The year 2022 marked the 50th anniversary of the UNESCO World Heritage Convention, which is based on three visionary ideas. Firstly, some places are so important that their preservation cannot be left to a single country. They are the responsibility of the international community. Secondly, it removes the distinction between our natural heritage and our cultural heritage; both are equally important.
And thirdly, it goes on to recognise that nature is the background to human activity, so we need to study the ways that people interact with nature and how to preserve the balance between the two.
The convention was ratified by 20 countries and took effect from 1975.
The World Heritage Convention grew out of the Aswan Dam project
