What is the World Heritage?
The cultural and natural heritage sites are among priceless and irreplaceable pos-sessions, not only of each nation, but of mankind as a whole. Loss through deteriora-tion or disappearance of any of these most prized possessions constitutes an im-poverishment of the heritage of all people in the world. Parts of that heritage can be considered to be of outstanding universal value because of their exceptional qualities. As such they are worth special protection against dangers which increasingly threaten them.
(The Intergovernmental Committee for Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage)
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| Oak and Pine stands of the old age are the most valuable forests of Belovezhskaya Pushcha |
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The Convention on Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage was adopted at the XVIIth session of the UNESCO General Assembly on November 16, 1972. On December 17, 1975 the Convention came into force. The main purpose of the Convention is to involve the World community in the protection of unique cultural and natural objects. In 1975 21 countries ratified the Convention and at present 158 countries have joined it. Judging by the number of members, this Convention is the most representative international policy instrument among environmental protection documents.
To enhance the Convention's efficiency the World Heritage Committee and Fund were established in 1976.
The status World Heritage Site is granted to natural sites and cultural objects of exceptional importance and uniqueness. Each of them is unparalleled by other sites and objects on the planet Earth. Disappearance or deterioration of these sites means an essential loss for nature and to mankind. The World Heritage Committee imple-ments all works needed for inclusion of new sites and objects into the List of World Heritage Sites and provides monitoring of their quality. There are criterions for candi-dates to become included on the World Heritage List. Announced sites and objects should be fully appropriative of these criterions.
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| The endless life circulation is an integral part of the wild nature |
The first cultural and natural sites to receive the status of World Heritage Site in 1978 - a fund of outstanding cultural and natural objects - were the Galapagos Islands and the National Parks Yellowstone (USA), Nahanni (Canada) and Siman (Ethiopia).
By 2004 the List of World Heritage Sites consisted of 754 sites: 582 cultural sites, 149 natural sites and 23 natural and cultural complexes situated in 129 countries. Besides the objects mentioned above, the most famous World Heritage Sites are Lake Baikal, the Volcanoes of Kamchatka, the Kremlin and Red Square in Moscow (Russian Federation), the Saint-Sophia Cathedral and its Related Monastic Buildings, Kiev-Pechersk Lavra (Ukraine), the Great Barrier Reef (Australia), the Rain Forests of Amazon (Brazil), the Great Wall (China), Memphis and its Necropolis - the Pyramid Fields from Giza to Dahshur (Egypt), the Acropolis of Athens (Greece), Kathmandu Valley (Nepal), Grand Canyon National Park (USA), Kilimanjaro National Park (United Republic of Tanzania) and many others.
Belarus is represented on the List of World Heritage Sites with Belovezhskaya Pushcha Primeval Forest (natural site, inscribed in 1992) and the Mir Castle Com-plex (cultural site, inscribed in 1992).
Italy and Spain have submitted the largest number of cultural sites to the List (30 each). America and Australia are the richest states in natural World Heritage Sites (10 and 9 respectively).
If the quality of World Heritage Site decreases and the site or object becomes degraded for some reason(s), it is transferred to the List of World Heritage Sites in Danger. Up to today 35 sites have been included on this List.
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| The forest diversity is fantastic | |
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| The wild primeval forest consist of live and dead trees |
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(Photos made by the author)