Standing firm against the war

Comprising cultural and natural properties, the roots of the UNESCO World Heritage List can be traced back to 1959 and the safeguarding of the Abu Simbel temples, which were endangered by the construction of the Aswan dam.

At the end of World War II, building lasting peace was a priority among the international community’s concerns. The founding of UNESCO in 1946 marked the beginning of an approach associated with a set of values (including international solidarity, peacekeeping, respect for cultural diversity and differences and tolerance), which would form the pillars of the World Heritage Convention. The idea of a common heritage, universal in scope, was identified as a basis for the intercultural dialogue required for the maintenance of peace.

In 1959, the risk of the Abu Simbel temples being submerged by the waters of the Nile during construction of the Aswan dam sparked a global solidarity movement coordinated by UNESCO.¹. Their rescue marked the start of a series of campaigns to safeguard and restore heritage. Gradually the idea took hold of a heritage that transcended the principles of national borders and properties.

Properties with OUV

The World Heritage Convention was adopted by the General Conference of UNESCO on 16 November 1972. This international treaty links “the concepts of nature conservation and preservation of cultural properties – recognising the way people interact with nature, and the fundamental need to preserve the balance between the two.”

The Convention establishes cultural and natural heritage as part of the irreplaceable assets of humanity. The Signatory States commit to identifying, protecting and preserving the sites inscribed on the World Heritage List based on their Outstanding Universal Value (OUV).

The first properties were listed in 1978. Initially comprising monuments and sites (cathedrals, palaces, etc.), the list has continued to welcome new additions, including heritage demonstrating cultural wealth (sacred sites, forests, cave and rock art and gardens, etc.).

As of April 2024, 195 nations have signed up to the World Heritage Convention, and 1,199 properties, across 168 countries, have been inscribed on the World Heritage List.

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1. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation is a United Nations (UN) specialised agency with that promotes peace and cooperation among peoples. It was founded on 16 November 1945 in the aftermath of the massacres and destruction of World War II. Quote from the Constitution: “Since wars begin in the minds of men, it is in the minds of men that the defences of peace must be constructed.”