Outstanding Universal Value

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