UNESCO is a specialized agency of the United Nations for education, science, and culture. The organization implements various projects in the fields of education, natural sciences, social and human sciences, culture, communication, and information.
One of the important directions of UNESCO's activity is the protection of World Heritage. This heritage under the organization's patronage includes both cultural objects created by humans and natural areas.
What is World Heritage?
World Heritage refers to cultural and natural objects that hold exceptional value for all humanity. The significance of such objects is not limited to the country where they are located. They are considered to be of universal importance, and therefore their protection becomes a matter of international responsibility.
To be included in UNESCO's World Heritage List, an object must possess "outstanding universal value." This means that it is so significant culturally or naturally that its value transcends national borders and is important for all humanity.
According to the Convention, world heritage is divided into three main categories: cultural, natural, and mixed heritage.
Cultural heritage includes architectural examples, monumental sculptures and paintings, archaeological sites, caves, historical buildings, and architectural complexes. Natural heritage includes rare and unique natural areas, geological and physical-geographical formations, rare flora and fauna habitats of scientific importance and in need of protection, as well as areas of special natural beauty.
Mixed heritage, on the other hand, encompasses areas formed jointly by both nature and human activity.
How did UNESCO's protection function develop?
The construction of the Aswan Dam in Egypt in 1959 played a significant role in the formation of the idea of protecting World Heritage.
The reservoir that would be created as a result of the dam's construction threatened to submerge historical monuments in the ancient Nubian region. The governments of Egypt and Sudan appealed to UNESCO for the salvation of these monuments.
The organization then called on the international community for assistance. As a result, one of the largest archaeological rescue operations in history was carried out. Ancient cities, temples, and other important historical artifacts were investigated, and a number of monuments were relocated from dangerous areas and protected.
This event revealed an important truth: the protection of world heritage is the responsibility not only of individual states but also of the international community.
It was after this that the idea of creating a unified international mechanism for the protection of cultural and natural heritage gained further strength.
The devastating flood in Venice in 1966 also showed how vulnerable world heritage is to natural disasters. UNESCO and the Italian government began to develop a long-term plan for the protection and restoration of the city's cultural monuments.
Thus, initiatives to create a unified program for the protection of world heritage at the international level expanded.
UNESCO's main protection mechanism
As a result of this process, the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage was adopted on November 16, 1972. The Convention entered into force in 1975, and the first World Heritage List was created in 1978.
The creation of this list became one of the mechanisms that form the basis of UNESCO's protection functions.
However, the inclusion of an object in the list does not only mean its international recognition. The main goal is to ensure the protection of that object for future generations.
UNESCO increases international attention to the protection of objects with world heritage status, encourages monitoring their condition and taking appropriate measures for their preservation. States, in turn, bear the primary responsibility for preserving the identified value of world heritage objects located in their territories.
In this regard, UNESCO plays an important role in shaping international standards, strengthening cooperation between states, and drawing attention to heritage samples under threat.
What is the reason for the importance of UNESCO's protection?
Historical monuments can face serious threats as a result of wars, natural disasters, uncontrolled urbanization, environmental changes, neglect, and vandalism.
In such cases, internationally recognized status creates additional attention and responsibility for the protection of these objects. UNESCO's activities allow bringing together specialists and institutions from various countries, implementing protection and restoration projects, and drawing the attention of the world community to the problem.
The main essence of the organization's approach is that cultural and natural heritage is the common wealth of all humanity, not just one country.
For this reason, every monument or natural area included in the World Heritage List is considered a value to be protected not only in terms of national history and culture but also on a global scale.
Today, UNESCO's activities in the field of world heritage protection are considered one of the important international mechanisms for transmitting historical monuments, unique natural areas, and cultural values significant for humanity to future generations.
Ulviyya FARHAD
