Monaco reaffirms commitment to World Heritage at UNESCO Committee session

The Principality was represented by Séverine Dusaintpère, Deputy Permanent Delegate to UNESCO.

During the session, Monaco welcomed the work of UNESCO's World Heritage Centre to support countries that are underrepresented or not yet represented on the World Heritage List.

The Principality also backed the Centre's new reform plan, designed to strengthen its strategic role, expertise, efficiency and digital capabilities.

The committee approved the inscription of 25 new World Heritage sites, bringing the total to 1,273 sites across 173 countries.

Among the new additions are several European landmarks, including the Capetian Royal Fortresses of Languedoc and the D-Day Landing Beaches in Normandy in France, Italy's 18th- and 19th-century condominium theatre system, and Mount Olympus and its surrounding area in Greece.

The session also marked a milestone with the first-ever World Heritage listings for the Comoros, São Tomé and Príncipe, and South Sudan.

Meanwhile, six additional sites were added to UNESCO's List of World Heritage in Danger, highlighting the need for increased international protection.

Monaco has been a State Party to the UNESCO World Heritage Convention since 1978 and says it remains committed to protecting cultural and natural heritage through its support for initiatives such as the World Heritage Marine Programme, the Heritage Emergency Fund, and long-standing partnerships with ICCROM and the ALIPH Foundation.

The 49th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee will take place in Istanbul, Türkiye, in 2027.