Committee to review 45 candidates for inscription on UNESCO’s World Heritage List

Between the 23rd of June and the 2nd of July, the World Heritage Committee will meet for its yearly session in New Zealand. Friday, UNESCO announced that 45 possible new sites will be discussed. The exact composition of these 45 is not made public, but combining the info from various sources I think the ones summed up below are a pretty accurate guess.


-Albania
Ville historique de Berat
-Argentina
Foundational City Area of La Plata
-Australia
Sydney Opera House
-Austria
Bregenzerwald Cultural Landscape
-Azerbaijan
Gobustan Rock Art Cultural Landscape
-Bosnia and Herzegovina
Mehmed paša Sokolovic’s Bridge in Višegrad
-Cambodia
Site sacré du temple de Preah Vihear
-Canada
Rideau Canal
-China
Kiaping Diaolou and Villages
-China
South China Karst
-Czech Republic
Hand Paper Mill at Velke Losiny
-Finland
Paimio Hospital
-France / Spain
Rivage méditerranéen des Pyrénées
-France
Bordeaux, Port de la Lune
-France
Les concrétions des grottes françaises, témoins exceptionnels
-Gabon
Ecosystem and Relict Cultural Landscape of Lopé-Okanda
-Germany
Housing Estates in the Berliner Modern Style
-Greece
Old Town of Corfu
-India
Red Fort Complex
-Iraq
Samarra Archaeogical City
-Israel
Bahá'í Holy Places in Haifa and the Western Galilee
-Italy
The Dolomites
-Italy
Valnerina e Cascate delle Marmore
-Japan
Iwami-Ginzan Silver Mine Site and its Cultural Landscape
-Kenya
Sacred Mijikenda Kaya Forests
-Kyrgyzstan
Sulamain-Too Cultural Landscape (Sacred Mountain)
-Madagascar
Forêts humides de l’Atsinanana
-Mexico
Banco Chinchorro Biosphere Reserve
-Mexico
Campus Central de la Ciudad Universitaria
-Namibia
Twyfelfontein
-Philippines
Batanes Cultural Landscape
-Poland
Gdansk – Town of Memory and Freedom
-Republic of Korea
Jeju Volcanic Island and Lava Tubes
-Romania
Sibiu
-Serbia and Montenegro
Gamzigrad – Romuliana, the Palace of Galerius
-Slovakia / Ukraine
Beech Primeval Forests of the Carpathians
-South Africa
Prince Edward Islands
-South Africa
Richtersveld Cultural and Botanical Landscape
-Spain
Teide National Park
-Switzerland
Jungfrau – Aletsch – Bietschhorn – extension
-Switzerland
Lavaux, vignoble en terrasses face au lac et aux alpes
-Tajikistan
Sarazm
-Turkmenistan
Parthian Fortresses of Nisa
-United Kingdom
Darwin at Down
-Vietnam
Ba Be National Park

Being on the List of 45 isn’t a guarantee that the site will definitely make the World Heritage List 2007. During the Committee’s meetings, the reports of the advisory bodies ICOMOS (cultural) and UICN (natural) about the status and merits of the sites are discussed. These reports, and some politics added, can make the difference between ‘In’ or ‘Out’.
Word has spread (word travels very fast on the internet) that the UK entry (Darwin at Down) and the Japanese entry (Iwami-Ginzan Silver Mine) have received negative recommendations from ICOMOS. Maybe the two countries will withdraw their proposed sites, so they can brush them up and send them in another year. As a negative recommendation by the advising body not automatically results in missing out on a place on the list, they also might take the chance and leave it to the discussions.
Sources: http://media-newswire.com/release_1051464.html, http://www.japantoday.com/jp/news/406599