World Heritage Sites – Near and Far

There are World Heritage Sites in countries on all continents of the world.  Some are near, and some are far. 

The idea of creating an international movement for protecting heritage emerged after World War I.  The event that aroused particular international concern was the decision to build the Aswan High Dam in Egypt, which would have flooded the valley containing the Abu Simbel temples, a treasure of ancient Egyptian civilization.  In 1959, after an appeal from the governments of Egypt and Sudan, UNESCO launched an international safeguarding campaign.  Archeological research in the areas to be flooded was accelerated.  Above all, the Abu Simbel and Philae temples were dismantled, moved to dry ground and reassembled.

The campaign’s success led to other safeguarding campaigns, such as saving Venice and its lagoon (Italy) and the Archeological Ruins at Moenjodaro (Pakistan), and restoring the Borobodur Temple Compounds (Indonesia).  The idea of combining conservation of cultural sites with those of nature comes from the United States.  In 1965, a White House Conference called for a “World Heritage Trust” that would stimulate international cooperation to protect “the world’s superb natural and scenic areas and historic sites for the present and the future of the entire world citizenry”. 

Two examples of World heritage sites, both here and abroad are Grandfather Mountain on the Blue Ridge parkway in North Carolina, and Virunga national Park in Africa.  Grandfather Mountain has some of the most spectacular views in the United States!  In addition to natural beauty, the park offers hiking on all levels of expertise from beginner to advanced. 

Virunga National Park lies in the north-east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the border with Uganda and Rwanda, and includes part of Lake Edward, the Semliki River valley, parts of the Rwindi, Ishasha and Rutshuru valleys south of the lake, the Virunga area within the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and part of the Rwenzori range.  Lake Edward belongs to the Nile river system and Lake Kivu to the Congo Basin river system.  Virunga National Park is notable for its chain of active volcanoes and the greatest diversity of habitats of any park in Africa: from steppes, savannas and lava plains, swamps, lowland and Afromontane forests, to the unique Afroalpine vegetation and ice fields of the Ruwenzori Mountains.  The great diversity of habitats harbors an exceptional biodiversity, including endemic as well as rare and globally endangered species, such as the mountain gorilla.

Whether you choose to visit a World heritage site here in the US, or travel abroad to visit one, you are sure to enjoy an outstanding and memorable experience.