World Heritage
World Heritage Convention & ICOMOS
ICOMOS has special responsibility as adviser to UNESCO on cultural World Heritage sites.
The World Heritage Convention, 1972, for the protection of the world's cultural & natural heritage, recognises sites of 'outstanding universal value', which are part of the world's heritage of mankind as a whole and deserve protection and transmission to future generations
ICOMOS provides the UNESCO World Heritage Committee with evaluations of cultural and mixed properties, which are proposed by State Parties for inscription on the World Heritage List.
The UNESCO World Heritage Committee is the statutory body responsible for decision-making on all matters related to the implementation of the World Heritage Convention. It meets once a year, in June, to:
- Select new properties for the World Heritage List from among those nominated by different countries
- Examine reports on the state of conservation of properties on the World Heritage List
- Allocate finances of the World Heritage Fund for properties in need of repair; for emergency action; for providing technical assistance and training; and for promotional and educational activities