We Deplore the Decision of the German Foreign Office

World Heritage Watch expresses its deep regret and disappointment about the decision of the German Foreign Office not to support an International NGO Forum and civil society participation in the 45th Session of the World Heritage Convention in Riyadh next month. The decision demonstrates the failure of the Foreign Office to understand the important role civil society and indigenous peoples play in the implementation of the World Heritage Convention.

The following NGOs will now be unable to send representatives to Riyadh:
  • Abdurrahim Ahmadi, Afghanistan/Germany

  • Alliance Earth, South Africa

  • Centro Mexicano de Derecho Ambiental, Mexico

  • Dala Institute, Indonesia

  • Diyarbakır Kültür ve Tabiat Varlıklarını Koruma Derneği, Türkiye

  • Endorois Welfare Council, Kenya

  • Flimkien ghal Ambjent Ahjar, Malta

  • Initiative Stadtbildschutz Wien, Austria

  • Lahore Conservation Society, Pakistan

  • National Committee for Saving the Sundarbans, Bangladesh

  • National Research Centre for Georgian Art

  • History and Heritage Preservation, Georgia

  • Lakes Watch, United Kingdom

  • Rede Nacional Pró Unidades de Conservação, Brazil

  • Rivers without Boundaries International Coalition, United States of America / Russia

  • Safeguard of Historic Cairo’s Cemetaries, Egypt

  • Save Okavango’s Unique Life Alliance, Botswana/Namibia

  • Save the Tigris, Iraq

  • Stonehenge Alliance, United Kingdom

  • Syrians for Built Heritage, Syria

  • Tanzania Heritage Foundation, Tanzania

  • Tripolitanian Society, Libya

  • Voluntariado “Vale un Potosì”, Bolivia

  • Wahana Lingkungan Hidup Indonesia, Indonesia

  • We Are Here Venice, Italy

Press release / Presseerklärung

The UNESCO World Heritage System is Dysfunctional
Das UNESCO-Welterbesystem ist dysfunktional

Press Release / Pressemitteilung

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A Reform Agenda for the World Heritage Convention

Giving Tuesday

Help us to keep supporting our network around the world

Unterschriftenkampagne Goslar

Goslarer Initiative wendet sich gegen die Verunstaltung des Marktplatzes

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Welcome to World Heritage Watch

With our network of over 180 groups worldwide, World Heritage Watch ensures that the world heritage is not sacrificed to political compromises and economic interests. We support UNESCO in getting complete and correct information about the situation of the sites. And we help local people to protect their sites and to have an appropriate benefit from them.

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