United Nations Educational,

Scientific and Cultural

Organization (UNESCO)
 Is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN)
based in Paris. Its declared purpose is to
1. contribute to peace and security by promoting
international collaboration through educational,
scientific, and cultural reforms in order to increase
universal respect for justice, the rule of law,
and human rights along with
fundamental freedom proclaimed in the United
Nations Charter.
UNESCO pursues its objectives through five major
programs:

1. education
2. natural sciences
3. social/human sciences
4. culture
5. communication/information.
UNESCO is responsible for coordinating international
cooperation in education, science, culture and
communication. It strengthens the ties between nations
and societies, and mobilizes the wider public so that each
child and citizen:

• has access to quality education; a basic human right and

an indispensable prerequisite for sustainable development;
• may grow and live in a cultural environment rich in
diversity and dialogue, where heritage serves as a bridge
between generations and peoples;
• can fully benefit from scientific advances;
• and can enjoy full freedom of expression; the basis of
democracy, development and human dignity.
 
▪Projects sponsored by UNESCO include literacy,
technical, and teacher-training programmes,
international science programmes
▪ The promotion of independent media and freedom of

the press, regional and cultural history projects

▪ The promotion of cultural diversity, translations of
world literature, international cooperation
agreements on secure the world cultural
and natural heritage (World Heritage Sites)
▪ To preserve human rights, and attempts to bridge
the worldwide digital divide.
Governing Bodies
The General Conference

The General Conference consists of the

representatives of UNESCO's Member States. It
meets every two years, and is attended by Member
States and Associate Members, together with
observers for non-Member States,
intergovernmental organizations and non-
governmental organizations (NGOs). Each country
has one vote, irrespective of its size or the extent of
its contribution to the budget.
The General Conference determines the
policies and the main lines of work of the
Organization. Its duty is to set the
programmes and the budget of UNESCO. It
also elects the Members of the Executive
Board and appoints, every four years, the
Director-General. The working languages of
the General Conference are Arabic, Chinese,
English, French, Russian and Spanish.
 
The Executive Board
 
The Executive Board ensures the overall
management of UNESCO. It prepares the work of the
General Conference and sees that its decisions are
properly carried out. The functions and
responsibilities of the Executive Board are derived
primarily from the Constitution and from rules or
directives laid down by the General Conference
 Every two years the General Conference assigns specific
  to the Board. Other functions stem from agreements
tasks
concluded between UNESCO and the United Nations, the
specialized UN agencies and other intergovernmental
organizations.

The Executive Board’s fifty-eight members are elected by the

General Conference. The choice of these representatives is
largely a matter of the diversity of the cultures they represent,
as well as their geographic origin. Skillful negotiations may be
needed before a balance is reached among the different regions
of the world in a way that will reflect the universality of the
Organization. The Executive Board meets twice a year.
 Group
Group III Group IV Group
Group I Group II V(a)
Term (10 (12 V(b)
(9 seats) (7 seats) (13
seats) seats) (7 seats)
seats)

 Benin
 France  Argentina
 Afghanistan  Congo
2019  Germany  Hungary  Brazil
 Kyrgyzstan  Guinea  Saudi
 Italy  Poland  Philippines  Ghana Arabia
-  Netherlands  Russia
 Dominican  Pakistan  Kenya  UAE
2023  Spain  Serbia
Republic  South Korea  Namibia  Tunisia
 Uruguay  Thailand  Senegal
 Switzerland
 Togo
Audrey Azoulay
France
November 13, 2017
 

The Criteria for Selection

 To be included on the World Heritage List, sites must be of
outstanding
  universal value and meet at least one out of ten selection
criteria.

These criteria are explained in the Operational Guidelines for the

Implementation of the World Heritage Convention which, besides the
text of the Convention, is the main working tool on World Heritage.
The criteria are regularly revised by the Committee to reflect the
evolution of the World Heritage concept itself.

Until the end of 2004, World Heritage sites were selected on the
basis of six cultural and four natural criteria. With the adoption of the
revised Operational Guidelines for the Implementation of the World
Heritage Convention, only one set of ten criteria exists.
 Legend
Category of site

      Cultural site        Natural site        Mixed site

 (i)
to represent a masterpiece of human creative genius
 

Colonial houses of City of Ouro Preto, State of

Minas Gerais Brazil
Founded in the early 18th century 513km
north of Rio de Janeiro, the Historic Town of Ouro
Preto (Black Gold) covers the steep slopes of the
Vila Rica (Rich Valley), centre of a rich gold mining
area and the capital of Minas Gerais Province from
1720-1897. 
 (i)
  to represent a masterpiece of human creative genius

Set in a remote and rugged landscape, the aesthetic quality of the

vernacular and erudite architecture and irregular urban pattern of Ouro
Preto makes the town a treasure of human genius. The most notable of
the city’s architectural works are represented by the religious
monuments and administrative buildings, including the Palácio dos
Governadores (Governors’ Palace)
School of Mines
Casa de Câmara e Cadeia (Administrative and Prison House)
Inconfidência Museum
Baroque churches were the representatives of the initial expressions of
an artistic form deemed genuinely national and developed in a region
marked by difficult access and a scarcity of materials and labor in the
18th century. 
 Historic Town of Sukhothai and Associated Historic Towns
  Thailand

Sukhothai Historical Park covers the

ruins of Sukhothai, which means 'Dawn of
Happiness', capital of the Sukhothai Kingdom
in the 13th and 14th centuries, in what is now
the north of Thailand.
 (i)
  to represent a masterpiece of human creative genius

Criterion (i): The Historic Town of Sukhothai and Associated

Historic Towns represent a masterpieces of the first
distinctive Siamese architectural style, reflected in the
planning of the towns, the many impressive civic and
religious buildings, their urban infrastructure, and a
sophisticated hydraulic (water management) system.
 (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;

Angkor is one of the most important

archaeological sites in South-East Asia.
Stretching over some 400 km2, including
forested area, Angkor Archaeological Park
contains the magnificent remains of the different
capitals of the Khmer Empire, from the 9th to the
15th century.
 (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;

Angkor Watt

Criterion (ii): The influence of Khmer art as developed at Angkor was a profound one over much of
South-east Asia and played a fundamental role in its distinctive evolution.

With impressive monuments, several different ancient urban plans and large water reservoirs, the site
is a unique concentration of features testifying to an exceptional civilization. Temples such as Angkor
Wat, the Bayon, Preah Khan and Ta Prohm, exemplars of Khmer architecture, are closely linked to their
geographical context as well as being imbued with symbolic significance. The architecture and layout of
the successive capitals bear witness to a high level of social order and ranking within the Khmer Empire.
Angkor is therefore a major site exemplifying cultural, religious and symbolic values, as well as
containing high architectural, archaeological and artistic significance.
 (iii)

 
to bear a unique or at least exceptional testimony to a cultural tradition or to a civilization
which is living or which has disappeared;

Criterion (iii): The Khmer Empire of the 9th-14th centuries encompassed much of South-east Asia
and played a formative role in the political and cultural development of the region. All that remains of
that civilization is its rich heritage of cult structures in brick and stone.
 ;

(iv)
to be an outstanding example of a type of building, architectural or technological
ensemble or landscape which illustrates (a) significant stage(s) in human history

Criterion (iv): Khmer architecture evolved largely from that of the Indian sub-continent, from which it soon became
clearly distinct as it developed its own special characteristics, some independently evolved and others acquired
from neighboring cultural traditions. The result was a new artistic horizon in oriental art and architecture.

Integrity

The Angkor complex encompasses all major architectural buildings and hydrological engineering systems from the
Khmer period and most of these “barays” and canals still exist today. All the individual aspects illustrate the intactness of
the site very much reflecting the splendor of the cities that once were. The site integrity however, is put under dual
pressures:

[Link]: exerted by more than 100,000 inhabitants distributed over 112 historic settlements scattered
over the site, who constantly try to expand their dwelling areas;
[Link]: related to the proximity of the town of Siem Reap, the seat of the province and a tourism hub.
 (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;

Pompeii was an ancient city located in

what is now the commune of Pompei near
Naples in the Campania region of Italy.
Pompeii, along with Herculaneum and
many villas in the surrounding area was
buried under 4 to 6 m (13 to 20 ft) of
volcanic ash and pumice in the Eruption of
Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD.
 (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;

Criterion (v): The sites of Pompeii, Herculaneum and Torre Annunziata are outstanding
examples of urban and suburban Roman settlements. They also provide a vivid and
comprehensive picture of Roman life at one precise moment: the eruption of Vesuvius in
79 AD.

Remains of two towns that had been buried by an eruption of Vesuvius in AD 79; giving
an unmatched picture of ancient daily life at a specific moment in time.
 (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.

The city of Rio de Janeiro, shaped by

interaction with mountains and sea, lies in the
narrow strip of alluvial plain between Guanabara
Bay and the Atlantic Ocean. Its exceptionally
dramatic landscape is punctuated by a series of
forested mountains that tower over the city.
Criterion (vi): The dramatic landscape of Rio de Janeiro has
provided inspiration for many forms of art, literature, poetry,
and music. Images of Rio, which show the bay, Sugar Loaf and
the statue of Christ the Redeemer have had a high worldwide
recognition factor, since the middle of the 19th century. Such
high recognition factors can be either positive or negative: in the
case of Rio, the image that was projected, and still is projected,
is one of a staggeringly beautiful location for one of the world’s
biggest cities.
 (vii)
to contain superlative natural phenomena or areas of
exceptional natural beauty and aesthetic importance;

Embedded within a dramatic landscape at the

meeting point between the Peruvian Andes
and the Amazon Basin, the Historic
Sanctuary of Machu Picchu is among the
greatest artistic, architectural and land use
achievements anywhere and the most
significant tangible legacy of the Inca
civilization.
Machu Picchu stands 2,430 m above sea-level, in the middle of a tropical mountain forest, in an
extraordinarily beautiful setting. It was probably the most amazing urban creation of the Inca
Empire at its height; its giant walls, terraces and ramps seem as if they have been cut naturally in
the continuous rock escarpments. The natural setting, on the eastern slopes of the Andes,
encompasses the upper Amazon basin with its rich diversity of flora and fauna.

Criterion (vii): The historic monuments and features in the Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu
are embedded within a dramatic mountain landscape of exceptional scenic and
geomorphological beauty thereby providing an outstanding example of a longstanding
harmonious and aesthetically stunning relationship between human culture and nature.
 (viii)
to be outstanding examples representing major stages of earth's history,
including the record of life, significant on-going geological processes in the
development of landforms, or significant geomorphic or physiographic
features;

Ha Long Bay, in the Gulf of Tonkin, includes some

1,600 islands and islets, forming a spectacular
seascape of limestone pillars. Because of their
precipitous nature, most of the islands are
uninhabited and unaffected by a human presence.
The site's outstanding scenic beauty is
complemented by its great biological interest.
 (viii)
to be outstanding examples representing major stages of earth's history, including the record of
life, significant on-going geological processes in the development of landforms, or significant
geomorphic or physiographic features;

Criterion (viii): As the most extensive and best known example of marine-invaded tower karst in the
world Ha Long Bay is one of the world’s most important areas of Fengcong (clusters of conical peaks)
and Fenglin (isolated tower features) karst. Abundant lakes, occupying drowned dolines, are one of the
distinctive features of the Fencong karst, with some appearing to be tidal. Possessing a tremendous
diversity of caves and other landforms
 (ix)
to be outstanding examples representing significant on-going ecological
and biological processes in the evolution and development of terrestrial,
fresh water, coastal and marine ecosystems and communities of plants and
animals;

The Galapagos Islands area situated in the Pacific Ocean some 1,000
km from the Ecuadorian coast. This archipelago and its immense
marine reserve is known as the unique ‘living museum and showcase
of evolution’. Its geographical location at the confluence of three ocean
currents makes it one of the richest marine ecosystems in the world.
Ongoing seismic and volcanic activity reflects the processes that
formed the islands. These processes, together with the extreme
isolation of the islands, led to the development of unusual plant and
animal life – such as marine iguanas, flightless cormorants, giant
tortoises, huge cacti, endemic trees and the many different subspecies
of mockingbirds.
Criterion viii: The archipelago´s geology begins at the sea floor and emerges above sea level
where biological processes continue.. Three major tectonic plates—Nazca, Cocos and Pacific
— meet at the basis of the ocean, which is of significant geological interest. 
 (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 Great Barrier Reef is a site of remarkable

variety and beauty on the north-east coast of
Australia. It contains the world’s largest collection
of coral reefs, with 400 types of coral, 1,500
species of fish and 4,000 types of mollusc. It also
holds great scientific interest as the habitat of
species such as the dugong (‘sea cow’) and the
large green turtle, which are threatened with
extinction.
Criterion (x): The enormous size and diversity of the GBR means it is one of the richest and
most complex natural ecosystems on earth, and one of the most significant for biodiversity
conservation. The amazing diversity supports tens of thousands of marine and terrestrial
species, many of which are of global conservation significance.
As the world's most complex expanse of coral reefs, the reefs contain some 400 species of
corals in 60 genera. The shallower marine areas support half the world's diversity of
mangroves and many seagrass species. The waters also provide major feeding grounds for
one of the world's largest populations of the threatened dugong. At least 30 species of whales
and dolphins occur here, and it is a significant area for humpback whale calving. 
Philippines

•Baroque Churches of the Philippines

•Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park
•Rice Terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras
•Historic City of Vigan
•Puerto-Princesa Subterranean River National Park
•Mount Hamiguitan Range Wildlife Sanctuary
Thank you for listening….