MIXED RESULTS FOR TAJIKSTAN, CHARLES DARWIN & THE GALAPAGOS…

The World Heritage Committee met in Brasília, Brazil, from 25 July to 3 August 2010. During the session, the Committee examined 39 nominations from 33 countries for inscription on UNESCO's World Heritage List: it inscribed 21, including 15 cultural, 5 natural and 1 mixed properties. Three countries, Kiribati, Marshall Islands and Tajikistan, had sites added for the first time. One existing natural site also recognized for its cultural values and thus becomes a mixed site. The UK's nomination for the workplace and home of Charles Darwin to join the list of World Heritage Sites has been deferred, as 'further in-depth study and analysis was needed'. The Committee also reviewed the state of conservation of 147 World Heritage properties, including 31 sites inscribed on theList of World Heritage in Danger and another 36 that are causing serious concern. The In Danger List features sites which are threatened by a variety of problems such as pollution, urban development, poorly managed mass tourism, wars and natural disasters. The Committee also added four sites to the List of World Heritage in Danger and removed the Galápagos Islands (Ecuador) from the List.