World Heritage
Advisory Services
I support States Parties and other actors involved in cultural and natural World Heritage with my in-depth expertise and unique experience of having worked with the UNESCO World Heritage Centre, the Advisory Bodies, and with a State Party.
My areas of specialization include Indigenous peoples' issues, community engagement, and heritage impact assessment.
All services are available in English or Spanish. Todos los servicios se ofrecen en inglés o en español.
General Services
I provide support for implementation of projects and programmes of work related to the World Heritage Convention, on a one-off or ongoing basis.
Areas of work:
Preliminary Assessments and Nominations
Tentative Lists and Upstream Processes
State of Conservation and other reporting requirments
Impact Assessments
Research and policy projects
Desk reviews and analysis
Workshops and training
On-site advisory and monitoring missions
Support for special events, forums, seminars, etc.
Cooperation initiatives with multiple sites and countries
Specialized Programs
National World Heritage Training and Strategy Development
What is it?
A customized capacity-building programme covering (1) the basics of the World Heritage system and what you need to know for your work (who's who, Tentative Lists, nominations, International Assistance, reporting requirements, how the Committee works, and more), and (2) how to create an informed, realistic strategy for World Heritage at the national level.
Who is this for?
State Party officials (national, regional, local) responsible for implementation of the World Heritage Convention, with participation of site managers, NGOs, researchers, and community organizations. It is especially geared to those who are new to World Heritage and need to understand how the system works in order to effectively do their job.
How do we work together?
A series of on-site workshops and virtual meetings, practical tools, and customized feedback on specific questions and proposals, all fully customized to meet your unique needs.
How is this programme unique?
Unlike lengthy and costly graduate-level degrees offered through select universities, and general one-off training courses, this program is customized to the specific needs of your team, is highly interactive, and implemented on a timeline that works for you. Rather than focusing on technical aspects of management and conservation of World Heritage sites themselves, it supports policymakers and decision-makers in understanding their work in implementing the Convention domestically.
Cost: starting from $9,000 USD, for groups of up to 10 participants
Hourly Virtual Advisory Consultations
What is it?
Customized one-hour virtual meetings for up to 10 participants focused on a specific question or topic you need advice on related to the World Heritage system, procedures, requirements, or for general guidance.
Who is this for?
State Party officials (national, regional, local), site managers, NGOs, researchers, community organizations, heritage associations, or members of the public.
How do we work together?
You decide how many calls you need. Based on the topics you would like to cover together, I will provide an agenda, presentation material and resources, with plenty of time for questions and discussion.
How are these calls unique?
They offer an efficient opportunity to consult a World Heritage expert on specific topics you need support with, whether you have questions about how a particular Convention procedure works, or want input to a specific nomination or 'state of conservation' issue.
Cost: starting from $400 USD/meeting, including preparation and follow-up
Partners
UNESCO
Advisory Bodies
States Parties
Indigenous organizations, heritage associations, local communities
Donors, funding agencies, philanthropic organizations
Private sector (tourism, natural resource and infrastructure development)
Supporting Canada through its nomination process of Indigenous-focused World Heritage sites
Parks Canada Agency works closely with the main nomination proponents—often provincial and territorial authorities or Indigenous communities—to provide guidance and support for nominations.
As part of the State Party of Canada's team dedicated to World Heritage implementation, I provided strategic advice to three separate nomination projects: Tr'ondëk-Klondike, Anticosti, and Wanuskewin.
My involvement included reviewing technical documents, providing input to questions from UNESCO and ICOMOS, and preparing key messaging for the nomination team.
Not without its own challenges, Canada is internationally recognized as a leader in encouraging Indigenous-led World Heritage nominations and co-management practices.
Morgan James, NY
Helping assess impacts of development projects on World Heritage sites
Economic and development pressures for new infrastructure, tourism projects, and natural resource extraction can pose serious challenges to protecting the key values of World Heritage sites.
At the UNESCO World Heritage Centre, I saw these pressures on a regular basis: a high-rise building complex in the heart of Cartagena, expansion of air travel infrastructure in Cusco, a hydropower dam near Iguazú Falls, etc.
With my colleagues, I researched these cases and proposed practical solutions on how to address important conservation concerns with States Parties.
Outcomes often included a call for an Impact Assessment of the project on the World Heritage site's values and appropriate mitigation measures.