730 sites worldwide: a fascinating testimony of richness and diversity of mankind and nature

What is World Heritage?

The Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage is an international agreement, adopted by the General Conference of UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation) in 1972. Thus far, more than 175 State Parties have signed the convention.

Under the World Heritage Convention, cultural heritage is defined as a monument, group of buildings or site of historical, aesthetic, archaeological, scientific, ethnological or anthropological value.
Natural heritage designates outstanding natural features, geological and physiographical formations and natural sites of outstanding value from the point of view of science, conservation or natural beauty.
Cultural and natural sites, like the Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu in the eastern Andes or the Great Barrier on the north-east coast of Australia respectively, represent, together with many others, a common heritage, to be treasured as a unique testimony to an enduring past.

Great Barrier	Machu Picchu

The disappearance of designated sites would mean an irreversible loss for present and future generations. Many sites are increasingly threatened, mainly by mounting human pressure and therefore management strategies need to be put in place to ensure their sustainable conservation. The preservation of this common heritage is thus of major importance.

The preservation of Machu Picchu for future generations was seriously jeopardized by plans to allow the construction of a cable car system and the unlimited development of a luxury hotel on a large piece of land by the entrance of the ruins. The results of these disastrous plans are shown on the picture. After a monitoring mission organized by the World Heritage Centre, the World Heritage Committee endorsed a series of recommendations, which a/o led the Peruvian government to abandon the project.

Before	After

UNESCO's World Heritage purpose is

• To encourage countries to sign the Convention and ensure the protection of their own natural and cultural heritage
• To encourage State Parties to the Convention to nominate sites within their national territory for inclusion on the World Heritage List.

The World Heritage emblem symbolises the unique fact that the Convention focuses on both cultural and natural sites. The symbol consists of a circle, which represents nature, and an inner square representing a form made by a human being. The circle and square are linked, which results in a round symbol that stands for the world and is at the same time the symbol of protection.