International Heritage News
01
Venue and dates confirmed for the 45th World Heritage Committee session
On January 24–25, the 18th extraordinary session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee was held at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris. The meeting first decided that the 45th World Heritage Committee session will take place in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, from September 10 to 25. This session will adopt an extended format, combining discussions on conservation and management reports since the 44th session in 2021, nomination files, and other major agenda items.
The meeting also discussed “memory sites related to recent conflicts.” It was decided that the suspension on nominating such sites, in place since 2018, would be lifted. States Parties may now submit these types of heritage sites through the normal nomination process. The decision also specified that such nominations must include a dedicated “interpretation strategy,” and encouraged dialogue on contested sites, allowing other States Parties to submit comments during tentative listing or nomination stages.
Selected 2024 nomination projects include Japan’s Sado Island Gold Mines, India’s Moidams—Mound Burial System of the Ahom Dynasty in Charaideo, Thailand’s Phuphrabat Historical Park, Jordan’s Umm al-Jimal, Italy’s Via Appia “Regina Viarum,” France (French Polynesia)’s Marquesas Islands, the USA/Germany/UK Moravian Church Settlements (extension), Spain’s Cultural Landscape of the Andalusian Olive Grove, the UK’s Scottish Flow Country, and Brazil’s Lençóis Maranhenses National Park.
Full list: https://whc.unesco.org/en/sessions/45COM/documents/
02
World Heritage Sites in Ukraine, Lebanon, and Yemen Inscribed under Emergency Procedure
On January 25, the 18th extraordinary session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee reviewed three nominations submitted under the “emergency procedure” and approved their inscription on the World Heritage List. These are the Rachid Karami International Fair in Tripoli, Lebanon; the Ancient Kingdom of Sabaʾ in Marib, Yemen; and the Historic Centre of Odesa, Ukraine. All three sites were simultaneously inscribed on the List of World Heritage in Danger.
The inscription of Odesa was particularly controversial. During discussions, Russia, one of the 21 Committee member states, repeatedly attempted to delay the vote but failed. The final result was 6 votes in favor, 1 against (Russia), and 14 abstentions, leading to approval of the inscription.
03
European Shortlist for the 2023 Seven Most Endangered Heritage Sites Announced
The shortlist for the 2023 “Seven Most Endangered Heritage Sites in Europe” has been announced, including 11 heritage sites across countries such as Greece, Germany, Belgium, and Hungary.
Hermann Parzinger, Executive President of Europa Nostra, stated that the listed sites include monuments and heritage places under serious threat. He emphasized that local communities and civil society organizations are working hard to protect shared heritage, but broader support is still needed. He called for cooperation between local, regional, national, and European stakeholders to secure the future of these sites. He also thanked the European Investment Bank (EIB), its institute, experts, and volunteers for their contributions over the past decade in protecting endangered heritage. The final selection will be announced in April.
04
Japan resubmits Sado Island Gold Mines Nomination Despite Neighboring Opposition
On January 19, Japan resubmitted the nomination dossier for the “Sado Island Gold Mines” (Niigata Prefecture) to the World Heritage Centre, aiming for inscription in 2024. The revised dossier addresses issues previously identified by the World Heritage Centre. Niigata Governor Hideyo Hanazumi stated that Japan would make every effort to ensure the cultural value of Sado Gold Mines is recognized and successfully inscribed.
On January 20, South Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed regret over Japan’s resubmission. It urged Japan to fulfill the follow-up measures promised during earlier industrial heritage inscriptions and to implement World Heritage Committee decisions. South Korea also stated that it would continue working with UNESCO and the international community to ensure the full historical context—including the painful history of forced labor—is properly reflected.
Some observers argue that Japan is deliberately limiting the nomination to the period from the 16th to mid-19th century in order to separate it from the history of forced labor from the Korean Peninsula, thereby ignoring the integrity of cultural heritage. The South Korean government has consistently insisted that Japan should fulfill its previous commitments made during the inscription of industrial sites such as Hashima Island in 2015, including acknowledging forced labor history.
On January 20, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin responded that China’s position on the matter remains consistent and has been stated previously.
05
Complete Roman City and Pigeon Tower Remains Discovered in Luxor, Egypt
A fully preserved Roman-era urban settlement dating to the 2nd–3rd century CE has been discovered in Luxor, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Egypt. It is considered the oldest and one of the most important cities on the east bank of Luxor.
Archaeologists also discovered two pigeon towers, believed to have been used to raise pigeons for communication across the Roman Empire.
The discovery is considered timely, coming alongside a series of important finds in Luxor, including numerous tombs and, earlier this month, a 4,300-year-old gilded mummy. These discoveries are expected to contribute to preparations for the opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum in Cairo.
Luxor (Ancient Thebes and its Necropolis) was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1979 under criteria i, iii, and vi, as a testimony to ancient Egyptian civilization.
Domestic Heritage News
01
“Beijing Central Axis Protection and Management Plan” Officially Released
On January 28, the “Beijing Central Axis Protection and Management Plan (2022–2035)” was officially released and implemented. Ye Nan, the person in charge of the Beijing Central Axis World Heritage nomination work, stated that the nomination dossier, protection and management plan, and protection regulations are being developed in parallel as three coordinated components. Through the plan, the aim is to clearly define how the heritage should be protected and managed.
Compared with the draft released in November 2022, the classification of the 15 heritage components (sites) was adjusted, indicating that the nomination dossier is still being refined.
In the draft version, categories included: imperial palace architecture, central axis road remains, ritual and sacrificial architecture, modern public buildings and public spaces, and urban management facilities.
In the implemented version, categories include: imperial palace architecture, imperial ritual architecture, urban management facilities, state ceremonial and public buildings, and central axis road remains.
Key differences include renaming “ritual and sacrificial architecture” to “imperial ritual architecture” without changing the sites themselves; removal of the Outer Golden Water Bridge from the central axis road remains category; and restructuring modern public buildings into a “state ceremonial and public buildings” category that integrates Tiananmen and surrounding structures into a unified classification.
02
Nanzhou Ancient Town World Heritage Site Announces Permanent Free Admission
On January 18, Huzhou City in Zhejiang Province held a press conference announcing that Nanzhou Ancient Town Scenic Area would implement permanent free admission for all global visitors. The policy opens the 2.18-square-kilometer historic town area to the public free of charge.
After implementation, several heritage buildings inside the site remain ticketed, including Xiaolian Manor Library (25 yuan), Zhang Shiming Residence (20 yuan), Liu Family Residence (20 yuan), Zhang Jingjiang Residence (20 yuan), and Yiyuan Garden (10 yuan). Visitors may choose whether to enter these individual sites.
Nanzhou Ancient Town, located in the Hangjiahu Plain, is one of the most culturally rich and best-preserved Jiangnan ancient towns. It is also the first Jiangnan town in China inscribed on the World Heritage List.
03
45th World Heritage Committee Expected to Review One Chinese Nomination
According to the draft decision, the September session of the 45th World Heritage Committee will follow a similar workload to previous years, combining two nomination cycles into one extended meeting. It will also be the first in-person session since the COVID-19 pandemic.
A total of 55 nominations will be reviewed, including 28 from 2022 and 27 from 2023, making the average number of nominations per year the lowest in nearly two decades.
China’s 2022 nomination, “Pu’er Jingmai Mountain Ancient Tea Forest Cultural Landscape,” will be reviewed at this session. However, the 2021 nomination “Badain Jaran Desert—Sands and Lakes Landscape” and the 2023 extension nomination “China Yellow (Bohai) Sea Migratory Bird Sanctuaries (Phase II)” will not be reviewed, as they have not completed field evaluation by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
04
National Cultural Heritage Administration Releases 2023 Work Priorities
In January, the National Cultural Heritage Administration of China issued its 2023 work priorities. In the area of World Cultural Heritage, the document highlights continued work on the nominations of “Pu’er Jingmai Mountain Ancient Tea Forest Cultural Landscape” and “Beijing Central Axis,” as well as promotion of transnational nomination projects such as the Maritime Silk Road.
It also calls for updating China’s Tentative List of World Cultural Heritage and establishing a dynamic management mechanism. Improvements to monitoring and inspection systems for World Cultural Heritage sites are also emphasized.
The plan includes advancing restoration projects for overseas heritage sites such as the Angkor Royal Palace in Cambodia, and strengthening cooperation with Hong Kong and Macao to support participation in Maritime Silk Road heritage protection and nomination efforts.
