News

UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova and the President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Peter Maurer, signed a partnership agreement paving the way for the two organizations to undertake joint projects to enhance the protection of cultural heritage in the event of armed conflict. “As the impartial, neutral and independent keeper of international humanitarian law, the ...

Earlier this week, the Government of Belize adopted its first Integrated Coastal Zone management plan—a blueprint for sustainable use of its rich marine resources. The plan’s endorsement is a second major step forward in meeting the conditions of the Desired State of Conservation for the Removal of the Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System from the List of World Heritage in Danger since the ...

Marine science experts from around the world gathered at UNESCO’s Headquarters in a two-day working meeting to explore possible new marine World Heritage sites in the Arctic. Experts discussed unique and exceptional Arctic features that could potentially merit inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage list for their nature conservation values. The Arctic is home to geological features and ...

Proposals are now being accepted for presentation at the International Conference entitled ‘African World Heritage as a Driver of Sustainable Development’, to be held from 31 May to 3 June 2016 at the World Heritage property, the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, in Arusha Tanzania. Open to all concerned with the added value of World Heritage conservation and sustainable development in Africa, ...

Thanks to the generous financing of a Japan Funds-in-Trust project to UNESCO for ‘Technical and financial assistance for the reconstruction of Muzibu-Azaala-Mpanga, architectural masterpiece of the Tombs of Buganda Kings at Kasubi, Uganda, World Heritage property in Danger,’ an illustrated tour guidebook entitled ‘KASUBI: Tombs of Buganda Kings at Kasubi Tour Guiding Manual-2015’ has been ...

UNESCO and the European Commission are launching a project to develop cultural routes that would benefit from the power of World Heritage sites to attract tourists to promote other cultural assets such as museums and festivals, for example, along selected European itineraries. Funded by the Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and Small and Medium-Sized ...

As requested by the World Heritage Committee at its 39th session in 2015 (Bonn, Germany), a joint World Heritage Centre and ICOMOS (International Council on Monuments and Sites) Reactive Monitoring mission will be undertaken during 12-16 April 2016 to assess the overall state of conservation of the property, including factors that constitute a serious threat to the property, and provide ...

The World Heritage Committee at its 38th session (Doha, 2014) requested the State Party of Pakistan to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1st December 2015, an updated report on the state of conservation of the Fort and Shalamar Gardens in Lahore property and the implementation of the decision of the World Heritage Committee. In this context, the current UNESCO mission to Lahore (21 ...

Irina Bokova, the Director-General of UNESCO, and Paolo Gentiloni, Italy’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, have signed an agreement on the establishment of a centre in Turin (Italy) that will conduct research and training relating to the economics of cultural heritage and cultural policies for development. Under the auspices of UNESCO, the International Training ...

The World Heritage Marine Programme is pleased to announce the release of its annual report, 2015: A Year in Review. Looking back on the past twelve months, there is a lot of progress to acknowledge. With the support of global partners, big strides have been made in protecting some of the world’s most spectacular places. In the Arctic, Russia’s Natural System of Wrangel Island Reserve is now ...

The main objectives of this evaluation are to assess the Centre’s performance with respect to its objectives and functions, as specified in the agreement between UNESCO and the host Government, and its contribution to UNESCO’s strategic programme objectives and sectoral or intersectoral programme priorities and themes. The findings of the evaluation will serve as the basis for the Sector ...

“I am sincerely distressed by the recent attacks against cultural heritage in Yemen. These attacks increase the human suffering and deprive the people of Yemen of their culture, which is an essential element of their identity, a source of fulfillent and a major asset for the future recovery and development of the country” declared the Director General of UNESCO, Ms. Irina Bokova. According ...

World Heritage attracts and fascinates: media around the world publish thousands of articles about it every year and countries invest a great deal of work and money to get sites inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List. Yet not enough is known about the conservation and management efforts that go into protecting the Outstanding Universal Value of the 1000+ sites that are currently on the ...

Geneva, 18 February 2016 - Official Representatives of the Parties to seven global biodiversity-related conventions[1] met at the United Nations Office in Geneva from 8 to 11 February 2016 to explore ways to strengthen synergies and improve efficiency among the conventions with a view to enhancing their implementation at all levels. Assisted in their work by the heads and staff of the ...

As part of the 40th session of the World Heritage Committee and in the framework of the UNESCO World Heritage Education Programme, the Turkish National Commission for UNESCO and the Istanbul Site Management Directorate are organizing the World Heritage Youth Forum 2016: “At the Crossroads of Multi-Layered Heritage” from 29 June to 12 July 2016. Young representatives, aged from 22 to 28, from ...

Paris, 16 February, 2016 - UNESCO Director-General, Ms Irina Bokova, expressed her deep sadness at the passing today of Mr Boutros Boutros-Ghali, former Secretary-General of the United Nations, the first Secretary-General of La Francophonie. “Boutros Boutros-Ghali devoted his life to promoting the ideals of a more just, peaceful and equitable world, the importance of democratizing ...

The draft Baseline Assessment report prepared under the coordination of ICOMOS and IUCN ECARO has been published for comments as part of the project ““Towards strengthened governance of the shared transboundary natural and cultural heritage of the Lake Ohrid region” funded by the European Union and the Ministry of Environment of Albania. The Baseline Assessment report provides crucial ...

Procurement notice: consultancy contract to lead the drafting of a Local Plan for Integrated Solid Waste Management in Pogradec Municipality, Lake Ohrid region, Albania As a partner in the implementation of the project “Towards strengthened governance of the shared transboundary natural and cultural heritage of the Lake Ohrid region”, the IUCN Regional Office for Eastern Europe and Central ...

Paris, 15 February—UNESCO’s Director-General, Irina Bokova, and the Italian Minister for Foreign Affairs, Paolo Gentiloni, will sign an agreement on the establishment of a Task Force of cultural heritage experts in the framework of UNESCO’s global coalition Unite for Heritage on 16 February in Rome. Under the agreement, UNESCO will be able to ask the Italian Government to make experts of the ...

The international dialogue on "Understanding rights practices in the World Heritage system: lessons from the Asia-Pacific and the global area" took place in Caux, Switzerland from 18 to 19 January 2016. The meeting was organized by the University of Lucerne in cooperation with ICOMOS and IUCN, with support from the Swiss Network for International Studies, ICOMOS Norway and the Swiss National ...

The “Workshop on synergies among the biodiversity-related conventions” organized by the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity and was held from 8 to 11 February 2016 at the United Nations office in Geneva, Switzerland. All 7 secretaries of the Biodiversity-related Conventions (Convention on Biological Diversity, Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild ...

The Association of World Heritage Properties in France (ABFPM) is launching a call for candidates for the second national training session “Interpretation – World Heritage” which will be held from 7 to 9 March 2016 at the Arc-et-Senans Royal Saltworks (France). This intensive and operational training is aimed towards personnel in charged with welcoming the public to World Heritage properties ...

The Director General and the Director of the World Heritage Centre met on 5 February 2016 with a Delegation from Slovak Republic including Mr František Palko, State Secretary of the Ministry of Transport, Construction, and Regional Development of the Slovak Republic and Ms. Ivana Magátová, Director General of the Tourism Section of the Ministry of Transport, Construction, and Regional ...

The Director-General of UNESCO, Ms Irina Bokova designated the famous Slovenian sculptor Mr Marko Pogačnik as a UNESCO Artist for Peace on 5 February 2016. This title was bestowed upon Mr Pogačnik in recognition of his commitment to improving relationships between people and their environments, based on the concept of protection, education and sustainable development, to increase people’s ...

Timbuktu (Mali), February 4 - A consecration ceremony of the Timbuktu mausoleums, last held in the 11th century, was held today at the initiative of the local community. This is the final phase of the cultural rebirth of the Timbuktu mausoleums after their destruction by the armed groups who occupied the city in 2012. The ceremony, held at the Mosque of Djingareyber, began in the early ...

World Wetlands Day is celebrated every year on 2 February, marking the date in 1971 when the Convention on Wetlands, known as the Ramsar Convention, was adopted in the Iranian city of Ramsar, drawing attention to the importance of wetlands. The theme for 2016, “Wetlands for our Future: Sustainable Livelihoods” brings the focus on the vital role of wetlands for the future of humanity and their ...