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 936 sites, of which 725 are cultural, 183 natural and 28 mixed. They are located in 153 countries.
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Pile Dwellings around the Alps
The "stilt houses" are remnants of pre-historic settlements in lakes and moors around the Alps. This serial trans-boundary site consists of 111 of the roughly 1,000 known sites in six countries (Switzerland, Germany, France, Italy, Slovenia, Austria) – of which 56 are located in Switzerland. The candidacy was presented under the aegis of Switzerland. 15 Swiss cantons are involved. The remnants of the pre-historic settlements provide a lively insight into the origin and development of early agricultural societies in the Alpine region.
