Best Practices of Underwater Cultural Heritage
Based on the premise that only those who know the heritage can protect it, the 2001 Convention encourages responsible access to underwater heritage. The challenges of promoting and protecting underwater heritage are specific to each site, and UNESCO, aware of these multiple and heterogeneous contexts, is developing various awareness-raising and capacity-building activities aimed at all stakeholders. The activities implemented by the Secretariat allow, in particular, through different tools and media, to raise awareness among the general public, local communities and youth on the promotion and protection of underwater heritage. These initiatives of valorization of the cultural heritage have also been set up to sensitize the tourists and the tourist sector. Because the responsibility of protecting the underwater heritage is incumbent on everyone - States Parties, public services in charge of the management of this heritage, but also the general public and tourism actors. This common and shared responsibility is one of the guidelines of the 2001 Convention.
Examples of Best Practices
Archived Best Practices
Some Best Practices are temporary projects and sometimes end up being suspended. However, these successful initiatives combining promotion and protection of underwater cultural heritage should be documented.
That is why a list of archived Best Practices is published here. The body of reference of initiatives promoting underwater cultural heritage is preserved and made available in order to ensure the implementation of the principle of international cooperation in the framework of access to underwater cultural heritage and to allow its protection.
Underwater Cultural Heritage at the Nevado de Toluca, Mexico.
The National Nature Reserve of Nevado de Toluca is a stratovolcano located at 4680 meters above sea level. Inside the crater, there are two perennial bodies of water known as the Sun Lake and the Moon Lake. Archaeological materials deposited inside the lakes are well preserved. The aim of the project is to involve local communities with their own cultural heritage through dialogue. Exhibitions, publications, and documentary screenings encourage this dialogue through awareness and discussion. . .
More about Best Practices
Promoting access to underwater cultural heritage through the exchange of best practices among States Parties is one of many examples of the implementation of the principle of international cooperation.
The exchange of best practices provides States Parties with specific responses to the heterogeneous and multiple challenges of protecting and promoting underwater heritage. The efficiency and relevance of best practices give visibility to the promotion and protection of underwater cultural heritage.
Best practices thus allow :
- Encourage responsible and non-intrusive public access to underwater cultural heritage in accordance with Articles 2.5 and 2.10 of the Convention,
- Increase public awareness, recognition and protection of heritage,
- To promote the Convention and the establishment of national legal frameworks for protection,
- To support scientific research in accordance with the Convention and the Rules concerning activities directed at underwater cultural heritage annexed to it, and capacity building in this regard, and
- To promote the appropriate conservation of heritage,
The Meeting of States Parties, by its Resolution 4/5MSP adopted at its fifth session, wished to strengthen cooperation among States Parties by inviting them to submit examples of Best Practices in the implementation of the Convention. These Best Practices are evaluated by the Scientific and Technical Advisory Body, which makes recommendations to the Meeting of States Parties regarding their designation. This establishes a register of these Best Practices for use by all States Parties to the 2001 Convention.
To facilitate the submission of these Best Practice examples, the Secretariat has developed a .
To submit a Best Practice example to the Conference of States Parties, heritage must:
- falls within the definition of Article 1 of the 2001 Convention or is at least 100 years old, but is classified as underwater cultural heritage under national legislation
- be adequately protected both legally and practically, in particular through the implementation of the Rules concerning activities directed at underwater cultural heritage of the Convention,
- respect responsible and non-intrusive access,
- have a framework for sustainable management.
The UNESCO Label
The Best Practices designated by the Conference of States Parties upon recommendation of the STAB receive a label with the logo of the 2001 Convention in order to promote their visibility to the general public.
This designation has many advantages :
- It increases the visibility of the site or the institution concerned (for example an underwater museum);
- It encourages other States Parties to follow these best practice examples by adopting similar protection and management measures;
- It distinguishes and promotes responsible access to underwater cultural heritage; and
- It allows actors in charge of heritage and whose activities have been recognized as Best Practices to network and cooperate through joint activities (scientific exchanges, joint temporary exhibitions etc.).