EnglishThe World Heritage - a challenge for humanity
The campaign to save Abu-Simbel was the first step towards the Convention concerning the Protection of World Cultural and Natural Heritage, adopted by UNESCO in 1972. This international treaty is based on the revolutionary idea to entrust humanity with the protection and preservation of outstanding cultural achievements and unique natural phenomena that are of outstanding universal value. The World Heritage Convention is a unique success story.
The World Heritage List includes 890 sites, of which 689 are cultural, 176 natural and 25 mixed. They are located in 148 countries.
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Lavaux, Vineyard Terraces
In the 11th century, monks were growing grapes on the slopes above Lake Geneva. Since then, generations of winegrowers applied and developed longstanding cultural traditions. Today, this still thriving cultural landscape covers 40 km along the lake shore and includes 14 villages and small towns. Through the well preserved landscape and buildings, it demonstrates its evolution over almost a millennia. It is therefore an outstanding example of a centuries-long interaction between people and their environment, developed to optimise local resources so as to produce a highly valued wine.