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. Natural heritage sites are restricted to those natural areas that 1 furnish outstanding examples of earths record of life or its geologic processes, 2 provide excellent examples of ongoing ecological and biological evolutionary processes, 3 contain natural phenomena that are rare, unique, superlative, or of outstanding beauty, or 4 furnish habitats for rare or endangered. The concept of natural heritage is defined under article 2 of the convention and further elaborated in the world heritage operational guidelines, which also contain the specific criteria and conditions of integrity for assessing outstanding universal values of prospective world natural heritage. Artefacts, monuments, a group of buildings and sites that have a diversity of values including symbolic, historic, artistic, aesthetic, ethnological or anthropological, scientific and social significance.
Removal from this list was considered in 1999, but as of 2011, its position remains unchanged. Natural heritage conserving the diversity of life on earth is critical to global human welfare. The unesco regional bureau for sciences in the arab states is continuing its implementation of the 24month project strengthening national capacities for safeguarding intangible cultural heritage in egypt for sustainable development, generously supported by the abu dhabi tourism and cultural authority adtca of the united arab emirates. Natural heritage sites are restricted to those natural areas that 1 furnish outstanding examples of earths record of life or its geologic processes, 2 provide excellent examples of ongoing ecological and biological evolutionary processes, 3 contain natural phenomena that are. Unesco uis, 2009 unesco framework for cultural statistics, 2009.
As regards the preservation of the physical cultural heritage, unesco s strategy. Working closely with iucn members, commissions and partners, and especially the world commission on protected areas wcpa, and with a range of partners, iucns world. In 1980, this property was extended to include the cultural and historical area, and cultural criteria iiiiiv were added. Natural heritage definition of natural heritage by the. World cultural and natural heritage 1972, 12 states acceded to the convention. It is a less scientific term and more easily comprehended in. The term natural heritage, derived from natural inheritance, predates the term biodiversity. Nonprofit, permanent institution in the service of society and its development, open to the public, which acquires, conserves, researches, communicates and exhibits the tangible and intangible heritage of humanity and its environment for the purposes of. Iucn is the advisory body on nature to the unesco world heritage committee. A world heritage site is a landmark or area, selected by the united nations educational, scientific and cultural organization unesco for having cultural, historical, scientific or other form of significance, which is legally protected by international treaties. The team of conservation architects, urban designers, transport, interpretation, tourism, and heritage specialists addressed issues associated with the setting, dignity, and accessibility of the site. Unesco world heritage centre document definition of. Logo of the unesco world heritage committee this is a list of the lists of world heritage sites.
This year marks the 40th anniversary of the unesco world heritage convention, a treaty that has become the foremost international legal tool in support of the conservation of the worlds cultural and natural heritage. It was established in 1963 with the purpose of supporting member states improve their education systems, in the firm conviction that education is a lifelong human right. A world heritage site is a place that is listed by the united nations educational, scientific and cultural organization unesco as having special cultural or physical significance. Infokit 2011 intangible cultural heritage domains unesco instances of intangible cultural heritage are not limited to a single manifestation and many include elements from multiple domains. From cultural heritage to cultural and creative industries, culture is both an enabler and a driver of the economic, social and environmental dimensions of sustainable development. Natural heritage definition of natural heritage by. With the support of the world heritage convention, the most important natural sites receive international recognition as well as technical and financial assistance to deal with threats such as agricultural encroachment, alien species and poaching. The natural reserve was placed on unesco s list of world heritage in danger in 1992, due to the increase in military conflicts and the hostagetaking of six reserve staff in february. Unesco intangible heritage domains in the 2003 convention. The map shows all natural world heritage sites up to 2017. Unesco and cultural heritage there are things that we regard as important to preserve for future.
Natural features consisting of physical and biological formations or groups of such formations, which are of outstanding universal value from the aesthetic or scientific point of view. Cultural heritage includes tangible culture such as buildings, monuments, landscapes, books. Unesco browse the lists of intangible cultural heritage. All seven of unesco s cultural conventions are intended to safeguard and nurture some aspect of culture and creativity, from tangible and intangible heritage, the diversity of cultural expressions and creative industries, to the fight against the illicit trafficking of cultural goods. The mediterranean diet emphasizes values of hospitality, neighbourliness, intercultural dialogue and creativity, and a way of life guided by respect for diversity. Convention regarding the protection of world, cultural and natural heritage of unesco 1972. A unesco global geopark uses its geological heritage, in connection with all other aspects of the areas natural and cultural heritage, to enhance awareness and understanding of key issues facing society, such as using our earths resources sustainably, mitigating the effects of climate change and reducing natural disastersrelated risks. The unesco 2001 convention on the protection of the underwater cultural heritage is the foremost international legal reference for the protection of underwater cultural heritage. For the purpose of this convention, international protection of the world cultural and natural heritage shall be understood to mean the establishment of a system of international cooperation and assistance designed to support states parties to the convention in their efforts to conserve and identify that heritage. Represent a common set of culturally productive industries, activities and practices that can be grouped under a. The committee meets annually to evaluate nominations proposed by states parties to the 2003 convention and decide whether or not to inscribe those cultural practices and expressions of intangible heritage on the conventions lists. Because intangible heritage is constantly recreated, the concept of authenticity. In 1979, the committee decided to inscribe the ohrid lake on the world heritage list under natural criteria iii.
The sites are judged to be important for the collective and preservative interests of humanity. Discover the 252 natural and mixed sites on the world heritage list. It plays a vital role in cultural spaces, festivals and celebrations, bringing together. Natural heritage definition natural features, geological and physiographical formations and delineated areas that constitute the habitat of threatened species of animals and plants and natural sites of value from the point of view of science, conservation or natural beauty. The war had caused a great deal of destruction throughout europe. Unesco s work promoting cultural diversity, and unesco s culture conventions, are key to the implementation of the 2030 agenda for sustainable development. It is the first international treaty with a worldwide vocation focusing exclusively on the protection of cultural heritage in the event of armed conflict. Conserving the diversity of life on earth is critical to global human welfare. Cultural heritage consists of tangible heritage and intangible heritage. A central set of problems for contemporary western heritage management derives from an underlying philosophy that conceptualises nature and culture as separate domains. In 1972, with the convention unesco states what natural heritage is and what cultural heritage is. Unesco world heritage centre convention concerning the. Natural heritage refers to the sum total of the elements of biodiversity, including flora and fauna, ecosystems and geological structures. And among the cultural heritage, the place where we are, we can identify monuments.
Natural heritage synonyms, natural heritage pronunciation, natural heritage translation, english dictionary definition of natural heritage. At first unesco concentrated on rebuilding schools, libraries, and museums that had been destroyed. It is interesting to point out that in this convention, as in the list of unesco world heritage, a distinction is made between natural and artistic heritage, and both are equally important. Unescos world heritage mission is to encourage countries to sign the world heritage convention and to ensure the protection of their natural and cultural heritage. These include the pyramids of giza, australias great barrier reef. World heritage site kids britannica kids homework help. Natural sites represent about 23% of this list, including 39 mixed both cultural and natural sites and 2 natural sites. Heritage is that which is inherited from past generations, maintained in the present, and bestowed to future generations. For example, unesco defines a world heritage made up of globally outstanding sites of cultural and natural value that should be preserved. The world heritage list comprises 1121 properties of outstanding universal value. It was drafted by the international community to prevent the destruction of submerged archaeological sites, to regulate. Encourage states parties to establish management plans and set up reporting systems on the state of conservation of their world heritage sites. Authors are weakley director, north carolina herbarium and professor, uncchapel hill, ludwig chief biologist, division of natural heritage, virginia department of conservation and recreation, and townsend staff botanist, division of natural heritage, virginia department of conservation and recreation. One of unesco s most famous special themes is its world heritage center which identifies cultural, natural and mixed sites to be protected all over the world in an effort to promote the maintenance of cultural, historic andor natural heritage in those places for others to see.
Definition of cultural heritage references to documents in history selected by j. The convention for the protection of cultural property in the event of armed conflict was adopted at the hague netherlands in 1954 in the wake of massive destruction of cultural heritage during the second world war. World heritage sites are chosen by the united nations educational, scientific and cultural organization unesco. To be completed although intangible cultural heritage often has tangible objects, artefacts or places associated with it, it is also something different from tangible heritage, as for example the properties forming part of the cultural and natural heritage that are listed on the world heritage list. However, heritage value may also be based on what is important at a group or community level. Cultural heritage is the legacy of physical artifacts and intangible attributes of a group or society that is inherited from past generations.
Unesco s 2003 convention for the safeguarding of the intangible cultural heritage proposes five broad domains in which intangible cultural heritage is manifested. The benefits of natural world heritage identifying and assessing ecosystem services and benefits. Orealc unesco santiago is the unesco regional bureau for education in latin america and the caribbean. The constitution, which entered into force in 1946, called for the promotion of international collaboration in education, science, and culture. Unesco, convention concerning the protection of the world cultural and natural heritage, 1972. Extension of the australian east coast temperate and subtropical rainforest park.
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