What is New Zealand's role?
New Zealand became a signatory to the World Heritage Convention in November 1984 and currently has three sites on the world heritage list:
- Tongariro National Park (1990 inscribed as a natural site, 1993 inscribed for associated cultural values)
- Te Wāhipounamu - South West New Zealand World Heritage Area (1986 inscribed as a natural site, area increased in 1990)
- The Subantartic Islands of New Zealand (1998 inscribed as a natural site)
As world heritage sites, they share the same status as sites such as the Taj Mahal, the ancient pyramids of Egypt and the Grand Canyon.
New Zealand hosting the 31st session of the World Heritage Committee
New Zealand was elected to the World Heritage Committee in 2003, and has the honour of hosting the 31st session of the World Heritage Committee in 2007. Paramount Chief of Ngati Tuwharetoa and New Zealand's Head of Delegation, Tumu te Heuheu, will be chairing the committee meeting. With New Zealand hosting this meeting, and with such a prominent New Zealander as chairperson, this event will provide New Zealand with a high level of exposure amongst the international heritage and conservation communities. This is only the second time the meeting has been held in Australasia in the past 20 years, and is a first for New Zealand since the adoption of the Convention in 1972.
It is expected that as many as 600-800 participants will attend the World Heritage Committee Meeting in Christchurch, including:
- Delegates from the 21 Committee member countries
- Representatives from state parties to the World Heritage Convention and UNESCO member states
- Observers and advisors from intergovernmental or non-governmental organisations
- Members of the Paris-based UNESCO Secretariat and UNESCO press unit
The meeting will run for 10 days covering such topics and new site nominations and the management and protection of sites, and will be followed by a 2-day field trip for delegates. Because it is a closed meeting, members of the public are unable to attend. However, there will be a range of exciting events happening in conjunction with the meeting to enable public participation.