Celebrating the 10th Anniversary of the 2011 UNESCO Recommendation on the Historic Urban Landscape
The 10th Anniversary of the 2011 UNESCO Recommendation on the Historic Urban Landscape (HUL Recommendation) serves as a catalyst for greater adoptions of the HUL approach.
Serving as a platform to share lessons learned from COVID-19 and to resume discussions on the future of urban management, topics such as public space, renovations, tourism, infrastructure and livelihoods will be explored. The Recommendation provides an overall framework, while local needs and resources determine the implementation form.
Call for Action
The tailored approach, which considers the differing needs of the World Heritage and non-World Heritage cities, as well as roles played by high-level participants and technical actors, allows for targeted advocacy, effective knowledge exchange, and attainment of commitment at multiple levels. Together, the HUL Anniversary advocates for a sustainable and local-led urban recovery and relaunch the HUL Recommendation towards global implementation.
UNESCO invites all cities and towns to join the Call for Action to raise awareness about the Recommendation and to accelerate inclusive urban and heritage management through HUL.
- Sensitize local and national actors about the HUL approach and encourage its implementation ⇾ Based on the key principles of HUL
- Promote a local urban consultation process to empower stakeholders including NGOs, public and private stakeholders to support a HUL-driven urban development ⇾ By joining the UNESCO network and exchanging on good practices
- Develop local heritage management actions based on the HUL approach ⇾ By joining the UNESCO network and exchanging on good practices
Launch event
The 10th Anniversary of the 2011 Recommendation on the Historic Urban Landscape (HUL Recommendation) took place online through a launch event for the UNESCO HUL Call for Action and a global conference on the application of the HUL Recommendation to World Heritage cities.
The online events, consisting of several meetings and workshops, took place between 16 and 24 June 2021, marking the beginning of the celebrations. The events gathered more than 86 speakers (including 9 Mayors/city leaders and 35 renowned experts) from 39 countries. Site managers and city authorities presented case studies from 19 World Heritage cities and 15 mayors and heads of organisations provided video messages reconfirming the importance of the HUL Recommendation and reaffirming their commitment to support the UNESCO HUL Call for Action. The four days of exchange and discussion provided a rich opportunity to share experiences, challenges and lessons learned from the local strategies and actions to implement the HUL Recommendation.
23 June 2021
On 23 June, the celebrations for the 10th anniversary of the HUL Recommendation was opened by Mr Ernesto Ottone R., UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Culture, who launched the HUL Call for Action, inviting cities worldwide to raise awareness about the Recommendation and accelerate inclusive urban heritage management through the HUL Recommendation approach. Mayors and City leaders from all regions of the world gathered in two panels to share experiences and perspectives on the application of HUL in their cities, followed by a session of insights provided by high-level experts.
24 June 2021
On 24 June, the session Implementing the HUL Recommendation in World Heritage Cities engaged heritage professionals, experts, and representatives around two round tables on the topics of the role of heritage in sustainable development, local communities' involvement in urban policies, and the relationship between natural and built heritage, among others. The session was opened by the Director of the World Heritage Centre, Ms Mechtild Rössler, who highlighted the importance of the HUL Recommendation for World Heritage cities, urban planning, and future generations. The six Rapporteurs presented the case studies collected and analysed during the preparatory technical meetings. Finally, the Deputy Director of the World Heritage Centre, Ms Jyoti Hosagrahar, provided a summary of the lessons learned during the four-day event, outlining the steps forward in the implementation of the HUL Recommendation.
Technical Sessions
On 16 and 21 June, six preliminary technical sessions were carried out, including 19 case studies examining the implementation of the HUL Recommendation in World Heritage Cities in the different world regions. With the contribution of high-level Chairs and Rapporteurs, the sessions highlighted the central role of urban heritage and culture for sustainable development, and its potential to address current challenges such as climate change, community engagement, as well as recovery and resilience in the context of the ongoing pandemic crisis. All times are Paris time (CEST).
| 16 June | Preliminary Technical Sessions |
|---|---|
| 10.00 – 11.30 | Preliminary Technical Session 1 The implementation of the Recommendation on the Historic Urban Landscape in World Heritage Cities in Asia and the Pacific (English only) |
| 12.00 – 13.30 | Preliminary Technical Session 2: The implementation of the Recommendation on the Historic Urban Landscape in World Heritage Cities in Africa (simultaneous interpretation English/French) |
| 15.30 – 17.00 | Preliminary Technical Session 3: The implementation of the Recommendation on the Historic Urban Landscape in World Heritage Cities in Latin America and the Caribbean (simultaneous interpretation English/Spanish) |
| 21 June | Preliminary Technical Sessions |
| 10.00 – 11.30 | Preliminary Technical Session 4: The implementation of the Recommendation on the Historic Urban Landscape in World Heritage Cities in Europe and North America (English only) |
| 12.00 – 13.30 | Preliminary Technical Session 5: The implementation of the Recommendation on the Historic Urban Landscape in World Heritage Cities in the Arab States and Europe(simultaneous interpretation English/French) |
| 15.30 – 17.00 | Preliminary Technical Session 6: The implementation of the Recommendation on the Historic Urban Landscape in World Heritage Cities in Europe and North America (simultaneous interpretation English/Spanish) |
Partnerships
The Anniversary event has been collaboratively developed with the support of:
City of Queretaro, Mexico;
Secretaría de Cultura del Gobierno del Estado de Puebla, México;
Regional World Heritage Institute Zacatecas, Mexico;
Austrian Federal Ministry for Arts, Culture, Civil Service and Sport
City of Graz, Austria;
City of Salzburg, Austria;
Historic England, UK;
Association of Italian World Heritage Properties;
City of San Gimignano, Italy;
City of Nanjing, China;
UNESCO Regional Bureau for Science and Culture in Europe;
UNESCO National Office to Mexico
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