UNESCO aims at promoting the identification, protection and preservation of cultural and natural heritage around the world that are taken as especially valuable to humanity. Links with the safeguarding of tangible and intangible cultural heritage in Brazil might be the main references for policies in this field.

The work in the field of World Heritage in Brazil has meant fruitful collaborations with federal, state and local governments, and with civil society. Today, the country has eighteen sites inscribed in the World Heritage List recognized by their exceptional and universal value to the culture of humanity.

Among the main activities of UNESCO in Brazil, it is the implementation of the Convention on World Cultural and Natural Heritage ratified by Brazil in September of 1977.

To assure reaching the goals of the Convention, UNESCO in Brazil maintains close relations with the World Heritage Centre aiming the implementation of technical cooperation actions with various administrative units responsible for the Brazilian World Heritage sites.

This way, UNESCO constantly supports the Brazilian government on the preservation of the country’s cultural properties. It includes, historical heritage, natural heritage, and intangible heritage, which involves: 

• oral traditions
• popular culture and art
• indigenous languages
• traditional manifestations

In 2008, the Oral and Graphic Expressions of the Wajãpis from Amapá and the Samba de Roda of the Recôncavo Baiano were proclaimed as Prime Works of Oral and Intangible Heritage. They are placed together with important cultural manifestations that constitute the Representative List of the World Intangible Heritage. Besides, UNESCO in Brazil participates and supports numerous initiatives in this concerning this field.

The Brazilian Government’s proposal on the creation of a UNESCO Centre – Category II dedicated to providing training on heritage specially on World Heritage should, among other advantages, provide an opportunity to consolidate a stance on the issue that better reflects the specific problems and challenges facing Brazil and Latin America.