Theme 2012:
Celebrating the 40th anniversary of the World Heritage Convention |
The International Day for Monuments and Sites (informally known as the World Heritage Day) was created on 18th April, 1982, by ICOMOS and later approved at the 22nd UNESCO General Conference in 1983. This special day offers an opportunity to raise public’s awareness concerning the diversity of the world’s heritage and the efforts that are required to protect and conserve it, as well as to draw attention to its vulnerability.
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The International Day for Monuments and Sites (World Heirtage Day)
2012 Theme: Celebrating the 40th anniversary of the World Heritage Convention
On 16 November 1972 the General Conference of UNESCO adopted the "Convention Concerning the
Protection of World Cultural and Natural Heritage" - commonly known as the World Heritage Convention - . The Convention included both cultural and natural heritage in a single
document, and consecrated the idea that there are properties whose significance and values exceed the
boundaries of the country where they are located, and whose loss or deterioration would imply the
impoverishment of the humanity as a whole. The recognition of a property to be of world heritage
significance implies the awareness of a shared inheritance and common engagement for its conservation
and legacy to future generations; in this sense, the Convention can be considered a tool to foster respect
for cultural diversity, international cooperation and understanding, and peace among nations.
The World Heritage Convention is considered the most successful of all the UNESCO conventions: it has
been ratified by 188 States Parties, and the World Heritage List currently includes 936 properties located
in 153 States Parties, which comprise 725 cultural sites, 183 natural sites and 28 mixed sites.
Some recent World Heritage Day themes include:
- 2011: The Cultural Heritage of Water
- 2011: The Cultural Heritage of Water
- 2010: Agricultural Heritage
- 2009: Heritage and Science
- 2008: Religious heritage and sacred places
- 2007: Cultural landscapes and monuments of nature
- 2006: Industrial Heritage
- 2005: 40th Anniversary of ICOMOS
- 2004: Earthen Architecture and Heritage
- 2003: Underwater Cultural Heritage
- 2002: 20th Century Heritage
- 2001: Save our historic villages
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Below are a number of general suggestions* for nationally organized activities to mark this event:
- Visits to monuments and sites, and restoration works, possibly with free admission;
- Articles in newspapers and magazines, as well as television and radio broadcasts;
- Hanging banners in town squares or principal traffic arteries calling attention to the day and the preservation of cultural heritage;
- Inviting local and foreign experts and personalities for conferences and interviews;
- Organizing discussions in cultural-centers, city halls, and other public spaces.
- Exhibitions (photos, paintings, etc)
- Publication of books, post-cards, stamps, posters
- Awarding prizes to organizations or persons who have made an outstanding contribution to the conservation and promotion of cultural heritage or produced an excellent publication on the subject.
- Inaugurate a recently restored monument
- Special awareness raising activities amongst school children and youth
- Promotion of "twinning" opportunities, defining areas for co-operation; exchange of speakers; organization of meetings and seminars, or the editing of joint publications.
* Source: ICOMOS
Additional Resources:
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The preservation and conservation of our heritage - tangible and intangible - is a critical policy objective that has considerable externalities and positive multipliers. These include tourism, job creation and income generation and other issues, especially the creation of pride among an area's residents in their locality to develop it further.
GDRC therefore reaffirms its committment to uphold the objectives of the World Heritage Day, and work towards better understanding of, and action on, promoting and enhancing heritage conservation, particularly in developing countries
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