In 2021 UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee, acting on a report from its World Heritage Centre in Paris, decided to remove Liverpool from its list of World Heritage Sites. This was only the third time in history that a Site had been removed from the list. It is an incredibly sad loss, not just for Liverpool, but for the UK as whole as part of our national heritage, and was the subject of much immediate national and international press attention.
This online conference aimed to be of value to cities and places around the world, whether they already have a World Heritage Site or are considering an application. It explored the very real tensions between conservation and regeneration; the responsibilities and consequences of inscription; and the importance of effective communication between UNESCO, municipalities, state parties and other bodies.
The conference, in association with World Heritage UK, sought to:
- explain how and why the decision was taken
- explore the inescapable tensions between conservation and development in managing an urban landscape, especially in cities acutely needing regeneration
- consider what lessons might be learned for other cities and places, including those which already have a World Heritage inscription as well as those actively seeking one
- appreciate Liverpool’s immensely important role in world history and its continuing architectural and townscape inheritance
- look forward positively to assess how Liverpool’s astonishing inheritance might best be managed, understood and enhanced in the future
For further information, visit World Heritage UK.
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