The Hague Convention as a forerunner
After the devastation of the Second World War, the Hague Convention is adopted to protect cultural heritage during armed conflicts.
Rescue operation of Abu Simbel
The international community, coordinated by UNESCO, saves the temples of Abu Simbel in Egypt from flooding caused by the construction of the Aswan Dam.
Adoption of the World Heritage Convention
The General Conference of UNESCO adopts the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage.
Entry into force of the convention
After ratification by a sufficient number of countries, the World Heritage Convention officially enters into force.
First inscriptions on the World Heritage List
The World Heritage Committee adds the first twelve sites to the new World Heritage List.
Recognition of cultural landscapes
UNESCO introduces the category 'cultural landscapes', thereby also recognising the interaction between humans and nature as heritage value.
Growing attention to endangered heritage
Due to armed conflicts, such as the destruction in Iraq and Afghanistan, attention to the List of World Heritage in Danger grows.
Climate change as a new threat
UNESCO officially recognises climate change as one of the greatest threats to world heritage sites, from melting glaciers to drowning coastal towns.
Future vision: heritage and sustainable development
UNESCO aims to link the World Heritage List more closely to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, looking ahead to 2030 and beyond.
Rescue operation of Abu Simbel
This large-scale technical and financial cooperation between dozens of countries is seen as a turning point: it demonstrated that international solidarity could save cultural heritage of exceptional value. The temples were moved stone by stone to higher ground, a monumental feat of engineering that attracted worldwide media attention and increased support for a permanent protection mechanism.