Switzerland has been elected to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Committee by the General Assembly of States Parties. The 25th session took place today at UNESCO headquarters in Paris. The seat is for the 2025-29 period. The election is part of Switzerland's long-standing commitment to protecting cultural and natural heritage in the face of today's challenges.
The World Heritage Committee is responsible for implementing the 1972 Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, which Switzerland ratified in 1975. This flagship UNESCO convention governs the preservation of natural and cultural heritage sites of outstanding universal value for future generations.
The Committee's 21 member states are elected from among the 196 states parties to the Convention for a four-year term. They are tasked with adding new natural or cultural sites to the World Heritage List – currently standing at 1,248, including 13 in Switzerland – as well as appraising the state of conservation of the existing listed sites and providing support for an effective and qualitative implementation of the Convention.
Last modification 25.11.2025
