Astronomy and World Heritage Initiative

Taking into account the growing number of requests to UNESCO concerning the recognition of the value of the dark night sky and celestial objects, the World Heritage Centre made its first statement in 2007 underlining that the sky or the dark night sky or celestial objects or starlight as such cannot be nominated to the World Heritage List within the framework of the Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage.

The World Heritage Centre wishes to underline that the « Starlight » Initiative developed by a group of international experts is not part of the UNESCO Thematic Initiative "Astronomy and World Heritage ».

The World Heritage Centre has been informed that during the « Starlight » Initiative's meeting in 2009 that the Working Group "Starlight Reserves and World Heritage" developed a concept "Starlight Reserve".  The ICOMOS-International Astronomical Union Global Thematic Study on Astronomical Heritage includes a study on "Starlight Reserve" proposal. This thematic study will be presented in due course to the World Heritage Committee.

However, neither Starlight Reserves, nor Dark Sky Parks can be recognized by the World Heritage Committee as specific types or categories of World Heritage cultural and natural properties since no criteria exist for considering them under the World Heritage Convention.

The cosmos has captivated the imagination of civilizations throughout the ages. The efforts of those cultures to understand or interpret what they see in the sky are often reflected in their architecture, petroglyphs, and other cultural representations.

Objective

The objective of the Astronomy and World Heritage thematic initiative is to establish a link between science and culture on the basis of research aimed at acknowledging the cultural and scientific values of properties connected with astronomy. The identification, safeguarding and promotion of these properties are the three lines of actions for the implementation of this programme. Its goals are:

• to offer a methodological framework for associated actions
• to open the pathway for cooperation between States Parties and academic communities and
• to share knowledge.

Background

The sky, our common and universal heritage, forms an integral part of the total environment that is perceived by mankind. Including the interpretation of the sky as a theme in World Heritage is a logical step towards taking into consideration the relationship between mankind and its environment. This step is necessary for the recognition and safeguarding of cultural properties and of cultural or natural landscapes that transcribe the relationship between mankind and the sky.

Properties relating to astronomy stand as a tribute to the complexity and diversity of ways in which people rationalised the cosmos and framed their actions in accordance with that understanding. This includes, but is by no means restricted to, the development of modern scientific astronomy. This close and perpetual interaction between astronomical knowledge and its role within human culture is a vital element of the outstanding universal value of these properties. These material testimonies of astronomy, found in all geographical regions, span all periods from prehistory to today.

Why "Astronomy" and "World Heritage"

As there are few properties related to science on the World Heritage List, and the scientific value of cultural properties related to astronomy is not always recognized, the World Heritage Centre, in close collaboration with the State Parties and ICOMOS, have developed the thematic initiative "Astronomy and World Heritage" in response to the ever-growing concept of World Heritage, and the Global Strategy for a Balanced, Representative and Credible World Heritage List adopted by the World Heritage Committee in 1994.

This Initiative provides us with an opportunity to identify properties related to astronomy located around the world, to preserve their memory and save them from progressive deterioration.

Support from the international community is needed to develop this activity which will allow us to help preserve this sometimes very fragile heritage.

Advancing the Initiative during 2009

In October 2008, UNESCO signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the International Astronomical Union as a result of which the IAU has become integrally involved in the process of advancing the initiative. One of the first actions of the IAU has been to set up a Working Group on Astronomy and World Heritage.

This Working Group will be pursuing two main activities during 2009. The first is to work with ICOMOS to produce a Thematic Study of astronomical heritage. The second is to create a public database of cultural and natural properties with a relationship to astronomy, not just those that are already on the World Heritage List (for which see UNESCO’s Astronomy and World Heritage Timeframe). For more information on these and other activities visit the Working Group’s website at www.astronomicalheritage.org.

Statement from the World Heritage Centre

Taking into account the growing number of requests to UNESCO concerning the recognition of the value of the dark night sky and celestial objects, the World Heritage Centre made its first statement in 2007 underlining that the sky or the dark night sky or celestial objects or starlight as such cannot be nominated to the World Heritage List within the framework of the Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage.

The World Heritage Centre wishes to underline that the « Starlight » Initiative developed by a group of international experts is not part of the UNESCO Thematic Initiative "Astronomy and World Heritage ».

The World Heritage Centre has been informed that during the « Starlight » Initiative's meeting in 2009 that the Working Group "Starlight Reserves and World Heritage" developed a concept "Starlight Reserve".  The ICOMOS-International Astronomical Union Global Thematic Study on Astronomical Heritage includes a study on "Starlight Reserve" proposal. This thematic study will be presented in due course to the World Heritage Committee.

However, neither Starlight Reserves, nor Dark Sky Parks can be recognized by the World Heritage Committee as specific types or categories of World Heritage cultural and natural properties since no criteria exist for considering them under the World Heritage Convention.