World Heritage Partners

Anasazi cliff dwellings at Mesa Verde
Source: UNESCO World Heritage Center

UNESCO and its World Heritage Center are working for the conservation and promotion of the sites inscribed on the World Heritage List. These diverse places represent the outstanding universal value of humanity's heritage, a compelling testimony to the biodiversity of our planet and to centuries of major cultural accomplishments.

This heritage is everyone's legacy. All are invited to help in its conservation. State members, international and national organizations as well the civil society commit daily to this

World Heritage's partners are a keystone for the preservation of numerous sites. These partnerships are as varied as the sites themselves in their endeavors: mobilizing resources, sharing know-how, reinforcing administrative and technical experience and expertise.

Among the partners of UNESCO's World Heritage Center from the United States are:

* Hewlett-Packard A first partnership agreement was reached in 2003 with the company to strengthen and implement the World Heritage Centre's Information Management System through the "World Heritage Image and Documentation Management" project. At the end of 2005 a new partnership was concluded between the World Heritage Centre, Hewlett-Packard and National Geographic Society to design, produce and distribute a new version of the World Heritage Map using a new digital printing technology.

* The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation A partnership was set up between the Foundation and the World Heritage Centre to support the marine programme in the Carribbean.

* The National Geographic Society In 2005, a partnership was concluded between the World Heritage Centre, Hewlett-Packard and National Geographic Society to design, produce and distribute a new version of the World Heritage Map to increase its diffusion to the public. In November 2006, a new agreement was signed between the World Heritage Centre and National Geographic Society to set up a free downloadable program, "National Geographic World Explorer", including high-resolution images, cartography and interactive thematic information. Location of World Heritage sites as well as information about them will be included in this program.

* Philanthropy Squared In 2006, the World Heritage Centre signed an agreement with Philanthropy Squared to set up promotional and fundraising activities in the United States for World Heritage.

* The Nature Conservancy In 2004, the World Heritage Centre concluded an agreement with this organization to develop various projects for sites, especially for capacity-building and improvement of management, with emphasis on local communities. This partnership is based on a shared vision to protect and manage natural and mixed cultural sites inscribed on the World Heritage List, in the fields of biodiversity and sustainable development on terrestrial, marine and coastal sites.

* The United Nations Foundation (UNF) Since 1998, UNF has had a cooperation agreement with the United Nations to achieve the objectives of the Charter of United Nations through innovative, forward-looking and proactive projects that make contributions to the well-being of the world. To improve this collaboration, the United Nations created a United Nations Fund of International Partnerships (UNFIP) destined to receive grants from UNF for projects. UNF and UNFIP have carried out, in partnership with the World Heritage Centre, projects on the world's biological diversity and the promotion of the importance of natural heritage for the future of humankind. In 2003, a partnership agreement was created between UNF and the World Heritage Centre to raise awareness about World Heritage, particularly in the United States, and to mobilize support for both cultural and natural World Heritage sites, notably through the creation of web pages.