UNESCO World Heritage Site

UNESCO World Heritage Site is a designation given to locations of outstanding universal value to humanity, as determined by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). These sites can be either cultural, natural, or mixed properties and are recognized for their exceptional importance to the collective interests of humanity.

History

The concept of a World Heritage Site was first proposed by the United States in 1972 at the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage. The convention was adopted by UNESCO, and the first sites were inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1978.

Criteria

To be included on the World Heritage List, sites must meet at least one of ten selection criteria. These criteria include representing a masterpiece of human creative genius, bearing a unique or exceptional testimony to a cultural tradition or civilization, containing superlative natural phenomena or areas of exceptional natural beauty, and representing major stages of earth's history.

Management and Protection

Each World Heritage Site remains part of the legal territory of the state wherein the site is located, but the designation as a World Heritage Site does commit the state to protect the site and not to make any alterations without the permission of UNESCO. The management of these sites falls under the jurisdiction of the World Heritage Committee, a body of representatives from 21 of the States Parties to the Convention elected by their General Assembly.

Examples

There are over 1,000 World Heritage Sites worldwide. Some of the most well-known include the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt, the Grand Canyon in the United States, and the Taj Mahal in India.

See Also

• List of UNESCO World Heritage Sites
• UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Lists
• World Heritage Committee
• Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage

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