What makes an UNESCO world heritage?

A place becomes a UNESCO World Heritage site when it is considered to have Outstanding Universal Value and meets at least one of UNESCO's ten selection criteria. The site must also satisfy relevant requirements relating to integrity and authenticity and have appropriate protection and management arrangements.

What does Outstanding Universal Value mean?

Outstanding Universal Value means that a cultural or natural property has significance that is considered exceptional enough to transcend national boundaries and be important to present and future generations of humanity.

A site therefore needs to demonstrate significance beyond simply being important to one community or country.

What are UNESCO's ten criteria?

UNESCO uses ten criteria for selecting World Heritage properties.

The first six are primarily associated with cultural heritage, while the remaining criteria concern natural heritage.

Examples include:

Cultural criteria

A property may:

• Represent a masterpiece of human creative genius
• Demonstrate an important interchange of human values
• Provide exceptional testimony to a cultural tradition or civilization
• Represent an important stage in human history
• Represent a traditional human settlement or interaction with the environment
• Be associated with important events, traditions, ideas or beliefs

Natural criteria

A property may:

• Contain exceptional natural phenomena
• Represent important geological processes
• Represent significant ecological processes
• Contain important habitats for biodiversity and threatened species

UNESCO requires a property to satisfy at least one of the ten criteria.

Does meeting one criterion automatically make a place a World Heritage site?

No.

Meeting a criterion is only one part of the assessment.

UNESCO also considers the property's integrity and, where relevant, authenticity.

There must also be adequate systems for protection and management.

Therefore, a historically important building does not automatically become a World Heritage property simply because it is old or famous.

Who nominates a World Heritage site?

Countries that are parties to the World Heritage Convention can nominate properties for consideration.

A State Party first identifies potential properties, including them on its Tentative List, and can subsequently prepare a nomination.

The World Heritage Committee makes the final decision on inscription.

Can a natural place become a UNESCO World Heritage site?

Yes.

UNESCO World Heritage status applies to both cultural and natural heritage.

Natural sites can qualify because of exceptional landscapes, geological features, ecological processes or biodiversity.

Some World Heritage properties are also mixed sites, meaning that they have both cultural and natural significance.

Does UNESCO own the property?

No.

The World Heritage designation does not transfer ownership of the property to UNESCO.

The property normally remains under the jurisdiction and responsibility of the relevant State Party.

The designation creates an international framework for recognizing and protecting the property's Outstanding Universal Value.

Conclusion

A UNESCO World Heritage site must demonstrate Outstanding Universal Value, satisfy at least one of the ten World Heritage criteria and meet the relevant conditions concerning integrity, authenticity, protection and management.

References

UNESCO World Heritage Centre – Selection Criteria
UNESCO – Criteria for Selection FAQ
UNESCO – World Heritage Convention