On the final day of the UNESCO General Conference, Kazakhstan was elected to the World Heritage Committee for the term 2023-2027, as announced by State Counselor Erlan Karin, QazMonitor reports.
Erlan Karin stated in his Telegram channel, "The World Heritage Committee, comprising 21 states, stands as one of UNESCO's most important and influential governing bodies, holding the exclusive right to inscribe and remove sites from the World Heritage List. Our country's candidacy received support from 118 states."
According to Karin, this election signifies international recognition of Kazakhstan's active efforts to preserve its unique cultural and natural heritage.
"Additionally, a decision was made earlier to upgrade the status of the UNESCO office in Almaty to a Multisectoral Regional Office, extending its coverage to Central Asian states, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Iran," noted the State Counselor of Kazakhstan.
As reported by the press service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the country secured its place on the UNESCO World Heritage Committee for 2023-2027 through a vote during the 24th session of the General Assembly of States Parties to the Convention for the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage.
In addition to Kazakhstan, eight new members have joined the Committee: Kenya, Lebanon, Republic of Korea, Senegal, Jamaica, Turkey, Ukraine, and Vietnam.
The Intergovernmental World Heritage Committee, one of UNESCO's most vital governing bodies, plays a crucial role in deciding the inclusion of cultural and natural sites on the World Heritage List. Drawing on its experience from 2013-2017, Kazakhstan is ready to make a valuable contribution to the committee's ongoing activities. The committee, consisting of 21 states, makes decisions on the inclusion of cultural and natural sites in the World Heritage List, evaluates the state of conservation, and supports States Parties to the Convention in their efforts to protect these sites for the sake of future generations.
