We Are Site Managers International Symposium

December 6, 2023 Published by Alex McCoskrie

1st to 5th March 2024, Penang, Malaysia

World Heritage Site coordinator/managers are the frontliners of the UNESCO 1972 Convention with responsibilities to conserve, protect and safeguard the Outstanding Universal Values of respective World Heritage Sites. 

We Are Site Managers International Symposium aims to promote the understanding of the functions, responsibilities, challenges and needs of Site Coordinators/Managers, to international organisations, state parties and the larger heritage-related communities. 

In March 2024, leading Site Managers from around the world will be invited to George Town, Malaysia to discuss, debate and deliver their experiences in the field, and thus contribute to achieving the following objectives:

  1. To identify and define the roles, commitments and contributions of Site Coordinators/Managers for the UNESCO World Heritage System 
  2. To achieve the United Nations’ SDGs by engaging in an inclusive and meaningful community-based approach in the WHS Management through the “George Town Declaration” 
  3. To facilitate opportunities for sharing of thought-provoking initiatives in all aspects of Site Coordinators/Managers’ activities, including conservation, communication, development, education, best practices, innovative approaches, largest threats, and other day-to-day activities
  4. To share the Site Coordinators/Managers’ day-to-day needs, experiences, challenges, and opportunities with peers and stakeholders, thus creating international awareness and recognition of the function of Site Managers as the frontliners in WHS safeguarding and conservation. These experiences shall be incorporated and integrated as early as possible when key decision makers, including the World Heritage Centre of its advisory bodies, prepare capacity building courses, world heritage management guidelines or handbooks, or projects
  5. To encourage dialogues between Site Coordinators/Managers with the international and national stakeholders on the perceptions and receptions of Site Coordinators/Managers in WHS Management, with the aim to reach pragmatic problem solving at site level
  6. To create a more inclusive, supportive, pragmatic and integrated system at the local and international levels for Site Coordinators/Managers at UNESCO and its advisory bodies to effectively deliver the responsibilities in managing and conserving WHSs and in protecting the OUV(s).
  7. To build a network of Site Coordinators/Managers.

Interested? Click here to find out more.