How to become an UNESCO world heritage

The UNESCO headquarter is in Paris. The exact meaning of the name is United Nation Educational, Scientific and Cultural organization - so it deals with issues around education, science and culture. UNESCO consists of 195 member states, 193 of which come from the United Nations.

The basic idea behind UNESCO is to preserve natural and cultural heritage sites of exceptional universal value for present and future generations. Member States are called upon to designate significant sites (material heritage) on their territory and to present their significance as irreplaceable human heritage in a nomination process. On the basis of the evaluation by two different institutions, it will be decided whether the inscription in the World Heritage List is justified or not.

The first step in the nomination procedure is the national lists of nominations, so-called "Tentative Lists". The lists should cover a period of 10 years. In Germany, due to the given situation, countries are responsible for nominating and financing heirs. Applications for natural heritage sites are the responsibility of the competent authorities of the countries (usually ministries for the environment/nature conservation) in coordination with the Federal Environment Ministry.

The Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs of the countries in Germany then leads the list drawn up by the countries to a uniform German list. After that the list will be forwarded via the Federal Foreign Office to Paris for a second review. Since February 2018, it will not be permitted to submit 2 nominations per year, as previously, but only one nomination per year.

Julien