Unescova svetovna dediščina

Unescova svetovna dediščina zajema območja, ki so pod zaščito organizacije UNESCO bodisi kot kulturna ali pa kot naravna dediščina.

Kriteriji za svetovno naravno dediščino

Naraven spomenik mora zadoščati vsaj enemu od naslednjih meril, da je lahko sprejet na seznam svetovne dediščine:

• Naraven spomenik izhaja iz pomembnega obdobja oziroma stopnje v zgodovini Zemlje ter nosi informacije o življenju, geologiji, zemeljskih oblikah, fiziogeografiji;
• Gre za tekoči ekološki ali biološki proces evolucije kopenske ali vodne združbe;
• Gre za izreden naraven pojav, izjemno naravno lepoto;
• Gre za značilni naravni habitat, namenjen ohranjanju biotske raznovrstnosti na mestu samem.

Kriteriji za svetovno kulturno dediščino

• Spomenik predstavlja mojstrovino človeških ustvarjalnih genijev;
• Spomenik kaže pomembno izmenjavo človeških vrednot v času znotraj kulturnega območja, na področju arhitekture ali tehnologije, spomeniških umetnosti, načrtovanja mest ali krajinskega načrtovanja;
• Je edinstven dokaz kulturne obstoječe ali izumrle tradicije ali civilizacije;
• Je izreden primer tipa zgradb ali arhitekturne ali tehnološke zbirke ali pa krajine, ki prikazuje pomembno stopnjo v človeški zgodovini;
• Je izreden primer tradicionalnih človeških naselij ali rabe tal, ki je značilna za določeno kulturo, še posebej, če je ta postala ranljiva zaradi vplivov ali nepovratnih sprememb;
• Je neposredno ali jasno povezana z dogodki ali živimi tradicijami, z zamislimi ali prepričanji, z umetniškimi in literarnimi deli izrednega svetovnega pomena.

UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place (such as a forest, mountain, lake, island, desert, monument, building, complex, or city) that is listed by UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance. The list is maintained by the international World Heritage Programme administered by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, composed of 21 states' parties which are elected by their General Assembly.

Selection criteria

Until the end of 2004, there were six criteria for cultural heritage and four criteria for natural heritage. In 2005, this was modified so that there is only one set of ten criteria. Nominated sites must be of "outstanding universal value" and meet at least one of the ten criteria.

Cultural criteria

• Represents a masterpiece of human creative genius;
• Exhibits an important interchange of human values, over a span of time, or within a cultural area of the world, on developments in architecture or technology, monumental arts, town-planning, or landscape design;
• Bears a unique or exceptional testimony to a cultural tradition or to a civilization which is living or which has disappeared;
• Is an outstanding example of a type of building, architectural, or technological ensemble or landscape which illustrates a significant stage in human history;
• Is an outstanding example of a traditional human settlement, land-use, or sea-use which is representative of a culture, or human interaction with the environment especially when it has become vulnerable under the impact of irreversible change;
• Is directly or tangibly associated with events or living traditions, with ideas, or with beliefs, with artistic and literary works of outstanding universal significance.

Natural criteria

• Contains superlative natural phenomena or areas of exceptional natural beauty and aesthetic importance;
• Is an outstanding example representing major stages of Earth's history, including the record of life, significant on-going geological processes in the development of landforms, or significant geomorphic or physiographic features;
• Is an outstanding example representing significant on-going ecological and biological processes in the evolution and development of terrestrial, fresh water, coastal and marine ecosystems, and communities of plants and animals;
• Contains the most important and significant natural habitats for in-situ conservation of biological diversity, including those containing threatened species of outstanding universal value from the point of view of science or conservation.