paragraph 104). These may include recognition in land-use plans or development regulations, or ensuring landscape level connectivity between protected areas. Countries may have different mechanisms in this regard.
It should be clearly understood that the buffer zone does not form part of the World Heritage property but is there to assist in its protection, conservation and management.
The features and values of a buffer zone are [...] not included in the assessment of Outstanding Universal Value but may be relevant to the assessment of whether a nominated property meets requirements for integrity, authenticity, protection and management. Consideration needs to be given as to whether the immediate setting of the property is understood and can be readily defined, or whether more work is needed to define it.
Issues that can influence the buffer zone boundary include:
• characteristics of the potential Outstanding Universal Value;
• management requirements of the property;
• character of known or foreseeable threats or impacts;
• important views to or from the property;
• existing character of the potential buffer zone;
• ownership, resource use, management and protection (including legislation) within the potential buffer zone.
Although a buffer zone is not part of the inscribed World Heritage property, the buffer zone boundaries are formally registered at the time of inscription of a property, or at the time modifications are approved by the World Heritage Committee. The buffer zone is an integral component of the State Party’s commitment to the protection, conservation and management of the property. As such any buffer zone should be part of the overall management system for the property, and it should be clear how those responsible for managing the property are also able to provide input to and influence the management of activities in any buffer zone. The process of defining the buffer zone can be an important opportunity to involve stakeholders in understanding the property and working together for its long-term protection, conservation and management.”
Source(s): The World Heritage Resource Manual Preparing World Heritage Nominations (2nd edition, UNESCO 2011)
Buffer zones in this context relate to those buffer zones submitted and acknowledged by the World Heritage Committee. To answer this question, please refer also to the Statement of Outstanding Universal Value provided in Chapter 3. Please indicate which of the suggested answers given to this question most closely reflects the current status of the property.
According to the World Heritage and Capacity Building Strategy, “For the purposes of this strategy, capacity building in the World Heritage framework can be defined as follows. If capacity is “the ability of individuals, organizations and societies to perform functions, solve problems, and set and achieve objectives in a sustainable manner” , then capacity building for the effective management of World Heritage properties will:
- strengthen the knowledge, abilities, skills and behavior of people with direct responsibilities for heritage conservation and management,
- improve institutional structures and processes through empowering decision-makers and policy-makers,
- and introduce a more dynamic relationship between heritage and its context and, in turn, greater reciprocal benefits by a more inclusive approach, such that missions and goals are met in a sustainable way.
Needs, in the context of capacity building for the effective management of World Heritage properties, to:
- strengthen the knowledge, abilities, skills and behaviour of people with direct responsibilities for heritage conservation and management,
- improve institutional structures and processes through empowering decision-makers and policy-makers, and
- introduce a more dynamic relationship between heritage and its context and, in turn, greater reciprocal benefits by a more inclusive approach,such that the OUV of the properties will be protected effectively and in a sustainable way.
Source(s): World Heritage Resource Manual, Managing Cultural World Heritage
Civil society is the “third sector” of society, along with government and business. It comprises civil society organizations and non-governmental organizations. The UN recognizes the importance of partnering with civil society, because it advances the Organization’s ideals, and helps support its work.
Source(s): http://www.un.org/en/sections/resources-different-audiences/civil-society/
‘Climate change’ means a change of climate which is attributed directly or indirectly to human activity that alters the composition of the global atmosphere and which is in addition to natural climate variability observed over comparable time periods.
Source: United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, Article 1
Adaptation to climate change refers to adjustment in natural or human systems in response to actual or expected climatic stimuli or their effects, which moderates harm or exploits beneficial opportunities.
In 1992 the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (the Earth Summit) was held in Rio de Janeiro and resulted in the establishment of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), in which nations agreed to explore further the causes and effects of global warming and how to limit and cope with its impacts. In 1995, the first Conference of the Parties (COP), the framework for the climate change negotiations, was launched to strengthen the emission reduction provisions of the Convention. Two years later in 1997, the Kyoto Protocol was adopted which legally binds the developed countries to reduce carbon emissions. Since then, the Conference of the Parties (COP) has resulted in further provisions, but many of these are non-binding, and the climate change challenge remains.
At COP 21 in Paris, on 12 December 2015, Parties to the UNFCCC reached a landmark agreement to combat climate change and to accelerate and intensify the actions and investments needed for a sustainable low carbon future. The Paris Agreement builds upon the Convention and – for the first time – brings all nations into a common cause to undertake ambitious efforts to combat climate change and adapt to its effects, with enhanced support to assist developing countries to do so. As such, it charts a new course in the global climate effort.
Source(s):
United Nations Information Portal on Multilateral Environmental Agreements
Climate Change Adaptation for Natural World Heritage Sites – A Practical Guide
The "Policy document on the impacts of climate change on World Heritage properties" was adopted by the 16th General Assembly of States Parties to the World Heritage Convention. It touches on synergies between conventions on the issue; identification of future research needs in this area, legal questions on the role of the World Heritage Convention with regard to suitable responses to Climate Change, and linkages to other UN and international bodies dealing with the issues of climate change.
Read the World Heritage Sustainable Development Policy.
Source(s): https://whc.unesco.org/en/news/441/
Refers to a decision taken by the World Heritage Committee on whether a site should be inscribed on the World Heritage List.
Once a site has been nominated and evaluated, it is up to the intergovernmental World Heritage Committee to make the final decision on its inscription. Once a year, the Committee meets to decide which sites will be inscribed on the World Heritage List. It can also defer its decision and request further information on sites from the States Parties.
Read more about World Heritage nominations.
Source(s): https://whc.unesco.org/en/nominations/
Refers to a decision taken by the World Heritage Committee on the State of Conservation of a property. Committee decisions can recommend a number of courses of action. These can include:
Source(s): World Heritage Resource Manual, Managing Cultural World Heritage
‘Communities’ should be understood in the meaning of Article 5 (a) of the World Heritage Convention, which asks each State Party to the Convention "to adopt a general policy which aims to give the cultural and natural heritage a function in the life of the community and to integrate the protection of that heritage into comprehensive planning programmes".
One of the central objectives of the World Heritage Convention is to encourage the participation of the local population in the preservation of their cultural and natural heritage, as outlined in the five Strategic Objectives of the World Heritage Convention, also referred to as the ‘5 Cs’: Credibility, Conservation, Capacity building, Communication and Communities.
According to the Committee working document WHC-07/31.COM/13B, “[communities] involves all forms of non-State actors. That is, from the smallest groups of citizens, in whichever form they manifest themselves. They may range from groupings of peoples as indigenous, traditional and/or local peoples. They may be presented as, inter alia, community groups, tribes, nongovernmental organizations, private enterprise and/or local authorities. The defining characteristic of communities, in this setting, is what they possess. They all possess a direct connection, with relevant interests, to individual sites and often they have a connection that has endured over time. Typically, these communities share a close proximity with the sites in question. These peoples and/or entities are not necessarily directly representing official state positions, and may actually be in dissent from official positions.”
Source(s):
Communities is one of the five strategic objectives for the implementation of the World Heritage Convention (Credibility, Conservation, Capacity Building, Communication and Communities). These 5 ‘Cs’ were adopted in 2002 at the World Heritage Committee session held in Budapest, Hungary, and were enlarged to encompass ‘communities’ in 2007 (Christchurch, New Zealand, 2007).
With regards to conflict prevention, the Policy Document for the Integration of a Sustainable Development Perspective into the Processes of the World Heritage Convention states that:
"States Parties have a critically important role to play in ensuring that the implementation of the World Heritage Convention, including the establishment of the World Heritage List and management of inscribed properties, are used to prevent conflicts between and within States Parties and to promote respect for cultural diversity within and around World Heritage properties. To this end, States Parties should:
ii. Develop an inclusive approach to identifying, conserving and managing their own World Heritage properties that promote consensus and celebrate cultural diversity, as well as understanding of and respect for heritage belonging to others, particularly neighbouring States Parties;
iii. Consider Tentative List additions and nominations for World Heritage listing that have potential to generate fruitful dialogue between States Parties and different cultural communities, for example through sites that "exhibit an important interchange of human values…" (Criterion ii);
iv. Adopt cross-culturally sensitive approaches to the interpretation of World Heritage properties that are of significance to various local communities and other stakeholders, particularly when nominating or managing heritage places associated with conflicts;
v. Consider, where appropriate, identifying, nominating and managing transboundary/transnational heritage properties and supporting mentoring arrangements in order to foster dialogue between neighboring States Parties or non-contiguous States Parties sharing a common heritage.
Source(s): World Heritage Sustainable Development Policy
The World Heritage Convention does not specifically define conservation. Throughout the Convention reference is made to the "identification, protection, conservation, presentation and transmission to future generations of the cultural and natural heritage".
Article 5 of the Convention makes reference to a number of "effective and active measures" that can be taken by States Parties in ensuring this "identification, protection, conservation, presentation and transmission" (UNESCO 1972).
While the Operational Guidelines do not include a definition of conservation, they state that one of the four essential functions of the World Heritage Committee is to "monitor the state of conservation of properties inscribed on the World Heritage List" (Paragraph 3 (ii)).
One definition offered by the Nara Document on Authenticity defines conservation, specifically with reference to the cultural heritage, as:
“All operations designed to understand a property, know its history and meaning, ensure its material safeguard, and, if required, its restoration and enhancement”.
The definition of nature conservation offered by IUCN reads:
The protection, care, management and maintenance of ecosystems, habitats, wildlife species and populations, within or outside of their natural environments, in order to safeguard the natural conditions for their long-term permanence.
Source(s):
Glossary of World Heritage Terms related to the Implementation of the World Heritage Convention (1996)
The World Heritage Convention, adopted in 1972, is a legally binding instrument providing an intergovernmental framework for international cooperation for the identification and conservation of the world's most outstanding natural and cultural properties. The document developed from the merging of two separate movements: the first focusing on the preservation of cultural sites, and the other dealing with the conservation of nature and defines the kind of natural or cultural sites which can be considered for inscription on the World Heritage List.
It sets out the duties of States Parties in identifying potential sites and their role in protecting and preserving them. Under the Convention, States Parties are obliged to report regularly to the World Heritage Committee on the state of conservation of their World Heritage properties. These reports are crucial to the work of the Committee as they enable it to assess the conditions of the sites, decide on specific programme needs and resolve recurrent problems.
Source(s): http://whc.unesco.org/en/convention/
In 2010 Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) adopted the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011–2020, a ten-year framework for action by all countries and stakeholders to safeguard biodiversity and the benefits it provides to people. As part of the Strategic Plan, 20 ambitious but realistic targets, known as the Aichi Biodiversity Targets, were adopted. Governments have committed to establishing national targets in support of the Aichi Biodiversity Targets. The development of national targets and their incorporation into updated National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs) is a key process in fulfilling the commitments set out in the Strategic Plan. National Biodiversity Strategies Action Plans reflect how a country intends to fulfill the objectives of the CBD and the concrete actions it intends to take.
All 20 Biodiversity targets can be consulted here: https://www.cbd.int/sp/targets/.
Source(s): https://www.cbd.int/undb/media/factsheets/undb-factsheets-en-web.pdf
The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) entered into force on 29 December 1993. It has 3 main objectives:
- The conservation of biological diversity;
- The sustainable use of the components of biological diversity;
- The fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of the utilization of genetic resources.
The Convention on Biological Diversity was inspired by the world community's growing commitment to sustainable development. It represents a dramatic step forward in the conservation of biological diversity, the sustainable use of its components, and the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the use of genetic resources.
The full text of the convention can be found here.
Source(s): https://www.cbd.int/history/
CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora), entered in force on 1 July 1975, is an international agreement between governments. Its aim is to ensure that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival. CITES works by subjecting international trade in specimens of selected species to certain controls. All import, export, re-export and introduction from the sea of species covered by the Convention has to be authorized through a licensing system. Each Party to the Convention must designate one or more Management Authorities in charge of administering that licensing system and one or more Scientific Authorities to advise them on the effects of trade on the status of the species.
The species covered by CITES are listed in three Appendices, according to the degree of protection they need.
For more information visit the CITES website.
Source(s): https://www.cites.org/eng/disc/how.php
The Convention on Migratory Species of Wild Animals, also known as the Bonn Convention, was adopted on 23 June 1979. As of 1 December 2017 the Convention on Migratory Species had 126 Parties. The CMS is a framework convention and encompasses a range of agreements, memoranda of understanding, and special species initiatives. As an environmental treaty under the aegis of the United Nations Environment Programme, CMS provides a global platform for the conservation and sustainable use of migratory animals and their habitats. CMS brings together the States through which migratory animals pass, the Range States, and lays the legal foundation for internationally coordinated conservation measures throughout a migratory range.
For more information, visit the CMS website.
Source(s): https://www.cms.int/en/legalinstrument/cms
The Convention on Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar Convention) was adopted in 1971 and entered into force in 1975. It is a legally binding framework instrument embodying the commitments of its member countries to maintain the ecological character of their Wetlands of International Importance and to plan for the "wise use", or sustainable use, of all wetlands in their territories. The Convention’s mission is “the conservation and wise use of all wetlands through local and national actions and international cooperation, as a contribution towards achieving sustainable development throughout the world”.
For more information, visit the Ramsar website.
Source(s): https://www.ramsar.org/
To be included on the World Heritage List, sites must be of Outstanding Universal Value and meet at least one of ten criteria, as well as the relevant conditions of integrity and authenticity and requirements for protection and management. The World Heritage criteria are explained in the Operational Guidelines for the Implementation of the World Heritage Convention which, besides the text of the Convention, is the main working tool on World Heritage. The criteria are regularly revised by the Committee to reflect the evolution of the World Heritage concept itself.
Criteria for assessment of World Heritage properties:
(i) represent a masterpiece of human creative genius;
(ii) exhibit an important interchange of human values, over a span of time or within a cultural area of the world, on developments in architecture or technology, monumental arts, town-planning or landscape design;
(iii) bear a unique or at least exceptional testimony to a cultural tradition or to a civilization which is living or which has disappeared;
(iv) be an outstanding example of a type of building, architectural or technological ensemble or landscape which illustrates (a) significant stage(s) in human history;
(v) be an outstanding example of a traditional human settlement, land-use, or sea-use which is representative of a culture (or cultures), or human interaction with the environment especially when it has become vulnerable under the impact of irreversible change;
(vi) be directly or tangibly associated with events or living traditions, with ideas, or with beliefs, with artistic and literary works of outstanding universal significance. (The Committee considers that this criterion should preferably be used in conjunction with other criteria);
(vii) contain superlative natural phenomena or areas of exceptional natural beauty and aesthetic importance;
(viii) be outstanding examples representing major stages of earth’s history, including the record of life, significant on-going geological processes in the development of landforms, or significant geomorphic or physiographic features;
(ix) be outstanding examples representing significant on-going ecological and biological processes in the evolution and development of terrestrial, fresh water, coastal and marine ecosystems and communities of plants and animals;
(x) contain the most important and significant natural habitats for in-situ conservation of biological diversity, including those containing threatened species of OUV from the point of view of science or conservation.
Source(s):
World Heritage Resource Manual 'Preparing World Heritage Nominations'
Operational Guidelines for the Implementation of the World Heritage Convention
To be included on the World Heritage List, sites must be of outstanding universal value and meet at least one out of ten selection criteria. These criteria are explained in the Operational Guidelines for the Implementation of the World Heritage Convention which, besides the text of the Convention, is the main working tool on World Heritage. The criteria are regularly revised by the Committee to reflect the evolution of the World Heritage concept itself.
The UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions states:
“Cultural diversity” refers to the manifold ways in which the cultures of groups and societies find expression. These expressions are passed on within and among groups and societies.
Cultural diversity is made manifest not only through the varied ways in which the cultural heritage of humanity is expressed, augmented and transmitted through the variety of cultural expressions, but also through diverse modes of artistic creation, production, dissemination, distribution and enjoyment, whatever the means and technologies used.
Article 1 of the UNESCO Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity (2 November 2001) states:
Culture takes diverse forms across time and space. This diversity is embodied in the uniqueness and plurality of the identities of the groups and societies making up humankind. As a source of exchange, innovation and creativity, cultural diversity is as necessary for humankind as biodiversity is for nature. In this sense, it is the common heritage of humanity and should be recognized and affirmed for the benefit of present and future generations.
Source(s):
UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions 2005
UNESCO Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity (2 November 2001)
Article 1 of the World Heritage Convention defines cultural heritage as:
- monuments: architectural works, works of monumental sculpture and painting, elements or structures of an archaeological nature, inscriptions, cave dwellings and combinations, which are of Outstanding Universal Value from the point of view of history, art or science;
- groups of buildings: groups of separate or connected buildings which, because of their architecture, their homogeneity or their place in the landscape, are of Outstanding Universal Value from the point of view of history, art or science;
- sites: works of man or the combined works of nature and man, and areas including archaeological sites which are of Outstanding Universal Value from the historical, aesthetic, ethnological or anthropological point of view.
Some properties might satisfy more than one of these definitions (e.g. be both a monument and group of buildings). This definition was developed in 1972 and concepts of cultural heritage have expanded since that time. Nonetheless, the definition has been interpreted very broadly to embrace the diversity of cultural heritage. The Operational Guidelines offer additional definitions regarding cultural landscapes, historic towns and town centres, heritage canals and heritage routes.
Source(s): World Heritage Resource Manual 'Preparing World Heritage Nominations'
The Operational Guidelines define cultural landscapes as cultural properties which represent the ‘combined works of nature and of man’ as designated in Article 1 of the Convention (Paragraph 47).
There is no single World Heritage criterion for cultural landscapes and it is conceivable that any of the cultural criteria might be used in justifying the Outstanding Universal Value of a cultural landscape.
There are three main types of cultural landscape:
- landscapes designed and created intentionally by people;
- organically evolved landscapes; and
- associative landscapes (see Operational Guidelines, Annex 3).
Many properties exhibit more than one of these types and they may be overlapping. This is a dynamic aspect of the Convention, and the concepts are being increasingly elaborated, as are the management approaches, etc.
ICOMOS has produced a thematic bibliography on World Heritage Cultural Landscapes which is available here.
Source(s): World Heritage Resource Manual 'Preparing World Heritage Nominations'
UNESCO Culture Sector is responsible for important conventions and universal declarations, such as the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage and the Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity which it implements in a number of areas in order to promote intercultural dialogue. The Cultural Heritage Division manages international campaigns and assists in safeguarding sites – some of which involve World Heritage properties – and masterpieces of oral and intangible heritage. It also carries out operational projects in cooperation with the World Heritage Centre, ICCROM, ICOMOS and ICOM.
World Heritage is the designation for places on earth that are of Outstanding Universal Value to humanity and as such, have been inscribed on the World Heritage List to be protected for future generations to appreciate and enjoy.
Source(s): https://whc.unesco.org/en/faq/19
Disaster is defined as a serious disruption of the functioning of a community or a society causing widespread human, material, economic or environmental losses which exceeds the ability of the affected community or society to cope using its own resources (UNISDR, 2002).
In the Managing Disaster Risks for World Heritage manual, the definition of a disaster is extended to include its impact not only on people and property but also on the heritage values of the World Heritage property and, where relevant, its ecosystems.
Source(s): Managing Disaster Risks for World Heritage
Disaster risk is a product of hazard and vulnerability. While a hazard is a phenomenon (such as an earthquake or a cyclone) which has the potential to cause disruption or damage to cultural property, vulnerability is the susceptibility or exposure of cultural property to the hazard. Whereas a hazard is the external source of a disaster, vulnerability is the inherent weakness of the heritage property (due to its location or its specific characteristics). It is important to bear in mind that hazards such as earthquakes can trigger disasters although they are not disasters in themselves.
Source(s): Managing Disaster Risks for World Heritage
Disaster risk management is the application of disaster risk reduction policies and strategies to prevent new disaster risk, reduce existing disaster risk and manage residual risk, contributing to the strengthening of resilience and reduction of disaster losses.
Annotation: Disaster risk management actions can be distinguished between prospective disaster risk management, corrective disaster risk management and compensatory disaster risk management, also called residual risk management.
Source(s): https://www.unisdr.org/we/inform/terminology
The concept and practice of reducing disaster risks through systematic efforts to analyse and manage the causal factors of disasters, including through reduced exposure to hazards, lessened vulnerability of people and property, wise management of land and the environment, and improved preparedness for adverse events (UNISDR, 2009).
Source(s): Managing Disaster Risks for World Heritage
“Cultural diversity” refers to the manifold ways in which the cultures of groups and societies find expression.
These expressions are passed on within and among groups and societies.
Cultural diversity is made manifest not only through the varied ways in which the cultural heritage of humanity is expressed, augmented and transmitted through the variety of cultural expressions, but also through diverse modes of artistic creation, production, dissemination, distribution and enjoyment, whatever the means and
technologies used.
According to the guidelines of the Memory of the World Programme – which is in charge of the heritage housed in museums, archives and libraries around the world -, the definition of documentary heritage includes the following elements:
- mobile;
- consisting of signs/codes, sounds and/or images;
- can be conserved (the supports are inert elements);
- can be reproduced and transported;
- is the result of a deliberate documentation process.
UNESCO is a non-profit intergovernmental organization. Contributions to UNESCO’s World Heritage from states, public institutions, foundations or individuals - are used for projects implemented by experts to protect World Heritage sites around the world. The World Heritage Marketplace is one way for donors to support World Heritage, it matches potential donors and projects seeking support.
Visit the World Heritage Marketplace
These are the benefits people obtain from ecosystems. These include provisioning services such as food and water; regulating services such as flood and disease control; cultural services such as spiritual, recreational, and cultural benefits; and supporting services, such as nutrient cycling, that maintain the conditions for life on Earth (UNEP).
Ecosystem services are processes by which the environment produces benefits useful to people, akin to economic services. They include:
- Provision of clean water and air;
- Pollination of crops;
- Mitigation of environmental hazards;
- Pest and disease control;
- Carbon sequestration.
Accounting for the way in which ecosystems provide economic goods is an increasingly popular area of development. The concept of ecosystem services is similar to that of natural capital. The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment released in 2005 showed that 60% of ecosystem services are being degraded or used unsustainably.
Source(s): Convention on Biological Diversity Glossary
A heritage education programme is a programme designed to educate, train or involve people in the protection of cultural or natural heritage.
According to Article 27 of the Convention concerning the Protection of World Cultural and Natural Heritage:
- The States Parties to this Convention shall endeavour by all appropriate means, and in particular by educational and information programmes, to strengthen appreciation and respect by their peoples of the cultural and natural heritage defined in Articles 1 and 2 of the Convention.
- They shall undertake to keep the public broadly informed of the dangers threatening this heritage and of the activities carried on in pursuance of this Convention.”
Source(s): http://whc.unesco.org/en/convention/
Articles 10-14 of the Second Protocol to the Hague Convention of 1954 for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict. These articles say that the State Party may request the granting of enhanced protection for cultural property considered to be of “the greatest importance for humanity,” provided that it is already “protected by adequate domestic legal and administrative measures”, with the proviso that, in the event of conflict, it not be “used for military purposes or to shield military sites.” Article 12 of the Convention explains the purpose of enhanced protection, which is that “The Parties to a conflict shall ensure the immunity of cultural property under enhanced protection by refraining from making such property the object of attack or from any use of the property or its immediate surroundings in support of military action."
The up-to-date List of Cultural Property under Enhanced Protection consists of 12 properties from seven State Parties, all of which are inscribed on the World Heritage List.
Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is a process of evaluating the likely environmental impacts of a proposed project or development, taking into account inter-related socio-economic, cultural and human-health impacts, both beneficial and adverse.
UNEP defines Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) as a tool used to identify the environmental, social and economic impacts of a project prior to decision-making. It aims to predict environmental impacts at an early stage in project planning and design, find ways and means to reduce adverse impacts, shape projects to suit the local environment and present the predictions and options to decision-makers. By using EIA both environmental and economic benefits can be achieved, such as reduced cost and time of project implementation and design, avoided treatment/clean-up costs and impacts of laws and regulations.
Source(s): Convention on Biological Diversity: Impact Assessment
According to the World Heritage Sustainable Development Policy, the World Heritage Convention promotes environmental sustainability:
“by valuing and conserving places of outstanding natural heritage value, containing exceptional biodiversity, geodiversity or other exceptional natural features, which are essential for human well-being.” (Article 13).
The policy also applies in this context to cultural properties, for example by;
“promoting environmental, social and cultural impact assessment tools when undertaking planning in sectors such as urban development, transport, infrastructure, mining and waste management - as well as by applying sustainable consumption and production patterns and promoting the use of renewable energy sources” (Article 15.ii).
Features are the physical, biological or geological components or manifestations of a site that together contribute to its OUV.
For example, wetlands may be a feature of a larger management area. But within a wetland there may be features such as pools, wet scrub, bogs, reed marsh and so on. Colonies of a particular bird species may be a feature of a cliff; communities of plants may be a feature of a grassland.
Source(s): Climate Change Adaptation for Natural World Heritage Sites – A Practical Guide
The First Protocol to the 1954 Hague Convention was adopted in 1954 in response to the systematic pillage of cultural property of the occupied territories during the Second World War. The States Parties to the First Protocol agree to undertake the following measures:
- Prevent exportation of cultural property from an occupied territory in the event of armed conflict;
- Take into custody cultural property imported into its territory directly or indirectly from any occupied territory;
- Return to the competent authorities of the previously occupied territory, cultural property which is in its territory, if such property has been exported in contravention of the principles of the 1954 Hague Convention;
- Pay indemnity to the holders in good faith of any cultural property which has to be returned in accordance with the First Protocol.
Paragraph 17 of the World Heritage and Sustainable Development Policy states 'The World Heritage Convention in Article 5 calls upon States Parties to “adopt a general policy which aims to give the cultural and natural heritage a function in the life of the community”. States Parties should recognise that inclusive social development is at the heart of the implementation of this provision of the Convention. States Parties should further recognise that full inclusion, respect and equity of all stakeholders, including local and concerned communities and indigenous peoples, together with a commitment to gender equality, are a fundamental premise for inclusive social development. Enhancing quality of life and well-being in and around World Heritage properties is essential, taking into account communities who might not visit or reside in or near properties but are still stakeholders. Inclusive social development must be underpinned by inclusive governance.
What it is: Social meaning given to being a woman or a man. Social characteristics – not biological differences– used to define a woman or a man.
What it does: defines the boundaries of what women and men can and should be and do. Shapes and determines the behaviour, roles, expectations, and entitlements of women and men. Provides rules, norms, customs, and practices.
Gender refers to the roles, behaviors, activities, and attributes that a given society at a given time considers appropriate for men and women. In addition to the social attributes and opportunities associated with being male and female and the relationships between women and men and girls and boys, gender also refers to the relations between women and those between men. These attributes, opportunities and relationships are socially constructed and are learned through socialization processes. They are context/ time-specific and changeable. Gender determines what is expected, allowed and valued in a woman or a man in a given context. In most societies there are differences and inequalities between women and men in responsibilities assigned, activities undertaken, access to and control over resources, as well as decision-making opportunities. Gender is part of the broader socio-cultural context, as are other important criteria for socio-cultural analysis including class, race, poverty level, ethnic group, sexual orientation, age, etc.
Source(s):
Gender equality is one of UNESCO’s two global priorities. The UNESCO Priority Gender Equality Action Plan (2014-2021), moreover, requires Member States and the governing bodies of UNESCO regulatory instruments “to establish gender-sensitive, gender-responsive and gender-transformative policies and practices in the field of heritage”.
Therefore, States Parties should:
Ensure respect for gender equality throughout the full cycle of World Heritage processes, particularly in the preparation and content of nomination dossiers;
Ensure equal and respectful consultation, full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership and representation of both women and men within activities for the conservation and management of World Heritage properties;
When or where relevant, ensure that gender-rooted traditional practices within World Heritage properties, for example in relation to access or participation in management mechanisms, have received the full consent of all groups within the local communities through transparent consultation processes that fully respects gender equality.
Source(s): World Heritage Sustainable Development Policy (Paragraph 23)
Gender Equality as a human right and a development goal is enshrined in the 1948 Universal Declaration on Human Rights and in the 1979 Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW).
Gender Equality is one of UNESCO’s two global priorities. In this understanding, gender equality refers to the equal rights, responsibilities and opportunities of women and men and girls and boys. It implies that the interests, needs and priorities of both women and men are taken into consideration, recognizing the diversity of different groups of women and men.
Gender equality is a human rights principle, a precondition for sustainable, people-centred development, and it is a goal in and of itself.
From the report ‘Gender Equality, Heritage and Creativity’
“The realization of equal cultural rights demands that women and girls are able to access, participate in, and contribute to all aspects of cultural life on a basis of equality with men and boys. This includes the right to equally determine and interpret cultural heritage; decide which cultural traditions, values or practices are to be kept intact; which are to be retained but modified, and which are to be discarded altogether. The right to participation includes the right not to participate in any ritual, custom or practice which contravenes the human dignity of girls and women, regardless of cultural justifications. Women and girls must enjoy the freedom to join, leave and re-join as well as create new communities of shared cultural values around any markers of identity they want to privilege, without fear of punitive actions, including any form of violence”(Gender Equality, Heritage and Creativity, p. 7).
Source(s):
See “gender equality”.
The General Assembly includes all States Parties to the Convention. It meets once every two years during the ordinary session of the General Conference of UNESCO to elect the members of the World Heritage Committee, to examine the statement of accounts of the World Heritage Fund and to decide on major policy issues.
The General Assembly includes all States Parties to the Convention and meets once every two years during the ordinary session of the General Conference of UNESCO to elect the members of the World Heritage Committee. During its session, the Assembly determines contributions to the World Heritage Fund applicable to all States Parties and elects new members to the World Heritage Committee to replace the outgoing members. Election information is available on the Election FAQs page. Both the General Assembly and General Conference of UNESCO receive a report from the World Heritage Committee on its activities.
Source(s): www.unesco.org
As per Article 8(1) of the World Heritage Convention (or Rule 49 of the Rules of Procedure of the World Heritage Committee), the General Assembly of States Parties to the Convention meets every two years during the General Conference of UNESCO (Article 8.3 of the Convention).
There are 21 Committee members represented by 21 States Parties to the World Heritage Convention. Elections to replace outgoing Committee members take place during the General Assembly of States Parties.
Both the General Assembly and General Conference of UNESCO receive a report from the World Heritage Committee on its activities (Rule 49 of the Rules of Procedure of the World Heritage Committee).
Source(s): https://whc.unesco.org/en/ga
This table is a way to present geographic information system (GIS) obtained data.
A geographic information system, or GIS, relies on computer-based technology to produce, organize and analyse spatial information in the form of maps. GIS encompasses database management, mapping, image processing and statistical analysis tools. These tools allow users to see statistical data analysed in relation to topographic and geographic features and administrative boundaries. GIS allows to accumulate, integrate and incorporate for analysis the data from multiple sources and collected for a number of projects.
Source(s): Geographical Information System (GIS) for Culture, UNESCO Bangkok
Governance may take place at different levels (local, regional/provincial/state and national federal) and should be understood in a wide context to include legislation/institutional arrangements/democratic processes/citizens etc.
According to the World Heritage Resource Manual ‘Managing Cultural Heritage’ (UNESCO 2013), good governance refers to “the relationship between governing bodies, citizens and democratic processes, and the ability to deliver effective, functioning forms of government.”
Further, a definition for governance in the (cultural) heritage sector is proposed: “In its broadest sense, governance is concerned with holding the balance between economic and social goals and between individual and communal goals. The governance framework is there to encourage the efficient use of resources and equally to require accountability for the stewardship of those resources. The aim is to align as nearly as possible the interests of individuals, of cultural heritage, and of society.”
Source(s): World Heritage Resource Manual, Managing Cultural World Heritage
Refers to those who are actively engaged in activities relating to heritage, for example academics, site managers etc.
The full cycle of activities from nomination to management and decision-making conducted with regard to the World Heritage properties stipulated under the World Heritage Convention.
Heritage processes include national and international protection processes for the identification, protection, conservation, presentation and transmission to future generations of the cultural and natural heritage, for which States Parties to the Convention endeavour to adopt a general policy which aims to give the cultural and natural heritage a function in the life of the community and to integrate the protection of that heritage into comprehensive planning programmes, including the setting up of services for the protection, conservation and presentation of the cultural and natural heritage, the development of scientific and technical studies and research as well as the appropriate legal, scientific, technical, administrative and financial measures necessary for the identification, protection, conservation, presentation and rehabilitation of this heritage; the establishment or development of national or regional centres for training in the protection, conservation and presentation of the cultural and natural heritage and to encourage scientific research in this field.
Other processes under the Convention include: preliminary investigations of the requests for international assistance; consideration of all elements of the inscription nominations to the World Heritage List and the List of World Heritage in Danger (including assessment of the OUV of the nominated sites); decision-making, including with regards to the requested funding and operations and educational programmes, and reporting and monitoring obligations (periodic reporting, monitoring of SOC, reactive monitoring).
Historic layering is a mechanism of the historic urban landscape formation. City layers can include such components as urban structures and open spaces, infrastructures, built environment, including elements of cultural practices and economic processes, as well as components supporting social values, diversity and identity of the area, and taking into account geomorphology, topography and hydrology.
Source(s): New Life for Historic Cities: the Historic Urban Landscape Approach Explained
The term ‘Historic Urban Landscape’ is defined in Articles 8 and 9 of the Recommendation on the Historic Urban Landscape:
[The HUL] approach to managing historic urban landscapes is holistic; it integrates the goals of urban heritage conservation and those of social and economic development. This method sees urban heritage as a social, cultural and economic asset for the development of cities. The recommendation on the Historic Urban Landscape was adopted on 10 November 2011 by UNESCO’s General Conference. The historic urban landscape approach moves beyond the preservation of the physical environment, and focuses on the entire human environment with all of its tangible and intangible qualities. It seeks to increase the sustainability of planning and design interventions by taking into account the existing built environment, intangible heritage, cultural diversity, socio-economic and environmental factors along with local community value.
As an approach, it considers cultural diversity and creativity as key assets for human, social and economic development. It is an alternative method to cutting the city up through ‘zoning’ into separate conservation areas, which thereby become ghettos of historic preservation. The HUL approach is applied in local development, legislation, sustaining and enhancing identity, and city branding.
The HUL approach action principles:
- Undertake a full assessment of the city’s natural, cultural and human resources;
- Use participatory planning and stakeholder consultations to decide on conservation aims and actions;
- Assess the vulnerability of urban heritage to socio-economic pressures and impacts of climate change;
- Integrate urban heritage values and their vulnerability status into a wider framework of city development;
- Prioritize policies and actions for conservation and development, including good stewardship;
- Establish the appropriate (public-private) partnerships and local management frameworks;
- Develop mechanisms for the coordination of the various activities between different actors.
Source(s): New Life for Historic Cities: the Historic Urban Landscape Approach Explained
On 10 November 2011 UNESCO’s General Conference adopted the Recommendation on the Historic Urban Landscape by acclamation, the first such instrument on the historic environment issued by UNESCO in 35 years.
The Recommendation on the Historic Urban Landscape does not replace existing doctrines or conservation approaches; rather, it is an additional tool to integrate policies and practices of conservation of the built environment into the wider goals of urban development in respect of the inherited values and traditions of different cultural contexts.
Source(s): https://whc.unesco.org/en/hul/
Human rights are rights inherent to all human beings, regardless of race, sex, nationality, ethnicity, language, religion, or any other status. Human rights include the right to life and liberty, freedom from slavery and torture, freedom of opinion and expression, the right to work and education, and many more. Everyone is entitled to these rights, without discrimination.
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) is a milestone document in the history of human rights. Drafted by representatives with different legal and cultural backgrounds from all regions of the world, the Declaration was proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in Paris on 10 December 1948 (General Assembly resolution 217 A) as a common standard of achievements for all peoples and all nations. It sets out, for the first time, fundamental human rights to be universally protected and it has been translated into over 500 languages.
The International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property (ICCROM) is an intergovernmental organization created to promote the conservation of all forms of cultural heritage, in every region of the world. Its mission is to provide Member States with the best tools, knowledge, skills and enabling environment to preserve their cultural heritage in all of its forms, for the benefit of all people. Through its work, ICCROM is contributing to the environmental, social and economic sustainability of communities.
Working on the front lines of conservation, nationally and internationally, and with institutions and professionals on the ground, ICCROM commits to:
- Studying and promoting cultural heritage conservation
- Mobilizing and coordinating expertise to address critical issues of conservation
- Providing the training and research tools for implementation to strengthen the professional community
ICCROM is an active partner in the World Heritage Information Network. As an Advisory Body to the World Heritage Convention, it provides expert advice on how to conserve and manage listed properties, and it offers a variety of training opportunities to professionals charged with their care.
ICCROM (International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property) is an international intergovernmental organization based in Rome, Italy. Established by UNESCO in 1956, ICCROM’s statutory functions are to carry out research, documentation, technical assistance, training and public awareness programmes to strengthen conservation of immovable and movable cultural heritage. The specific role of ICCROM in relation to the Convention includes being the priority partner in training for cultural heritage, monitoring the state of conservation of cultural World Heritage properties, reviewing requests for International Assistance submitted by States Parties, and providing input and support for capacity-building activities.
For more information, visit www.iccrom.org.
Source(s): www.iccrom.org
Founded in 1946, the International Council of Museums is devoted to the promotion and development of museums and the museum profession at an international level. ICOM is a non-governmental organization with 57 000+ members, 120 National committees, 34 International committees and 7 Regional alliances (2023).
The International Council on Monuments and Sites, a non-governmental organization, was founded in 1965 after the adoption of the Charter of Venice, in order to promote the doctrine and the techniques of conservation. ICOMOS provides the World Heritage Committee with evaluations of properties with cultural values proposed for inscription on the World Heritage List, as well as with comparative studies, technical assistance and reports on the state of conservation of inscribed properties.
The International Council on Monuments and Sites, a non-governmental organization, was founded in 1965 after the adoption of the Charter of Venice, in order to promote the doctrine and the techniques of conservation. ICOMOS provides the World Heritage Committee with evaluations of properties with cultural values proposed for inscription on the World Heritage List, as well as with comparative studies, technical assistance and reports on the state of conservation of inscribed cultural properties.
For more information, visit www.icomos.org.
Source(s): https://whc.unesco.org/en/faq/39
Attributes, more commonly called features in the case of natural properties, are those elements, processes or features that convey and make manifest the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of a property. Identification and understanding of their interrelationships are crucial to understanding OUV and therefore to ensuring appropriate protection and management mechanisms. Attributes should be the focus of protection and management.
The World Heritage Convention does not specifically define identification. Throughout the Convention reference is made to the "identification, protection, conservation, presentation and transmission to future generations of the cultural and natural heritage". Article 5 of the Convention makes reference to a number of "effective and active measures" that can be taken by States Parties in ensuring this "identification, protection, conservation, presentation and transmission" (UNESCO 1972).
Within the Operational Guidelines the identification of properties for potential inclusion in the World Heritage List is referred to as the first step in the process of World Heritage conservation (UNESCO February 1996: 1, 17 and 32, Paragraphs 2, 54 and 94).
An identification section is included as part of the nomination form (UNESCO February 1996: 20, Paragraph 64 (c) and UNESCO 1995).
Source(s): Glossary of World Heritage Terms related to the Implementation of the World Heritage Convention (1996)
Heritage impact assessments (HIAs) for World Heritage (WH) properties are conducted in order to evaluate effectively the impact of potential development on the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of properties. Due to diversity of World Heritage properties and varieties of potential impacts, different assessment tools are to be applied, from the state of the art techniques - research and analysis conducted by qualified personnel, to the new IT resources on recording and mapping intangible heritage and multiple layers of attributes, including 3D virtual representation. However, although development of new tools is potentially useful, for the foreseeable future, impact assessment processes need to be able to access a variety of existing tools, without relying entirely on any one of them. Numerous visual assessment tools have been adapted to the assessment of impacts of proposed developments on the OUV of various World Heritage properties, especially those located within dynamic urban contexts, but so far these have rarely been linked to a more in-depth assessment of impact on all the attributes of OUV. There are also new tools on recording and mapping intangible heritage and multiple layers of attributes that have not been exploited for use in WH properties. Good documentation does not require a Geographic Information System (GIS), although this has been a powerful and useful tool where it is available. All approaches need to be systematic and follow rational guidelines.
Source(s): Guidance on Heritage Impact Assessments for Cultural World Heritage Properties (ICOMOS, 2011)
Sustainable development involves stable, equitable and inclusive economic growth, based on sustainable patterns of production and consumption” (“Realizing the Future We Want for All”, page 29 of the World Heritage and Sustainable Development Policy). Inclusive economic development favours a people-centred economy. It makes macroeconomic growth and equity compatible, as measured in terms of employment, income and welfare. It also relies on the local use of resources and fair competition in a global market.
Paragraph 24 states that the World Heritage Convention should “contribute to promoting sustainable forms of inclusive and equitable economic development, productive and decent employment and income-generating activities for all, while fully respecting the OUV of World Heritage properties” by creating employment and livelihoods, strengthening capacity and supporting local entrepreneurship, investing in the local economy and providing quality tourism that benefits local communities.
Inclusive social development is one of the three dimensions of sustainable development set out in the 2030 UN Agenda for Sustainable Development and in the Policy Document for the Integration of a Sustainable Development Perspective into the Processes of the World Heritage Convention.
Paragraph 17 of the Policy states: The World Heritage Convention in Article 5 calls upon States Parties to “adopt a general policy which aims to give the cultural and natural heritage a function in the life of the community”.
States Parties should recognise that inclusive social development is at the heart of the implementation of this provision of the Convention. States Parties should further recognise that full inclusion, respect and equity of all stakeholders, including local and concerned communities and indigenous peoples, together with a commitment to gender equality, are a fundamental premise for inclusive social development. Enhancing quality of life and well-being in and around World Heritage properties is essential, taking into account communities who might not visit or reside in or near properties but are still stakeholders. Inclusive social development must be underpinned by inclusive governance.
”Indicators are measures of the attributes that allow us to determine the quality of a particular attribute, whether the condition of the attribute is within acceptable limits, and whether there are trends or changes such as uphill expansion, increased woodland mortality, etc.”
“Indicators in a woodland might include the proportion of dead to live timber; the amount of dead timber that is standing; the percentage of closed canopy, or its ratio to open canopy; the abundance of understorey; the abundance and variety of species”.
Source(s): Climate Change Adaptation for Natural World Heritage Sites – A Practical Guide
Defined in the International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention (No. 169) concerning Indigenous and Tribal Peoples in Independent Countries as:
‘(a) tribal peoples in independent countries whose social, cultural and economic conditions distinguish them from other sections of the national community, and whose status is regulated wholly or partially by their own customs or traditions or by special laws or regulations;
(b) peoples in independent countries who are regarded as indigenous on account of their descent from the populations which inhabited the country, or a geographical region to which the country belongs, at the time of conquest or colonisation or the establishment of present state boundaries and who, irrespective of their legal status, retain some or all of their own social, economic, cultural and political institutions.’
Source(s): International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention (No. 169)
"The term ‘Indigenous peoples’ is to be understood in the context of the International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention (No. 169) concerning Indigenous and Tribal Peoples in Independent Countries as:
1. tribal peoples in independent countries whose social, cultural and economic conditions distinguish them from other sections of the national community, and whose status is regulated wholly or partially by their own customs or traditions or by special laws or regulations;
Indigenous peoples: An official definition of indigenous peoples has not yet been adopted by any United Nations body. According to the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, the system has instead developed a modern understanding of this term based on the following:
- Self-identification as indigenous peoples at the individual level and accepted by the community as their member.
- Historical continuity with pre-colonial and or pre-settler societies
- Strong links to territories and surrounding natural resources
- Distinct social, economic and political system
- Distinct language, culture and beliefs
- Form non-dominant groups of society
- Resolve to maintain and reproduce their ancestral environments and systems as distinctive peoples and communities
'Indigenous peoples' is a generic term but in some countries there is a preference for other terms, such as first peoples/nations, aboriginals, ethnic groups, etc.
With reference to the Sustainable Development Goals, established by the United Nations (SDG 2030) and the Policy for the Integration of a Sustainable Development Perspective into the processes of the World Heritage Convention, adopted by the General Assembly of States Parties to the World Heritage Convention in 2015, the States Parties should recognise that full inclusion, respect and equity of all stakeholders, including local and concerned communities and indigenous peoples, together with a commitment to gender equality, is a fundamental premise for inclusive social development. Enhancing quality of life and well-being in and around World Heritage properties is essential, taking into account also communities who might not visit or reside in or near properties but are still stakeholders. These aspects are at the heart of the implementation of Article 5 of the Convention.
Source(s):
International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention (No. 169)
http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/unpfii/documents/5session_factsheet1.pdf
Inscription refers to the act of including or inscribing a property in the World Heritage List. To be included on the World Heritage List, sites must be of Outstanding Universal Value and meet at least one out of ten selection criteria.
These criteria are explained in the Operational Guidelines for the Implementation of the World Heritage Convention which, besides the text of the Convention, is the main working tool on World Heritage. The criteria are regularly revised by the Committee to reflect the evolution of the World Heritage concept itself.
Until the end of 2004, World Heritage sites were selected on the basis of six cultural and four natural criteria. With the adoption of the revised Operational Guidelines for the Implementation of the World Heritage Convention, only one set of ten criteria exists.
Source(s): https://whc.unesco.org/en/criteria/
“The organizational set-up that sets out the operational structure and working methods that allow actions to be taken”.
Source(s): Managing Cultural World Heritage
Intangible cultural heritage is the practices, expressions, knowledge and skills that communities, groups and sometimes individuals recognise as part of their cultural heritage. Also called living cultural heritage, it is usually expressed in one of the following forms: oral traditions; performing arts; social practices, rituals and festive events; knowledge and practices concerning nature and the universe; and traditional craftsmanship.
For more details, please consult the Intangible Cultural Heritage Convention website.
Intangible cultural heritage is the practices, expressions, knowledge and skills that communities, groups and sometimes individuals recognize as part of their cultural heritage. Also called ‘living cultural heritage’, it is usually expressed in one of the following forms: oral traditions; performing arts; social practices, rituals and festive events; knowledge and practices concerning nature and the universe; and traditional artisanal skills.
The Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage was adopted by UNESCO in 2003. The convention aims to safeguard the intangible cultural heritage; ensure respect for the intangible cultural heritage of the communities, groups and individuals concerned; raise awareness at local, national and international levels of the importance of intangible cultural heritage, and ensuring mutual appreciation thereof; and provide for international cooperation and assistance. Full details of the convention can be found here.
Source(s): Managing Natural World Heritage
The concept of Integrity is described in the Operational Guidelines paragraphs 87-95. Integrity applies to both natural and cultural properties, and is defined as a measure of the completeness or intactness of the attributes that convey Outstanding Universal Value.
According to the World Heritage Resource Manual ‘Managing Cultural Heritage’ (UNESCO 2013), the key words to understanding integrity are” ’wholeness’, ’intactness’ and ’absence of threats’. These can be understood as follows:
- Wholeness: all the necessary attributes are within the property;
- Intactness: all the necessary attributes are still present – none are lost or have been significantly damaged or have decayed;
- Absence of threats: none of the attributes are threatened by development, deterioration or neglect.”
For example, a property whose scenic value depends on a waterfall, would meet the conditions of integrity if it includes adjacent catchment and downstream areas that are integrally linked to the maintenance of the aesthetic qualities of the property.’ (Operational Guidelines, Paragraph 92).
Source(s): Managing Cultural World Heritage
Equitable exchange and dialogue among civilizations, cultures and peoples, based on mutual understanding and respect and the equal dignity of all cultures is the essential prerequisite for constructing social cohesion, reconciliation among peoples and peace among nations.
Source(s): http://www.unesco.org/new/en/culture/themes/dialogue/intercultural-dialogue/
International Assistance under the World Heritage Convention is a financial assistance granted to the States Parties to the World Heritage Convention, in order to help them protect the cultural or natural heritage sites inscribed on the World Heritage List or on the List of World Heritage in Danger.
For more information, please visit: https://whc.unesco.org/en/intassistance.
Source(s): https://whc.unesco.org/en/intassistance
An Internationally Designated Area (IDA) is an area accorded international protection status through their recognition and designation under a recognised global or regional designation mechanism.
The International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) is a 1951 multilateral treaty deposited with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) that aims to secure coordinated, effective action to prevent and to control the introduction and spread of pests of plants and plant products. The Convention extends beyond the protection of cultivated plants to the protection of natural flora and plant products. It also takes into consideration both direct and indirect damage by pests, so it includes weeds.
Source(s): https://www.ippc.int/en/structure/
The ‘International Register of Cultural Property under Special Protection’ is a special register maintained by the Director-General of UNESCO of cultural property granted 'Special Protection' under the 1954 Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the event of Armed Conflict.
Special protection represents a higher level of protection in comparison with the general protection derived from Article 1 of the Convention concerning all cultural property falling within its scope, irrespective of origin or ownership. Special protection may be granted to a limited number of:
- Refuges intended to shelter movable cultural property in the event of armed conflict;
- Centres containing monuments; and,
- Other immovable cultural property of very great importance.
The granting of special protection is subject to essentially two conditions: the cultural property in question must be situated at an adequate distance from any large industrial centre or from any important military objective constituting a vulnerable point; and such property may not be used for military purposes.
The International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture was adopted by the Thirty-First Session of the Conference of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations on 3 November 2001.
The Treaty aims at:
- recognizing the enormous contribution of farmers to the diversity of crops that feed the world;
- - establishing a global system to provide farmers, plant breeders and scientists with access to plant genetic materials;
- - ensuring that recipients share benefits they derive from the use of these genetic materials with the countries where they have been originated.
Source(s): http://www.fao.org/plant-treaty/overview/en/
Presentation is the explanation of a property and its values to the public (visitors and local people) from established, authoritative information sources; as such it is a largely one-way process of communication.
Interpretation, on the other hand, embraces a much wider concept (in fact presentation is just one element of interpretation) which refers to the full range of potential activities intended to heighten public awareness and enhance understanding of a site. These activities can include print and electronic publications, public lectures, on-site and directly related off-site installations and/or activities, educational programmes, community activities, ongoing research, and training and evaluation of the interpretation process itself.
The Outstanding Universal Value of a World Heritage property is the starting point for interpretation of its values.
The presentation and interpretation of natural World Heritage sites should, as noted in the Convention text, increase people’s awareness, understanding and appreciation of the need to preserve cultural and natural heritage, ensure that future generations understand the values associated with this heritage and help to increase the participation of stakeholders in the protection and presentation of heritage.
Source(s): Managing Natural World Heritage
Interpretation refers to the full range of potential activities intended to heighten public awareness and enhance understanding of cultural heritage site. These can include print and electronic publications, public lectures, on-site and directly related off-site installations, educational programmes, community activities, and ongoing research, training, and evaluation of the interpretation process itself. Interpretation and communication strategies related to World Heritage properties are part of a larger conservation processes and management. In recognizing this, interpretation and communication of World Heritage properties seven cardinal principles, upon which Interpretation and presentation/ communication —in whatever form
or medium is deemed appropriate in specific circumstances—should be based are established as follows:
Principle 1: Access and Understanding
Principle 2: Information Sources
Principle 3: Attention to Setting and Context
Principle 4: Preservation of Authenticity
Principle 5: Planning for Sustainability
Principle 6: Concern for Inclusiveness
Principle 7: Importance of Research, Training, and Evaluation
An inventory drawn up by a Member State for the protection of its cultural and natural heritage, including items which, without being of outstanding importance, are inseparable from their environment and contribute to its character.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is a membership Union uniquely composed of both government and civil society organisations. It provides public, private and non-governmental organisations with the knowledge and tools that enable human progress, economic development and nature conservation to take place together.
Created in 1948, IUCN has evolved into the world’s largest and most diverse environmental network. It harnesses the experience, resources and reach of its 1,300 Member organisations and the input of some 10,000 experts. IUCN is the global authority on the status of the natural world and the measures needed to safeguard it. IUCN experts are organised into six commissions dedicated to species survival, environmental law, protected areas, social and economic policy, ecosystem management, and education and communication.
Source(s): https://www.iucn.org/about
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is a membership Union uniquely composed of both government and civil society organisations. It provides public, private and non-governmental organisations with the knowledge and tools that enable human progress, economic development and nature conservation to take place together.
Created in 1948, IUCN has evolved into the world’s largest and most diverse environmental network. It harnesses the experience, resources and reach of its 1,300 Member organisations and the input of some 10,000 experts. IUCN is the global authority on the status of the natural world and the measures needed to safeguard it. IUCN experts are organised into six commissions dedicated to species survival, environmental law, protected areas, social and economic policy, ecosystem management, and education and communication.
Source(s): https://www.iucn.org/about
IUCN Members within a country or region may choose to organize themselves into National and Regional Committees to facilitate cooperation among Members, and with other parts of the Union, and to support the participation of Members in the Programme and governance of IUCN.
IUCN’s National and Regional Committees can be very different in nature. Some of the Member Committees work to jointly implement projects, whereas others are predominantly vehicles for exchange and networking. The Committees range in size and some even have established secretariats.
Source(s): https://www.iucn.org/about/members/national-and-regional-committees
IUCN produces guidance for the effective implementation of the World Heritage Convention. The reports and studies are developed with a variety of partners, on topics related to World Heritage, including: advice on nominations, identifying gaps on the World Heritage List, global or regional analyses of natural World Heritage, thematic studies and advice on site management.
For more information please visit: https://www.iucn.org/theme/world-heritage/resources/publications.
The Justification for inscription is a part of nomination documentation that makes clear why the property is considered to be of “Outstanding Universal Value”. It is comprised of more detailed information to support the text of the proposed Statement of Outstanding Universal Value; the World Heritage criteria under which the property is proposed together with a clearly stated argument for the use of each criterion, Statements of integrity and (when cultural criteria are proposed) of authenticity demonstrating how the property satisfies the conditions and a comparative analysis of the property in relation to similar properties, whether or not on the World Heritage List, both at the national and international levels.
Source(s): Operational Guidelines for the Implementation of the World Heritage Convention
In the World Heritage Resource Manual ‘Managing Natural World Heritage’ (UNESCO 2013), a wide definition of legal framework is utilised: ”Legal frameworks for managing cultural heritage might be formalized in legislation specifically drawn up for heritage or they may be a by-product of general legislation that is being used for heritage purposes (and so are less easily defined). Some legal frameworks might have retained an informal, unwritten status, either wholly or in part. They might result from recent expressions of a community-led consensus or be a survival of word-of-mouth practices passed on from generation to generation […] Many legal frameworks have a variety of origins and operate at different levels of a management system (e.g. the state constitution, national laws, local by-laws, property-specific agreements and compliance with cultural heritage conventions and charters)".
A partially adequate legal framework may for example cover some but not all types of heritage. Some legal frameworks may be considered as not up to date with contemporary needs and challenges. In some cases, there may be multilayer and multidisciplinary legal frameworks in place, but with gaps when it comes to identifying the full breadth of cultural and/or natural heritage.
Note
A legal framework may be considered adequate, although it is not specifically directed towards the requirements of World Heritage as the question concerns all cultural and/or natural heritage.
A partially adequate legal framework may for example cover some but not all types of heritage. Some legal frameworks may be considered as not up to date with contemporary needs and challenges. In some cases, there may be multilayer and multidisciplinary legal frameworks in place, but with gaps when it comes to identifying the full breadth of cultural and/or natural heritage.
Note: A legal framework may be considered adequate, although it is not specifically directed towards the requirements of World Heritage as the question concerns all cultural and/or natural heritage.
According to Article 5(d) of the World Heritage Convention, the States Parties are required to:”[…] take the appropriate legal, scientific, technical, administrative and financial measures necessary for the identification, protection, conservation, presentation and rehabilitation of this heritage ”.
The World Heritage Operational Guidelines (paragraph 97) further states that ”All properties inscribed on the World Heritage List must have adequate long-term legislative, regulatory, institutional and/or traditional protection and management to ensure their safeguarding.” The Operational Guidelines also emphasize that the legal framework must be implemented and enforced.
Source(s): Operational Guidelines for the Implementation of the World Heritage Convention
“Enhanced protection” is a mechanism established by the 1999 Second Protocol to the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict. It aims to ensure full and effective protection of specifically designated cultural property during international or non-international armed conflicts.
Cultural property under enhanced protection benefits from high level immunity which requires the parties to a conflict to refrain from making such property the object of attack or from any use of the property or its immediate surroundings to support military action. In cases where individuals do not respect the enhanced protection granted to a cultural property, criminal sanctions have been laid down by the 1999 Second Protocol.
Consult the full list.
List of wetlands which have been designated by the Parties to the Ramsar Convention as internationally important according to one or more of the criteria that have been adopted by the Conference of the Parties.
Source(s): www.ramsar.org
Based on the State of Conservation report and on the advice of the Advisory Bodies and in consultation with the States Parties, the Committee may include properties on the List of World Heritage in Danger. The Danger List was established under Article 11.4 of the World Heritage Convention for World Heritage properties threatened by serious and specific danger, whose protection requires ‘major operations and for which assistance has been requested’ (UNESCO 1972).
Chapter IV.B of the Operational Guidelines (UNESCO 2012) provides guidelines for the inscription of properties on the Danger List (OG para 177) as well as the criteria used in inscribing properties on the Danger List in either the ‘ascertained’ or ‘potential’ categories (OG paras 178–180). When the condition of the property is found to correspond to at least one of the criteria in either case, the Committee can inscribe it on the Danger List.
Source(s): World Heritage Resource Manual 'Preparing World Heritage Nominations'
"Management systems are described and defined in paragraphs 108-118 of the Operational Guidelines.
Specifically, paragraph 108 states that “Each nominated property should have an appropriate management plan or other documented management system which must specify how the Outstanding Universal Value of a property should be preserved, preferably through participatory means”.
Further, paragraph 109 describes that the “purpose of a management system is to ensure the effective protection of the nominated property for present and future generations”. Paragraph 110 provides a broad definition of management systems: "An effective management system depends on the type, characteristics and needs of the nominated property and its cultural and natural context. Management systems may vary according to different cultural perspectives, the resources available and other factors. They may incorporate traditional practices, existing urban or regional planning instruments, and other planning control mechanisms, both formal and informal. Impact assessments for proposed interventions are essential for all World Heritage properties”.
Management plans can be developed over a range of formats and templates, and there is no formal specification for the ‘ideal’ management plan. Paragraph 111 of the Operational Guidelines contains certain elements of an effective management system.
A thorough approach to management planning can be found in the World Heritage resource manuals:
- Managing Cultural World Heritage (UNESCO 2013) (Appendix A, p122).
- Managing Natural World Heritage (UNESCO 2012, p.37)
According to Managing Cultural World Heritage, a management system is a framework made up of three elements: “a legal framework, which defines the reasons for its existence, an institution which gives form to its organizational needs and decision-making, and resources (human, financial and intellectual) which are used to make it operative” (Managing Cultural World Heritage, p. 54).
Map(s) showing the boundaries of the area(s) and buffer zone(s), where applicable, of the World Heritage property as inscribed by the World Heritage Committee
The vision of the UNESCO Memory of the World Programme is that the world's documentary heritage belongs to all, should be fully preserved and protected for all and, with due recognition of cultural mores and practicalities, should be permanently accessible to all without hindrance.
The mission of the Memory of the World Programme is:
- To facilitate preservation, by the most appropriate techniques, of the world's documentary heritage.
- To assist universal access to documentary heritage.
- To increase awareness worldwide of the existence and significance of documentary heritage.
Source(s): https://en.unesco.org/programme/mow
Taking action in the timeframe before a disaster to lessen post-event damage to lives and property. In risk management, many hazards such as earthquakes cannot be reduced, but the risk from that hazard can be reduced, or mitigated, for example by constructing earthquake-resistant buildings, or shelves that prevent objects from sliding off. The former is structural mitigation, the latter is non-structural.
Source(s): World Heritage Resource Manual, 'Managing Disaster Risks for World Heritage' (2010)
According to paragraph 46 of the Operational Guidelines ‘properties shall be considered as "mixed cultural and natural heritage" if they satisfy a part or the whole of the definitions of both cultural and natural heritage laid out in Articles 1 and 2 of the Convention.’
Monitoring is the continuous process of observing the conditions of a World Heritage property and analyzing the information collected to determine whether its global condition is improving, stable or degrading overtime or in reaction to a specific event/threat. Monitoring allows the World Heritage Committee to accurately assess the conditions at the site-level and decides on possible measures to guarantee that the OUV is satisfactorily preserved.
Reactive Monitoring is the reporting by the Secretariat, other sectors of UNESCO and the Advisory Bodies to the Committee on the state of conservation of specific World Heritage properties that are under threat. To this end, the States Parties shall submit specific reports and impact studies each time exceptional circumstances occur or work is undertaken which may have an impact on the Outstanding Universal Value of the property or its state of conservation. Reactive Monitoring is also foreseen in reference to properties inscribed, or to be inscribed, on the List of World Heritage in Danger as set out in paragraphs 177-191 of the Operational Guidelines. Reactive Monitoring is also foreseen in the procedures for the eventual deletion of properties from the World Heritage List.
Source(s): Operational Guidelines for the Implementation of the World Heritage Convention
A generic term for treaties, conventions, protocols, and other binding instruments related to the environment. Usually applied to instruments of a geographic scope wider than that of a bilateral agreement (i.e., between two States).
Source(s): Glossary of Terms for Negotiators of Multilateral Environmental Agreements
UNESCO is the only UN Agency to have a global network of national cooperating bodies known as National Commissions for UNESCO.
Acting as agencies of consultation, liaison and information, and mobilizing and coordinating partnerships with national partners, including the civil society, the National Commissions make also substantial contributions in the advancement of UNESCO’s objectives and in the implementation of its programme. National Commissions make part of the overall constitutional architecture of the Organization.
Set up by their respective governments in accordance with the Article VII of the UNESCO Constitution, the National Commissions operate, on a permanent basis, for the purpose of associating their governmental and non-governmental bodies in education, sciences, culture and communication with the work of the Organization.
Presently, there are 199 National Commissions for UNESCO across the world. They constitute a truly global family with as an authoritative network of stakeholders, partners and experts and offer a comparative advantage to the Organization within the United Nations system. This network plays a significant role in the liaison with partners, the coordination of activities and the promotion of UNESCO’s visibility at the country level.
Source(s): https://en.unesco.org/countries/national-commissions
Each country has a formal World Heritage representative, the National Focal Point, mandated with implementing Convention activities within the country, and being the channel for information between the Secretariat, countries and other stakeholders”.
Source(s): Assessing Marine World Heritage from an Ecosystem Perspective
A binding rule or body of rules prescribed by the government of a sovereign state that holds force throughout the regions and territories within the government's dominion.
In the context of international law a State party to an international treaty must ensure that its own domestic law and practice are consistent with what is required by the treaty.
Source(s):
United Nations Information Portal on Multilateral Environmental Agreements
Instruments for implementing a convention at the national level; includes action plans such as NBSAPs (for CBD), NAP and NAMA (for UNFCCC and UNCCD), national conservation strategies (for RAMSAR), and national implementation plans (Stockholm).
Source(s): United Nations Information Portal on Multilateral Environmental Agreements
The World Heritage Convention defines natural heritage as:
- natural features consisting of physical and biological formations or groups of such formations, which are of Outstanding Universal Value from the aesthetic or scientific point of view;
- geological and physiographical formations and precisely delineated areas which constitute the habitat of threatened species of animals and plants of Outstanding Universal Value from the point of view of science or conservation;
- natural sites or precisely delineated natural areas of Outstanding Universal Value from the point of view of science, conservation or natural beauty (Article 2).
Source(s): The World Heritage Resource Manual Preparing World Heritage Nominations (2nd edition, UNESCO 2011)
Cultural heritage is defined in Article 1 of the World Heritage Convention.
'For the purposes of this Convention, the following shall be considered as "cultural heritage";
- monuments: architectural works, works of monumental sculpture and painting, elements or structures of an archaeological nature, inscriptions, cave dwellings and combinations of features, which are of Outstanding Universal Value from the point of view of history, art or science;
- groups of buildings: groups of separate or connected buildings which, because of their architecture, their homogeneity or their place in the landscape, are of Outstanding Universal Value from the point of view of history, art or science;
- sites: works of man or the combined works of nature and of man, and areas including archaeological sites which are of Outstanding Universal Value from the historical, aesthetic, ethnological or anthropological points of view.'
Natural heritage is defined in Article 2 of the World Heritage Convention.
'For the purposes of this Convention, the following shall be considered as "natural heritage":
- natural features consisting of physical and biological formations or groups of such formations, which are of Outstanding Universal Value from the aesthetic or scientific point of view;
- geological and physiographical formations and precisely delineated areas which constitute the habitat of threatened species of animals and plants of Outstanding Universal Value from the point of view of science or conservation;
- natural sites or precisely delineated natural areas of Outstanding Universal Value from the point of view of science, conservation or natural beauty.'
Mixed heritage: According to paragraph 46 of the Operational Guidelines 'Properties shall be considered as "mixed cultural and natural heritage" if they satisfy a part or the whole of the definitions of both cultural and natural heritage laid out in Articles 1 and 2 of the Convention'.
Source(s): Operational Guidelines for the Implementation of the World Heritage Convention
A nomination dossier is ..
In addition to the role of the nomination dossier as documenting the case for World Heritage inscription, the nomination can also contribute to the ongoing management of the nominated property. (Preparing World Heritage Nominations)
According to Paragraph 123 of the Operational Guidelines;
“Participation of local people in the nomination process is essential to enable them to have a shared responsibility with the State Party in the maintenance of the property. States Parties are encouraged to prepare nominations with the participation of a wide variety of stakeholders, including site managers, local and regional governments, local communities, NGOs and other interested parties."
Source(s): Operational Guidelines for the Implementation of the World Heritage Convention
Refers to a State that has not ratified, acceded, or otherwise become a Party to an international agreement. As a Non-Party, a State may have limited rights to participate in negotiations or deliberations under the agreement, or to invoke provisions of the agreement.
Source(s): Glossary of World Heritage Terms related to the Implementation of the World Heritage Convention (1996)
The Nordic World Heritage Foundation was established as a Foundation by the Norwegian Government in between 2002 and 2014 and was officially given UNESCO’s auspices by the General Conference in 2003. By joining efforts of the five Nordic Countries in support of the World Heritage Convention, the Foundation promotes World Heritage conservation by supporting innovative projects, preservation and fundraising activities throughout the world and continues to work towards a more balanced World Heritage List.
The Nordic World Heritage Foundation has been closed in 2014.
Reference
Evaluation of Nordic World Heritage Foundation (2008-2013)
Usually referred to as simply the Operational Guidelines, these help to explain the implementation of the Convention. They include procedures for:
- inscription of properties on the World Heritage List and the List of World Heritage in Danger;
- protection and conservation of World Heritage properties;
- granting of International Assistance under the World Heritage Fund;
- mobilization of national and international support in favour of the Convention.
The Operational Guidelines are periodically revised to reflect the decisions of the World Heritage Committee. The current version of the guidelines can be found at http://whc.unesco.org/en/guidelines/.
‘Other specific groups’ may for example include gender-specific groups, communities who might not visit or reside in or near properties but are still stakeholders, civil society etc.
Outstanding Universal Value, or ‘OUV’ is described in Paragraph 49 of the Operational Guidelines as: ‘cultural and/or natural significance which is so exceptional as to transcend national boundaries and to be of common importance for present and future generations of all humanity. As such, the permanent protection of this heritage is of the highest importance to the international community as a whole’.
Source(s): Operational Guidelines for the Implementation of the World Heritage Convention
Periodic Reporting is one of the core conservation monitoring mechanisms of the World Heritage Convention. Every six years, the States Parties are invited to submit to the World Heritage Committee a Periodic Report on the application of the World Heritage Convention in their territory.
The overall goal of the Policy on the Integration of a Sustainable Development Perspective into the Processes of the World Heritage Convention is to assist States Parties, practitioners, institutions, communities and networks, through appropriate guidance, to harness the potential of World Heritage properties and heritage in general, to contribute to sustainable development and therefore increase the effectiveness and relevance of the Convention whilst respecting its primary purpose and mandate of protecting the Outstanding Universal value of World Heritage properties. Its adoption represents a significant shift in the implementation of the Convention and an important step in its history.
With regards to post-conflict recovery, the Policy Document for the Integration of a Sustainable Development Perspective into the Processes of the World Heritage Convention states:
"33. During a conflict and in the post-conflict transition phase, World Heritage properties and their wider settings can make a significant contribution to recovery and socioeconomic reconstruction. To this end, States Parties should, where appropriate:
i. Help to ensure that the protection of World Heritage properties and their wider settings, and of cultural and natural heritage in general, is a priority in UN and other regional peace-keeping and post-conflict initiatives and interventions;
iii. Ensure the full participation of the local communities concerned when it has been determined that the reconstruction of physical attributes of the property is justified under Paragraph 86 of the Operational Guidelines. This should, where relevant, draw on traditional knowledge;
iv. Promote, when relevant, the reinstatement of oral traditions and expressions, performing arts, social practices, rituals and festive events, knowledge and practices concerning nature and the universe, and traditional craftsmanship associated with the World Heritage properties, which may have been disrupted by the conflict;
v. Ensure that relevant documentation is created before emergency situations arise, and that it is archived in safe storage locations.”
Presentation is the explanation of a property and its values to the public (visitors and local people) from established, authoritative information sources; as such it is a largely one-way process of communication.
Interpretation, on the other hand, embraces a much wider concept (in fact presentation is just one element of interpretation) which refers to the full range of potential activities intended to heighten public awareness and enhance understanding of a site. These activities can include print and electronic publications, public lectures, on-site and directly related off-site installations and/or activities, educational programmes, community activities, ongoing research, and training and evaluation of the interpretation process itself.
Source(s): Managing Natural World Heritage
Prevention: Measures taken to reduce the likelihood of losses. Ideally, these measures would seek to reduce losses to zero, but this often is not possible. Key question: How much prevention do you need to undertake.
Source(s): Managing Disaster Risks for World Heritage
‘Project costs’ refer to short to medium-term funding for specific and defined projects (including major projects), which are not considered part of day-to-day running costs. Running costs include costs for day to day management, maintenance and conservation.
‘Project funding’ refers to short to medium-term funding for specific and defined projects, which are not considered part of day-to-day running costs/maintenance.
Refers to the conservation, preservation and restoration of cultural property, as well as to its protection against vandalism, theft and removal from country of origin.
Source: http://vocabularies.unesco.org/browser/thesaurus/en/page/concept274
Protection and management of World Heritage properties, as outlined in the Operational Guidelines should ensure that the OUV, the conditions of integrity and/or authenticity at the time of inscription are maintained or enhanced in the future (Paragraph 96).
Source(s): Managing Natural World Heritage
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Quality of life is the notion of human welfare (well-being) measured by social indicators (such as the possibility to vote, demonstrate, or participate in political parties) rather than by “quantitative” measures of income and production (Glossary of Environment Statistics, Studies in Methods, Series F, No. 67, United Nations, New York, 1997).
Source(s): World Heritage Sustainable Development Policy<
Ramsar sites refer to sites listed on the List of Wetlands of International Importance, also known as the Ramsar List. These sites are designated because they meet the Criteria for identifying Wetlands of International Importance. The first criterion refers to Sites containing representative, rare or unique wetland types, and the other eight cover Sites of international importance for conserving biological diversity. These criteria emphasize the importance the Convention places on sustaining biodiversity.
Source(s): www.ramsar.org
Ratification defines the international act whereby a state indicates its consent to be bound to a treaty if the parties intended to show their consent by such an act. In the case of bilateral treaties, ratification is usually accomplished by exchanging the requisite instruments, while in the case of multilateral treaties the usual procedure is for the depositary to collect the ratifications of all states, keeping all parties informed of the situation. The institution of ratification grants states the necessary time-frame to seek the required approval for the treaty on the domestic level and to enact the necessary legislation to give domestic effect to that treaty [Arts.2 (1) (b), 14 (1) and 16, Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties 1969].
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According to 34.1 of ‘Rule 34 Decisions’ of the Rules of Procedure of the World Heritage Committee, ‘The Committee shall adopt such decisions and recommendations as it may deem appropriate’.
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