site.btaUNESCO World Heritage Committee Concludes Nomination Process for New Inscriptions to World Heritage List

The UNESCO World Heritage Committee Sunday concluded the nomination process for new inscriptions to the World Heritage List.

In the first part of the day’s programme, the Committee reviewed the nomination files for seven proposed sites, approving the following for inscription: Mount Kumgang in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Gola-Tiwai Complex in Sierra Leone, Maputo National Park in Mozambique, Bijagós Archipelago in Guinea-Bissau, Phong Nha-Ke Bang and Hin Nam No National Parks (an extension of Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, listed by Vietnam in 2003) in Vietnam, and Cliffs of Møns Klint in Denmark. The Eastern Mongolian Steppes in Mongolia were recommended for deferral following review.

After its lunch break, the Committee approved one final inscription: the Peruaçu River Canyon in Brazil.

During its 47th session, the Committee inscribed 26 new sites, including 21 cultural, four natural and one mixed, bringing the total number of sites to 1,248 (972 cultural, 325 natural and 41 mixed). Two sites were extended. Guinea-Bissau and Sierra Leone had sites added for the first time, UNESCO said.

The Committee also examined the state of conservation of 248 sites already inscribed on the World Heritage List. Three sites from Africa were removed from the UNESCO World Heritage List in Danger: the Rainforests of the Atsinanana  (Madagascar), Abu Mena (Egypt) and the Old Town of Ghadamès (Libya).

In the second part of the programme, the Committee changed the boundaries of three World Heritage Sites in Bulgaria: Boyana Church, Madara Rider and Thracian Tomb of Sveshtari.

The programme also included a discussion on capacity-building efforts and follow-up to the World Heritage Capacity Building Strategy.

A Bulgarian representative expressed strong support for the new Capacity-Building Strategy for 2025–2035, calling it a vital tool for the effective and equitable implementation of the Convention. He noted that it is also crucial to strengthening institutional frameworks and expert capacities across all regions, especially in Africa and small island developing states, ensuring that no region is left behind.

The 47th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, held under the presidency of Bulgaria, runs until July 16 at UNESCO’s headquarters in Paris. As part of the session, Bulgaria will present elements of its cultural and natural heritage. 

UNESCO was founded on November 16, 1945. Bulgaria became a member on May 17, 1956, the same year its National Commission for UNESCO was established. The Commission coordinates activities between Bulgarian institutions and UNESCO.

UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee is one of the two governing bodies responsible for implementing the Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage. It is composed of representatives from 21 countries elected from among the 196 States Parties to the Convention.