On 8 July, during the 47th session of the World Heritage Committee, ICCROM and WHITR-AP Shanghai renewed their enduring partnership by signing a Memorandum of Understanding. This agreement reinforces both institutions’ shared dedication to strengthening sustainable conservation and management of cultural heritage.
A key focus of the renewed partnership is capacity building, with an emphasis on supporting diverse, effective management of heritage types and prioritizing ensuring the well-being of communities.
For the next six years, ICCROM and WHITR-AP Shanghai will work together on a broad range of projects, programmes, activities, and publications. These efforts will promote sustainable heritage conservation in Asia and the Pacific, and beyond.
Guided by ICCROM’s Strategic Directions – Conserve, which supports upskilling to meet new conservation challenges and Recognize which targets strengthening policy support for heritage – and WHITR-AP’s strategies for capacity building and World Heritage implementation, the partnership will continue to advance shared goals through locally adapted, impactful initiatives.
The signing ceremony took place in the framework of a side event co-organized by WHITRAP and the World Federation of UNESCO Clubs, Centres and Associations (WFUCA), titled “World Heritage Education Towards the Future – Global Innovative Network and Capacity Building.”
During the session, ICCROM also presented the ICCROM-IUCN-ICOMOS PANORAMA Nature-Culture as a platform to collect and share case studies of successful heritage management projects and processes implemented at World Heritage sites and heritage places worldwide.
The event provided a platform to discuss the future development of World Heritage education and promote the adoption of the revised World Heritage Capacity Building Strategy based on strengthened global cooperation and networking.
"With this new MoU, we are laying the foundation for even greater coordination and a more agile response to the evolving challenges facing heritage today. From formal training to grassroots engagement, and from research to policy support, our joint initiatives will be guided by excellence, and the highest standards of international cooperation."
We are grateful to our partners at WHITR-AP Shanghai for their unwavering commitment, shared vision, and spirit of collaboration. This MoU marks an important step forward, and we look forward to working together to advance our common goals and make a lasting impact in the field of cultural heritage.