World Heritage Canopy
Heritage Solutions for Sustainable Futures
World Heritage Canopy is a living platform of innovative strategies and practices that integrate heritage conservation with sustainable development. Through case studies and practical examples, the platform aims to inspire and guide local actions that contribute to and align with major global commitments including the 1972 World Heritage Convention, the Recommendation on the Historic Urban Landscape and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Heritage and Sustainable Development
Sustainable Development is a concept, an approach, an aspiration, and an urgent need. The UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the African Union Agenda 2063, and the UN New Urban Agenda are among several major international agreements towards sustainable development. The World Heritage Sustainable Development Policy (2015), adopted by the World Heritage Committee, provides concepts and principles linking conservation of the Outstanding Universal Value of World Heritage properties with sustainable development.
Canopy provides a thematic and regional resource for better understanding:
- The role and contribution of heritage to sustainable development in and around the World Heritage properties that benefit local communities;
- Operational solutions for sustainable development in and around World Heritage properties that integrate heritage conservation objectives also to protect their Outstanding Universal Value;
- Examples of heritage management practices, policies, and actions that contribute to sustainable development transversally across different thematic dimensions and sustainable development solutions that engage with heritage.
Case studies
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A variety of projects aim to protect Cusco’s cultural heritage, promote social development through crafts and strengthen traditional knowledge for sustainable development.
The local government analysed mobile usage data from major telephone operators to collect useful data for infrastructure design and tourism management.
The model of the Polo del 900 proposes collaboration as a solution for institutional and cultural fragmentation which forms the core of a new ecology of creative cultural systems and puts community at the ...
A long-standing project has been working to revitalise a commercial street in the historic district of Darb al-Ahmar and reconnect the local community with their cultural heritage. The project, developed ...
The multi-level, heritage-based development and spatial plan aims to link the World Heritage site and buffer zone with the wider city context by using town planning as a tool to bridge spatial and social ...
The daily monitoring of the conservation status of the heritage sites is carried out by local residents, who were trained as daily heritage inspectors by the managing authority. This monitoring system is a ...
In the context of long-standing conflict, a cash-for-work scheme provides young people with employment opportunities while contributing to the conservation of urban heritage in four historic cities.
The symbolic ritual of cleaning and purification pays tribute to the spirits of the African ancestors who reached this entry port in captivity. The ritual started shortly after the discovery of the remains ...
The long-term plan aims to promote sustainable urban transportation, reduce emissions and pollution, and enhance liveability in the historic city by enhancing cycling networks and infrastructure, improving ...
The community event encourages young people to deepen their knowledge about cultural heritage and propose ideas for its conservation through workshops, cultural visits, educational activities and an ideas ...
An online platform connects and supports small- and medium-sized enterprises located in World Heritage Cities in Mexico, promoting national tourism and increasing local businesses' digital presence.
In the city of Bamberg, traditional gardening practices are part of the city’s strategy to promote urban sustainability. The COVID-19 pandemic helped to strengthen the local community’s connection with its ...
A farming cooperative system conserves the agricultural landscape around the historic town of Røros and promotes sustainable tourism.
The annual celebration features an interactive and educational programme that includes workshops and performances in the streets of the historic city of George Town. Through the Celebrations, the local ...
The initiative aims to educate and share the history, culture and heritage of the Brazilian territory of Missions. The exhibition is part of an ongoing project developed by the National Institute for ...
The local government of Puebla has developed a comprehensive Heritage Education Programme to raise awareness about the city’s cultural heritage and aid its conservation. The programme includes educational ...
A programme by UNESCO Jakarta and Citi Foundation aims to promote youth entrepreneurship and raise awareness about cultural and natural heritage by linking local communities’ livelihoods with the heritage ...
In early 2020, the University of Pennsylvania carried out a field research seminar in Cartagena de Indias, Colombia. The educational exercise was used as an opportunity to study the city’s cultural ...
A new initiative aims to implement the approach of the 2011 UNESCO Recommendation on the Historic Urban Landscape in the Indian cities of Gwalior and Orchha. The project is born out of a collaboration ...
The City of Durham Neighbourhood Plan was developed between 2014 and 2021 following a comprehensive community-centred approach, which included a Neighbourhood Forum, extensive consultations and a public ...
In order to face challenges such as urban gentrification, the abandonment of the city centre and the impact of tourism, the City of Santiago de Compostela developed a comprehensive framework for heritage ...
On the 25th Anniversary of the site's inscription on the World Heritage List, new tours aim to open the World Heritage site to everyone, including citizens with special needs. By partnering with relevant ...
The Guidebook aims to make the urban legislation of the city of Cidade Velha more accessible and understandable to the public. This document constitutes an exemplary tool for awareness raising of local ...
Along with the nomination process of the Historic City of Vigan as a World Heritage site in 1999, the local government developed an ambitious conservation and management plan for the site. By implementing ...
Between 2013 and 2020, an extensive programme of expert surveying, studies and conservation works aimed to reinforce and stabilise the military structures of the World Heritage site. The programme was ...
The system includes a new local coordination office dedicated to the conservation and sustainable development of the historic centre.
An innovative initiative employs the Sustainable Development Goals as monitoring tools to track the contribution of heritage-related initiatives towards sustainable development.
An urban intervention becomes a major gateway linking the favelas and the lower city via two elevators, stairs and a pedestrian bridge. The complex was built on the premise of fostering inclusivity for the ...
As part of a wider effort to create a pedestrian-only zone in the historic centre, the city of Graz carried an ambitious programme to re-design its historic streets and public spaces through high-quality ...
A community engagement programme has provided key data and inputs for the sustainable development of the World Heritage site.
The revised Management Plan includes several strategic actions, such as urban rehabilitation and renovation programmes, regularisation of informal settlement and enhancement of public spaces.
In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the World Heritage site “Royal Exhibition Building and Carlton Gardens” began a process to review its World Heritage Management Plan. The review process began with a ...
Through innovative management and financing models and a combination of conservation actions aimed at both tangible and intangible heritage, the programme aims to make a contribution to the long-term ...
In reaction to the sharp increase in incoming visitors over the last decades, San Gimignano has developed several initiatives to support jobs and local livelihoods while respecting the town’s cultural ...
In order to improve the coordination between the two component cities of this serial property, the Municipalities of Mantua and Sabbioneta have created a central management office. This office is in charge ...
An update of the World Heritage management plan and urban planning tools seeks to integrate cultural and natural heritage values and their attributes in order to improve the city’s liveability and ...
In order to preserve historical documents related to World Heritage sites, the Iraqi State Board of Heritage and Antiquities has proposed to digitise historical documents from different archives and ...
The multi-cultural historic city of George Town developed a strategy to build on its rich and diverse cultural heritage as a resource for local development and livelihoods after its free trade port status ...
A project to create a digital map of places associated with literature aims to promote sustainable cultural tourism, relieving tourism pressures in the historic areas and encouraging visitors to explore ...
Through a series of strategic actions, Urbino has sought to improve its environmental sustainability and promote climate change mitigation and adaptation. An update of the management plan is currently ...
The inscription of the Historic Town of Grand-Bassam on the World Heritage List has provided new opportunities to promote sustainable development in the city. From the creation of a local World Heritage ...
The Million wells for Bengaluru campaign is an initiative to build one million shallow wells using traditional well-digging techniques. The initiative for the revival of traditional water systems ...
A new, unified buffer zone and a management plan aim to preserve the Outstanding Universal Value of the World Heritage site “Kyiv: Saint-Sophia Cathedral and Related Monastic Buildings, Kyiv-Pechersk ...
A pilot project to enhance public spaces using participatory processes helped to identify key lessons which can be later applied to other areas and cities.
Published in 2021, a new edition of the 1999 reference publication “Asante Traditional Buildings” updates and expands this important record of their outstanding architecture, making it once again available ...
The 2019 urban plan aims to protect cultural and natural heritage values and their attributes through specific planning tools, such as green and blue infrastructure planning and the development of ...
The participatory budgeting and decision-making model enables local residents to decide on the application of part of the city’s budget and the practical initiatives to be carried out in their city.
To protect this historic site at the centre of a bustling metropolis and promote its sustainable development, several actions are addressing the preservation and promotion of its cultural heritage.
The 2021 publication Historic Urban Landscape (HUL) Quick Scan Method. Handbook for Indonesian University Lecturers aims to adapt the HUL Approach to the Indonesian context and promote interdisciplinary ...
The 2021 publication compiles good practices and expert perspectives on the conservation and sustainable management of this serial property, including regarding tangible and intangible heritage ...
National and local stakeholders are brought together in the Georgian World Heritage Protection Council. The Council reviews all proposals within the World Heritage properties and buffer zones and ensures ...
The initiative Atlas World Heritage brings together the cities of Florence, Santiago de Compostela, Edinburgh, Oporto, Bordeaux to share their experiences and strategies to safeguard the sites’ OUV. The ...
A broad catalogue of technical guides and educational materials aim to raise awareness about cultural heritage values and guide residents in the maintenance and restoration of their buildings.
The Avebury Residents' Pack, developed between 2006 and 2008 by the local world heritage management office, aimed to reconnect the local communities with the archaeological sites in the village, bringing ...
Explore World Heritage Canopy
Discover the six themes.
Sustainable Development Goals
Learn more about how heritage-based actions can contribute to the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Call for contribution
Canopy is a growing database built thanks to contributions from the World Heritage community and beyond. We are currently collecting case studies of management practices, events, and activities related to World Heritage and historic cities. The collection aims at inspiring solutions and sharing innovative practices related to sustainable development across historic cities around the world. Selected case studies will be disseminated through our different channels such as our e-newsletter, online workshops, and webpages related to the UNESCO World Heritage Centre.
For this, we invite you to fill in this form in English, French or Spanish, and send it to worldheritagecities@unesco.org with the subject line “[Name of city, country] World Heritage Canopy”. If your submission includes multimedia content, we invite you to consult the Guidelines for media submissions.
We look forward to receiving your contributions and learning more about your recent efforts for the protection of World Heritage and historic cities.
Further Resources
Acknowledgement
We grateful acknowledge the support of the city of Nanjing.
Note: The cases shared in this platform address heritage protection practices in World Heritage sites and beyond. Items being showcased in this website do not entail any type of recognition or inclusion in the World Heritage list or any of its thematic programmes. The practices shared are not assessed in any way by the World Heritage Centre or presented here as model practices nor do they represent complete solutions to heritage management problems. The views expressed by experts and site managers are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of the World Heritage Centre. The practices and views shared here are included as a way to provide insights and expand the dialogue on heritage conservation with a view to further urban heritage management practice in general
