UNESCOWelterbe

UNESCO World Heritage, commonly called UNESCO-Welterbe in German, denotes sites worldwide that UNESCO has found to have outstanding universal value. The designation is administered under the 1972 Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, adopted by UNESCO. The aim is to encourage global preservation of cultural and natural heritage for future generations.

Sites are inscribed into categories Cultural, Natural, or a combined Mixed category. A site is judged against a set of criteria describing its extraordinary value, and must demonstrate outstanding universal value that is significant beyond its national borders. To qualify, the site typically has long-term preservation needs and a management framework.

Nomination begins with a State Party submitting a detailed dossier; UNESCO's advisory bodies ICOMOS (for cultural sites) or IUCN (for natural sites) assess the proposal. The World Heritage Committee then decides on inscription based on these evaluations. Once inscribed, sites receive international recognition and are expected to be protected under national law and supported by a management plan. In cases of severe threat, a site may be placed on the List of World Heritage in Danger to mobilize assistance.

Prominent examples include the Historic Centre of Rome, the Pyramids of Giza, the Great Barrier Reef, Machu Picchu, and the Taj Mahal.

The World Heritage program is widely regarded as a driver of conservation and sustainable tourism, though it faces ongoing debates about local impact and conservation effectiveness.