Istanbul Declaration on the Protection of World Heritage

12/07/2016

#world heritage #UNESCO


- The 40th session of the World Heritage Committee


On July 11th 2016, during the 40th session of the World Heritage Committee of Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, the committee members adopted the Istanbul Declaration on the Protection of World Heritage (in English & French), and unanimously committed themselves to promote and implement its objectives, in full awareness of the paramount importance of cultural and natural heritage and in deep concern of destructions to them.

In the declaration, it reminds all States Parties of their obligation to safeguard cultural

and natural heritage of Outstanding Universal Value and invites all States Parties to consider innovative and effective solutions in a determined way to better address the evolving needs in heritage preservation. It calls upon States Parties to integrate the protection of cultural and natural heritage in their policy making processes and security strategies, as well as to exercise proactive policy supported by decisive initiatives towards protection and restoration of cultural and natural heritage sites, especially those included on the List of World Heritage in Danger. Enhancing synergies between UNESCO's Culture Conventions as well as between biodiversity conventions are also important elements in the declaration.