UNESCO World Heritage Sites

UNESCO (The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) declared the Prosecco Hills of Conegliano and Valdobbiadene as a UNESCO World Heritage Site at the 43^rd agency’s meeting in Baku (capital of Azerbaijan).

More on News:

• Italy has more UNESCO sites than any other European country–and it ties only with China globally.
• The hills of Conegliano and Valdobbiadene is located north-east of Venice in Italy. It is home to the world-famous sparkling wine Prosecco.
• The landscape is characterized by Ciglioni, a small plots of vines on narrow grassy terraces, forests, small villages and farmland.
• These hills are the eighth UNESCO World Heritage site in the Veneto region, the 55th site in Italy, and the 10th site in the world to be registered under the category of “cultural landscape” in recognition of their unique interaction between man and the environment.
• The new World Heritage Site status is expected to promote awareness, encourage tourism and boost the local economy.
• Earlier in this month, UNESCO also added The Twentieth Century Architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright as another cultural site to its list of World Heritage properties.

UNESCO’s World Heritage Site list

• The list of World Heritage Sites is maintained by the international ‘World Heritage Programme’ which is administered by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee.
• The UNESCO World Heritage Committee is composed of 21 UNESCO member states, elected by the General Assembly.
• A World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by UNESCO for its special cultural or physical significance.

Criteria for inclusion in List of UNESCO World Heritage Sites

• Any heritage or any historical site has to be first on the tentative list to be a part of UNESCO’s World Heritage sites. Once it makes it to the tentative list, then the proposal is sent to the UNESCO for inclusion in the final List of UNESCO World Heritage Sites, only if the site:
• Contains significant natural habitats for conservation of biological diversity, including threatened species of outstanding universal value from the point of view of science or conservation.
• Associates with events, living traditions, ideas, beliefs, and artistic & literary works of outstanding universal significance etc.

UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India

There are 37 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India. The sites are broken down into the following categories: 29 cultural sites, seven natural sites, and one mixed site.

Cultural Sites

 Natural Sites

1. Great Himalayan National Park Conservation Area (2014)
2. Kaziranga National Park (1985)
3. Keoladeo National Park (1985)
4. Manas Wildlife Sanctuary (1985)
5. Nanda Devi and Valley of Flowers National Parks (1988,2005)
6. Sundarbans National Park (1987)
7. Western Ghats (2012)

Mixed Site - Khangchendzonga National Park (2016)