After the devastation of the Second World War, the Hague Convention is adopted to protect cultural heritage during armed conflicts.
The international community, coordinated by UNESCO, saves the temples of Abu Simbel in Egypt from flooding caused by the construction of the Aswan Dam.
The General Conference of UNESCO adopts the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage.
After ratification by a sufficient number of countries, the World Heritage Convention officially enters into force.
The World Heritage Committee adds the first twelve sites to the new World Heritage List.
UNESCO introduces the category 'cultural landscapes', thereby also recognising the interaction between humans and nature as heritage value.
Due to armed conflicts, such as the destruction in Iraq and Afghanistan, attention to the List of World Heritage in Danger grows.
UNESCO officially recognises climate change as one of the greatest threats to world heritage sites, from melting glaciers to drowning coastal towns.
UNESCO aims to link the World Heritage List more closely to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, looking ahead to 2030 and beyond.
The future course focuses on a balance between preservation, tourism, climate adaptation and the rights of local communities, including indigenous peoples. The goal is a heritage list that not only preserves the past, but also contributes to a resilient and just future for humanity and the planet.