UNESCO World Heritage Sites complete detail – updated

UNESCO World Heritage Sites complete detail. What is UNESCO World Heritage Site. Definition of UNESCO World Heritage Site. Selection Criteria of UNESCO World Heritage Site. Encourage countries to sign the World Heritage Convention and to ensure the protection of their natural and cultural heritage.

World Heritage is the designation for places on Earth that are of outstanding universal value to humanity and as such, have been inscribed on the World Heritage List to be protected for future generations to appreciate and enjoy. The criteria are regularly revised by the Committee to reflect the evolution of the World Heritage concept itself.

UNESCO World Heritage Site

A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization as of special cultural or physical significance.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) seeks to encourage the identification, protection and preservation of cultural and natural heritage around the world considered to be of outstanding value to humanity. This is embodied in an international treaty called the Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, adopted by UNESCO in 1972.

World Heritage is the designation for places on Earth that are of outstanding universal value to humanity and as such, have been inscribed on the World Heritage List to be protected for future generations to appreciate and enjoy. Places as diverse and unique as the Pyramids of Egypt, the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, Galápagos Islands in Ecuador, the Taj Mahal in India, the Grand Canyon in the USA, or the Acropolis in Greece are examples of the 1007 natural and cultural places inscribed on the World Heritage List to date.

Other Protected areas in India (Click for the details)

List of Biosphere reserves in India

List of Tiger Reserves in India

List of Elephant Reserves in India

List of Ramsar Wetland Sites in India

List of Marine Protected areas in India

List of Important Coastal and Marine Biodiversity Areas (ICMBAs) in India

State wise list of Community Reserves of Indian – updated

State wise list of Conservation Reserves of India – updated

State wise list of Wildlife Sanctuaries of India – updated 

State wise list of Indian National Parks – updated

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.

1. To represent a masterpiece of human creative genius.
2. 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.
3. To bear a unique or at least exceptional testimony to a cultural tradition or to a civilization which is living or which has disappeared.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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 Committee considers that this criterion should preferably be used in conjunction with other criteria).
7. To contain superlative natural phenomena or areas of exceptional natural beauty and aesthetic importance.
8. 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.
9. 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.
10. 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.

Click here to view State wise list of Wildlife Sanctuaries of India – updated

Mission

1. Encourage countries to sign the World Heritage Convention and to ensure the protection of their natural and cultural heritage.
2. Encourage States Parties to the Convention to nominate sites within their national territory for inclusion on the World Heritage List.
3. Encourage States Parties to establish management plans and set up reporting systems on the state of conservation of their World Heritage sites.
4. Help States Parties safeguard World Heritage properties by providing technical assistance and professional training.
5. Provide emergency assistance for World Heritage sites in immediate danger.
6. Support States Parties’ public awareness-building activities for World Heritage conservation.
7. Encourage participation of the local population in the preservation of their cultural and natural heritage.
8. Encourage international cooperation in the conservation of our world’s cultural and natural heritage.