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International Earth Day is celebrated every year on 22 April to remind us that the Earth and its ecosystems provide us with sustenance, and that we have a collective responsibility to achieve balance among the economic, social and environmental needs of present and future generations. This year’s Earth Day highlights the importance of protecting species. World Heritage ...

The 23rd General Assembly of the States Parties to the World Heritage Convention is meeting from 24 to 26 November 2021 at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, France, convening the 193 States Parties to the World Heritage Convention, under the chairmanship of H.E. Mr Tebogo Seokolo, Ambassador Extraordinary and Permanent Delegate of South Africa to UNESCO.  During the session, ...

The Bern III Conference convened from 23-25 January 2024 in Bern, Switzerland, bringing together representatives of parties and secretariats of 16 Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs), including the 7 biodiversity-related Conventions, as well as stakeholders, organizations, and experts, to develop ideas for increased collaboration among MEAs at global, regional, ...

The Huicholes, heirs of Mesoamerican societies, make up one of the native groups that have survived with great vitality in America thanks to the rough topography of their territories, to its decentralized political organization and to their ability to adapt to the historical surroundings reflected by their active participation in the history of the West of Mexico. ...

The UN Biodiversity Conference COP13 will be held during 4-17 December 2016 in Cancun, Mexico. It is the highest governing body of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) which brings together representatives of the countries party managers and key players to promote the implementation of the Convention. Since the CBD came into force in December 1993, the COP has held ...

Mexico,Urban development project including the demolition of a great number of colonial constructions,A rehabilitation plan for a part of the World Heritage site of Puebla was briefly discussed at the seventeenth session of the Committee. More detailed information was provided at the eighteenth session of the Bureau on the basis of a report from the Mexican National ...

Doha, 21 June – The World Heritage Committee, meeting in Doha (Qatar) under the Chair of Sheikha Al Mayassa Bint Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani, this afternoon inscribed two new cultural sites and one mixed natural and cultural site on the World Heritage List. They include Qhapac Ñan, Latin America’s first serial property, crossing six countries across the ...

Mexico,Threats identified at the time of the extension/re-nomination of the property in 2014: Governance (need to strengthen the coordinating mechanism) Legal framework (need to assure that the buffer zone is configured in a way designed to protect the property) Management systems (lack of an integrated Protection and Management Plan) Weak monitoring system for the ...

WHC-11/18.GA/10

The World Heritage Committee today finalized this year's additions to UNESCO's World Heritage List with the inscription of three new sites: Gamzigrad-Romuliana, Palace of Galerius (Serbia), Gobustan Rock Art Cultural Landscape (Azerbaijan), and Central University City Campus of the Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico (UNAM), Mexico.The Late Roman fortified ...

Sites of memory are places vested with historical, social or cultural significance due to events that took place there in the past. Their associative values end up being more important or comparable to the consideration that has been made of the materiality of the cultural assets conveying different meanings; however, the material remains may be essential for the ...

WHC-11/35.COM/6

Spain,Infrastructure project for a high-speed train tunnel ,On 1 February 2013, Spain submitted a report on the state of conservation of the property providing information concerning the tunnel and possible vibrations caused by high speed trains near the Casa Milà and the Sagrada Familia. The Spanish Railway Infrastructure Administration (ADIF) has confirmed ...

Ethiopia, Presence of armed groups Loss of biodiversity Encroachment at the borders of the site Road construction ,Summary of previous deliberations: Twenty-second session of the Committee – paragraph number VII.6 Twenty-third session of the Bureau – paragraph number IV.5. New information:  The Centre has yet to receive a response from the State Party to the letter ...

UNESCO Headquarters, Paris,The World Heritage Committee has decided to postpone, for one year, the beginning of the next cycle of Periodic Reporting: 2007 will be the Reflection Year.  It has become evident that there is a need to: study and reflect on the first cycle of Periodic Reporting; develop directive strategies with regard to the format of the aforesaid ...

El Vizcaino Biosphere Reserve in Baja California, Mexico, is focusing on developing locally based ecotourism to address threats to the coastal lagoons, which shelter the gray whale, harbour seal, California sea lion, northern elephant seal and four species of endangered marine turtles. It is also an important cultural site inhabited by rancheros, with the ancient rock ...

Whale Sanctuary of El Vizcaino and Islands and Protected Areas of the Gulf of California(both located in Baja California, Mexico). The Whale Sanctuary of El Vizcaino site has been inscribed on the World Heritage List since 1993. It is the only calving and nursery area for the Eastern Pacific gray whale population, which traditionally travels there each season from the ...

Italy,Switzerland,Management (issue resolved),Further to Decision 34 COM 8B.6, Italy and Switzerland submitted, on 6 February 2013, a detailed joint report providing information on the establishment of a Transnational Board which will hold officially the coordinating role in the strategic management of the property, as well as information concerning the management ...

India,Lack of management structure and management plan (issue resolved) ,On 31 January 2013, the State Party submitted a state of conservation report which provides information on progress made in the implementation of Decision 35 COM 7B.68 made by the World Heritage Committee at its 35th session (UNESCO, 2011). The State Party reports on conservation activities ...