26 new sites inscribed on UNESCO World Heritage list

The 46th session of UNESCO's World Heritage Committee has come to an end, Azernews reports.

Delegations from 21 countries of the World Heritage Committee took part in the session, as well as observers from states-parties to the 1972 Convention for the Protection of the Cultural and Natural Heritage.

Led by Deputy Minister Saadat Yusifova, a delegation from the Azerbaijan Culture Ministry participated in the 46th session.

A total of 27 nominations were submitted (25 nominations for addition to the World Heritage List and 2 nominations for significant boundary changes).

The session concluded with Nauru ratifying the World Heritage Convention and becoming its 196th State Party.

The Committee inscribed 26 new properties, including making 2 major extensions to properties which are considered as new inscriptions.

The other inscriptions include 20 cultural properties, 5 natural properties and 1 mixed site. These properties thus benefit from the highest level of heritage protection in the world.

Managers of these properties will have access to enhanced opportunities for technical and financial assistance from UNESCO.

With these additions, the total number of properties on the World Heritage List reach 1,223 across 168 countries.

The Committee also reviewed the state of conservation of 123 other properties already inscribed on the World Heritage List.

This latest project will join the 22 international aid requests that have been approved so far this year, totaling $695,201 across regions such as Africa, Asia-Pacific, the Arab States, Latin America, and the Caribbean, which demonstrates UNESCO`s and its partners`s work aimed at preserving the common heritage.

The next session of UNESCO's World Heritage Committee is scheduled for the summer of 2025 in Sofia, Bulgaria, under the leadership of Professor Nikolay Nenov.

Since its inception, the Azerbaijan National Committee? t? UNESCO has made significant contributions? t? various UNESCO programs and projects.

These include efforts? t? safeguard and promote Azerbaijan's cultural sites, support educational initiatives, and foster international cooperation? ?n the fields? ?f science and technology.

In 2003, the parties signed a framework agreement on cooperation in the areas of culture, science, education, and communication, which allowed Azerbaijan to become one of the donors of UNESCO.

Many Azerbaijani cultural sites have been included? in UNESCO's World Heritage List, including Icherisheher (Old City) with Maiden Tower, Shirvanshah's Palace, Gobustan National Historical-Artistic Reserve, etc. In? 2021, Lankaran District was included? ?n the UNESCO list "Network? ?f Creative Cities".

UNESCO also honors Azerbaijan's outstanding personalities like the poet and thinker Imadaddin Nasimi, Fikrat Amirov,? great philanthropist and oil magnate Haji Zeynalabdin Taghiyev, etc.