Publication
World Heritage
Since its creation 75 years ago, UNESCO has mobilized the international community around flagship heritage protection projects worldwide. Notable examples include the safeguarding of the temples of Abu Simbel (Egypt) and Angkor (Cambodia), the reconstruction of Dubrovnik (Croatia) and of the Old Bridge of Mostar (Bosnia and Herzegovina), and the rebuilding of the mausoleums of Timbuktu (Mali) and of the Old City of Mosul (Iraq).
The UNESCO Convention for the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage is the cornerstone of this mobilization. The celebration of its 50th anniversary is an opportunity to take stock of the actions it has made possible and to identify future challenges in order to continue transmitting heritage of universal value to future generations.
UNESCO World Heritage sites tell the story of our planet, of our shared humanity and the wealth of its cultures. Through 1,154 properties, soon more, World Heritage sites tell us who we are. Everyone must be able to feel they are part of this grand narrative. Not so as to turn inward, but to observe how uniquely their identity enriches the universality of humankind.
