Heritage
is our legacy from the past, what we live with today, and
what we pass on to future generations. Our cultural and
natural heritage are both irreplaceable sources of life
and inspiration. Places as unique and diverse as the wilds
of East Africa’s Serengeti, the Pyramids of Egypt, the Great
Barrier Reef in Australia and the Baroque cathedrals of
Latin America make up our world’s heritage. What makes the
concept of World Heritage exceptional is its universal application.
World Heritage sites belong to all the peoples of the world,
irrespective of the territory on which they are located.
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization (UNESCO) seeks to encourage the identification,
protection and preservation of cultural and natural heritage
around the world considered to be of outstanding value to
humanity. This is embodied in an international treaty called
the Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural
and Natural Heritage, adopted by UNESCO in 1972.
UNESCO'S WORLD HERITAGE MISSION IS TO:
encourage countries to sign the World Heritage Convention
and to ensure the protection of their natural and cultural
heritage;
encourage States Parties to the Convention to nominate sites
within their national territory for inclusion on the World
Heritage List;
encourage States Parties to establish management plans and
set up reporting systems on the state of conservation of
their World Heritage sites;
help States Parties safeguard World Heritage properties
by providing technical assistance and professional training;
provide emergency assistance for World Heritage sites in
immediate danger;
support States Parties' public awareness-building activities
for World Heritage conservation;
encourage participation of the local population in the preservation
of their cultural and natural heritage;
encourage international cooperation in the conservation
of our world's cultural and natural heritage. |
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