First “Unite4Heritage Talk” live on Facebook, dedicated to World Heritage and Sustainable Tourism
Published on April 19th 2017
On April 18th, were launched the “Unite4Heritage Talks”, with a first edition dedicated to the International Day for Monuments and Sites. This year's theme of the International Day is Cultural Heritage & Sustainable Tourism, chosen in relation to the United Nations' International Year of Sustainable Tourism for Development, and in the context of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals.
The "Unite4Heritage Talks" are interviews hosted by Unite4Heritage team with partners and experts, that broadcasted live on Facebook, and open to the digital community's contributions. This Talk #1 gathered four experts on World Heritage and Sustainable Tourism from UNESCO, who shared their knowledge and answered questions from the Facebook audience during an hour. This first edition had 3 main topics: World Heritage Center's role, the Sustainable Tourism Programme, and the World Heritage Volunteers Initiative.
A look behind the scene: The Unite4Heritage team monitors and moderates the web users' questions; while are interviewed Mrs. Mechtild Rössler and Mr. Lazare Eloundou Assomo.
The first guests to join the live Talk were Mrs. Mechtild Rössler, Director of the Division for Heritage and the UNESCO World Heritage Centre and Mr. Lazare Eloundou Assomo, Deputy Director Division for Heritage at the World Heritage Centre. Established in 1992, the World Heritage Center is the focal point and coordinator within UNESCO for all matters related to World Heritage, and ensures the preservation of heritage monuments and sites around the world.
"We should all be concerned by the protection of our heritage. Monuments and sites of the world heritage give hope to people", said Lazare Eloundou Assomo.
Mr. Peter DeBrine, Senior Project Officer - WHC Sustainable Tourism Program at the World Heritage Centre.
For insights on World Heritage Tourism, we welcomed Mr. Peter DeBrine, Senior Project Officer WHC Sustainable Tourism Program at the World Heritage Centre. In 2011, UNESCO embarked on developing a new World Heritage and Sustainable Tourism Programme. The aim was to create an international framework for the cooperative and coordinated achievement of shared and sustainable outcomes related to tourism at World Heritage properties. Mr. DeBrine explained the work of the programme, how local communities and stakeholders can participate in the protection of properties and their outstanding values, and how does this programme differentiate from ‘mass’ tourism.
Mrs. Ines Yousfi, Associate Project Officer in charge of the World Heritage Volunteers Initiative at the World Heritage Centre.
Mrs. Ines Yousfi, Associate Project Officer, presented to the talk's viewers the World Heritage Volunteers Initiative at the World Heritage Centre. Launched in 2008, the initiative aims to raise awareness among young people on the importance of world heritage conservation, and give them concrete skills by working on a project through an action camp at a World Heritage site. Each year, some 50 action camps around the world are carried out, a promote specific thematic such as Biodiversity, Sustainable Development, etc. The camps are organised by local youth organizations, NGO’s, heritage or education related institutions or other organizations. For more information, check out the World Heritage Volunteer projects for this year.
“It is the youth that makes heritage sites unique”, said Ines Yousfi.
Click on the image to re watch the full interview.
