This international expert meeting will be the opportunity to exchange information on the natural and cultural heritage of the Arctic region, with identification of potential sites of outstanding universal value for the World Heritage List.

This meeting is organized back-to-back with the Arctic Council Senior Arctic Officials' (SAO) meeting , which will be held in Narvik from 28 to 29 November. The meeting is funded by the Prince Albert II Foundation of Monaco with the collaboration of the Nordic World Heritage Foundation and the UNESCO World Heritage Centre.

Experts from the 8 States Parties (Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russian Federation, Sweden and the United States of America) will be present, as well as representatives from indigenous people's organizations. Representatives of the Advisory Bodies of the World Heritage Convention, ICOMOS and IUCN, will also attend.

The principal objectives will be:

  • Information exchange on existing arctic heritage properties (natural and cultural) and potential World Heritage sites;
  • Presentation of World Heritage Tentative Lists of the 8 States Parties covering the Arctic Circle, with discussions on their potential harmonization;
  • Identification of potential transboundary and serial sites to recognise the outstanding natural and cultural heritage of the Arctic;
  • Cooperation with other international and national bodies and conventions in the safeguarding of the region's unique natural and cultural heritage.