102 news
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Monday, 20 December 2010
Faced with the growing threat of industrialization of the oceans and the persistent rush for marine resources, managers from the 43 marine sites on UNESCO's World Heritage List met from 1 to 3 December in Honolulu, Hawaii to explore ways of strengthening conservation of the "crown jewels of the ocean".
This first ever meeting of marine World Heritage managers charted the way for a stronger ...
3 min read
Monday, 20 December 2010
In 2008, Jaeger-LeCoultre signed a long-term 'Tides of Time' partnership with the UNESCO World Heritage Centre and the International New York Times, comprising a 3-year international communication campaign in the pages of the International New York Times and online, promoting a number of marine World Heritage sites and issues affecting them. The goal of the partnership is to help defend and ...
Wednesday, 15 December 2010
The United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and the US Geological Survey have released a first ever satellite analysis of global mangrove forest coverage. The analysis reveals a total area of 137,760 square kilometers, 12.3% lower than had previously been estimated, and shrinking. For more information, click here.
Mangrove forests grow along tropical ...
2 min read
Thursday, 9 December 2010
[in French only] Vie de la CFU
* Signature d'un accord entre l'UNESCO et l'AFD, 9 novembre 2010, Paris.
* Réunion de bilan technique, 3 février 2011, UNESCO, Paris.
Actualités sur l'avancement des projets cfu :
* Le projet « Niger - Loire : gouvernance et culture » se poursuit au Mali.
* Syrie : Villages antiques du nord. ...
Tuesday, 7 December 2010
Experts from UNESCO's World Heritage Centre and the International Council of Monuments and Sites will arrive in Pompei on 2 December to examine the state of conservation of the World Heritage site. The mission follows the destruction in early November of the Schola Armaturarum and further collapses yesterday and today, including that of a wall at the House of the Moralist.
This advisory ...
1 min read
Monday, 29 November 2010
Three World Heritage sites in Cyprus and a fourth in Italy have been given "enhanced protection" status by the Committee for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict, which held its fifth meeting at UNESCO Headquarters from 22-24 November. The sites, which are the first to be granted this status, are Choirokoitia, Paphos (sites I and II) and the Painted Churches of ...
2 min read
Wednesday, 24 November 2010
The UNESCO World Heritage Centre, in cooperation with the University of Witwatersrand, South Africa, organized the international meeting, International Rock Art Archive Working Group, on 17 to 19 November 2010 at the Rock Art Research Institute, Johannesburg, South Africa. The meeting was jointly financed by the University of Witwatersrand and the Spanish Funds-in-Trust.
Twelve international ...
1 min read
Monday, 22 November 2010
In partnership with the UNESCO World Heritage Centre, La Monnaie de Paris is offering a 100,000€ coin set with diamonds in the image of the Taj Mahal, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Part of the proceeds will support the work of the World Heritage Centre.
La Monnaie de Paris has received authorization to sell 29 of them, each weighing one kilogram (2.2 lbs). Designed in partnership with ...
1 min read
Friday, 19 November 2010
The Rapid Response Facility is an emergency small grant programme that provides rapid assistance to counter major threats to wildlife conservation, primarily in UNESCO designated natural World Heritage sites. In the month of November, the Rapid Response Facility awarded grants to stop elephant poaching in stunning Zakouma National Park in Chad, and support petroleum clean-up in the Nile ...
3 min read
Friday, 19 November 2010
The University of the Netherlands Antilles is organizing a course on Caribbean Heritage in Curaçao from 21 to 25 March 2011 for Module 1 and from 28 March to 1 April for Module 2.
This course is for heritage professionals but also students, researchers, decision makers from the Caribbean region.
Participants must be able to operate on an academic level and be working in the area of ...
Tuesday, 9 November 2010
The UNESCO World Heritage Centre would like to express its sincere condolences on the death of Andrzej Tomaszewski, renowned professor of built heritage conservation and former Director of ICCROM. His passing comes as a great loss to the cultural heritage preservation field.
Born in Warsaw, Poland, Prof Tomaszewski graduated from the Warsaw University of Technology with degrees in Art ...
1 min read
Monday, 8 November 2010
With over 250 properties inscribed on the World Heritage List, cities are one of the most abundant and diverse categories of heritage.
This quantity and diversity add to the dynamics of urban heritage conservation, where concepts and approaches are constantly changing and evolving. To stay in the forefront of international views and trends and to contribute to ongoing debates involving ...
1 min read
Tuesday, 2 November 2010
On 2 November 2010, the Director-General of UNESCO, Irina Bokova, and Kris Peeters, Minister - President of the Government of Flanders (Kingdom of Belgium), signed an agreement establishing a Trust Fund that will support UNESCO's activities in the field of heritage.
This is the third Trust Fund signed between UNESCO and the Government of Flanders. It bears witness to the trust and interest ...
1 min read
Thursday, 28 October 2010
The Go4BioDiv International Youth Forum for Natural World Heritage Sites took place from 16-29 October in Mt Fuji and Nagoya, Japan, in parallel to the 10th Conference of the Parties (COP) of the Convention on Biological Diversity.
The theme of the forum was "Our Treasures at Risk - World Heritage Sites in Times of Climate Change". Thirty-four young participants represented 23 World Heritage ...
2 min read
Friday, 22 October 2010
From 18 to 29 October, the 10th Conference of the Parties (COP) of the Convention on Biological Diversity is taking place in Nagoya, Japan. The COP marks the 20th anniversary of the Convention and is one of the highlights of the 2010 International Year of Biodiversity. An important objective of the meeting is to adopt a revised and updated Strategic Plan including new biodiversity ...
2 min read
Wednesday, 20 October 2010
A fire that broke out on 11 October 2010 in the Maïdo forest at La Reunion National Park on Réunion Island was the worst the area has seen in twenty years, with roughly 1,000 hectares of the Park affected. Key areas of endemic plants seem to be seriously affected as well as other key micro-habitats for biodiversity. Among wildlife, several rare species are under threat, according to a ...
1 min read
Wednesday, 20 October 2010
The state of conservation of Serengeti National Park was examined at the 34th Session of the World Heritage Committee meeting in Brasilia, in July 2010, and the Committee expressed its utmost concern about a proposed highway in the northern wilderness area of the Serengeti National Park. This proposed highway is a part of Tanzania's Transport Sector Improvement Program (2002-2012). The North ...
1 min read
Wednesday, 20 October 2010
In an effort to involve the young generation in the decision-making process and present their experience in biodiversity conservation, young adults representing natural World Heritage sites around the world have joined the Go4BioDiv International Youth Forum. The Forum is held from 16-29 October at Mt Fuji and Nagoya, Japan, parallel to the Convention on Biological Diversity's 10th Conference ...
2 min read
Tuesday, 19 October 2010
On 14 October 2010, UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova convened Israeli, Jordanian and Palestinian experts for a 'brainstorming meeting' to reactivate the UNESCO Action Plan for the safeguarding of the cultural heritage of the Old City of Jerusalem and its Wall, building on the constructive decision taken at the 34th session of the World Heritage Committee in Brasilia last August.
In her ...
3 min read
Tuesday, 19 October 2010
You wish to undertake a project related to Mediterranean cultures or art and crafts ?Are you a national from a Mediterranean country ?Born after 31 December 1981, you will be under 30 years of age in 2011.The Marc de Montalembert Foundation offers a 7000 euros grant for qualifying projects.The grant aims to encourage better knowledge and appreciation of the cultural diversity ...
1 min read
Friday, 8 October 2010
The news of a massive toxic spill that occurred 4 October 2010 at an aluminum plant in Hungary has caused great concern in the international community. We deeply deplore the impact of this disaster, especially the loss of lives.
The flood reached the Danube River from the Raab River on 7 October 2010, and while pH levels are diminishing, heavy metals and other substances could have a ...
1 min read
Thursday, 7 October 2010
Promotion of the World Sky Race, an unprecedented race among skyships, blimps and zeppelins to begin in September 2011, was launched on two giant screens in Times Square, New York City on September 30 and October 1, 2010. Scheduled to begin next year in London, the race involves competing teams that will fly around the world in 180 days and return to London. The team with the best ...
1 min read
Tuesday, 5 October 2010
The German Minister of the Environment Hans-Heinrich Sander (Lower Saxony) and the Minister of Fishery Dr Juliane Rumpf (Schleswig-Holstein) received the UNESCO certificate for the transboundary World Heritage site of the Wadden Sea during the inscription ceremony on 2 October 2010 on a boat off the town of Büsum in the Schleswig-Holstein Wadden Sea National Park. While the World ...
1 min read
Monday, 4 October 2010
In an effort to involve young people in the decision-making process and present their experience in biodiversity conservation, young conservationists representing natural World Heritage sites are invited to an International Youth Forum from 16-29 October at Mt Fuji and Nagoya, Japan. Held in parallel to the Convention for Biological Diversity's 10th Conference of Parties (COP10) in Japan, the ...
2 min read
Thursday, 30 September 2010
The proceedings of the special session "Heritage and Development: diversity as an alternative" held on 18 December 2009 in the framework of the Africités V Summit in Marrakesh, have just been published.
Organized by UNESCO with the support of the France-UNESCO Convention and in collaboration with the International Association of Francophone Mayors (AIMF), the session was opened by Mr ...
1 min read
Thursday, 30 September 2010
UNESCO, in cooperation with the Egyptian Ministry of Culture and the Governorate of Luxor, will organize the first Scientific Committee meeting on the safeguarding project of New Gourna Village in Luxor, Egypt. The UNESCO initiative aims to assist the Government of Egypt in its efforts to preserve this precious heritage situated within the World Heritage property of Ancient Thebes. New Gourna ...
1 min read
Friday, 24 September 2010
One of America's most renowned photographers, Tom Till's work has appeared in magazines such as Time, Life, National Geographic and The New Yorker, as well as in numerous books. Along with his World Heritage collection, Mr. Till has photographed the landscapes, nature and history of more than 60 countries worldwide. The World Heritage exhibit includes photos of 32 sites, taken in 23 ...
Tuesday, 21 September 2010
On 20 September Mr Frédéric Mitterrand, Minister of Culture and Communication, Ms Chantal Jouanno, Secretary of State for Ecology and Mr Yves Dauge, President of the Association of French World Heritage Sites signed a Charter of Commitment for the Management of World Heritage sites in France.
The ceremony took place at the Ministry of Culture and Communication with Dr Mechtild ...
1 min read
Tuesday, 21 September 2010
On 17 September, UNESCO Assistant Director General for Culture Mr Francesco Bandarin signed a three-year Memorandum of Understanding with Ms Francine C. Berkowitz, Director of International Relations of the Smithsonian Institution, creating an unprecedented agreement between the two institutions for cooperation on cultural and natural heritage programmes. Ms Berkowitz signed on ...
1 min read
Thursday, 16 September 2010
According to reports from the Secretary of the Civil Defense of Mexico, the heavy rains and the downpour of the past few weeks have generated severe flooding in the country, including seriously affecting the Tlacotalpan World Heritage site. The storms have also resulted in the forced relocation of almost 8500 people from the city, and at least five persons have been reported killed over the ...
1 min read
Wednesday, 15 September 2010
The Panamanian non-governmental organization FUNDICCEP (Fundación de Desarrollo Integral, Comunitario y Conservación de los Ecosistemas en Panamá), in coordination with the national authorities, has applied to the Rapid Response Facility (RRF) for funding for urgent analysis into the capacity of Río Chiriquí Viejo watershed, near La Amistad Biosphere ...
2 min read
Friday, 10 September 2010
[in French only] Besançon, Chinon, Lorient, Rennes et Strasbourg accueilleront, du 28 septembre au 5 octobre 2010, des représentants de villes et d'Etats indiens afin d'échanger sur les bonnes pratiques en matière de développement urbain global et durable à partir de la prise en compte des centres historiques.
Ce voyage d'études et de visites, ...
Thursday, 9 September 2010
Finland has taken the lead in applying the Enhancing our Heritage (EoH) management effectiveness assessment toolkit to cultural World Heritage sites. Finnish representatives participated in a World Heritage Nordic Foundation regional workshop on management planning for Nordic countries in 2009 in which the EoH toolkit had been presented. They were impressed by the toolkit's ...
2 min read
Wednesday, 8 September 2010
The first preparatory meeting for the Second Cycle of the Periodic Reporting exercise for World Heritage in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) for the Mexico and Central America sub region was held from 6 to 8 September 2010 at the Antiguo Convento Franciscano de Propaganda FIDE, currently the Guadalupe Museum in Zacatecas (Mexico). The meeting coincided with the inauguration of the World ...
1 min read
Wednesday, 1 September 2010
[in French only] * Réunion du Comité Mixte de Coordination de la CFU, 11 mai 2010.
* Départ d'Isabelle Longuet du secretariat de la CFU.
* Valorisation du partenariat avec le Ministère de l'écologique, de l'énergie, du développement durable et de la mer (MEEDDM). Ingénierie de projet en vue de la soumission de projets au Fonds ...
Monday, 30 August 2010
The second phase of the Business Skills for World Heritage programme, designed to develop the business management skills of UNESCO World Heritage site staff, is about to start. The participants of the first team met on 27 August in Borneo (Malaysia), where the training will take place.
Teams from six World Heritage sites will be partnered with business mentors from global energy company ...
1 min read
Monday, 23 August 2010
A new website about Ireland's World Heritage properties and Ireland's Tentative List sites has just been launched.
This website contains information about Brú na Bóinne and Skellig Michael, the two Irish World Heritage sites, and the seven properties inscribed on Ireland's Tentative List. The website also includes galleries of stunning photographs of the properties. ...
Thursday, 12 August 2010
In addition to their dramatic consequences for the affected people, to which the World Heritage Centre expresses its sincere sympathy, the massive floods which have recently struck Pakistan are causing great concern for the state of conservation of the World Heritage property of Mohenjodaro. The Archaeological Ruins at Moenjodaro display the remains of one of the most important urban centre ...
1 min read
Monday, 9 August 2010
For the second time during 2010, news of massive floods across Central Europe is causing great concern to the World Heritage community, for their impacts on the border region between the Czech Republic, Germany and Poland.
In particular, the flooding has affected the castles and gardens of the transboundary World Heritage site of the Muskauer Park / Park Mużakowski (Germany/Poland), a ...
1 min read
Tuesday, 3 August 2010
The Minister of Culture of the Kingdom of Bahrain, Shaikha Mai bint Mohammad Al Khalifa, has been named new Chairperson of the World Heritage Committee. She replaces the Minister of Culture of Brazil, João Luiz da Silva Ferreira, who has chaired the Committee for the past 12 months.
The Committee nominated Shaikha Mai bint Mohammad Al Khalifa by acclamation on the last day of their ...
1 min read
Monday, 2 August 2010
The UNESCO World Heritage Committee meeting in Brasilia today inscribed a natural site in the Russian Federation on the World Heritage List and has approved the Italian extension of a natural site in Switzerland.
The two sites concerned (in order of inscription)
Monte San Giorgio (Italy) (Extension of «Monte San Giorgio », Switzerland)
Monte San Giorgio is a pyramid-shaped, ...
2 min read
Monday, 2 August 2010
The 34th session of the World Heritage Committee meeting in Brasilia since 25 July today finished its consideration of nominations for the World Heritage List and the List of World Heritage in Danger.
Meeting under the Chairmanship of the Minister of Culture of Brazil, João Luiz da Silva Ferreira, the Committee inscribed 21 new sites, including 15 cultural, 5 natural and 1 mixed ...
2 min read
Sunday, 1 August 2010
The World Heritage Committee meeting in Brasilia has today approved extensions to three cultural sites in Austria, Romania and Spain.
The approved extensions include (in order of inscription):
City of Graz - Historic Centre and Schloss Eggenberg (Austria) (extension of "City of Graz - Historic Centre")
Graz is an exemplary model of the living heritage of a central European urban complex ...
2 min read
Sunday, 1 August 2010
The World Heritage Committee meeting in Brasilia has today has inscribed three new cultural sites, including two in Mexico and one in Brazil. It also inscribed three natural sites in China, Kiribati, Reunion Island (France) and extended a site already on the World Heritage List in Bulgaria.
The cultural sites are (in order of inscription):
Camino Real de Tierra Adentro (Mexico)
Camino Real ...
5 min read
Saturday, 31 July 2010
The World Heritage Committee meeting in Brasilia today inscribed the Ngorongoro Conservation Area (Tanzania) as a cultural property on the World Heritage List. The Committee made its decision because of the extraordinary record of human evolution at the site, which spans a vast area of land from the Serengeti National Park in the north-west of Tanzania to the eastern arm of the Great Rift ...
1 min read
Saturday, 31 July 2010
The World Heritage Committee meeting in Brasilia has inscribed sites in Saudi Arabia, Australia, India, Islamic Republic of Iran and, for the first time, a site in the Marshall Islands, as well as the Republic of Korea on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
The latest sites inscribed include (in order of inscription):
At Turaif District in ad-Dir'iyah (Saudi Arabia)
This property was the ...
5 min read
Saturday, 31 July 2010
Imperial Citadel of Thang Long-Hanoi (Viet Nam) becomes 900th site on UNESCO World Heritage List
The World Heritage Committee meeting in Brasilia has inscribed new cultural sites in Viet Nam, China, Tajikistan, France, the Netherlands, on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The Committee also agreed to the extension of two cultural properties in Germany, Norway.
The latest cultural sites ...
5 min read
Friday, 30 July 2010
The World Heritage Committee, holding its 34th session chaired by João Luiz da Silva Ferreira, the Minister of Culture of Brazil, inscribed the Everglades National Park (United States) on the List of World Heritage in Danger, because of serious and continuing degradation of its aquatic ecosystem.
The inscription was made at the request of the United States. It's the second ...
1 min read
Friday, 30 July 2010
The World Heritage Committee holding its 34th session chaired by João Luiz da Silva Ferreira, the Minister of Culture of Brazil, has inscribed the Rainforests of the Atsinanana (Madagascar) on the List of World Heritage in Danger because of illegal logging and hunting of endangered lemurs on the site.
The Committee noted that despite a decree outlawing the exploitation and export of ...
1 min read
Friday, 30 July 2010
The World Heritage Committee holding its 34th session in Brasilia under the chairmanship of João Luiz da Silva Ferreira, today inscribed two new sites on the World Heritage List.
The new sites include 1 natural property and 1 mixed (natural and cultural) property.
The natural site is:
The Central Highlands of Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka's highlands are situated in the south-central ...
1 min read
Thursday, 29 July 2010
The World Heritage Committee holding its 34th session chaired by João Luiz da Silva Ferreira, the Minister of Culture of Brazil, has inscribed the Tombs of Buganda Kings at Kasubi (Uganda) on the List of World Heritage in Danger. The Committee also decided to remove the Galapagos Islands (Ecuador) from this List.
In March 2010, fire almost completely destroyed the Muzibu Azaala Mpanga ...
1 min read
Thursday, 29 July 2010
The World Heritage Committee, holding its 34th session chaired by João Luiz da Silva Ferreira, the Minister of Culture of Brazil, has inscribed the site of Bagrati Cathedral and Gelati Monastery (Georgia) on the List of World Heritage in Danger.
The Committee expressed its serious concern about irreversible interventions carried out on the site as part of a major reconstruction ...
1 min read
Monday, 26 July 2010
Thirty-nine nominations from 33 countries will be considered for inscription on UNESCO's World Heritage List during the meeting of the World Heritage Committee underway in Brasilia. Three of the countries - Marshall Islands, Kiribati and Tajikistan - have no properties inscribed on the World Heritage List to date.
The Director-General of UNESCO Irina Bokova and Brazil's Minister of Culture ...
4 min read
Monday, 26 July 2010
UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova and the Minister of Culture of Brazil, João Luiz da Silva Ferreira today signed an agreement establishing a regional heritage management training centre in Rio de Janeiro. The new centre will help Portuguese and Spanish-speaking countries in Latin America, Africa and Asia to implement the the World Heritage Convention.
This is the sixth such ...
1 min read
Tuesday, 20 July 2010
Within the framework of the Emergency International Request submitted by Haiti after the devastating 12 January 2010 earthquake, the World Heritage Centre - Latin America and the Caribbean Unit (WHC/LAC) organized a Technical Mission from 11-18 July 2010 in close cooperation with the Institut de Sauvegarde du Patrimoine National (ISPAN) and the UNESCO Haiti Office. The Mission's objectives ...
2 min read
Tuesday, 20 July 2010
A new project for the conservation and management of Lumbini, the Birthplace of Lord Buddha, one of the UNESCO World Heritage properties in Nepal has been launched on 16 July 2010 in Kathmandu with the signing of the Plan of Operation by the Government of Nepal and UNESCO. The project will be coordinated by the UNESCO Kathmandu office in close collaboration with the World Heritage Centre and ...
2 min read
Tuesday, 13 July 2010
The UNESCO World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies to the World Heritage Committee, ICCROM, ICOMOS and IUCN are launching the first title within the World Heritage Resource Manuals series.
It focuses on one specific approach to the principles, methodology and process for managing disaster risks at cultural and natural World Heritage properties.
So far, this manual, which has been ...
Friday, 9 July 2010
The Operational Guidelines for the implementation of the World Heritage Convention are now available in Portuguese.
The Operational Guidelines define specific criteria for the inscription of sites on the World Heritage List as well as for the provision of international assistance under the World Heritage Fund. They were revised in 2007 by the World Heritage Committee at its 31st Session in ...
Wednesday, 7 July 2010
The United Nations Development Programme has launched the new edition of "Picture this", an international photo contest.
Through the photo contest this year, UNDP hopes to bring much needed attention to the quickly approaching deadline for achieving the Millennium Development Goals in order to motivate people and governments in developed and developing countries to redouble their ...
1 min read
Tuesday, 6 July 2010
On 10 March 2010, the Government of Equatorial Guinea officially deposited with the Director-General of UNESCO, Irina Bokova, its instrument of ratification, becoming the 187th State Party to adopt the Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage.
The World Heritage Convention entered into force for this State Party on 10 June ...
Tuesday, 6 July 2010
From 30 June to 4 July 2010, the International Academy for Nature Conservation, Isle of Vilm, Germany, hosted an expert workshop that set the basis for scaling-up Marine World Heritage. The workshop was jointly organized by the German Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (BfN), the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the IUCN-World Commission on Protected Areas and ...
1 min read
Tuesday, 6 July 2010
The World Heritage Committee will consider requests for the inscription of new sites on UNESCO’s World Heritage List when it meets for its 34th session in Brasilia (Brazil), from 25 July to 3 August.
During this year’s session - to be chaired by João Luiz Ferreira, the Brazilian Minister of Culture and President of the World Heritage Committee - 35 States Parties to the ...
5 min read
Monday, 5 July 2010
Comoé National Park in Côte d'Ivoire lies in a region particularly affected by the Ivorian civil war, which lasted for five years until 2007. A World Heritage site since 1983, it was added to the In Danger list in 2003.
During the conflict, park management authorities in Comoé were effectively forced to abandon their operations, so there were few, if any, deterrents to ...
2 min read
Wednesday, 30 June 2010
UNESCO today received a petition of signed by 125,000 people around the world protesting against the re-opening of a paper and pulp mill on the shores of Lake Baikal, a World Heritage site in the Russian Federation.
The petition was presented to UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Culture, Francesco Bandarin, by Greenpeace and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), who agreed to bring it to ...
1 min read
Wednesday, 23 June 2010
The World Heritage Centre has recently published a new booklet entitled "World Heritage in the Congo Basin".
This publication is intended for both biodiversity specialists and the general public. It provides detailed information on two important initiatives undertaken by the World Heritage Centre for the preservation of natural heritage in Central Africa. The first initiative, ...
2 min read
Wednesday, 23 June 2010
A new website launched by Wetlands International, BirdLife International and the UNEP World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC) reveals major gaps in the protection of many critical sites used by migratory waterbirds across Africa, the Middle East, Europe and Central Asia.
The new 'Critical Site Network (CSN)' Tool (www.wingsoverwetlands.org/csntool) provides comprehensive ...
1 min read
Wednesday, 23 June 2010
Aranjuez, the only Spanish site declared a Cultural Landscape in UNESCO´s World Heritage List, is hosting the 2nd World Heritage Ibero-American Youth Forum from 20 to June 30, 2010. The event comes in the wake of the 1st Ibero-American Youth Forum on World Heritage, held in Seville in June 2009, during the 33rd session of the World Heritage Committee.
This event gathers together young ...
1 min read
Tuesday, 22 June 2010
World Heritage site managers of 22 States Parties have been meeting in Yaoundé, Cameroon, since 21 June, 2010, to advance in the preparation of periodic reports in French and Portuguese-speaking African countries.The three-day sub-regional meeting, organized by the World Heritage Centre and the UNESCO Office in Yaoundé, was inaugurated on Monday 21 June 2010 by the Minister of ...
1 min read
Monday, 21 June 2010
The UNESCO World Heritage Centre has launched an international storyboard competition for the creation of the next episode of the animated series Patrimonito's World Heritage Adventures.
The competition invites young people to express their ideas in the form of a storyboard for the Patrimonito's World Heritage Adventures animated series. In the coming days, 187 National Commissions - every ...
1 min read
Monday, 21 June 2010
The African World Heritage Fund (AWHF) strives towards the effective conservation and protection of Africa's natural and cultural heritage. AWHF is for all African Member states who have signed the 1972 UNESCO World Heritage Convention in support of these goals. The AWHF is the first regional funding initiative within the framework of the UNESCO World Heritage Convention.
The AWHF was ...
2 min read
Friday, 18 June 2010
Since the 33rd session of the World Heritage Committee (Seville, 2009), the World Heritage Centre and IUCN have received a large number of letters from individuals who are concerned about the state of conservation of the the World Heritage property Lake Baikal (Russian Federation), and in particular about the re-opening of the Baikalsk Paper and Pulp Mill (BPPM) and its likely impacts on the ...
1 min read
Thursday, 3 June 2010
The World Heritage Centre of UNESCO has welcomed the support given by the President of the Russian Federation, Dmitry Medvedev, to the World Heritage Committee's decision regarding "The Historic Centre of Saint Petersburg and the Related Group of Monuments" which requested that work on the construction of the Okhta Centre Tower be suspended and that new designs reducing the building's ...
2 min read
Wednesday, 2 June 2010
Severe torrential rain has resulted in flooding and mudslides across much of Guatemala, causing some communities to be entirely cut off and requiring the evacuation of thousands of people. Tropical Storm Agatha, the first named storm of the Pacific hurricane season, made landfall on 29 May 2010 in Guatemala and left a trail of destruction across much of Central America. The World Heritage ...
1 min read
Friday, 21 May 2010
The news of massive flooding across Eastern Europe, and the threat that this poses to World Heritage sites in Poland has caused great concern to the World Heritage community. We deeply deplore the loss of lives in this natural disaster. The floods are the worst to occur in Poland since 1997, when 55 people died and nearly 50,000 homes were flooded. In 2002, a number of World Heritage sites ...
1 min read
Thursday, 20 May 2010
The new Journal of Cultural Heritage Management and Sustainable Development (JCHMSD), is currently considering papers for inclusion in its first issue launching in 2011. The double-blind peer reviewed journal is edited by Ana Pereira Roders, Eindhoven University of Technology, The Netherlands, and Ron van Oers, UNESCO World Heritage Centre, France. It stimulates and encourages research ...
1 min read
Thursday, 6 May 2010
During the Fifth Global Conference on Oceans, Coasts, and Islands held at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, France from 3-7 May, Mr. Yves Meylan, Director France of the Swiss luxury watch manufacturer Jaeger-LeCoultre gave a keynote address on private sector engagement for marine conservation. Mr. Meylan presented the innovative Tides of Time partnership among Jaeger-LeCoultre, the ...
1 min read
Monday, 3 May 2010
[in French only] Actualités sur l'avancement des projets cfu :
* Le projet « Niger - Loire : gouvernance et culture »
* Villages antiques du nord de la Syrie. Mission du 9 au 14 avril 2010
* Projet européen « patrimoine culturel et développement local : renforcement des capacités des collectivités locales d'Afrique ...
Monday, 26 April 2010
An inspection team has found the damage resulting from the 3 April grounding of a bulk carrier on the Great Barrier Reef (Australia), a World Heritage site. Initial inspections indicate the impact site covers approximately 2.5 km, and reef scarring and potentially toxic paint residue have been found. The coral and sea bed structure was completely crushed in some areas and approximately ...
1 min read
Thursday, 22 April 2010
After last year's groundbreaking Tides of Time campaign, luxury watch manufacturer Jaeger-LeCoultre organized a second auction on March 18, 2010.
This time, one of two vintage 1958 Geophysic Chronometer Models E168, tested by professional climber Stephane Schaffter and his team during their recent Geophysic Expedition in the Himalayas, was up for auction. A week after the opening, the final ...
1 min read
Tuesday, 20 April 2010
The conservation and preservation of cultural heritage is an interdisciplinary field requiring close cooperation between conservator-restorers, archaeologists, art historians, collection managers and museum curators on the one hand, and conservation scientists on the other.
In order to promote the synergy between the cultural heritage field, and the natural sciences and engineering, the ...
1 min read
Friday, 16 April 2010
The call for applications for the 3rd edition of the Master programme on "World Heritage at Work", offered by the University of Turin, the Polytechnic of Turin and the International Training Centre of ILO, in collaboration with the UNESCO World Heritage Centre, is now open.
The programme is intended for professionals involved in the management of a World Heritage ...
2 min read
Wednesday, 14 April 2010
UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova today expressed her relief at the news that the reconstruction of the Tombs of Buganda Kings at Kasubi (Uganda) is feasible, following its near-destruction by fire on 16 March.
"I am glad to report that an expert mission confirms the feasibility of this unique World Heritage site's reconstruction. UNESCO will do everything in its power to help the ...
2 min read
Wednesday, 14 April 2010
Francesco Bandarin (Italy), Director of UNESCO’s World Heritage Centre since 2000, was appointed today UNESCO’s new Assistant Director-General for Culture.
As a specialist in architecture and urban planning, Mr Bandarin previously worked in both public and private institutions in the fields of built heritage, cultural heritage conservation, environmental heritage and cultural events, as well ...
1 min read
Monday, 12 April 2010
The Rapid Response Facility (RRF) has awarded Belizean conservation group Wildtracks with a grant to assess proposed dredging and mangrove clearance within Corozal Bay Wildlife Sanctuary, affecting what may be the only breeding location for the critically endangered smalltooth sawfish (Pristis pectinata) in Belize.
Corozal Bay and the adjacent Bacalar Chico Marine Reserve, which forms part ...
1 min read
Monday, 12 April 2010
On 12 April 2010, UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova and the Governor of the Mexican state of Zacatecas, Amália García Medina, signed the Agreement establishing, in Zacatecas, the Regional World Heritage Institute as a category 2 institute under the auspices of UNESCO.
The Regional Institute of Zacatecas, which will be located in the ‘Casa del Conquistador’, the ...
2 min read
Monday, 22 March 2010
With the objective of addressing issues related to the preservation of Bolivian World Heritage properties, the Head of the Latin America and Caribbean Unit of the UNESCO World Heritage Centre, Ms Nuria Sanz, met with the new Minister of Culture, Ms Zulma Yugar, during her recent visit to the UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, France.
The property of Tiwanaku: Spiritual and Political Centre of the ...
2 min read
Wednesday, 17 March 2010
Irina Bokova, Director-General of UNESCO, today expressed her sorrow over the tragic fire that ravaged the Tombs of Buganda Kings at Kasubi, a World Heritage site in Uganda, and the deaths of two people in protests that followed the blaze. She made an appeal for calm and said UNESCO stands ready to help Ugandan authorities to assess damages and plan remedial action at this major religious ...
1 min read
Wednesday, 10 March 2010
After last year's groundbreaking Tides of Time campaign, Jaeger-LeCoultre's second online auction on March 18, 2010 will benefit the preservation work of the UNESCO World Heritage Centre. This year, the Manufacture is offering an iconic and unique timepiece: one of two vintage 1958 Geophysic Chronometers tested by professional climber Stephane Schaffter and his team during their ...
1 min read
Friday, 5 March 2010
The UNESCO World Heritage Centre expresses its condolences for the victims of the 8.8 magnitude earthquake that occurred in Chile on 27 February. While providing humanitarian relief remains the absolute priority for the Chilean Government, recent information has been received on the state of certain heritage sites: Historic Quarter of the Seaport City of Valparaíso and Sewell Mining ...
2 min read
Wednesday, 3 March 2010
The latest version of the World Heritage map, produced by the UNESCO World Heritage Centre and National Geographic Maps with support from the United Nations Foundation, can now be ordered for a modest fee from the World Heritage Centre website. All proceeds from sales of the maps will go toward the preservation and promotion of World Heritage sites.
The map is an extremely valuable learning ...
1 min read
Friday, 26 February 2010
During the evening of 25 February 2010, in Timbuktu (Mali), a stampede occurred amidst a crowd gathered outside Djingareyber Mosque. Among the crowd were local citizens and other pilgrims who had assembled there to pray on the occasion of the Mawlid festival, celebrating the birth of the Prophet Muhammad.
This stampede caused 22 deaths and at least 45 persons were ...
1 min read
Wednesday, 24 February 2010
At a year-end strategy discussion, Shell, Earthwatch and the UNESCO World Heritage Centre evaluated the results of the first year of work under their five-year programme of collaboration to enhance the business skills of managers of World Heritage sites. During the first year, nine World Heritage site managers from three sites in South East Asia had received training in ...
2 min read
Director-General of UNESCO deplores loss of life and offers support after collapse of Meknes minaret
Monday, 22 February 2010
Following the collapse of a minaret in the World Heritage city of Meknes, Director-General Irina Bokova expressed profound sympathy Sunday and said UNESCO's expertise was available to the Moroccan authorities in their restoration efforts.
"I am deeply saddened by the tragic loss of life of people who had gathered to worship at the mosque. I extend to the families of the victims my ...
1 min read
Tuesday, 16 February 2010
World Heritage Papers Series No. 26: Cultural Landscapes, A Handbook for Conservation and Management may be downloaded from the UNESCO World Heritage Centre website.
Cultural landscapes are those where human interaction with natural systems has, over a long period, formed a distinctive landscape. These interactions, in the case of World Heritage cultural landscapes, are of outstanding ...
1 min read
Friday, 12 February 2010
In response to the recent impacts of torrential rains at the Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu, a technical visit of the UNESCO World Heritage Centre was carried out by Nuria Sanz, Chief of the Latin America and the Caribbean Unit, from 6-10 February in Lima, Peru. World Heritage Centre staff met with Ministers of Environment and Tourism, Directors of the Instituto Nacional de Cultura (INC) ...
1 min read
Thursday, 11 February 2010
Two official signatures took place recently at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, France to establish new Category 2 Centres dedicated to World Heritage preservation. The African World Heritage Fund (AWHF) and the Arab Regional Centre for World Heritage (ARC-WH), to be established respectively in South Africa and Bahrain and operated under the auspices of UNESCO, are both dedicated to reinforcing ...
3 min read
Monday, 1 February 2010
[in French only] novembre 2009 - janvier 2010
Actualités sur l'avancement des projets CFU :
* Atelier Fleuves et patrimoines. Paris, Senat français, 2 novembre 2009.
* Réunion d'experts « Pastoralisme méditerranéen : patrimoine culturel et paysager & développement durable ». Tirana, Albanie, 12 au 14 novembre ...
Monday, 1 February 2010
On 18 January 2010 a meeting took place at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, France between the Secretariats of the Convention on the Protection of the Alps and the World Heritage Convention. The 'Alpine Convention' was signed by the 8 Alpine countries on 7th November 1991, recognizing the Alps as a unique, common area which needs a common development and ...
1 min read
Monday, 1 February 2010
The UNESCO World Heritage Centre, Secretariat to the World Heritage Convention, wishes to extend its best wishes to the Secretariat for the Ramsar Convention(Convention on Wetlands of International Importance) on World Wetlands Day, celebrating the 39th anniversary of its adoption. Like the World Heritage Convention, the Ramsar Convention is a site-based intergovernmental treaty which ...
1 min read
Friday, 29 January 2010
The latest World Heritage site to benefit from the Rapid Response Facility (RRF) is the Belize Barrier Reef System (BBRS). Recognized in large part for its extensive coral reef and mangrove ecosystems, this property is particularly vulnerable to siltation of the clear tropical waters on which it depends. The RRF was approached by the Ya'axché Conservation Trust (YCT), reporting that ...
1 min read
Thursday, 28 January 2010
Torrential rains which have occurred in Peru over the last five days have caused the death of a tourist and a tour guide, and have impacted two World Heritage properties, City of Cuzco, and The Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu, both inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1983.
Peruvian regional and national authorities have declared a state of emergency following massive landslides and ...
2 min read
Wednesday, 20 January 2010
While saving lives and providing humanitarian relief remain the absolute priority of the international community in helping Haiti deal with the devastation of the earthquake, information is beginning to arrive about the state of the country's heritage: the National History Park - Citadel, Sans Souci, Ramiers, situated in the north of the country, and about Jacmel, in the southeast.
The ...
1 min read
