Finland offers experience and expertise to the World Heritage Committee
Finland is a Candidate to the World Heritage Committee at the 19th session of the General Assembly of States Parties to the World Heritage Convention in 2013.
Elections to replace outgoing Committee members take place during the General Assembly of States Parties in November 2013.
As a Member of the World Heritage Committee, Finland will strengthen the protection and management of World Heritage sites, promote the balancing of the World Heritage List and contribute to greater awareness of World Heritage.
If elected, Finland will voluntarily limit its term of office to four years in order to enhance the rotation of the Member States in the Committee.
Finland listens, acts and has expertise
One of the cornerstones of Finlands foreign policy is commitment to the Charter of the United Nations. Finland is able and willing to listen to the various needs of countries in different stages of development, and is keen to find the best solutions and practices to topical issues. In addition, Finland actively promotes constructive dialogue and a spirit of consensus in the work of the World Heritage Committee.
Finland has broad experience and expertise in the protection and management of natural and cultural heritage. Finland develops its competence systematically and actively. In this spirit, Finland is currently formulating a national World Heritage Strategy 2015, and has ratified the UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2013.
12 members will be elected in November
The Committee is responsible for the implementation of the World Heritage Convention. It decides on the new sites inscribed annually on the World Heritage List and monitors the state of preservation of the sites already inscribed on the List. It also decides on the use of the World Heritage Fund.
The World Heritage Committee meets once a year, and consists of representatives from 21 of the States Parties to the Convention elected by their General Assembly. Usually a third of the 21 members need to be newly elected at the General Assembly. In 2013, a total of 12 Committee members will be elected.
Further information:
- Candidature of Finland to the World Heritage Committee in 2013