Who Decides UNESCO Sites: Unpacking the World Heritage Committee's Role
When you see that iconic UNESCO World Heritage logo adorning a historic building, a breathtaking natural wonder, or a culturally significant landscape, you might wonder: Who decides which places get this prestigious designation? It's not a small committee or a random selection process. The power to inscribe a site on the UNESCO World Heritage List rests with a specific body: the World Heritage Committee.
The World Heritage Committee: The Ultimate Authority
The World Heritage Committee is the governing body responsible for the implementation of the UNESCO World Heritage Convention. This convention, adopted by UNESCO in 1972, is an international treaty that aims to protect cultural and natural heritage of outstanding universal value. The Committee is composed of representatives from the 194 State Parties (countries) that have ratified the convention. These representatives are elected for a term of six years, though they can be re-elected. The Committee typically meets once a year to make crucial decisions regarding the World Heritage List.
How the Committee Operates
The decision-making process for inscribing a new site is rigorous and multi-layered. It involves several key stages:
- Nomination by a State Party: The process begins with a country (a State Party to the convention) submitting a nomination dossier for a specific site within its territory. This dossier must demonstrate that the site possesses "outstanding universal value," meaning it is of exceptional importance to humanity as a whole, transcending national boundaries and being of importance for present and future generations of all humanity.
- Evaluation by Advisory Bodies: Once a nomination is submitted, it is sent to UNESCO's advisory bodies for independent evaluation. The two main advisory bodies are:
- ICOMOS (International Council on Monuments and Sites): This organization evaluates nominations for cultural heritage sites.
- IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature): This organization evaluates nominations for natural heritage sites.
- Review by the World Heritage Centre: The World Heritage Centre, the secretariat of the World Heritage Committee, plays a crucial role in coordinating the entire process. It compiles the evaluations from ICOMOS and IUCN and prepares a report for the Committee.
- Decision by the World Heritage Committee: The World Heritage Committee then reviews the nomination dossier, the advisory bodies' reports, and the World Heritage Centre's recommendations. The Committee members deliberate and vote on whether to inscribe the site on the World Heritage List. For a site to be inscribed, it generally needs to receive a majority vote from the Committee members present and voting.
It's important to note that the Committee doesn't just decide on new inscriptions. It also:
- Reviews the state of conservation of sites already on the list.
- Decides on the inscription of sites on the List of World Heritage in Danger.
- Allocates funding from the World Heritage Fund to assist State Parties in their conservation efforts.
- Sets the overall strategy for the World Heritage program.
The Criteria for Outstanding Universal Value
To be considered for inscription, a site must meet at least one of the ten selection criteria established by the World Heritage Committee. These criteria are divided into cultural and natural categories:
Cultural Criteria:- (i) to represent a masterpiece of human creative genius;
- (ii) to exhibit an important interchange of human values, over a span of time or within a cultural area of the world, on developments in architecture or technology, monumental arts, town-planning or landscape design;
- (iii) to bear a unique or at least exceptional testimony to a cultural tradition or to a civilization which is living or has disappeared;
- (iv) to be an outstanding example of a type of building, architectural or technological ensemble or landscape which illustrates one or more significant stages in human history;
- (v) to be an outstanding example of a traditional human settlement, land-use, or sea-use which is representative of a culture (or cultures), or human interaction with the environment especially when it has become vulnerable under the impact of irreversible change;
- (vi) to be directly or tangibly associated with events or living traditions, with ideas, or with beliefs, with artistic and literary works of outstanding universal significance.
- (vii) to contain superlative natural phenomena or areas of exceptional natural beauty and aesthetic importance;
- (viii) to be outstanding examples representing major stages of earth's history, including the record of life, significant ongoing geological processes in the development of landforms, or significant geomorphological or physiographic features;
- (ix) to be outstanding examples representing significant ongoing ecological and biological processes in the evolution and development of terrestrial, fresh water, coastal and marine ecosystems and communities of plants and animals;
- (x) to contain the most important and significant natural habitats for in-situ conservation of biological diversity, including those containing threatened species of outstanding universal value from the point of view of science or conservation.
The nomination dossier must provide compelling evidence to demonstrate that the site meets one or more of these criteria. The rigor of this process ensures that only sites of truly exceptional global significance are granted World Heritage status.
The Role of National Governments
While the World Heritage Committee makes the final decision, national governments play a pivotal role in the nomination process. They are responsible for identifying potential sites, preparing the nomination dossiers, and ensuring that the sites are adequately protected and managed once inscribed. This often involves collaboration between various government agencies, local communities, and conservation organizations.
In summary, the World Heritage Committee is the international body that ultimately decides which sites are inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. However, this decision is the culmination of a detailed and collaborative process involving nominations from State Parties, expert evaluations by advisory bodies, and the diligent work of the World Heritage Centre.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How does a country get a site nominated?
A country, known as a State Party to the World Heritage Convention, first identifies a site within its borders that it believes possesses outstanding universal value. The government then prepares a comprehensive nomination dossier that includes detailed descriptions, evidence supporting the site's value against the UNESCO criteria, and a management plan. This dossier is submitted to UNESCO.
Why are some sites rejected?
Sites can be rejected for various reasons. The most common are that the nomination dossier fails to adequately demonstrate "outstanding universal value" according to the established criteria, or that the site's management and conservation plans are not considered sufficient to protect its integrity. Sometimes, issues with national laws or the site's state of conservation can also lead to rejection.
Can a site be removed from the World Heritage List?
Yes, although it is rare. A site can be removed if its outstanding universal value is found to be critically threatened or has been lost due to such factors as severe damage, lack of management, or deliberate destruction. The World Heritage Committee has the authority to delist a site if its integrity is compromised beyond repair.
Who pays for the World Heritage sites?
Primarily, the State Party where the site is located is responsible for its primary funding and management. However, the UNESCO World Heritage Fund can provide financial assistance for specific conservation projects, technical assistance, and training for sites that are on the World Heritage List or the List of World Heritage in Danger.
