The World Heritage Committee

The World Heritage Committee decides on the inscription of new Cultural and Natural World Heritage Sites on UNESCO’s List of the World’s Cultural and Natural Heritage at its annual session.

It comprises 21 elected members from the States Parties, representing all continents and cultures as far as possible. On the basis of selected proposals from its members, the Committee deliberates on inclusion in the World Heritage List.

Furthermore, the Committee considers the de-listing of sites from the World Heritage List or decides on the inclusion of World Heritage sites on the Red List of World Heritage in Danger. The decision is aided by the advisory bodies IUCN (natural heritage) and ICOMOS (cultural heritage). They submit corresponding evaluation reports to the committee ahead of the decision.   

The central authority for the implementation of the World Heritage Convention is the World Heritage Centre, based in Paris. It has been coordinating and managing international cooperation for the effective protection of Natural and Cultural Heritage as the permanent Secretariat of the World Heritage Committee since 1992.