Looking to the future: the next 50 years of natural and cultural heritage protection

As part of the 45th extended session of the World Heritage Committee, and within the framework of UNESCO's World Heritage Education Programme, the Ministry of Culture of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, through the National Committee for Education, Culture and Science and the Saudi Heritage Commission, will host the World Heritage Young Professionals Forum 2023 under the theme "Looking to the Future: The Next 50 Years of Natural and Cultural Heritage Protection" from 3 to 12 September 2023 in Riyadh and the Al-Ahsa Oasis. The Forum will be developed and implemented with the support of the NGO Diadrasis. The Forum is an opportunity to understand and evaluate the achievements of the past 5 decades of the World Heritage Convention; highlight the crucial role of youth in the heritage ecosystem; and pave the way for the next generation of heritage professionals by giving voice to their unique approaches to heritage management. The Forum will harness the potential of capacity building and prepare young professionals to create a sustainable future for our cultural and natural heritage. At the end of the Forum, the results produced by the participants will be presented to the^45ª extended session of the World Heritage Committee in the form of a Youth Declaration.

Fund

The World Heritage Young Professionals Forums are among the flagship activities of the World Heritage Education Programme, designed to promote intercultural learning and exchange by bringing together young people, educators and heritage experts from different parts of the world to discover new roles for themselves in heritage conservation. They allow young professionals to gain local insights into heritage management from the experience of the host country and through visits to World Heritage properties, and also provide an opportunity for them to meet with members of the World Heritage Committee and its Advisory Bodies and discuss the 1972 Convention and its implementation in greater depth.

Theme

Over the past five decades, the World Heritage Convention has protected and promoted the treasures of humanity and transformed the way we value and safeguard heritage. As we celebrate the^50.º The theme of the 20th anniversary of the Convention is also an opportunity to look to the future and the issues we need to address together, such as climate change, sustainable tourism and the digital transformation of heritage, among others. For this reason, the theme of the Young World Heritage Professionals Forum 2023 is defined as "Looking to the future: the next 50 years of protecting natural and cultural heritage". The overall aim of the Forum is to deepen the knowledge and skills of young professionals in the protection, preservation and promotion of natural and cultural heritage for the next five years and beyond. Accompanied by local and international experts, and through a variety of presentations, round tables, discussions and site visits, the young professionals will collectively explore the significant challenges encountered in managing heritage ecosystems today and discuss best practices and shared solutions for their future protection.

With an approach rooted in community involvement and public participation and further strengthened by the context and insights provided by the visit to the Al-Ahsa Oasis, the Forum will address the following sub-themes:

• World Heritage and Climate Change: Climate change is among the biggest threats facing cultural and natural heritage today. One in three natural sites and one in six cultural heritage sites are currently threatened by climate change. In recent years, we have seen cultural and natural heritage sites, including many World Heritage sites, threatened by forest fires, floods, storms and mass bleaching events. At the same time, World Heritage properties also harbour options for society to mitigate and adapt to climate change through the ecosystem benefits, such as water and climate regulation, that they provide and the carbon that is stored in forested World Heritage sites. Cultural heritage, on the other hand, can pass on traditional knowledge that builds resilience for the change to come and leads us to a more sustainable future. Through this sub-theme, participants will discuss the impacts of climate change on the Outstanding Universal Value of World Heritage and explore ways to mitigate and manage these risks through the use of sustainable traditional materials, building techniques and other traditional knowledge inherent in heritage communities.
• World Heritage and Sustainable Tourism: With more than 1,000 properties inscribed in 167 countries, World Heritage sites have become some of the most popular tourist destinations in the world. While tourism can bring important economic and social benefits to heritage communities, it is essential to manage it effectively to avoid negative impacts on the sites and their Outstanding Universal Value. To meet this challenge, participants will take advantage of existing tools developed by UNESCO and explore opportunities to promote sustainable tourism in World Heritage sites. Their aim will be to discuss ways to empower local communities to better manage their resources and have a say in how their heritage is presented to visitors, while finding solutions to improve the visitor experience through an exchange between tourists and heritage communities that harnesses culture and creativity.
• Diversity and Representation of World Heritage: Over the 50 years since the World Heritage Convention was adopted, great strides have been made in the preservation of sites around the world, although there is still a lack of balance in the type of properties and geographical areas of the world represented on the World Heritage List. As the next generation takes up the baton of heritage preservation, the importance of equitable representation can be addressed through education in the value of heritage, understanding the true narratives of local and indigenous communities and protecting their rights and cultural histories. Furthermore, the holistic approach to heritage today extends to include elements that can be cultural, natural or mixed; tangible or intangible; old or new; and it is essential that young professionals draw on the complementarity of these elements in order to manage them sustainably.
• The Digital Dimension of World Heritage: At the heart of the digital age, the digital aspects of heritage are also growing enormously, from virtual tours and online exhibitions to inventory catalogues of heritage objects and 3D models of archaeological sites, making it truly accessible in every corner of the world. Through this sub-theme, young professionals will explore the fundamental role of an inclusive digital environment in promoting and sharing heritage values and strengthening the protection of our natural and cultural heritage. They will work together to identify ways in which they can support the digital empowerment of their own communities.

Provisional programme

With the aim of complementing the theoretical knowledge acquired by participants during the Forum with practical experiences at World Heritage properties, the Forum will be held partly in Riyadh, the host city of the 45th extended session of the World Heritage Committee, and partly at the Al-Ahsa Oasis, a World Heritage Site, an Evolving Cultural Landscape. In addition, participants will also have the opportunity to visit the World Heritage Site, the At-Turaif District in ad-Dir'iyah, during the Forum. An initial outline of the Forum programme is available below. Updates on the programme, as well as the final programme, will be uploaded to the Forum website in due course.

• 2 September 2023: Arrival Day
• 3 September 2023: Opening of the Forum and Introductions
• 4 to 8 September 2023: Thematic discussions and visit to the Al-Ahsa Oasis
• 9 September 2023: Youth Model and Committee Meeting Simulation
• 10 September 2023: Drafting of the Youth Declaration
• 11 September 2023: Presentation of the Forum's results at the 45th enlarged session of the World Heritage Committee
• 12 September 2023: Interaction with the participants of the Site Managers Forum and closing of the Forum

Registration Form

Please note that the application form must be completed in English only. Applications submitted in other languages will not be considered. In addition to education and supplementary information, applicants must also submit a CV and a copy of a passport-sized photo. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

Application and selection process

Thirty participants will be selected for the 2023 World Heritage Young Professionals Forum through an open call.

Eligible candidates

Participants in the Young World Heritage Professionals Forum 2023 are expected to be:

• Aged between 23 and 32.
• Experience in one of these fields: World Heritage, conservation, archaeology, architecture, conservation, urban planning and regeneration, restoration, art history, tourism, climate change and digital technology.
• Motivated and committed to implementing the results of the Forum in their respective countries.
• Committed to increasing community involvement in the management of World Heritage properties.
• Available for the duration of the Forum.
• Proficient in English, as the Forum will be conducted entirely in English.

In addition to general eligibility, the following elements will also be considered when selecting participants:

• Balanced geographical representation.
• Gender equality.
• Diversity of professional backgrounds.
• Ability to disseminate the experience acquired in the country or institution of origin.
• Knowledge and experience in World Heritage site management practices.

All interested candidates wishing to apply to take part in the Young World Heritage Professionals Forum must complete and submit the online application form.

Travel and accommodation information

Participants are expected to arrive at^day 2 September 2023 and leave on 13 September 2023.^September 2023. All related expenses (economy class flights, accommodation, local transport and meals) will be covered by the host country for the duration of the Forum. The organisers will also help with travel arrangements and provide support for participants who need a visa.

If any participant wishes to extend their stay after 13^of In this case, all related costs will be covered by the participant. In this case, the host country must be informed in advance in order to make all the necessary arrangements.

Deadline

The deadline for submitting applications is on 4 June 2023 at 23:59 CET. Selected candidates will be informed by e-mail.

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