ABSTRACT

World Heritage Conservation requires capacities within countries and organizations in order to respond to complex conservation and management issues on the ground. World Heritage Fund was established to facilitate financial support towards the saving of cultural and natural sites of outstanding universal value (OUV). This chapter explores how the original i.e. behind the convention, that of mobilizing international cooperation and financial assistance for the conservation of a common heritage of humanity, has evolved into a wide range of programmes, strategies and activities for the development of capacities in heritage conservation. There are three types of assistance available under the World Heritage Fund: emergency assistance; conservation and management assistance; and preparatory assistance. Funding priority is given to international assistance for properties inscribed on the LWHD, i.e. properties for which major operations and international assistance are necessary for their conservation. Heritage provides opportunities for cultural and socio-economic development and needs to be treated as a finite, valuable and delicate resource.