Decision : CONF 001 VI.A(a).19
Establishment of the World Heritage List
The feasibility of adopting criteria gave rise to some discussion, with member's referring to the difficulty already experienced in establishing criteria at the national level, to the changing and subjective nature of evaluations of qualities, to the impact of Western thought and to the difference between perception from within a given culture and perception from outside. The representative of ICOMOS, in reply, recognized the difficulty of drafting criteria to be applied to cultural property throughout the world and of translating concepts into words that were meaningful on a universal scale; an attempt had been made but he realized that, in the light of experience as nominations were examined, the criteria would probably require some adjustment.
Original Decision Document