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UNESCO and GIAHS
Beyond designation schemes,
working together for a
sustainable world...

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1. UNESCO and GIAHS: synergies and areas of
cooperation
2. Beyond the boundaries of Designated Sites:
Promoting Sustainable Development
3. Presenting WH sites, Biosphere Reserves and
GIAHS at EXPO 2015

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http://www.unesco.org/venice
 Already available on http://www.fao.org/giahs/giahs-
inforesources/workshop-proceedings/scientific-and-
steering-committee-meetings/en

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• 1972: the World Heritage Convention
• 1992: Introducing Cultural Landscapes (The term
"cultural landscape" embraces a diversity of
manifestations of the interaction between
humankind and its natural environment)

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• 2003: Convention on Intangible Heritage
• 2005: Introducing Sustainable Development
(sustainable uses not impacting the universal values)
• 2007: Involving Local Communities for effective
management

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• Good cooperation and exchanges continue
(including recent meeting with ADG/CLT,
DIR/WHC and D/DIR/WHC and Mr Koohafkhan
at UNESCO HQs)
• UNESCO welcomes further collaboration on
specific topics such as oasis systems (interest by
ICOMOS on a thematic study) or the heritage of
agro-pastoralism and advice to States Parties on
the identification of agro-pastoralist systems for
inclusion on tentative lists and potential World
Heritage nominations

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• A special issue of the World Heritage Review
on agricultural heritage (No 69) on-line at
http://whc.unesco.org/en/review/69/

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• 2007: First Expert Meeting on
WH and Agro-pastoralism
(Meyruels, Lozère, France)
• 2009: Second Thematic Meeting
of Experts on Ago-pastoral
Cultural Landscapes in the
Mediterranean (Albania)
• 2012: Third Thematic Meeting of
Experts (Cévennes, France)

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• More details on requirements for the effective
management of (agri)cultural landscape World
Heritage sites (GIAHS page 77):
http://whc.unesco.org/en/series/26/

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More cooperation with various UNESCO
programmes and initiatives/projects:
• Biosphere Reserves (and WH site) including
GIAHS (example of Cévennes, France);

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More cooperation with various UNESCO
programmes and initiatives/projects:
• Biosphere Reserves (and WH site) including
GIAHS (example of Cévennes, France);
• LINKS (Local and Indigenous Knowledge Systems)
• SUMAMAD project (Sustainable Management of
Marginal Drylands – 9 BRs involved - Emphasis
on the “dryland paradigm”: improvement of
traditional land and water productivity while
seeking alternative livelihood strategies to
rehabilitate dryland communities);

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SUMAMAD Project: 9 Research Sites
Bolivia: arid
Central and
Southern
Altiplano
China:
Hunshandake
Sandland -
Xilin Gol
Biosphere
Reserve

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SUMAMAD Project: 9 Research Sites

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More cooperation with various UNESCO
programmes and initiatives/projects:
• Biosphere Reserves (and WH site) including
GIAHS (example of Cévennes, France);
• LINKS (Local and Indigenous Knowledge Systems)
• SUMAMAD project (Sustainable Management of
Marginal Drylands - Emphasis on the “dryland
paradigm”: improvement of traditional land and
water productivity while seeking alternative
livelihood strategies to rehabilitate dryland
communities);
• UNESCO-SCBD Joint Programme on Linking
Biological and Cultural Diversity (Florence, 2014).

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Develop a list of WH Sites or network of Biosphere
Reserves is not our ultimate goal:
• WH Convention: By signing the Convention, each
country pledges to conserve not only the World
Heritage sites situated on its territory, but also to
protect its national heritage. The States Parties
are encouraged to integrate the protection of
the cultural and natural heritage into regional
planning programmes, set up staff and services
at their sites, undertake scientific and technical
conservation research and adopt measures
which give this heritage a function in the day-to-
day life of the community.

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The Key Idea:
• Culture must be at the center of our development strategies,
since cultures frame people’s relationship to others in their
society and the world around them, including the natural
environment, and condition their behaviors.

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The Key Idea:
• Development initiatives and approaches which take local
conditions and cultures into account are likely to result in
more context-sensitive and equitable outcomes, whilst also
enhancing ownership by target beneficiaries. Integrating
culture into development policies and programmes, therefore,
fundamentally contributes to their effectiveness and
sustainability.

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Develop a list of WH Sites or network of Biosphere
Reserves is not our ultimate goal:
• MAB Programme: The Seville Strategy calls for
BRs being models of Land Management and
Sustainable Development. The WNBR is a
network of natural environments dedicated to
interdisciplinary research, capacity-building,
management and experimentation with
innovative combinations of economic,
environmental and energy alternatives for
sustainable development.

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A few more thoughts:
• Multiple designations could be a burden for local
communities (designation, reporting and
monitoring, thematic initiatives);
• National platforms are necessary to:
 Ensure necessary governmental commitment
and support (financial and human resources,
legal and institutional framework, etc.);
 Expand the impact of the sites, nationally
and internationally, through consolidation
and replication of good practices / models;
 Increase impact on development policies (as
an ultimate goal).

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Bringing the vision of a sustainable hunger-free world to Expo 2015
Ending hunger and malnutrition: the way to Zero!

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Content Development and Pavilion 0
UN is providing ideas for content
in Pavilion 0 and other thematic areas
 Pavilion Zero as the main example of UN-Expo 2015 collaboration
 9,000 sqm meters pavilion with 12 thematic rooms
 The main pillars of the Theme represented with a scenografic language
that captures attention and stimulates learning among visitors

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World Environment Day
5 June
World Humanitarian Day
19 August
World Food Day
16 October
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2
3

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United Nations Thematic Itinerary
A path connecting several areas of
the site related to United Nations
content
 Thematic areas
 Clusters
 Country pavilions
 Civil Society area
 Events

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Collaboration with other Participants
 Official invitation to all participants to take part in the 3 UN-Expo
days
 Country pavilions may opt to showcase UN joint activities
 Country pavilions may wish to involve the UN in specific events

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31.
Thank you
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