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Minister Madigan Invites Applications to Ireland’s World Heritage Tentative List

Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Ms Josepha Madigan TD, has today made a call for applications for new candidate sites to join Ireland’s World Heritage Tentative List. Under the UNESCO World Heritage Convention, the Minister’s Department acts as State Party in identifying additional sites that may be suitable for eventual inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List. They would join Ireland’s two existing World Heritage Sites: Sceilg Mhichíl, Co. Kerry; and Brú na Bóinne, Co. Meath.
Applications are invited from local authorities, State bodies, community organisations, and individuals with respect to natural or built heritage sites that may demonstrate Outstanding Universal Value. According to UNESCO requirements a World Heritage Site must possess “cultural and/or natural significance which is so exceptional as to transcend national boundaries and to be of common importance for present and future generations of all humanity.” Further information about the criteria for Outstanding Universal Value is available in the UNESCO World Heritage Operational Guidelines: https://whc.unesco.org/en/guidelines/
Reflecting the considerable amount of work involved, prospective applicants have until 26 June 2020 to submit their proposals. They will then be initially examined by the Department to assess whether they should proceed to independent, external review. The external reviewers will determine whether a site has the potential to demonstrate Outstanding Universal Value and if it should be included on a Tentative List for submission to UNESCO to make the final decision on whether it qualifies for World Heritage status.
Minister Madigan welcomed the opening of the new Tentative List process, saying: “The call for applications to the Tentative List is a wonderful opportunity for statutory, voluntary and community organisations to take stock of the wonderful resources in their locality. The process of applying to the Tentative List and subsequent preparation for eventual World Heritage nomination can be highly rewarding for communities, as it offers them an opportunity to deepen their knowledge of a site, and to work together to ensure its long-term management and protection for future generations.
“To bring a site through to nomination as a World Heritage Site is very much a cooperative endeavour, which allows for a flourishing of community spirit and the sharing of pride of place with the wider world.”