Management Plans for World Heritage Sites - Unesco

Chapter II. Modules explained l
World Heritage Day
As a result of the initiative of the German Commission for UNESCO and
the Association of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Germany World Heritage
Day was launched for the first time in 2005. World Heritage Day is celebrated
every year on the first Sunday in June. Every year the main event is held at a different
World Heritage site. The main event is accompanied by smaller events throughout
the country.
The goal of UNESCO World Heritage Day is not only to raise public awareness of
German World Heritage sites as places where monuments are especially well protected
but also to strengthen their role as communicators of the UNESCO idea. The
day is meant to be a forum for communication and coming into contact with people
for whom “their World Heritage site” represents an important cultural and historic
reference point. The underlying idea is to make World Heritage tangible and to understand
local culture as a part of the multifaceted human heritage.
“Tag des offenen Denkmals” (German contribution to the European Heritage Days)
The “Tag des offenen Denkmals” (German contribution to the European Heritage
Days) occurs on the second Sunday in September throughout Europe in order to
heighten sensitivity to issues of monument protection. On this day as well, World
Heritage sites are called upon to present themselves, under the co-ordination of the
German Foundation for Monument Protection, in an appropriate manner. In addition
ICOMOS co-ordinates an International Day for Monuments and Sites every year on
April 18.
5.5.4 Networks and international co-operation
Presentation of a World Heritage site can only be successful on a global scale within
a network of other institutions at global level. World Heritage sites have to be networked,
both amongst themselves and with institutions outside the World Heritage
programme, in order to convey effectively the meaning of the site itself and the fundamental
concerns of the United Nations and UNESCO.
Each World Heritage site has its own mandate to educate and inform. It can meet
this responsibility in various ways: as a place outside the classroom or lecture hall in
which to learn and acquire experience in co-operation with schools and universities,
as a provider of experience-oriented educational programmes in the leisure activities
sector, as a place of lifelong-learning and experience.