International protection of heritage
Introduction
New Zealand has rich natural, historical and cultural heritage, some of international significance. International engagement provides tools to strengthen the protection of the world’s most special places.The World Heritage Convention
Under the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), the World Heritage Convention aims to promote cooperation among nations to protect natural and cultural heritage of such universal value that its conservation is of concern to all people. In New Zealand we have three world heritage areas.
All countries that sign up to and agree to implement the Convention have a duty to identify, protect and conserve natural and cultural heritage of outstanding universal value for future generations. They may nominate sites for inscription on the World Heritage List.
DOC is New Zealand’s lead agency for the Convention and works closely with the Ministry for Culture and Heritage, which has a central role in heritage policy.
New Zealand has three World Heritages sites:
New Zealand has a tentative list of potential World Heritage sites. The tentative list is an important step towards a site being inscribed on the World Heritage list. A site must be inscribed in a country’s tentative list before it can be nominated for a World Heritage listing.
New Zealand submitted its tentative list to the World Heritage Committee at its meeting in Christchurch in 2007.
About the World Hertiage Convention