For a long time, people did not think about what they would leave to their descendants. Rulers changed, whole cultures were destroyed, and there was no trace of them. Later, people became smarter and kept works of art, buildings of tremendous beauty, interesting monuments, etc. In the end, mankind came to the conclusion that the most valuable objects should be included in a special list. Today, tourists visiting certain countries are interested in the World Heritage Abroad. The UNESCO project has long been called more than successful.
World Heritage
At some point, people were distracted from the consumption of resources and realized the need to protect natural and historical monuments, flora and fauna. This desire is expressed in a special list, the idea of which was implemented in 1972 under the Convention on the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, which proclaimed universal responsibility for the preservation of the most significant objects.
Today, the list includes more than a thousand items, and all these monuments are located in 161 states. Among them there are picturesque corners of nature and amazingly creative creations of human hands, but some objects may surprise those who do not know by what principles this list is compiled.
Criteria
World Heritage Abroad and in Russia are not just buildings and natural monuments. Each object is unique in its own way and is included in the list indicating specific criteria. Conventionally, they are divided into two parts.
For artificial objects, criteria such as reflecting the relationship of human values, the development of architecture, uniqueness or exclusivity, and communication with ideas in the public domain are important. Of course, beauty and aesthetics are also taken into account. There are six key factors.
As for natural monuments, they must include phenomena or terrain of exceptional aesthetic qualities, represent an example of the main stages of history, geological or biological processes, or be important from the point of view of preserving the diversity of the animal and plant world. Only four criteria are presented.
Those World Heritage sites located abroad or in Russia, which can be attributed approximately equally to one or the other group, are called mixed, or having cultural and natural significance. So what exactly is on the UNESCO list?
Record countries
UNESCO World Heritage Sites are scattered throughout the world very unevenly. The states with the largest number of monuments are Italy, China, Spain, France, Germany, Mexico, India, Great Britain, Russia and the USA. In total, over 350 objects are located on their territory, which is more than a third of the entire list. Almost all of these countries can be said to be the heirs of great civilizations and possess natural wealth. In any case, this beginning of the list is not at all surprising.
Man-made objects
In this category for 2014 there are 779 objects. This includes the most famous and significant buildings and structures of the world, many of which are symbols of their countries: Angkor Wat in Cambodia, Easter Island, the Great Wall of China, Abu Men in Egypt, Versailles, Cologne Cathedral, Acropolis of Athens, Taj Mahal, temples Prambanan and Borobudur in Indonesia, ancient Samarra, located on the modern territory of Iran, Peter in Jordan, Chichen Itza and Teotihuacan in Mexico, Cuzco in Peru, Kizhi churchyard, Kolomensky church, Stonehenge, the Statue of Liberty, the Sydney Opera House … Often highlight what one thing ko difficult that the list gets the entire historic center of various cities - very often is observed in Europe. All the most popular attractions among tourists will certainly fall into this list. But sometimes, if some serious changes have occurred, the object "leaves" the World Heritage Site. Two such cases are known abroad: the Elbe river valley near Dresden was excluded in connection with the construction of a highway; the reserve of white oryx - a special type of antelope - was removed from the list in Oman due to the reduction of its territory and the ineffective fight against poaching. It is likely that the situation will change over time, but even if not, every year a special committee considers new proposals to include various objects in the World Heritage Abroad.
Natural monuments
The most interesting and beautiful monuments in the World Heritage Abroad category are natural objects. The creation of man, that is, buildings, structures, etc., is also curious, but it is much more interesting to observe what is created without the help and intervention of people. The list of such monuments (for 2014) includes 197 items. Objects are located in 87 countries of the world. 19 of them are threatened with extinction (for one reason or another). By the way, the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites begins with a natural monument - the Galapagos Islands, which were awarded this honor in 1978. And, perhaps, this can be called quite fair, because many very rare animals and plants live here, the archipelago is also known for its stunning views. And, ultimately, nature remains the most valuable wealth of mankind.
Mixed category
Some buildings created by man are so closely related to the landscape and the environment that it is difficult to clearly name them man-made. Or, on the contrary, man only slightly changed what appeared as a result of geological, biological and other natural processes. In any case, the UNESCO World Natural and Cultural Heritage, represented by objects from this category, is truly unique.
There are relatively few such objects - 31, but even briefly telling about each is simply impossible, as they are diverse and interesting in their own way. This includes the national parks of Australia and New Zealand, Mount Athos, Machu Picchu, Meteora monasteries, the wildlife of Tasmania, the landscapes and life of Lapland and much more. It is a real miracle that all this wealth has come down to our time in this form, and the common task of mankind is to preserve this heritage for posterity.
Russia and the CIS countries
In the territory of the former USSR there are a large number of monuments included in the UNESCO list. Some are nominated as candidates. In total, there are 52 objects, including the Struve geodetic arc, located on the territory of several states.
The list includes such items as the Moscow Kremlin, Samarkand, Tauric Chersonesos, Bukhara, Lake Baikal, Lena Pillars, Putorana Plateau, Mount Sulaiman-Too, etc. Carefully studying the UNESCO World Heritage List located in the CIS countries, you can even decide never to travel to foreign countries without exploring their native lands - such diverse and interesting objects are presented in it. Well, then it’s already possible to look at the neighbors, and go over the three seas — there will be something to compare with.
UNESCO World Heritage in Ukraine is 7 objects at the moment, and 15 more are under consideration. From the CIS countries, this country takes the second place in the number of items included in our list. These include, for example, the Kiev Pechersk Lavra and the Hagia Sophia in Kiev, the historical center of Lviv, the beech forest of the Carpathians.
Status
It might seem that inclusion in the World Heritage Abroad is just a nice bonus, making it easier for tourists and travelers to choose where to go and what to see. But this is completely wrong, because many objects are threatened with partial destruction or extinction and need special treatment. Their inclusion in the list of UNESCO can further guarantee their safety. In addition, the addition of certain sights to this list raises their prestige and popularity, which, in turn, attracts more tourists to the country. The development of this sector of the economy allows you to get at the disposal of more money for which you can restore the very monuments of culture that were on the UNESCO list. So this project is useful in every way.
Objects at risk
Unfortunately, everything is not so rosy. There is a special section of the list that lists those natural and cultural monuments that are facing critical changes or complete extinction. The reasons can be different: various kinds of catastrophes and incidents, wars, the negative impact of climate and time. Not all of this can be controlled, so that soon mankind may lose some of the objects included in the UNESCO World Natural and Cultural Heritage. There are 46 points in this "alarming" list. None of them are included in the World Heritage in Russia. Unfortunately, such situations abroad are not uncommon. But the committee is working in this direction.
The list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in jeopardy includes those that appeared a long time ago - in the 3-5 millennium BC, so their importance can hardly be overestimated. Nevertheless, the numerous problems, plans for construction and reconstruction, war, floods, poaching, etc. do not yet allow us to say that these places are safe.
Committee Activities
UNESCO is a huge organization dealing with a wide variety of issues. World Heritage Abroad is just one of them. And all issues related to this topic are decided by a special committee. He meets once a year to make a decision on the objects applying for inclusion in the list. In addition, the committee initiates the creation of working groups that deal with the problems of individual objects. It also acts as a financial institution, allocating funds to the countries parties to the Convention upon request. In total, the committee consists of 21 members. Most of them expire in 2017.
