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Tuesday, 17 June 2025
The Cultural and Competence Committee at Region Gävleborg, Sweden, has decided to award the 2025 World Heritage Scholarship to Polish playwright and poet Alejandro Radawski. His poetic project connects the World Heritage Site Decorated Farmhouses of Hälsingland with the Historic Centre of Krakow – and was selected from among 993 applications from 100 countries.
“It’s fantastic that the ...
2 min read
Monday, 16 June 2025
On the occasion of the 30th Anniversary of the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA), the UNESCO World Heritage Centre joins the international community in celebrating this milestone in global environmental cooperation. For three decades, AEWA has united efforts to protect migratory waterbirds and their habitats across continents, exemplifying the power ...
1 min read
Monday, 16 June 2025
In a landmark move to safeguard its cultural and natural heritage, Nauru held its first national consultation meeting on the World Heritage Convention with the support of UNESCO. A dynamic interactive session on 23 May 2025 brought together national stakeholders and international experts to discuss the implementation of the World Heritage Convention in Nauru.
This milestone meeting ...
2 min read
Friday, 13 June 2025
Nice, France – Thursday, 13 June 2025 – As global leaders gather in Nice for the third United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC3), UNESCO is proud to unveil a bold new initiative to strengthen the resilience of marine protected areas (MPAs) in the face of accelerating climate change.
MPAs are the cornerstone of ocean conservation, protecting biodiversity, supporting coastal and indigenous ...
2 min read
Friday, 13 June 2025
UNESCO and Plastic Odyssey have announced a new strategic partnership to address the escalating crisis of plastic pollution threatening marine World Heritage sites. The collaboration was unveiled during the third United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC3) in Nice, with the support of the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs.
Covering more than 2 million km²—an area comparable to the ...
2 min read
Thursday, 5 June 2025
The UNESCO World Heritage Centre is pleased to announce the selected projects of the World Heritage Volunteers (WHV) 2025 Campaign, under the theme of ‘World Heritage Volunteers 2025 - Working on the Future’.
89 action camp projects will be implemented from April to December 2025 at 82 World Heritage properties and sites on the Tentative Lists, by 70 organizations in 41 countries around the ...
1 min read
Monday, 2 June 2025
From 26 to 28 May 2025, a landmark workshop was held at UNESCO Headquarters to reshape the engagement of Indigenous Peoples within the framework of the World Heritage Convention.
Co-designed and co-led by the International Indigenous Peoples’ Forum on World Heritage (IIPFWH), together with the UNESCO World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies to the World Heritage Committee – ICCROM, ...
1 min read
Thursday, 22 May 2025
To enhance the capacity of professionals from the Directorate of Antiquities and Archaeology, Sindh, in safeguarding one of Pakistan’s World Heritage Sites - Historical Monuments at Makli, Thatta, UNESCO organized a three-day workshop from 12 to 14 May 2025 on the effective restoration and conservation techniques for protecting the site.
The workshop focused on enhancing the knowledge and ...
3 min read
Wednesday, 21 May 2025
World Heritage site managers and archive specialists throughout South-East Asia are benefitting from a series of capstone activities under the “Safeguarding World Heritage Site Archives” JFIT project, developed in collaboration between CLT and CI sectors.
Launched in 2023, the project has contributed to conserving important archival collections related to World Heritage by applying global ...
2 min read
Monday, 5 May 2025
On 30 April 2025, managers from the 51 UNESCO World Heritage marine sites convened online with experts from UNESCO to review the results of UNESCO’s pioneering environmental DNA (eDNA) expeditions initiative and to exchange first-hand experiences involving citizen scientists in this world-first effort.
UNESCO eDNA expeditions is the first global use case for detecting ocean biodiversity with ...
3 min read
Tuesday, 8 April 2025
UNESCO hosted the International Expert Conference on the Sacred City of Anuradhapura at its Headquarters on 1 April 2025, bringing together over 400 in-person and online participants, including international heritage experts, government representatives, religious leaders, and development partners and graced by the presence of H.E. Dr Harini Amarasuriya, Prime Minister of Sri Lanka.
Jointly ...
2 min read
Wednesday, 2 April 2025
UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, 1-8 July 2025 - “World Heritage in an interconnected world: Leveraging digital technologies and innovative approaches”
As an integral part of the 47th session of the World Heritage Committee, in the framework of the UNESCO World Heritage Education Programme, and with the support of the Republic of Bulgaria, the World Heritage Young Professionals Forum 2025 will ...
1 min read
Wednesday, 2 April 2025
As part of the ongoing process of revising the World Heritage Capacity-Building Strategy (WHCBS), the World Heritage Centre and ICCROM convened a Reference Group meeting on 27 March 2025.
This meeting brought together the World Heritage Committee members along with selected stakeholders and capacity-building partners to discuss the current draft of the revised Strategy. It follows earlier ...
1 min read
Monday, 31 March 2025
UNESCO expresses its solidarity with the firefighters and the authorities of the Republic of Korea who have been facing unprecedented fires in recent days. In view of the heavy human toll, the Organisation also extends its most sincere thoughts to the victims and their families.
As part of its mandate, UNESCO has been monitoring the damage to heritage and culture. These forest fires have ...
1 min read
Wednesday, 26 March 2025
The United Nations Voluntary Fund for Indigenous Peoples (UNVFIP) has extended its mandate to support the participation of Indigenous Peoples’ representatives in the World Heritage Committee, starting with the 47th session to be held at UNESCO Headquarters from 6 to 16 July 2025.
This is a significant development that marks a milestone in the ongoing engagement of Indigenous Peoples with the ...
2 min read
Monday, 24 March 2025
In an era of rapid urbanization, infrastructure development, and tourism growth, World Heritage properties across Africa face unprecedented challenges in protecting and managing their outstanding values. The inherent demand for socio-economic transformation often places immense pressure on these heritage properties, highlighting the urgent need harmonize economic growth and heritage ...
2 min read
Friday, 21 March 2025
Today marks the first-ever International Day of Glaciers' Preservation, designated by the United Nations within the framework of the 2025 International Year of Glaciers' Preservation, an initiative co-facilitated by UNESCO and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). From now on, 21 March will serve as a powerful reminder of the crucial role that glaciers play in maintaining the delicate ...
3 min read
Thursday, 13 March 2025
An innovative mechanism to control the water table in the baptistery of the Church of Atlantida, an emblematic work by the engineer Eladio Dieste, has been presented.
UNESCO and the Municipality of Canelones presented an innovative mechanism to control the water table in the baptistery of the Atlantida Church, an emblematic work of the engineer Eladio Dieste. This initiative seeks to ...
2 min read
Wednesday, 12 March 2025
On 11 March 2025, UNESCO and the Quanzhou Municipality, People's Republic of China, signed an agreement launching the China Funds-in-Trust (Quanzhou) for Capacity-Building on World Heritage in Africa. This significant initiative was marked by an online signing ceremony, reaffirming a strong commitment to support African Member States in preserving and managing their rich cultural and natural ...
2 min read
Wednesday, 5 March 2025
On 5 March 2025, the Bureau of the World Heritage Committee met to discuss the venue of the forthcoming 47th session of the World Heritage Committee scheduled to take place on 6 to 16 July 2025.
Upon request from the Bulgarian authorities, the Bureau has agreed to organize the 47th session of the World Heritage Committee at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, France, from 6 to 16 July 2025.
As ...
Monday, 3 March 2025
The Liaison Group of the Biodiversity-related Conventions stresses the contribution of biodiversity to national economies, livelihoods, human health and food security.
The Liaison Group of Biodiversity-related Conventions, a long-standing network uniting the executive heads of the eight biodiversity-related conventions, met at FAO Headquarters in Rome, in advance of the resumed CBD COP16. ...
2 min read
Monday, 3 March 2025
Mr. Lazare Eloundou Assomo, Director of the World Heritage Centre (WHC), shares a message for World Wildlife Day 2025.
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Today, World Wildlife Day is a powerful reminder of the urgent need to protect and conserve biodiversity. Around the globe, countless plant and animal species face unprecedented threats, with many on the brink of extinction. ...
1 min read
Monday, 24 February 2025
UNESCO convened an expert meeting to identify actions to harness the World Heritage Convention in support of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. The meeting confirmed the relevance of the World Heritage Convention to almost all of the 23 global targets of the Global Biodiversity Framework and made recommendations for further action, which will be presented to the World ...
4 min read
Friday, 14 February 2025
UNESCO is working with Cameroon's Ministry of Forestry and Wildlife (MINFOF) to promote community-based sustainable tourism and conservation activities around UNESCO World Heritage sites in Cameroon.
Cameroon has two natural sites on the World Heritage List: the Dja Faunal Reserve, inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1987, and the Lobeke National Park which is part of the Sangha ...
2 min read
Thursday, 13 February 2025
The Historic Naval Hospital of Port Royal in Jamaica, a vital heritage site surrounded by a 19th-century sea wall, is threatened by coastal erosion, storm surges, and ship traffic. At the request of Jamaican national authorities and with the generous support of the Netherlands Funds-in-Trust, a new project has been launched to address these challenges.
The Historic Naval Hospital of Port ...
2 min read
Monday, 10 February 2025
The Operational Guidelines for the Implementation of the World Heritage Convention set forth the procedures for the protection and conservation of World Heritage properties, the inscription of properties on the World Heritage List and the List of World Heritage in Danger, the granting of International Assistance under the World Heritage Fund, and the mobilization of national and international ...
1 min read
Friday, 7 February 2025
UNESCO has opened submissions for the 2025 Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation, recognizing outstanding conservation efforts across the region. The Awards celebrate private sector projects and public-private partnerships that demonstrate excellence in preserving historical sites while fostering community engagement.
Since 2000, the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural ...
2 min read
Wednesday, 5 February 2025
It is with deep sadness that UNESCO has learned of the passing of Professor Christophe Mbida Mindzié. He passed away on January 15, 2025.
Professor Christophe Mbida Mindzié was an eminent researcher and an ardent defender of Africa's tangible and intangible heritage.
Professor Christophe Mbida Mindzié was a key figure in heritage preservation and a leader in cultural management in ...
2 min read
Tuesday, 4 February 2025
Recent archaeological breakthroughs in Pompeii, home to the UNESCO World Heritage property ‘Archaeological Areas of Pompei, Herculaneum and Torre Annunziata’ continue to unveil astonishing new insights into Roman civilization. This World Heritage property, inscribed in 1997, includes the ancient towns of Pompeii and Herculaneum, along with notable villas such as the Villa of the Mysteries, ...
2 min read
Friday, 31 January 2025
Celebrated annually on 2 February, World Wetlands Day aims to raise global awareness of the vital role of wetlands for people, nature and culture. This year’s theme, ‘Protecting Wetlands for Our Common Future’, reminds us of the benefits wetlands provide for biodiversity and human wellbeing.
Wetlands are among the world’s most productive ecosystems and critical for wildlife preservation. ...
2 min read
Thursday, 23 January 2025
From Borneo to Tikal, from Longyearbyen to Puerto Toro, UNESCO is calling on communities around the world to celebrate and protect some of the planet’s most stunning cultural landscapes. Nominations are now open for the UNESCO-Greece Melina Mercouri International Prize for the Safeguarding and Management of Cultural Landscapes.
This prestigious award honours the deep connections communities ...
2 min read
Tuesday, 21 January 2025
In response to the deteriorating security situation at the W-Arly-Pendjari Complex, World Heritage Property, the States Parties of Benin, Burkina Faso and Niger have agreed to strengthen their cooperation to improve the management and protection of the property through an “Initiative to support the sustainable management of the W-Arly-Pendjari Complex”. Financed by the Norwegian government’s ...
1 min read
Tuesday, 21 January 2025
In response to the deteriorating security situation at the W-Arly-Pendjari Complex, World Heritage Property, the States Parties of Benin, Burkina Faso and Niger have agreed to strengthen their cooperation to improve the management and protection of the property through an “Initiative to support the sustainable management of the W-Arly-Pendjari Complex”. Financed by the Norwegian government’s ...
1 min read
Monday, 13 January 2025
In the framework of the project "Creating a Sustainable Heritage Ecosystem for Socio-Economic Development in Africa", UNESCO supports local communities around two World Heritage sites in Gabon to develop a sustainable project that highlights heritage and ecotourism.
Between 11 and 15 December 2024, UNESCO conducted a consultation mission with local communities living in and around Gabon’s ...
3 min read
