Since 2023, WHITR-AP Shanghai has launched the HeritAP Initiative on World Heritage Contribution to Sustainable Development Goals. Now, it is calling for Good Practices from heritage practitioners on how heritage conservation and management contribute to sustainable development.

In addition, the UNESCO Thematic Indicators for Culture (Culture| 2030 Indicators) proposed a conceptual framework to measure and monitor the progress of culture's enabling contribution to the SDGs with four transversal thematic dimensions: 1. Environment & Resilience; 2. Prosperity & Livelihoods; 3. Knowledge & Skills; 4. Inclusion & Participation.

As aforementioned, in 2023, encouraged by UNESCO, WHITR-AP Shanghai launched the "World Heritage Contribution to Sustainable Development Goals" project (2023 - 2028) in the Asia - Pacific region. A steering group was established with representatives from UNESCO World Heritage Centre, the World Heritage Advisory Bodies (ICOMOS, ICCROM and IUCN), the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization Regional Centre for Archaeology and Fine Arts (SEAMEO SPAFA), and the International Centre on Space Technologies for Natural and Cultural Heritage (HIST). The overarching aim of the project is to facilitate the dialogue between a range of viewpoints, identify Good Practices based on the four transversal thematic dimensions established by the 2030 Culture Indicators, and provide guidance to heritage practitioners to effectively contribute to sustainable development.

Facilitate the understanding of the 2015 Policy on Integration of a Sustainable Development Perspective into the Processes of the World Heritage Convention and contribute to the implementation of the Regional Framework Action Plan for Asia and the Pacific (2023-2030).

Promote capacity development and information exchange between heritage practitioners on good practices to streamline sustainable development in heritage conservation and management.

Disseminateexperiences and lessons learned from good practices in World Heritage contribution to SDGs, recognize and reward the contributions made by heritage practitioners.

Assist practitioners, institutions, communities, and networks involved in World Heritage to harness the benefits that engagement in sustainable development can deliver to properties.

On 27 November 2024, the 2024 HeritAP Annual Meeting — "World Heritage Contribution to Sustainable Development Goals: Environment & Resilience Awards and Call for Good Practice in Prosperity & Livelihood" — was successfully held in Hangzhou, China. The meeting brought together over 140 heritage practitioners, including experts and scholars from China and abroad.

From January to March 2025, HeritAP launched the Call for Good Practice. The 2025 theme is "Prosperity and Livelihood."

For more background information, please visit the HeritAP website: heritap.whitr-ap.org

For more background information, please visit the HeritAP website: heritap.whitr-ap.org

The theme for the 2026 call for practices are “Knowledge & Skills”. This thematic dimension provides a framework for evaluating the role of heritage in developing knowledge and skills, including traditional knowledge and cultural diversity. It emphasizes the contribution of heritage in transmitting local values, knowledge, and skills, and fostering empowerment through education, training, processes, policies, and materials. The focus is on integrating heritage knowledge into primary, secondary, and tertiary education, as well as vocational training and to assess the commitment of public authorities and institutions in leveraging heritage knowledge to foster respect for cultural diversity, understanding of sustainable development, and transmission of values. Additionally, it prioritizes cultural and natural training, including advanced training in heritage conservation, and promotes skills and competence in creative fields.

This thematic dimension also directly supports UNESCO's Promoting Tangible – Intangible Synergies at UNESCO Designated Sites in Asia-Pacific by generating and sharing integrated knowledge systems that treat built fabric, landscapes, and living practices as mutually reinforcing resources. By embedding both tangible and intangible elements in education, training, and policy tools, it equips practitioners to document, interpret, and safeguard sites holistically; facilitates joint curricula that link craft techniques to conservation science; and strengthens local capacity to manage heritage places as dynamic cultural-ecological systems.

This call is open to all heritage practitioners directly involved in heritage conservation and management. The applicants can be individuals, organizations, or a combination of individuals and organizations.

For World Heritage List, please click here:

https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/

For the Tentative List, please click here: https://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/?action=listtentative&order=states

The location or scope of the projects is not limited to the World Heritage property or buffer zone.

By participating in this Call for Good Practices, applicants will reap the following benefits:

The heritage conservation and management efforts will receive official recognition on an international scale. Certificates will be granted by WHITR-AP Shanghai, a UNESCO Category 2 Center. This serves as both an acknowledgment of past endeavors and a powerful impetus for future initiatives. Moreover, outstanding cases will be forwarded to the UNESCO World Heritage Centre. This will enable heritage sites to stand out in the international heritage conservation arena, draw widespread attention, and further underscore their intrinsic value.

It offers a unique opportunity to engage in communication and exchange with UNESCO heritage conservation experts and other outstanding practitioners internationally. Participants can share the sustainable development approaches of their respective heritage sites and jointly explore optimization strategies. In the process of exchanging ideas, the local concepts of how World Heritage contributes to sustainable development can be further enriched. Particularly for the heritage site hosting the annual conference, it can directly obtain suggestions from domestic and international experts regarding its own sustainable development path. It can also collaborate with experts in planning the annual conference activities, thereby injecting new vitality into the development of the heritage site.

By leveraging international professional platforms such as the World Heritage Convention (WHC), the International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property (ICCROM), the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS), and the WHITR-AP, the heritage site will be actively promoted and publicized. Project leaders will also be invited to attend the HeritAP annual meeting. This provides an opportunity to showcase the achievements of the project, gradually expand its influence, and enable more heritage practitioners to understand the unique charm and effective protection of the heritage site.

06 | HOW TO APPLY

Please complete the application form and send it heritap@whitr-ap.org.

The following are some notes to facilitate your application:

1. Each project should be submitted on a separate application form.

Please scan the QR code to download the application form:

07 | CONTACT INFORMATION

      If you have any questions, please contact:

      Ms. LI Hong, Project Director, WHITR-AP Shanghai

      Email: heritAP@whitr-ap.org

      Tel: +86 21 65987687 ext. 8010

      HeritAP website: heritap.whitr-ap.org

Contributed by LI Hong & ZHU Ziyue (Intern)

Designed by ZHU Ziyue (Intern)

Edited by LIU Zhen

Reviewed by SHAO Yong