UNESCO: what listing means
What listing means
Being listed as a World Heritage Site means being recognised as having “outstanding universal value”. Such a site is outstanding for its representation of the cultural and natural riches of our planet, to the extent that it is of value not only for the place in which it is located, but for the whole of humanity.
Properties listed as World Heritage Sites are selected as the world’s best witnesses to the cultural and natural legacy to be handed down to future generations.
This was the purpose of the 1972 UNESCO convention for the protection of the world cultural and natural heritage that today brings together 191 nations in this common commitment.
The prestige gained by countries with world-heritage listed properties acts as a catalyst for strengthening the sense of responsibility towards the sites they have in their custody.
Listed properties are required to have a management strategy setting out precise conservation measures and control mechanisms, whose effectiveness is monitored by means of three-yearly inspection reports.
