Every year the good people at the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), arbiters of sites worthy of heritage designation, congregate to discuss the state of current locations under threat because of natural disasters, pollution or mass tourism, and to consider a new slate of candidates under submission. From 2 to 10 July, 2008, the World Heritage Committee at UNESCO will be in historic Québec City, Canada, to not only celebrate the 400th anniversary of the old city, but contemplate the business at hand, which includes natural and cultural sites around the world in danger and the nomination of new locales of great relevance.
There are 13 natural and 34 cultural sites under consideration this year, most notably from nations devoid of World Heritage inclusion, such as Kyrgyzstan, Papua New Guinea, San Marino, Saudi Arabia and Vanuatu. While it remains to be seen which locations will win out, we can certainly draw attention to the most impressive among them in the meantime.
Here then are some of the most notable candidates for inclusion on the eminent World Heritage List.
Spa town of Luhacovice, Czech Republic
The scenic valley town of Luhacovice in the Czech Republic has a long history of spa treatments for a variety of ailments. Favourable climate under the protection of the White Carpathian mountains has made the area a popular retreat for hundreds of years. With typical Moravian architecture and natural medicinal springs, the unique spa town may yet earn heritage status.
Historic Monuments and Sites in Kaesong, North Korea
The former capital of Korea under the Koro Dynasty (918-1392), the city of Kaesong has many priceless Imperial monuments. While somewhat exceptional that the Communist regime of Kim Jong-il would petition a United Nations body for help, international co-operation would offer official protection for a phenomenal collection of sites in Kaesong. From palatial ruins to Taehung Castle anda surfeit of dynastic relics, the city of 150,000 is a diamond in the rough.
Mariposa Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve, Mexico
One of 13 natural sites under consideration by the World Heritage Committee, the Mariposa Monarch Butterfly Reserve is one of the most popular attractions in Mexico. With over 56,000 hectares of land, most of the reserve is in the state of Michoacán. The butterfly sanctuaries, half of which prohibit tourism to protect the beautiful insects, remain one of the most awesome sights when populated with monarchs that migrate from the United States and Canada to winter in Mexico.
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Located in the pretty Atlantic province of Nova Scotia, the Joggins Fossil Cliffs remain one of the most incredible landmarks of archeological discovery in the world. The father of modern geology, Sir Charles Lyell, was the first to declare the cliffs of Joggins a natural wonder of Coal Age rocks and fossils. Charles Darwin even took notice of the Fossil Cliffs in his epic On the Origins of Species. A 15 km span of the Joggins Cliffs in the Cumberland Basin, Bay of Fundy region of Nova Scotia, is now under consideration by UNESCO.
Most tourists to France visit the works of the Marquis de Vauban without prior knowledge of the 17th century military engineer. A foremost advisor to Louis XIV, the Marshal of France and expert designer left his mark across much of France. In a prolific period between 1667 and 1707, Vauban directed the construction and renovation of over 300 city fortifications, notably on the Cote d’Azur, the remains of which attract scores of visitors to this day. From Antibes to Calais, Rochefort to Toulon, the works of Vauban are high on the World Heritage list of worthy candidates.
Melaka and George Town, Malaysia
The two historic towns on the Straits of Malacca in Malaysia were the centers of Malay culture and commercial trade in Southeast Asia over five hundred years ago. With the explosive growth of Singapore and Kuala Lumpur the towns dwindled in economic importance but over the years have lost none of their historical significance. Architectural monuments that reveal the various colonial influences over time, from Portuguese to Dutch, British to Chinese, are what make Malaysia so unique in the world and will no doubt receive much attention from the World Heritage Committee.
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Photo credits: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
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July 18th, 2008 at 8:09 am
[...] New World Heritage Candidates IFrom 2 to 10 July, 2008, the World Heritage Committee at UNESCO will be in historic Québec City, Canada, to not only celebrate the 400th anniversary of the old city, but contemplate the business at hand, which includes natural and … [...]