OWH statement at the 47th UNESCO World Heritage Committee

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Written By OurWorldHeritage

At the 47th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, Dr Tokie Laotan-Brown delivered a formal statement on behalf of OurWorldHeritage Foundation. You can read the full statement below.

Dear Members of the Committee:

My name is Dr Tokie Laotan-Brown, I represent the OurWorldHeritage Foundation. We have followed the Committee’s five-year debate on sites of memory associated with recent conflicts. We propose that the Committee’s 2023 decision be formalized in the Operational Guidelines. 

It is well known that memorialization initiatives risk creating further conflict. Places with unresolved dissonant values will not build the foundations of peace. 

OurWorldHeritage applauds the 2023 landmark decision by the Committee to adopt Guiding Principles that require:

  • accurate texts to avoid distortion of memories; 

  • proof that serious efforts have been made to engage stakeholders; 

  • interpretation strategies that present the full meaning of the place; 

  • and a documented reconciliation process. 

This excellent framework needs to be institutionalized in the Operational Guidelines for the Implementation of the World Heritage Convention. Why? Because Committee decisions that are not in the guidelines risk being forgotten as Committee membership changes. OurWorldHeritage respectfully asks you to formally include the Guiding Principles for sites of memory in your Operational Guidelines.

At this 47th session, you inscribed the Cambodian Memorial Sites, which has deliberately chosen to use these sites of serious human rights abuses to encourage peaceful coexistence among its people and to continue the process of national reconciliation. OurWorldHeritage considers the Cambodian proposal is an exemplary embodiment of the Guiding Principles.

OWH suggests an open ended working group for this inclusion.

For further information, please consult the newsletter on the OurWorldHeritage website. 

Thank you for your attention. 

Related posts: Make it official! World Heritage guidelines for sites of recent conflicts (by Christina Cameron)

Last year’s statement: OWH proposal for a revision of the operational guidelines made at the 46th WH Committee

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Make it official! World Heritage guidelines for sites of recent conflicts