World Heritage
Heritage is our legacy from the past, what we live with today, and what we
pass on to future generations. Our cultural and natural heritage are both
irreplaceable sources of life and inspiration. Places as unique and diverse as
the wilds of East Africa’s Serengeti, the Pyramids of Egypt, the Great Barrier
Reef in Australia and the Baroque cathedrals of Latin America make up our
world’s heritage.

What makes the concept of World Heritage exceptional is its universal
application.  World Heritage sites belong to all the peoples of the world,
irrespective of the territory on which they are located.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
seeks to encourage the identification, protection and preservation of cultural
and natural heritage around the world considered to be of outstanding value to
humanity. This is embodied in an international treaty called the Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage , adopted by UNESCO in 1972.


Link for more information:
http://whc.unesco.org/en/about/