UNESCO adds 25 new sites to the World Heritage List

Paris, July 28 (KUNA) -- The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) announced on Tuesday the inscription of 25 new sites on the World Heritage List, concluding the 48th session of the World Heritage Committee held in Busan, South Korea. In a statement, the organization noted that all inscription decisions during the session were adopted by consensus, reflecting the spirit of cooperation underpinning the 1972 World Heritage Convention. The statement added that, for the first time, the session saw the inscription of sites from three African countries: Comoros, Sao Tome and Principe, and South Sudan, a move that embodies UNESCO’s commitment to a more balanced and representative list. It further noted that the Committee also inscribed six sites on the List of World Heritage in Danger, recognizing their outstanding value and the need to strengthen their protection. The World Heritage List currently comprises 1,273 sites in 173 countries, with the newly inscribed sites receiving the highest levels of international recognition and protection. For his part, UNESCO Director-General Khalid al-Anani congratulated the countries whose new sites were inscribed, affirming that these sites represent part of humanity’s shared heritage and embody the spirit of cooperation and consensus that underlies the 1972 World Heritage Convention. (End) M.B. / M.A. H.A.