The Projects
In accordance with its statutes, the German World Heritage Foundation concentrates on supporting (potential) World Heritage sites which do not have the expertise or the financial means necessary to protect their cultural or natural heritage.
Support can be given as subsidies or in the form of expert help. Here are a few examples of the Foundation's projects:
Street Restitution in Viscri (Romania)
Viscri is one of seven villages inscribed on the World Heritage list
under the title 'Villages with fortified Churches in Transylvania' in
1993 and 1999. Founded by the Transylvanian Saxons, the villages are
characterized by their fortified churches. In Viscri the German World
Heritage Foundation supported a project to restore the traditional
character of the village's main street .
The walled city of Baku (Azerbaijan)
The Walled City of Baku represents an outstanding and rare example of
an historic urban ensemble and architecture with influence from
Zoroastrian, Sassanian, Arabic, Persian, Shirvani, Ottoman, and Russian
cultures.
It was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 2000. The German World
Heritage Foundation supported an international Round Table in Baku in
November 2004 which was organized in order to discuss the details of an
Action Plan to safeguard the World Heritage site.
Zabaikalsky National Park (Russia)
Zabaikalsky National Park is one of
seven protected areas belonging to the World Heritage site of 'Lake
Baikal'. In 1996 Lake Baikal
was inscribed in the World Heritage list as one of the few natural
sites fulfilling all of the four possible (natural) World Heritage
criteria. The German World Heritage Foundation supports the
installation of a functional communication network at Zabaikalsky
Nationalpark, in order to improve the means for the protection and
preservation of the park.
Harbour Town of Kotor (Montenegro)
The natural and
cultural historic region of Kotor,
which includes the natural harbour on the Adriatic coast, was inscribed
on the World Heritage list of UNESCO in 1979. The German World Heritage
Foundation contributed to an international training symposium assisting
local professionals with the preparation of a management plan dealing
with the threats to the values and authenticity of the site posed by
excessive and uncontrolled urbanisation.
Harmonization of Tentative Lists in the Baltic States
In June 2003 a
3-days international seminar 'Harmonization of Tentative Listes in
Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania' was held in Kuldiga, Latvia. The German
World Heritage Foundation supported the meeting, which was organized by
the Latvian National Commission for UNESCO and attended by
international experts on cultural and natural heritage. The aim of the
seminar was to jointly discuss and review the inventory of properties
forming part of the cultural and natural heritage, situated in
territories of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia, which may be suitable for
future inclusion in the World Heritage List. At the moment the
following sites in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania are included in The
World Heritage List: Historic Centre of Tallinn (1997), Historic Centre
of Riga (1997), Vilnius Historic Centre (1994), Curonian Spit (2000).
You will find the conclusions of the seminar here.
Kronotsky State Biosphere Reserve (Russia)
Kronotsky
State Biosphere Reserve is one of seven protected areas
belonging to the World Heritage site 'Volcanoes of Kamchatka'. In 1996
the Volcanoes of Kamchatka were inscribed in the World Heritage list as
one of the most outstanding volcanic regions in the world. The German
World Heritage Foundation co-financed the installation of a functional
electronic communication network at Kronotsky State Biosphere Reserve,
in order to improve the infrastructure for the protection and
preservation of the park.
Historical Wooden Churches in the Carpathian Basin
With the support of
the German World Heritage Foundation scientists and students of the
Polytechnic University of L'viv are currently preparing the surveying
and architectural/historical examination of a number of wooden churches (15th
– 18th centruy) of various types. The results will be used
for the Ukranian section of a joint multinational UNESCO World Heritage
nomination of the most outstanding wooden churches in the Carpathian
Basin.
Cultural landscape Orkhon Valley
In Mongolia, where
until recently only one site was listed as World Heritage, the German
World Heritage Foundation made it possible to draw up a medium-term
management plan for the cultural landscape 'Orkhon Valley'. The
management plan for the area, in which Genghis Khan had his capital
Karakorum constructed in the 13th century, is a requirement for a
successful UNESCO World Heritage nomination. In July 2004 the Orkhon
Valley was inscribed on the World Heritage list.
Historical bourgeois houses in L'viv
The
Old Town of L'viv
was inscribed on the World Heritage list in 1998. Additionally to
important religious monuments, a number of dwelling houses with
late-medieval cores, courtyards and richly decorated facades have
survived in the historic centre. Several of them are, however, in
danger. The foundation supports the city council in its efforts to
rescue empty and derelict historical bourgeois houses through an
emergency protection program.