So… what actually is a UNESCO world heritage site?
UNESCO World Heritage- you hear about it all the time, especially when travelling. You need to have been living under a rock for the past 70+ years to have not!
But what does that actually mean when your guide is talking about it or you read it on a sign?
So heres a quick guide on everything you need to know about UNESCO!
1. What is it and where did it come from?
UNESCO stands for the United Nations Education Scientific and Cultural Organisation.
Originally developed during the second world war in 1942, the European allied countries came together to figure out ways to rebuild their education systems once the war was over.
It became known as the conference of allied ministers of education (CAME). Shortly after the war ended, with 44 countries joined, it became the United Nations (UN) conference for establishment of a educational and cultural organisation.
This organisation was officially adopted in London in 1945. It is now a specialised section of the UN. In 1978 the first official site was declared.
2. What is the aim of it?
The aim was essentially to try and prevent another war by having countries committed to creating a organisation of culture and peace by establishing “intellectual and moral solidarity of mankind”.
It now helps to identify, promote and protect sites around the world that are culturally or naturally important areas to us as a society.
3. How is a site chosen?
Each year countries that belong to UNESCO can nominate sites in their country. It has to already have some sort of protection status from the country to be eligible.
There is also a selection criteria for both cultural and natural sites that the nominated site must meet it must be on the tentative list. A committee then votes on which sites are added.
4. Is it a UNESCO or a World Heritage site?
So this question always confused me a little bit, which is which, and can they be both or just 1? So turns out the answer is actually a bit more complicated.
World heritage is run by a world heritage committee, that manages the international world heritage program that is a subsection of UNESCO.
World heritage was formed by UNESCO in 1972. There are currently over 1,100 sites in193 countries, so technically yes UNESCO and world heritage sites can be seperate.
5. Can you be part of the UN and not UNESCO or vice versa?
Yes! A country can be part of the united nations and not UNESCO members. For example Liechtenstein and Israel are members of the United nation, but are currently not part of UNESCO.
However Israel does have world heritage sites. The USA has joined and left multiple times, last leaving in 2019 and then rejoining in 2023.
On the other end of the scale, the cook islands, Palestine and Niue and are UNESCO members but not part of the UN.
6. Can a site lose its status?
Each year all sites are reviewed and a site can potentially be put on a danger list if the condition of the site is threatened. This could be due to natural disaster, war, climate change, pollution or urban development.
If the conditions of the site improve it is reviewed again and may come off the list. Alternatively if it hasn’t, it can be removed as a UNESCO site. This has happened a few times, mainly due to Urban development.
7. What was the first UNESCO world heritage site?
The Galapagos islands became the first official UNESCO world heritage area in 1978.
8. What are some of the most famous popular sites?
With over 1,000 sites world wide, there are a lot to chose from, but of course some are more famous than others such as:
- The Pyramids of Giza, Egypt
- The monastery, Petra, Jordan
- Angkor Wat, Cambodia
- Machu Picchu, Peru
- The Taj Mahal, India
- The Colosseum, Italy
- The Maui, Easter Island
- Serengeti National Park, Tanzania
- Stonehenge, England
- Yellowstone National Park, USA
- Dubrovnik old town, Croatia
- Great Barrier Reef
- Old City Jerusalem, Israel
- Valletta, Malta,
- Victoria Falls, Zambia/Zimbabwe
- Hoi An, Vietnam
- Great Wall of China, China
- Chichen Itza, Mexico
- And so many more!
9. Where to find all the UNESCO world heritage areas?
Aside from google, if you want to keep track of your own list of sites that you’ve been to, or learn about some you may have not heard of, there is a world heritage app, which goes through each country by name or alternatively a map that you can use and go by continent.
The is also a great site that I use called world heritage site for world heritage travellers. You can make your own login and add all the sites you have been to. It also shows you which are the most popular down to the least popular and you can add review and rate the sites you have been to.
It also contains the tentative list, so you can see what is being petitioned by each country. My favourite part is that they have links to New articles any time a UNESCO site is mentioned in the news.
10. What country has the most UNESCO world heritage sites?
Currently with 59 sites is Italy! China comes in a close second with 57.
Steph xx