UNESCO-WHC

UNESCO's World Heritage Centre, assures the day-to-day management of the Convention. It organizes the statutory meetings forseen under the World Heritage Convention, the biennial General Assembly of States Parties, the annual meetings of the World Heritage Committee, and the meetings of the Bureau. Upon request by a State Party, the Centre organizes assistance in preparing tentative lists and nominations for the World Heritage List; it mobilizes international assistance, organizes training courses, and emergency assistance when a site is threatened. The Centre has another important task: upon request by States Parties, it assists in monitoring activities and the preparation of reports on the state of conservation of World Heritage properties. It also handles information and reports on threats to world heritage properties received from the public, States Parties, or Advisory Bodies and bring these to the attention of the World Heritage statutory organs.

Other tasks of the Centre include arranging technical seminars and workshops, updating the World Heritage List and database, developing teaching materials to raise awareness of the World Heritage concept, and keeping the public informed of World Heritage issues. The Centre also keeps the records of the statutory organs and documents World Heritage. With the multi-media industry, it works to produce World Heritage documentary and educational films, CD-ROMs, books, and other material.