137 news
Year2019close
Monday, 30 December 2019
The World Heritage Centre has launched an Online Consultation with key World Heritage stakeholders on the updating of the “Policy Document on the Impacts of Climate Change on World Heritage properties”. The consultation, which is taking place until 20 January 2020, will gather feedback and comments from key World Heritage stakeholders of the World Heritage Convention on this crucial ...
1 min read
Thursday, 26 December 2019
The World Heritage Centre has been following with attention and concern the situation in the Galapagos Islands, and in particular in the Island of San Cristobal, where a cargo vessel overturned on 22 December 2019, due to the fall of a container crane, causing a 600-gallon oil spill.
According to official sources, the situation has been quickly mastered to avoid possible impacts on the ...
1 min read
Friday, 20 December 2019
Dear friends of World Heritage,
I would like to thank you once again for all of your support over the past year, to help protect our most precious heritage: All of you count! Whether you work in heritage conservation, work at a site, travel as a tourist, or even just visit the heritage places near your home, your awareness and efforts make a difference. It is also important to us to receive ...
2 min read
Wednesday, 18 December 2019
On the occasion of the Forum of Ministers of Culture on 19 November 2019 at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, France, the Culture Sector proudly introduces the Culture|2030 Indicators.
The Culture|2030 indicators is a framework of thematic indicators whose purpose is to measure and monitor the progress of culture’s enabling contribution to the national and local implementation of the Goals and ...
1 min read
Tuesday, 17 December 2019
In response to the results of the independent technical review of the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) commissioned by IUCN, the World Heritage Centre expresses grave concern over the state of conservation of Tanzania’s Selous Game Reserve World Heritage site and the impacts of the Rufiji Hydropower on the property.
The review concludes that the strategic environmental assessment of ...
3 min read
Monday, 16 December 2019
From 25 to 29 November 2019, experts from World Heritage marine sites met in Indonesia to support the Komodo National Park with the management of its marine component.
See the pictures
Komodo National Park was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1991 for its outstanding ecosystems and biodiversity. While perhaps best known for the Komodo Dragon, Komodo National Park’s Outstanding ...
2 min read
Monday, 16 December 2019
The seminar "Climate Change, World Heritage and Tourism" was presented at UNESCO Headquarters on 16 December 2019 by Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne University in collaboration with UNESCO World Heritage Centre, ICOMOS France and the Association des biens français du patrimoine mondial.
On a global scale, tourism is a factor contributing to climate change, especially when emissions are measured at ...
2 min read
Wednesday, 11 December 2019
International Mountain Day, designated by the United Nations General Assembly in 2003 and celebrated on 11 December, highlights the importance of mountains to life on Earth. ‘Mountains matter for Youth’ is the theme of this year’s International Mountain Day.
The 2019 International Mountain Day’s theme is a great opportunity for young generations, to enhance World Heritage conservation ...
2 min read
Tuesday, 10 December 2019
"Heritage, World Heritage and the Future: Perspectives on Scale, Conservation and Dialogue”
The 14th International Anamed Symposium in cooperation with the UNESCO World Heritage Centre held on 5-6 December at ANAMED, Koc University in Istanbul produced important outcomes for archaeological World Heritage sites.
The challenges affecting the conservation mechanism as well as the ...
1 min read
Monday, 2 December 2019
The Arab World Heritage Young Professionals Forum “empowering youth to build peace through the protection and preservation of heritage” starts today!
The Forum was opened by H. E. Mr Mohamed Zinelabidine, Minister of Cultural Affairs of Tunisia, Dr Mohamed Ould Amar, Director-General of ALECSO; Dr Mechtild Rössler, Director of the UNESCO World Heritage Centre; H. E. Ms Élaine Ayotte, ...
1 min read
Wednesday, 27 November 2019
The 22nd General Assembly of the States Parties to the World Heritage Convention is meeting on 27 and 28 November 2019 at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, France, convening the 193 States Parties to the World Heritage Convention, under the chairmanship of H.E. Mr Adam Al Mulla, Ambassador and Permanent Delegate of the State of Kuwait to UNESCO.
During the session, the General Assembly elected ...
1 min read
Saturday, 23 November 2019
In view of the current global pandemic and following the extraordinary measures being taken to tackle the spread of COVID-19 globally, the 2020 Campaign of the World Heritage Volunteers (WHV) Initiative has been postponed to 2021.
Read More
“Fostering Youth Commitment towards World Heritage”
The UNESCO World Heritage Centre is pleased to announce the Call for Projects for the World ...
1 min read
Saturday, 23 November 2019
The World Heritage Centre expresses its concern over on-going bushfires in and around the Gondwana rainforests in Australia and offers its solidarity to the people affected.
The UNESCO World Heritage Centre has been receiving many expressions of concern from the media and civil society over the possible impact of bushfires on the World Heritage property, “Gondwana Rainforests of Australia”, ...
1 min read
Wednesday, 20 November 2019
From 15 to 18 November, an expert meeting was convened by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) together with Germany’s Federal Office for Nature Conservation (BfN) and in cooperation with the UNESCO World Heritage Centre on the Isle of Vilm, Germany to discuss how the World Heritage Convention can contribute to the new global agenda for biodiversity conservation.
At the ...
1 min read
Tuesday, 19 November 2019
The 2019 UNESCO-Greece Melina Mercouri International Prize for the Safeguarding and Management of Cultural Landscapes was awarded on 18 November to Instituto do Património Cultural in Cabo Verde for its outstanding contribution to the safeguarding, management and sustainable development of the Natural Park of Cova, Paul and Ribeira da Torre.
The award ceremony took place at UNESCO ...
2 min read
Monday, 18 November 2019
This year’s UNESCO Sultan Qaboos Prize for Environmental Conservation will be awarded to the Bangalore-based Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE) in recognition of its socially-just environmental conservation and sustainable development activities, following the recommendation of the international jury of the prize.
The award ceremony will be held in Budapest, ...
1 min read
Saturday, 16 November 2019
Today marks the 47th anniversary of the World Heritage Convention. This Convention protects the world’s most outstanding places, belonging to us all.
Where it all began
The idea of creating an international movement for protecting heritage emerged after World War I. The 1972 Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage developed from the merging of two ...
3 min read
Wednesday, 13 November 2019
The UNESCO World Heritage Centre is closely monitoring the state of conservation of the World Heritage site of Venice and its Lagoon.
Inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1987, Venice faces several threats from overtourism, damage caused by a steady stream of cruise ships, and from the potential negative effects of new developments. The site is also highly vulnerable to the negative ...
1 min read
Friday, 8 November 2019
UNESCO has been at the forefront of exploring and managing the impacts of climate change on World Heritage, and supports World Heritage sites on climate change adaptation and mitigation activities.
The promotion of renewable energy production is of great importance, as this technology is among the key solutions for the mitigation of climate change and the promotion of sustainable ...
2 min read
Friday, 8 November 2019
From 5 to 7 November 2019, a total of 27 participants—including Focal Points, Vice-Ministers, and academics—from 14 countries of the sub-regions of Mexico and Central America and the Caribbean gathered in Havana, Cuba, to analyze and discuss the relevance of their current Tentative Lists.
One of the central objectives of the three-day workshop was to strengthen the understanding of and ...
2 min read
Wednesday, 6 November 2019
On 18 November 2019 at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, France, the 2019 edition of the UNESCO-Greece Melina Mercouri International Prize for the Safeguarding and Management of Cultural Landscapes will be announced and the award presented.
Named after the illustrious Greek actress and former Minister of Culture of Greece, Melina Mercouri, the Prize rewards outstanding efforts to protect and ...
1 min read
Thursday, 31 October 2019
The World Heritage Cities Programme supports countries in protecting and managing their urban heritage through theoretical application and technical advice.
More than 315 World Heritage cities function as inhabited urban centres worldwide facing the challenges of balancing heritage conservation with contemporary urban development.'Changing the World: Innovations and Better Life for Future ...
Thursday, 31 October 2019
UNESCO offers its sincere solidarity with the people of Japan, and in particular the residents of Okinawa, who have lost a cultural and historical symbol of the Ryukyu islands. UNESCO stands ready to assist the authorities as needed.
In the early morning hours of 31 October, a number of buildings, including Shuri Castle of the World Heritage site of “Gusuku Sites and Related Properties of ...
1 min read
Friday, 25 October 2019
UNESCO and Expedia Group have signed a global agreement to promote sustainable tourism and heritage conservation through an industry-first Sustainable Tourism Pledge whose pilot phase will be launched in Thailand this year before going global. It is the first collaboration between UNESCO and a global online travel agency.
The Sustainable Tourism Pledge requires tourism industry members to ...
2 min read
Wednesday, 23 October 2019
Recent flooding threatens the World Heritage property of the Historic Town of Grand-Bassam, Côte d'Ivoire. UNESCO is sending a mission to provide technical assistance to national and local authorities in assessing the damage and collecting all the data necessary for the preparation of a risk management plan that better takes account of the flood issue.
On the weekend of 11 to 13 October, ...
2 min read
Saturday, 19 October 2019
The Deputy-Director of the World Heritage Centre, Jyoti Hosagrahar, represented UNESCO at the First meeting of the European Commission Expert Group on Cultural Heritage in Brussels. The event was organized by the European Commission and took place on 15-16 October 2019.
The European Commission Expert Group on cultural heritage was set up with the aim of continuing the spirit of cooperation ...
1 min read
Friday, 18 October 2019
Some 40 female members of the armed forces of Lebanon, Iraq and Jordan, as well as female peacekeepers from the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) came together in Beirut, Lebanon to discuss the protection of cultural property in the event of armed conflict. The workshop, which took place on 1-3 October 2019, was the first UNESCO-organized event specifically focused on female ...
2 min read
Tuesday, 15 October 2019
The first guide for the insurance industry to protect our world’s priceless and irreplaceable assets was launched today at a major event by UN Environment’s Finance Initiative (UNEP FI) in São Paulo, Brazil, convening leading insurers, investors and banks.
The pioneering guide, Protecting our World Heritage, insuring a sustainable future, builds on last year’s launch of the first insurance ...
11 min read
Monday, 14 October 2019
Representatives from the city of Venice, the Italian government, UNESCO and ICOMOS came together at UNESCO Headquarters on 2 October 2019 to discuss the ongoing challenges facing Venice and its surrounding lagoon – an iconic site whose status as a World Heritage property is in jeopardy.
Inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1987, Venice is threatened on several fronts – from overtourism, ...
2 min read
Saturday, 12 October 2019
This year’s World Migratory Bird Day is dedicated to highlighting the problem of pollution with the theme, ‘Protect Birds: Be the Solution to Plastic Pollution.’
Waste and pollution are harmful to many World Heritage sites. Increased tourism means that more people are leaving trash at the world’s most iconic places. World Heritage sites are key stopover sites for birds, so the effective ...
2 min read
Friday, 11 October 2019
International Day for Disaster Reduction promotes a global culture of risk awareness and disaster reduction by celebrating how people around the world are reducing their exposure to disasters.
This year’s theme is based on one Target of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030: ‘Substantially reduce disaster damage to critical infrastructure and disruption of services ...
2 min read
Tuesday, 1 October 2019
The Ethiopian Wildlife Conservation Authority (EWCA) in collaboration with UNESCO Addis Ababa Liaison Office and the UNESCO Regional Office for Eastern Africa organized a four-day technical workshop to strengthen national capacities in preparing World Heritage nomination dossiers for natural heritage sites, which ran from 23 to 27 September 2019 in Gondar Town, Amhara Region, ...
2 min read
Monday, 30 September 2019
On the occasion of the 74th session of the United Nations General Assembly, UNESCO participated in several events of the Climate Summit and highlighted the role of education, science and culture in providing sustainable responses.
The Director-General supported the call of six South American countries to conserve and protect the Amazon, the world's first tropical forest, at a high-level ...
1 min read
Friday, 27 September 2019
The theme of this year’s World Tourism Day is, ‘Tourism and jobs, a better future for all.’ Given the booming worldwide travel industry, tourism now generates 10% of the world’s jobs or 313 million employees.Tourism is increasingly a major source of growth, employment and income for many of the world’s countries, and is included in Sustainable Development Goal 8 for its potential to create ...
2 min read
Wednesday, 25 September 2019
The UNESCO World Heritage Centre and the UNESCO Cluster Office in Tehran, in cooperation with the Iranian National Commission for UNESCO and the Iranian Ministry of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts, are organizing the 6th meeting of the Coordinating Committee of the Serial Transnational World Heritage Nomination of the Silk Roads from 23 to 26 September 2019 in Hamedan, Iran.
The ...
2 min read
Monday, 23 September 2019
On 18 September 2019, Ms Angelique Songco, Superintendent of Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park World Heritage area was honored with the esteemed 2019 KfW-Bernhard-Grzimek-Preis for her outstanding leadership in conserving the World Heritage marine site.
The award is a tribute to individuals and organizations for their commitment to the preservation of the world’s most precious biodiversity and ...
2 min read
Tuesday, 17 September 2019
The International Workshop on the Practical Application of the Salalah Guidelines for the Management of Public Archaeological Sites was opened by the authorities of the Sultanate of Oman (Office of the Advisor to His Majesty the Sultan for Cultural Affairs), with the Director of the World Heritage Centre, ICOMOS and the Director General of ICCROM.The workshop focused on the application of the ...
1 min read
Wednesday, 11 September 2019
As part of the Third Cycle of the Periodic Reporting Exercise in Africa, over 80 participants from 46 African States Parties with 96 World Heritage properties (53 cultural, 38 natural and 5 mixed) will be meeting at Grand Bassam, Cote-d’Ivoire, from 11 to 14 September 2019, to go through the statutory processes of the World Heritage Convention.
This regional meeting organized by the World ...
2 min read
Wednesday, 11 September 2019
Tourist guides from World Heritage Sites in Iran participated in the “World Heritage Specialist Guide Training Program” in Kermanshah from 04 to 08 August 2019 to upgrade their knowledge of World Heritage Sites and acquire new skills needed to become a specialized World Heritage tour guide.The participants composed a mixed group coming from the Iranian Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and ...
1 min read
Wednesday, 11 September 2019
Two UNESCO World Heritage marine sites with similar conservation challenges signed an official Partnership Agreement to share ideas and best practices. The seeds of the agreement were sown at the 2010 World Heritage marine managers conference, and site-to-site exchanges over the past years were also central in achieving the recent zero emissions target for West Norwegian Fjords ...
2 min read
Tuesday, 10 September 2019
From 4 to 9 September, managers from the 50 marine sites on UNESCO’s World Heritage List gather in a momentous setting to discuss challenges and solutions toward reaching the 2030 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. With the oceans facing existential threats and global targets only a decade away, time is critical. Bringing managers together provides an opportunity to accelerate ...
2 min read
Tuesday, 10 September 2019
The ambitious capacity-building agenda for World Heritage in Mexico and Central America recently saw a major step forward with the first sub-regional workshop held from 26 to 28 August 2019, organized by the Category 2 Centre based in Zacatecas, Mexico.
Representatives from Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, and Panama, as well as Caribbean participants from ...
1 min read
Tuesday, 10 September 2019
On 7 September 2019 the new visitors centre at the Mill Network at Kinderdijk-Elshout in the Netherlands was formally opened. Officiating the celebration was Princess Beatrix, patroness of the Dutch Windmill Association. After meeting with volunteers from the Kinderijk World Heritage Foundation the Princess opened the building among a spectacular show of music, fountains, and light ...
1 min read
Monday, 9 September 2019
The German city of Dessau is marking the 100th anniversary of the Bauhaus school of design with a new museum featuring exhibits that tie in with the movement’s iconic buildings. Chancellor Angela Merkel opened the Bauhaus Museum Dessau on Sunday, saying the school featured an avant-garde style that “we still really enjoy today.”
The Bauhaus movement was born on 1 October 1919 in Weimar, ...
1 min read
Friday, 6 September 2019
Empowering youth to build peace through the protection and preservation of heritage.
The Arab World Heritage Young Professionals Forum will take place from 2 to 6 December 2019 in Tunis, Tunisia, and will gather up to 38 participants from the Arab States region. The Forum aims to engage and empower youth in the Arab States region in their critical roles as global citizens towards ...
1 min read
Friday, 6 September 2019
Within the framework of the Project for the Preservation and Support of the Tourist Sector (PAST), the UNESCO Office in Port-au-Prince is seeking to recruit a consultant - an expert in the conservation of historical heritage - Senior Coordinator of the Project for the Preservation of Heritage and Support to the Tourist Sector (PAST), hence the attached Terms of Reference.
Any interested ...
Friday, 6 September 2019
[in French only] L’UNESCO et le Ministère de la Culture du Mali ont présenté un plan d’action de 2,2 millions de dollars aux populations du site du Patrimoine mondial des Falaises de Bandiagara en Pays dogon, afin de favoriser un retour à la normale après les violences intercommunautaires ayant affecté le centre du pays.
Dans ce contexte, et après la reconstruction des mausolées de ...
Friday, 23 August 2019
This 23 August, we honour the memory of the men and women who, in Saint-Domingue in 1791, revolted and paved the way for the end of slavery and dehumanization. We honour their memory and that of all the other victims of slavery, for whom they stand.The fight against trafficking and slavery is universal and ongoing. It is the reason for which UNESCO led the efforts ...
2 min read
Monday, 19 August 2019
Audrey Azoulay, the Director-General of UNESCO, will undertake an official visit to Uzbekistan to take part in the International Conference on the Preservation of Tangible and Intangible Cultural Heritage, alongside Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, on 26 August. A significant number of culture and tourism ministers from across the region and beyond are also expected to ...
2 min read
Monday, 19 August 2019
The World Heritage Centre launched today the Arabic translation of the publication “Managing effectively the world’s most iconic Marine Protected Areas. A Best Practice Guide”. There are currently three World Heritage marine sites in the Arab region, in Mauritania, Sudan and Yemen.
Download Now
The publication lays the groundwork for a common approach to a more pro-active, future-oriented ...
2 min read
Monday, 12 August 2019
Across the world, young people are faced with inequalities in education. Yet, they are also key actors in the transformation of education that we are calling for.
Their ideas and innovative spirit need to be heard in order to reach our common goas inscribed in Agenda 2030, which is our greatest opportunity to build more inclusive and fair societies. Education is the heart of UNESCO’s action ...
2 min read
Friday, 9 August 2019
Since 1982, the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples has provided us with a unique opportunity to raise global awareness of the contributions made by indigenous peoples towards building peace and developing sustainable and resilient societies.
On this Day, we take steps to recognise and acknowledge indigenous peoples as knowledge-holders who have contributed to the ...
3 min read
Tuesday, 6 August 2019
Seabourn, the world’s leading small ship cruise line, has signed an agreement to extend its official partnership with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in a unique alliance to help protect World Heritage.
The five-year extension will continue to foster wider support and understanding in the travel industry and among travelers for UNESCO’s mission ...
1 min read
Wednesday, 31 July 2019
Thee World Heritage Committee at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019) confirms start of the Third Cycle of Periodic Reporting exercise in the Africa region.The Third Cycle of Periodic Reporting ( a global World Heritage conservation monitoring exercise carried out in six-year cycles, shall begin in this second half of September 2019.
46 African States Parties with 96 World Heritage properties (53 ...
1 min read
Monday, 29 July 2019
On 16 July 2019, US$ 2.9 million (NOK 25 million) were received from Norway as part of a partnership agreement signed last month supporting UNESCO's work in various fields, including heritage preservation.
These funds will be dedicated to the preservation of natural World Heritage sites in Africa. The significant increase in Norway’s contribution vividly demonstrates its commitment to the ...
1 min read
Friday, 26 July 2019
Mangroves are rare, spectacular and prolific ecosystems on the boundary between land and sea. These extra ordinary ecosystems contribute to the wellbeing, food security, and protection of coastal communities worldwide. They support a rich biodiversity and provide a valuable nursery habitat for fish and crustaceans. Mangroves also act as a form of natural coastal defense against storm surges, ...
1 min read
Friday, 19 July 2019
As a side event of the meeting of the World Heritage Committee (Baku from 1 to 10 July), UNESCO and its partners met on 5 July to take stock of the initiative launched in October 2018 to strengthen coral reef adaptation to climate change.
The initiative aims to establish an effective strategy for climate change resilience in five coral reefs inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List: the ...
2 min read
Friday, 19 July 2019
On 3 July 2019, during its 43rd session in Baku, Azerbaijan, the World Heritage Committee inscribed the Islands and Protected Areas of the Gulf of California in Mexico on the List of World Heritage in Danger. One of the main reasons for this decision is the current vulnerable situation of the vaquita species, whose population, according to the most recent scientific evidence, has drastically ...
1 min read
Thursday, 18 July 2019
The 2019 edition of the World Heritage Young Professionals Forum gathered 30 participants from 30 countries to address the global challenge of heritage protection and conservation in the 21st century.
Following the case studies of the World Heritage proprieties in Azerbaijan, the theme of this year’s Forum was chosen as “World Heritage: Local Insights for Global Challenges”.
During the ...
1 min read
Wednesday, 10 July 2019
For the first time, indigenous peoples from across the globe gathered during the 43rd session of the World Heritage Committee in Baku, Azerbaijan, to highlight the importance of indigenous languages for safeguarding World Heritage properties. In an event marking the International Year of Indigenous Languages 2019, the indigenous panelists stressed that without language, there can be no ...
3 min read
Tuesday, 9 July 2019
The city of Fuzhou (China) will host the next session of the World Heritage Committee in 2020. This decision concluded the work of the 43rd session of the World Heritage Committee, meeting in Baku since 30 June.
During this year’s session, the World Heritage Committee inscribed a total of 29 new sites on the World Heritage List (one in Africa, two in the Arab States, ten in the Asia Pacific ...
4 min read
Monday, 8 July 2019
The World Heritage Policy Compendium - a consolidated source of policy decisions made under the Convention - is now online.
The World Heritage Policy Compendium is a collection of policies that have guided the implementation of the World Heritage Convention since its adoption in 1972. It assembles the policies adopted by the World Heritage Committee and General Assembly of States Parties in ...
1 min read
Sunday, 7 July 2019
During its meeting in Baku this afternoon, the World Heritage Committee, inscribed two cultural sites on UNESCO’s World Heritage List, ending this year’s inscriptions on the List.
The newly added sites, by order of inscription:
Le Colline del Prosecco di Conegliano e Valdobbiadene (Italy) — Located in north-eastern Italy, the site includes part of the vinegrowing landscape of the Prosecco ...
2 min read
Sunday, 7 July 2019
During its meeting in Baku this morning, the World Heritage Committee inscribed six cultural sites on UNESCO’s World Heritage List. The newly inscribed sites are located in Azerbaijan, Portugal, the Russian Federation, Spain, and the UK. Inscriptions will continue in the afternoon.
New sites, by order of inscription:
Royal Building of Mafra—Palace, Basilica, Convent, Cerco Garden and ...
4 min read
Saturday, 6 July 2019
During its meeting in Baku this afternoon, the World Heritage Committee inscribed seven cultural sites on UNESCO’s World Heritage List. The sites added this afternoon are located in Canada, Czechia, Germany, Republic of Korea, Myanmar and Poland. Inscriptions will continue tomorrow, 7 July.
New sites, by order of inscription:
Bagan (Myanmar) — Lying on a bend of the Ayeyarwady River in the ...
4 min read
Saturday, 6 July 2019
During the morning session of its current meeting, in Baku, the World Heritage Committee inscribed seven cultural sites on UNESCO’s World Heritage List. The sites added to the List are situated in Australia, Bahrain, China, India, Indonesia, Japan and People’s Democratic Republic of Lao. Inscriptions will continue through 7 July.
New sites, by order of inscription:
Dilmun Burial Mounds ...
4 min read
Friday, 5 July 2019
During its morning session, the World Heritage Committee, meeting in Baku until 10 July, inscribed two natural sites in China and in the Islamic Republic of Iran on the UNESCO’s World Heritage List:
Migratory Bird Sanctuaries along the Coast of Yellow Sea-Bohai Gulf of China (Phase I) (China)—The site features an intertidal mudflat system considered to be the largest in the world. These ...
1 min read
Friday, 5 July 2019
The World Heritage Committee inscribed five new sites on UNESCO’s World Heritage List this afternoon. Among them are two natural sites, one in France and one in Iceland, a mixed, i.e. natural and cultural, site in Brazil and two cultural sites in Burkina Faso and Iraq. The Committee also approved the extension of the transboundary natural and cultural heritage site of the Ohrid region ...
4 min read
Thursday, 4 July 2019
On 4 July 2019, a special event devoted to the theme "Qhapaq Ñan, Sharing experiences and good practices" brought together representatives of Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru with the aim of sharing their collaborative achievements in management and conservation of this serial and transboundary World Heritage site.
Participants presented concrete and important results ...
2 min read
Wednesday, 3 July 2019
During the 43rd session of the World Heritage Committee currently taking place until 10 July in Baku (Azerbaijan), four decisions concerning the Middle East were adopted by consensus, after constructive discussions between all delegations involved including Israel, Jordan and Palestine, and mediation by the UNESCO Secretariat.
In her opening statement to the Committee, UNESCO ...
1 min read
Wednesday, 3 July 2019
The World Heritage Committee, meeting in Baku since 30 June, has decided to inscribe the Islands and Protected Areas of the Gulf of California (Mexico) on the List of World Heritage in Danger due to concerns about the imminent extinction of the vaquita, an endemic porpoise in the Gulf of California.
Mexico has made efforts to protect these threatened species, notably by creating a refuge for ...
2 min read
Tuesday, 2 July 2019
The World Heritage Committee, meeting in Baku since 30 June, today decided to remove the Birthplace of Jesus: the Church of the Nativity and the Pilgrimage Route, Bethlehem (Palestine) from the List of World Heritage in Danger.
The Committee said its decision was due to the high quality of work carried out on the Nativity Church, the restoration of its roof, exterior facades, mosaics and ...
2 min read
Tuesday, 2 July 2019
The World Heritage Committee, meeting in Baku since 30 June, decided to remove the site of Humberstone and Santa Laura Saltpeter Works (Chile) from the List of World Heritage in Danger thanks to the national authorities’ measures to ensure its sustainable conservation and management.
The Saltpeter Works were inscribed on the World Heritage List in 2005 and, simultaneously, on the List of ...
2 min read
Sunday, 30 June 2019
The opening ceremony of this year’s session of the World Heritage Committee was held on 30 June at the Heydar Aliyev Centre in Baku, marking the start of the Committee’s work, scheduled to continue until 10 July.
UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay welcomed the enthusiasm for World Heritage and “its exceptional ability to bring people together.” She urged “respect for the spirit of the ...
2 min read
Thursday, 27 June 2019
20-22 June: African academics and heritage experts met in the city of Teramo, in the Abruzzo region of Italy, to unpack the concept of ‘prevention’ as a tool for sustainable development, emphasizing the need to place the youth in the centre of this concept by making it relevant to them.
Organized under the theme “Protection of cultural and natural heritage and resources through prevention: ...
2 min read
Wednesday, 26 June 2019
Tuesday, June 25 - Recent flooding and the security situation threaten the preservation of the Minaret and Archaeological Remains of Jam, Afghanistan. UNESCO will send a mission to the site and launch a safeguarding project, thanks to funding from the International Alliance for the Protection of Heritage in Conflict Areas (ALIPH) of USD 1.9 million.
The Minaret of Jam is exposed to several ...
2 min read
Friday, 21 June 2019
The World Heritage Committee will examine 36 nominations for inscription on UNESCO’s World Heritage List during its 43rd session, which will take place in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, from 30 June to 10 July under the chair of Abulfas Garayev, Minister of Culture of Azerbaijan.
The Committee will furthermore examine the state of conservation of 166 sites already inscribed on the World ...
3 min read
Thursday, 20 June 2019
Heritage authorities from six heritage cities in Asia, Pacific and Africa gather in George Town, Penang, Malaysia, from 20 to 21 June 2019 to attend a workshop entitled “Experience Sharing Workshop on Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) Strategy among Heritage Cities in Southeast Asia, Pacific and Africa“ held by UNESCO Office Jakarta in collaboration with George Town World Heritage Incorporated ...
2 min read
Tuesday, 18 June 2019
As a global report released a month ago shows, the world’s ecosystems and biodiversity are deteriorating faster than at any time in human history, undermining humanity’s well-being and future existence.
The Global Assessment Report on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, released by the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) in early May, ...
2 min read
Friday, 14 June 2019
The UNESCO-Africa-China Forum on World Heritage Capacity Building and Cooperation, held at UNESCO Headquarters from 3 – 4 June 2019, concluded with Recommendations and an Action Plan for joint projects supporting long-term capacity building for the safeguarding of African World Heritage properties. It was attended by ministers, decision-makers, World Heritage site managers, academics and ...
3 min read
Friday, 14 June 2019
Following the devastating fire at Mount Kenya National Park in February 2019 and the subsequent rampaging wildfire at Simien Mountains National Park in April 2019, UNESCO organized a capacity-building workshop in disaster risk management for World Heritage site managers and other stakeholders from Kenya and Ethiopia from 11 to 14 June 2019 at Mount Kenya World Heritage site in Nanyuki ...
3 min read
Tuesday, 11 June 2019
“Heritage it is an inherent part of our identity. It is a way to understand each other better” mentioned Victoria Kelly, one of the participants to the European Young Heritage Professionals Forum that gathered young practitioners with a background in both tangible and intangible cultural heritage. Participants came from the 28 Member States of the European Union to discuss the multifaceted ...
1 min read
Saturday, 8 June 2019
This World Oceans Day, 8 June, is dedicated to gender and the ocean. To celebrate the day, UNESCO honours all women whose scientific work is enhancing the conservation of the 49 marine sites inscribed on the World Heritage List. Discover the fascinating work of some of these women scientists through the videos below.
Ocean science is crucial for the protection and conservation of World ...
2 min read
Wednesday, 5 June 2019
This year, World Environment Day is focused on air pollution. Almost all of us are affected by it: 92 per cent of people worldwide do not breathe clean air.
So in 2019, those celebrating World Environment Day will urge governments, industry, communities, and individuals to come together to explore renewable energy and green technologies, and improve air quality in cities across the ...
1 min read
Tuesday, 4 June 2019
The three countries agree on a roadmap to explore the boundary extension of the Okavango Delta World Heritage site to protect the river basin and the unique wetland system.
The States Parties of Angola, Botswana and Namibia met in Maun in Botswana on 3-4 June 2019 to discuss transboundary cooperation and ways to improve conservation of the Okavango Delta (Botswana) World Heritage site ...
2 min read
Tuesday, 4 June 2019
The Yaksu-ri and Susan-ri tombs, two exceptional testaments to the civilisation of the Koguryo kingdom, were successfully conserved thanks to the UNESCO/Republic of Korea Funds-in-Trust project “Safeguarding of Koguryo Tombs in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK)”, coordinated by UNESCO and implemented since 2000 in three consecutive phases. The property includes about 30 tombs ...
2 min read
Friday, 31 May 2019
The team of the UNESCO World Heritage Centre would like to express its sadness after learning that former President of ICOMOS International, Prof Michael Petzet passed away on 30 May 2019.
The passing away of Michael Petzet represents an important loss for the conservation community. His strong opinions were always a reflection of his unerring commitment to excellence in the conservation of ...
1 min read
Tuesday, 28 May 2019
On 3 and 4 June, the UNESCO-Africa-China Forum on World Heritage Capacity Building and Cooperation will seek to strengthen collaboration between Africa and China in the preservation of World Heritage. It will also provide an opportunity to take stock of the sustainable development challenges facing World Heritage sites in both China and Africa and foster the sharing of experience in this ...
2 min read
