More about World Heritage
The World Heritage List includes the cultural and natural heritage around the world considered to be particularly outstanding and of great importance to all humanity. The rock carvings in Tanum is one of these. What is a World Heritage site is decided on the basis of the so-called World Heritage Convention.
The World Heritage Convention, or the Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, as it is actually called, was adopted at a Unesco meeting in Paris in 1972. Sweden signed the Convention in 1984.
There are places, objects and settings that according to the World Heritage Convention have outstanding universal and cross-border values and these places, objects and settings should be offered to the whole of humanity and their protection is therefore an international concern.
The list thus shows that there are values that are important to us all, irrespective of nationality, ethnicity, religion or gender. There is a heritage that is the concern of all humanity. The World Heritage List should not only protect unique cultural and natural treasures but should also lead to mutual respect and solidarity between people, cultures and states.
Strict demands are made on the countries that join the list. There must be legislation, authorities, education and research that can guarantee the protection of the World Heritage sites within the country’s borders. In addition every effort must be made to help other countries in their work on the protection of their World Heritage areas.
Sweden obtained its first World Heritage site, Drottningholm Palace, in 1991. Today (2013) there are 15 places in Sweden that are on the list.
Facts and links
UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) is the UN organization dedicated to building peace through greater cooperation between member states in education, science, culture and communication / information.
The 1972 Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, known as the World Heritage Convention, UNESCO's most famous convention and 190 UNESCO member countries have signed it. The convention's objective is that the countries should have laws and organization to protect cultural and natural heritage in their own country.
For more information on Sweden’s, Scandinavia’s and the rest of the heritage sites in the world visit these pages:
