© M & G Therin-WeiseHistoric Areas of Istanbul (Turkey)

The World Heritage Committee will examine proposals to inscribe 27 sites on UNESCO’s World Heritage List during its 40th session (10 to 20 July), which will be chaired by Ambassador Lale Ülker, General Director for Overseas Promotion and Cultural Affairs at the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The session will be held at the Istanbul Congress Centre.

The Committee will examine the nomination of nine natural, 14 cultural and four mixed sites, i.e. properties that are outstanding both for their natural and cultural characteristics. It will also examine the state of conservation of 108 sites already on the World Heritage List and of 48 sites on the World Heritage in Danger List. The debates of the session will be webcast (http://whc.unesco.org/).

The following nominations will be examined:

Natural sites:

Mistaken Point (Canada)

Hubei Shennongjia (China)

Techno-volcanic Ensemble of the Chaîne des Puys and Limagne Fault (France)

Lut Desert (Islamic Republic of Iran)

Western Tien Shan (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan)

Archipiélago de Revillagigedo (Mexico)

Sanganeb Marine National Park and Dungonab Bay—Mukkawar Island National Park (Sudan)

Kaeng Krachan Forest Complex (Thailand)

Mountain Ecosystems of Koytendag (Turkmenistan)

Mixed sites (natural and cultural):

Pimachiowin Aki (Canada)

Ennedi Massif: Natural and Cultural Landscape (Chad)

Khangchendzonga National Park (India)

The Ahwar of Southern Iraq: Refuge of Biodiversity and the Relict Lanscape of the Mesopotamian Cities (Iraq)

Cultural:

Antigua Naval Dockyard and Related Archaeological Sites (Antigua and Barbuda)

The Architectural Work of Le Corbusier, an Outstanding Contribution to the Modern Movement (Argentina, Belgium, France, Germany, India, Japan, Switzerland)

Stećci—Medieval Tombstones (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, Serbia)

Pampulha Modern Ensemble (Brazil)

Zuojiang Huashan Rock Art Cultural Landscape (China)

Roman Urbanism of the Zadar Peninsula with the Monumental Complex of the Forum (Croatia) -- withdrawn

Archaeological Site of Philippi (Greece)

Excavated Remains of Nalanda Mahavihara (India)

Persian Qanat (Islamic Republic of Iran)

Nan Madol: Ceremonial Centre of Eastern Micronesia (Federated States of Micronesia)

Archaeological Site and Historic Centre of Panamá City [Significant boundary modification of the Archaeological Site of Panamá Viejo and Historic District of Panamá] (Panama)

Antequera Dolmens Site (Spain)

Phu Phrabat Historical Park (Thailand) -- withdrawn

Archaeological site of Ani (Turkey)

Gibraltar Neanderthal Caves and Environments (United Kingdom)

Key Works of Modern Architecture by Frank Lloyd Wright (United States of America)

Sites proposed for Danger listing:

Dja Faunal Reserve (Cameroon)

Talamanca Range—La Amistad Reserves / La Amistad National Park (Costa Rica/Panama)

Lower Valley of the Omo (Ethiopia)

Old Towns of Djenné (Mali)

Kathmandu Valley (Nepal)

Historic Centre of Shakhrisyabz (Uzbekistan)

Dong Phayayen-Khao Yai Forest Complex (Thailand)

From 29 June to 11 July, Istanbul will host a World Heritage Youth Forum, which will bring together young people from different parts of the world who are committed to the protection of heritage. They will adopt a Declaration which will be presented to the Committee during its opening session.