In Memoriam: Vivian Belisle-Ramnarace
https://whc.unesco.org/en/news/2510
The UNESCO World Heritage Centre has learned with great sadness of the passing of Vivian Ramnarace, the National Focal Point for the Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System World Heritage site (Belize). A marine scientist, Ms Ramnarace was the Fisheries Officer at the Belize Fisheries Department for the last 15 years.
The passing of Vivian Ramnarace is a significant loss for the conservation community in Belize and the World Heritage managers community. She participated in various UNESCO ...
Elections held for Africa Site Managers Network
https://whc.unesco.org/en/news/2509
In the Framework of Priority Africa, UNESCO intends to empower African institutions and professionals to safeguard better and promote UNESCO World Heritage properties on the Continent. Capacity development is, therefore, one of the hallmarks of the new Strategy for World Heritage in Africa. For that, the World Heritage Centre (WHC), in close collaboration with the African World Heritage Fund (AWHF) and ICCROM, launched in May 2022 the Africa Site Managers Network (ASMN). This initiative is ...
Schoolchildren and Traditional Owners undertake eDNA sampling in Shark Bay, Australia
https://whc.unesco.org/en/news/2504
On 18 October 2022, schoolchildren aged 10 to 15 years old and Traditional Owners at the Shark Bay, Western Australia World Heritage site joined the UNESCO environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling campaign as part of a global effort to better understand ocean biodiversity and the effects of climate change thereupon.
Amidst clear blue waters teeming with marine life, schoolchildren and Traditional Owners collected water samples at eight different locations across the UNESCO World Heritage ...
UNESCO mobilizes for the conservation of the Island of Gorée
https://whc.unesco.org/en/news/2508
Inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1978, the Island of Gorée (Senegal) bears exceptional testimony to one of the greatest tragedies in the history of human societies: the slave trade. Today, however, the site faces major conservation challenges. UNESCO is working with the Senegalese authorities to meet these challenges.
The island of Gorée has been facing a worrying situation in recent years, due to the erosion of its coastline caused by sea currents and rising sea levels, ...
African Natural World Heritage site managers assess climate vulnerability
https://whc.unesco.org/en/news/2505
UNESCO has piloted an online training course on climate change adaptation and resilience in two natural World Heritage sites in Africa, with site managers from Mosi-oa-Tunya / Victoria Falls (Zimbabwe / Zambia) and Salonga National Park (Democratic Republic of Congo) joining. The outcome reveals the vulnerability of sites to climate change but offers options to reduce risks.
Climate change is the greatest threat facing World Heritage today, with one-third of natural World Heritage sites ...
Call for Applications: 2023 World Heritage Residence Scholarship
https://whc.unesco.org/en/news/2503
In 2018, the region of Gävleborg, Sweden, created the international World Heritage Residence Scholarship at the World Heritage site "Decorated Farmhouses of Hälsingland?. The 5th call for applications is now open until 15 February 2023. 
One aim of UNESCO's World Heritage Convention is to create links between people and promote international cooperation. Peace is a central concept. This World Heritage Residence Scholarship is based on these ideas ? to generate ...
Youth raise awareness to World Heritage and Climate Change through storyboards: Results of the Patrimonito Storyboard Competition 2022
https://whc.unesco.org/en/news/2502
After launching the Patrimonito Storyboard Competition this summer, the World Heritage Centre received over 700 submissions from young people featuring solutions to the impacts of climate change on World Heritage sites.
Climate change is the defining issue of our time and amongst the greatest threats facing cultural and natural heritage today. Involving the youth is essential to finding smart solutions and building a community to tackle challenges of the upcoming decades. Providing young ...
Ahead of biodiversity COP15, Norway renews its support to UNESCO World Heritage in Africa
https://whc.unesco.org/en/news/2501
While countries start their last sprint for this decade's UN biodiversity targets (COP15), UNESCO and the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs sign a new four-year (2022-2025) Programme Cooperation Agreement. Norway's support of NOK 25 million to the World Heritage Fund makes a significant contribution to safeguarding of the unique biodiversity and rich cultural heritage of Africa.
Scientists have repeatedly warned that nature is declining globally at rates unprecedented in human ...
UNESCO launches global guidelines for corporate sector to protect World Heritage sites
https://whc.unesco.org/en/news/2494
On the Occasion of the UN Biodiversity Conference (COP15), UNESCO has issued new guidance for the corporate sector to ensure that their operations do not put World Heritage at risk. 
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"This guidance is based on over two decades of collaboration with the corporate sector. During this time, companies have really stepped up their support to UNESCO World Heritage sites through their commitments to withhold harmful activities from World Heritage sites.?
Lazare Eloundou ...
Fire and water: Notre Dame and Decorated Farmhouses of Hälsingland united by artist Mikaela Steby Stenfalk
https://whc.unesco.org/en/news/2500
Artist Mikaela Steby Stenfalk won Gävleborg, Sweden's fourth World Heritage Scholarship and residence with her project "Dialogue between two interiors". Fifty-two applications from 20 countried were received. The World Heritage Scholarship is intended for professional cultural creators and people who work with, research or have another connection to World Heritage. The scholarship is linked to the World Heritage site Decorated Farmhouses of Hälsingland, and one of ...
