A Brief Overview of the World Heritage Convention

The World Heritage Convention is a significant international treaty that plays a crucial role in global conservation efforts. This kind of international agreement is particularly relevant for aspirants preparing for the UPSC exam. This article provides a comprehensive overview of the World Heritage Convention of 1972.

Defining the World Heritage Convention

More accurately known as the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, the World Heritage Convention was adopted in 1972 at the UNESCO General Conference held in Paris, France.

The convention was ratified and came into effect in 1975. India, being a signatory, ratified the convention in 1977.

The Objectives and Principles of the Convention

• The convention encourages international cooperation for the protection of global heritage that holds exceptional universal value. Its conservation is seen as crucial for present and future generations.
• At present, the convention has 194 State Parties or signatories.
• State Parties undertake the responsibility of identifying and nominating properties within their territories for potential inclusion in the World Heritage List.
• They commit to the protection, preservation, and conservation of their national heritage properties.
• The convention uniquely combines the concepts of nature conservation and preservation of cultural properties in a single document.
• It acknowledges the interaction between humans and nature and emphasizes the need to maintain a balance between the two.

The World Heritage Committee

The World Heritage Committee is responsible for administering the World Heritage Convention. It is supported by the UNESCO World Heritage Centre and three technical advisory bodies: the IUCN, ICOMOS, and ICCROM.

The committee meets annually and consists of 21 members elected from the State Parties, usually serving for a period of six years.

World Heritage Fund

Countries that have ratified the World Heritage Convention can access the World Heritage Fund. This fund supports countries in identifying, preserving, and protecting their heritage sites. The fund was established in 1977 and has since been a significant financial resource for heritage conservation.

World Heritage Sites

World Heritage Sites are places of unique cultural or physical significance that hold outstanding value to humanity. These sites could range from buildings, cities, deserts, forests, islands, lakes, monuments, or mountains.

Click here to learn about Indian sites on the UNESCO World Heritage Sites list.

Understanding 'Cultural Heritage' and 'Natural Heritage'

The convention defines 'cultural heritage' as monuments, groups of buildings, and sites that hold outstanding universal value from the perspective of history, art, or science.

On the other hand, 'natural heritage' refers to natural features, geological formations, and natural sites that hold outstanding universal value from the standpoint of aesthetics, science, conservation, or natural beauty.

As of now, there are 1121 properties included in the World Heritage List.