ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the significance of the World Heritage and Sustainable Development Policy in the context of indigenous peoples' struggle to ensure respect for their rights, cultures and values in the implementation of the World Heritage Convention. It provides a discussion on the relationship between sustainable development and indigenous peoples' rights, drawing on some of the key documents that define the concept of 'sustainable development' as understood by the United Nations. Some thoughts are presented on potential follow-up actions that would help ensure that the World Heritage and Sustainable Development Policy is applied in practice and leads to positive change for indigenous peoples living in or around World Heritage sites. With its emphasis on human rights and indigenous peoples, the World Heritage and Sustainable Development Policy undoubtedly represents a milestone – and hopefully a turning point – in the history of the World Heritage Convention.
