At the 48th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, held in Busan, Republic of Korea, the Busan Declaration was presented. This document sets a new framework for international cooperation in the protection, management and transmission of the world’s cultural and natural heritage.

The Macedonian delegation to the session was led by the Ambassador to UNESCO in Paris, Prof. Dr. Igor Nikolov, who participated together with representatives of member states, experts and UNESCO advisory bodies.

The declaration comes at a time when World Heritage is facing increasingly complex challenges, including climate change, natural disasters, armed conflicts, loss of biodiversity, urbanization and rapid technological development.

The document sets out five priority directions for future action:

strengthening international cooperation in the implementation of the World Heritage Convention;

responsible and inclusive interpretation and presentation of heritage;

sharing responsibility between states, institutions, experts and local communities;

integrating heritage protection with nature, climate resilience and sustainable development;

responsible and ethical use of digital technologies, including artificial intelligence.

At the heart of the Busan Declaration is the message that cooperation is the key to preserving world heritage, through joint action by states, institutions, the scientific community and local communities, in order to preserve these values ​​for present and future generations.

Conservation protects value. Credibility builds trust. Capacity building enables action. Communication expands understanding. Communities sustain heritage. Cooperation unites all, states the final message of the Busan Declaration.