Latin America
and the Caribbean
From archaeological pre-Hispanic sites, exceptionally well preserved historical centres, breath-taking natural sites with exquisite, biodiverse landscapes, the Region’s World Heritage serves as a basis for further strengthening sustainable development and the role of local communities which is vital for heritage protection and management.
A well protected World Heritage site contributes directly to environmental, social and economic development and helps better the life of the local community. This process constitutes a great challenge for the years to come, both for the State Parties to the Convention and for UNESCO.
With the four newly inscribed properties, the Region counts with 147 properties from 28 countries inscribed on the World Heritage List as follows:
Periodic Reporting
The Periodic Reporting process
in the Latin America and the Caribbean Region
© UNESCO / Final meeting in Santiago de Chile, 2012 on the Periodic Reporting for LAC
Third Cycle (2021)
Recalling that the 3rd cycle of Periodic Reporting (2018-2024) has already initiated in other regions, for Latin America and the Caribbean, the reporting exercise will be launched in October 2021. It will involve all properties inscribed on the World Heritage List from the region, including those inscribed by the Committee at its Extended 44th session of the World Heritage Committee in July 2021.
The objective of the Periodic Reporting is to reflect the work made by all the actors involved in the management and conservation of the sites and, comprehend how the World Heritage Convention is being implemented at national and local levels.
Guidance and Training Tools (English and Spanish) have been prepared to facilitate the filling up of the two Sections of the Questionnaire for the Third Cycle by National Focal Points and World Heritage Site Managers.
Second Cycle (2013)
The objective of the Second Cycle was to the strengthen State Parties' capacities in order to contribute to the completion of the Retrospective Inventory exercise and the Retrospective Statements of Outstanding Universal Value for World Heritage properties in the LAC Region. Its official launch took place during the 35th Session of the Committee in 2011.
First Cycle (2004)
The First cycle was implemented in accordance with the World Heritage reporting mechanisms (1998) and the strategic objectives of the Convention (2002). This report constitutes the first periodic report on the state of World Heritage in the LAC Region and was examined by the World Heritage Committee at its 28th session (Suzhou, 2004).
As follow up of Decision 37 COM 10A adopted by the World Heritage Committee at its 37th session (Phnom Penh–2013) and based on the results of the 2nd cycle of the Periodic Reporting exercise, the LAC State Parties, in close cooperation with the World Heritage Centre, the Advisory Bodies and Category 2 Centres developed regional and sub-regional Action Plans. When the Third Cycle is concluded, a new Action Plan for the Region will be developed taking into consideration the results obtained.
Action Plans
At its 38th session (Doha, 2014), the Committee congratulated the LAC State Parties for their efforts and adopted the Action Plan for World Heritage in Latin America and the Caribbean 2014-2024. The Committee further encouraged State Parties to continue working with the World Heritage Centre, the Advisory Bodies and the Category II Centres to develop sub-regional action plans (Decision 38 COM 10B.4)
Regional Action Plan
Questionnaire
on the follow-up of the PARALC
(2014-2024) concluded in 2019
As follow up of Decision 37 COM 10A adopted by the World Heritage Committee and based on the results of the 2nd cycle of the Periodic Reporting exercise, the LAC States Parties, in close cooperation with the World Heritage Centre, the Advisory Bodies and Category 2 Centres, developed the Regional Action Plan (PARALC, 2014-2024) to address the key challenges and priorities regarding World Heritage across the region.
PARALC 2014-2024
Action plan for World Heritage in the LAC Region
English French Spanish
Sub-regional Action Plans
By Decision 38COM 10B.4, the Committee further encouraged the State Parties to continue working, in close cooperation with the World Heritage Centre, Advisory Bodies and the Region’s Category 2 Centres, to develop sub-regional action plans, based on the Action Plan for World Heritage (PARALC 2014-2024) and building upon the achievements of the previous plan with a focus on the specific needs of each sub-region.
Capacity Building
Strategic Objective for the implementation of the Convention
© Category 2 Centre, Lucio Costa Centre / Rio de Janeiro, 2016
The Second cycle of the Periodic Reporting exercise identified the lack of management capacity and expertise as one of the pressing needs in some countries from the region preventing them from ensuring better protection for the World Heritage sites within their territory. In this context, the Regional Action Plan (PARALC 2015-2024) outlines a Capacity Building Strategy (EFCAS) in order to support the Category 2 Centres in the Region in elaborating Capacity Building strategies and programmes tailored to the specific needs of the 3 LAC sub-regions (Mexico and Central America, the Caribbean, South America) aiming to address their most urgent requirements.to support the implementation of the World Heritage Convention.
Extra-budgetary Projects
The projects financed with extra-budgetary resources form an essential part of the Action Plan of World Heritage for the Region. They support several conservation and management activities, which cannot be supported only with regular budget funds, and which tackle key priorities for the Region.
Thanks to these donors and partners, WHC-LAC is able to enhance its action regarding conservation, management, technical assistance, seminars, workshops, training courses, database creation and others.
LAC UNESCO field partners
Field offices
Conservation, protection and capacity building activities in the region are carried out through reinforced cooperation among the State Parties, the World Heritage Centre, the Advisory Bodies and UNESCO Offices in the field. The network of field offices plays an essential role in the implementation of specific activities.
Category II Centres
Created in order to assist and support the State Parties of the three LAC sub-regions to implement the 1972 World Heritage Convention. Two centres have been created: the Category II Centre “Lucio Costa Regional Training Center in Cultural Heritage Management (CLC)” for the South American sub-region, and the Category II Centre “Regional World Heritage Institute in Zacatecas (RWHIZ)” for Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean.
- Caribbean Capacity Building Programme (CCBP)
- Category 2 Centres (LAC)
- Culture and Development: World Heritage in the Caribbean
- Disaster Risk Management Plan for Quebrada de Humahuaca
- Fortifications and the World Heritage Convention – Valdivia Chile 2004 and Campeche Mexico 2005
- LAC Action Plan
- LAC Extra-budgetary Projects
- Periodic Reporting 1st Cycle: Latin America and the Caribbean (2004)
- Periodic Reporting 2nd Cycle : Latin America and the Caribbean (2013)
- Latin America and the Caribbean region starts the Third Cycle of Periodic Reporting Exercise 01-Oct-2021
- Conservation works at Brimstone Hill Fortress National Park completed 24-Aug-2020
- In Memoriam: Eusebio Leal 01-Aug-2020
- UNESCO expresses concern after the suspicious death of several guides in the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve (Mexico) 04-Feb-2020
- World Heritage Centre vigilant on oil spill in the Galapagos Islands 26-Dec-2019
- Job opening: Consultant/Expert in Historical Heritage Conservation - UNESCO Office in Port-au-Prince (Haiti) 06-Sep-2019
- World Heritage Centre supports Colombia’s efforts to improve security in national parks 26-Feb-2019
- Category II Centre “Lucio Costa” in Brazil adopts Work Plan 2018-2020 for World Heritage 31-Aug-2018
- UNESCO Director-General and Government of Brazil renew agreement for World Heritage Category 2 Centre “Lucio Costa” for 6 more years 14-Jun-2018
- States Parties of Mexico and Central America adopt in Zacatecas “Action Plan for World Heritage” for next 5 years 17-May-2018
- Colombia and city of Bogota kick-off workshop for the Culture|2030 Indicators 09-Nov-2021-12-Nov-2021
- 40th anniversary celebration of Quito and Galápagos as World Heritage 03-Dec-2018-03-Dec-2018
- Synergies in South America: Defining the UNESCO/Category 2 Centre 'Lucio Costa' (2018-2019) Agenda 29-Aug-2018-31-Aug-2018
- Sub-regional meeting on the Action Plan for World Heritage in Mexico and Central America, 2018-2023 23-Apr-2018-25-Apr-2018
- Multimedia exhibition "World Heritage in Latin America and the Caribbean" 29-May-2017-02-Jun-2017
- Workshop on the Conservation and Management of Military Architecture-related World Heritage properties in the Caribbean 08-Nov-2016-09-Nov-2016
- Pilot module for the Capacity Building Programme for South America from the Category 2 Centre, Lucio Costa Centre 03-Oct-2016-07-Oct-2016
- Public call for Research projects from the Category II Centre, Lucio Costa Centre 15-May-2015-14-Aug-2015
- Second Public call for Submissions from the Category II Centre, Lucio Costa Centre 15-May-2015-14-Jul-2015
- Sub-Regional meeting on the Caribbean Action Plan for World Heritage 2014-2019 26-Nov-2014-28-Nov-2014