Cultural Heritages of Water: The cultural heritages of water in the Middle East and Maghreb

In the framework of its work as UNESCO Advisory Body, ICOMOS undertakes comparative and thematic studies, in different subject areas in order to provide a context for its evaluations.
This new volume seeks to provide assistance for recognising, studying and preserving traditional cultural heritages linked to water in arid / semi-arid regions and also establish benchmark examples, not only for properties which could be nominated for the World Heritage List, but also for properties of regional or local importance.

ISBN : 978-2-91886-21-5 (e-version)
ISBN 978-2-918086-21-5
375 p.

A printed version is available upon request (free of charge, except for postage fees): please contact ICOMOS Documentation Centre

e-version (free download, PDF 7,5 Mb)

One-day workshop for high level delegation of the Republic of Moldova
organized at ICOMOS Headquarters on 15 May 2018

In the framework of the European Union funded Twinning project on Support to promote cultural heritage in the Republic of Moldova, a high level delegation from the Ministry of Education, Culture and Research was received by the ICOMOS International Secretariat on 15 May 2018, for a one-day workshop focused on ICOMOS International activities as NGO and its role as Advisory Body to the World Heritage Committee.

The one-day workshop was divided in four modules, three of them aimed to present the work of ICOMOS within the framework of the World Heritage Convention as well as the main aspects of the World Heritage Convention, working methods and key concepts.

The workshop stimulated many fruitful discussions and exchanges among participants.

Image © ICOMOS

ICOMOS is pleased to share its discussion paper on the “Evaluations of World Heritage Nominations related to Sites Associated with Memories of Recent Conflicts”

This discussion paper complements the studies initiated by the World Heritage centre working groups on the interpretation of sites of memory (not confined to World Heritage properties) and the use of criterion (vi). It offers an ICOMOS perspective on evaluation of sites associated with the memories of recent conflicts in relation to the World Heritage Convention. It considers how the World Heritage Committee has considered such sites in the past, and the issues that they raise in relation to Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) and the idea of commonality.

In 2017, 18 cultural sites and 3 natural sites were inscribed on the World Heritage List.

The World Heritage Committee inscribed 18 new cultural sites and 3 natural sites on the World Heritage List during its 41th annual session, which was held in Krakow (Poland) from July 2nd to 12th 2017. It has also approved the extension of five sites already inscribed on the List.

Picture: Cinema of Asmara: a Modernist  City of Africa (Eritrea) © Giora Solar