World Heritage Volunteers 2010

Patrimonito Voluntary Action 2010

In the framework of the UNESCO World Heritage Education Programme and taking into account the positive results obtained by the World Heritage Volunteers project in 2008 and 2009, UNESCO World Heritage Centre and CCIVS have agreed to pursue this initiative launching the: World Heritage Volunteers - "Patrimonito Voluntary Action 2010"

The project aims at raising awareness about the necessity to protect, preserve and promote cultural and natural heritage in general and the inscribed or potential World Heritage sites in particular.

The project furthermore aims at demonstrating the value of non-formal education as an approach to disseminate the values and expertise developed at the inter-governmental level to a large public and to young people in particular.

It aims at exploring opportunities for a dynamic dialogue between the heritage and education experts involved in the promotion and protection of the sites and the volunteers and youth groups developing concrete World Heritage projects.

Twenty eight projects - taking place in seventeen countries and locations between May 2010 and March 2011 - were selected for the 2010 campaign and will contribute to:

• sensitize the international and local volunteers, the local community as well as the concerned authorities around issues related to World Heritage;
• increase the contribution by the youth and voluntary service organizations to WH promotion and preservation with activities planned, based on the concrete needs of the site and in coordination with the site management and local/national authorities;
• create and strengthen synergies between the local youth organization and the local community, site management, national and local authorities and link cooperation to the issue of sustainable development.

List of the World Heritage Volunteers 2010 projects

Africa

• Kenya, KVDA, WHV - Sacred Mijikenda Kaya forest, 10/7 - 31/7
• Malawi, AYISE, WHV - Lake Malawi National Park, 4/7 - 17/7
• Togo, FAGAD, WHV - Koutammakou, the Land of the Batammariba, 16/7 - 5/8
• Togo, ADT-Togo, WHV - Agglomération Aného-Glidji, 4/9 - 17/9
• Zambia, YAZ, WHV - Victoria Falls, 4/7 - 17/7

Arab States 

• Palestinian Territories, IPYL, World Heritage Volunteers - Old City of Hebron, 7/7 - 20/7

Asia

• India, FSL, WHV - Hampi, 1/11 - 14/11
• Indonesia, IIWC, WHV - Borobudur, 13/7 - 26/7
• Indonesia, IIWC, WHV - Borobudur, Prambanan, Sangiran early men site, May 2010 - March 2011
• Indonesia, Dejavato, WHV - Prambanan, 17/7 - 31/7
• Japan, NICE, WHV - Ginzan Silver Mine and its Cultural Landscape, 11/9 - 25/9
• Republic of Korea, IWO, WHV - Jeju Volcanic and Lava Tubes, 27/ 7 - 8/8
• Vietnam, SJ, WHV - Halong Bay, 2/8 - 13/8

Europe and North America

• Albania, Union REMPART, WHV - Historic Centres of Berat and Gjiokastra, 12/7 - 25/7
• Armenia, HUJ, WHV - Monastery of Geghard, 30/6- 15/7 and 15 /7 - 7/8
• Armenia, HUJ, WHV - Archaeological Site of Zvartnots, 30/6- 15/7 and 15 /7 - 7/8
• France, SJ, WHV - Arsenal de Rochefort et fortifications de l'estuaire de la Charente,   7/6 - 28/6
• France, Union REMPART, WHV - Jurisdiction of Saint-Emilion, 2/8 - 14/8 and 18/8 - 30/8
• Italy, Legambiente, WHV - Cilento and Vallo di Diano National Park with the Archeological sites of Paestum and Velia and the Certosa di Padula, 26/6 - 9/7
• Italy, Legambiente, WHV - Portovenere, Cinque Terre and the Islands (Palmaria, Tino and Tinetto), 26/8 - 6/9
• Italy, Legambiente, WHV - Sassi and the park of the Rupestrian Churches of Matera, 11/6 - 24/6
• Italy, Legambiente, WHV -Venice and its Lagoon, 18/8 - 31/8
• Ukraine, Alternative-V, WHV - L'viv - the Ensemble of the Historic Centre, 1/8 - 14/8

Latin America and the Caribbean

• Mexico, Nuestra Tierra, WHV - Historic town of San Sebastian del Oeste, 16/7- 1/8
• Mexico, Nataté, WHV - Churches in the Zoqe Provinces, Chiapas, 4/7 - 17/7
• Mexico, Nataté, WHV - Earliest 16th-Century Monasteries on the Slopes of Popocatepetl, 18/7 - 31/7
• Mexico, Vive Mexico, WHV - Historic Centre of Morelia, 14/7 - 30/7
• Peru, BVBP, WHV - Chan Chan Archeological Zone, 5/7 - 25/7

Results

Relying almost exclusively on the efforts of young volunteers and local communities, the World Heritage Volunteers projects have brought together in 2010 more than double the number of individuals, organizations and countries than in the previous years. Led by the example of youth and community commitment, many institutional and private partners are now joining the volunteers in becoming role models in World Heritage education. They show us with their voluntary work that if World Heritage sites belong to all peoples of the world, safeguarding this “unique and irreplaceable Heritage” is also a shared challenge, and young people have already taken on this responsibility.

Field actions and educational activities carried out by the World Heritage Volunteers projects in 2010 represented a turning point in the way local and international young people accept, with the privilege of living and experiencing the beauty of World Heritage sites, the responsibility of taking care of their preservation and valorization.