World Heritage

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (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.

World Heritage is basically underpinned by Sustainability thinking. Today, more than ever before in our history, our natural world needs to be considered as a partner in all facets of our living. The Footbeat Festival has taken up the task to celebrate World Heritage values and engender the exploration of what it means to have concern for our community and its culture, our environment and our ways of doing business. The aim is to introduce concepts, innovation and information on the whole subject and to facilitate the interest in and uptake of technology, practices and processes in a relaxed and enjoyable setting.


Globally, the move is towards adopting and adapting to climate change while seeking to reduce our ‘ecological footprint’ or, in other words, reduce man’s negative impact on the environment. In 1992 in Johannesburg, South Africa, the first definition of sustainability was developed.


"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".
(UNESCO 1992-2007)
Courtesy www.bmwhi.org.au 

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (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

UNESCO's World Heritage mission is to:

encourage countries to sign the World Heritage Convention and to ensure the protection of their natural and cultural heritage;

  • encourage States Parties to the Convention to nominate sites within their national territory for inclusion on the World Heritage List;
  • encourage States Parties to establish management plans and set up reporting systems on the state of conservation of their World Heritage sites;
  • help States Parties safeguard World Heritage properties by providing technical assistance and professional training; 
  • provide emergency assistance for World Heritage sites in immediate danger;
  • support States Parties' public awareness-building activities for World Heritage conservation;
  • encourage participation of the local population in the preservation of their cultural and natural heritage;
  • encourage international cooperation in the conservation of our world's cultural and natural heritage.

The World Heritage List includes 890 properties that the World Heritage Committee considers as having outstanding universal natural and cultural heritage value. 

The Blue Mountains nomination was prepared jointly by the Australian government and the State government of New South Wales following years of public concern for recognition of the area and dedication to its conservation.  Many experts, stakeholder groups and local governments contributed to the project. 


The World Heritage Committee was unanimous in endorsing the nomination and the Greater Blue Mountains was announced as Australia's 14th World Heritage Area on 29 November 2000. The Greater Blue Mountains Area was recognised for its outstanding natural values including the biodiversity of its plant and animal communities, its vegetation dominated by Australia's unique eucalypts and for the unmatched beauty of its natural landscapes


Currently, the indigenous culture of the Greater Blue Mountains Area is being raised as also being sufficiently significant that it be included under the protection of the World Heritage Convention, as were its environmental qualities originally.



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