UNESCO through its two main programme ( WHL and MAB) is greatly involved in religious and sacred site conservation. It exist a great variety of religious and sacred sites that are representative of the different cultures and traditions of the world.
Approximately 20 per cent of the properties inscribed on the World Heritage List have some sort of religious or spiritual connection. Religious and sacred properties to be found in most countries around the world constitute the largest single category on the List. Specific and significant spiritual meanings are mentioned to justify the Outstanding Universal Value of a large number of the World Heritage properties.
Numerous historic cities on the List possess components of religious significance and are recognized as holy cities by different communities.
According to ICCROM, living religious
heritage has characteristics that distinguish it from other forms of heritage.
Sacred sites, according to the UNESCO MAB Programme "have a vital
importance for safeguarding cultural and biological diversity for present and
future generations."
Collectively, the religious and sacred properties capture a range of cultural and natural diversity, and each can singularly demonstrate the spirit of a particular place.
Collectively, the religious and sacred properties capture a range of cultural and natural diversity, and each can singularly demonstrate the spirit of a particular place.
History
Connected with global UNESCO policies, In
recent years a number of research studies and analyses of religious heritage
and sacred sites were carried out by ICCROM, ICOMOS and IUCN.
There were a number of conclusions and recommendations drawn from previous meetings and activities on religious and sacred heritage:
- 2003 ICCROM Forum on the conservation of Living Religious Heritage
- 2005 ICOMOS General Assembly resolution calling for the "establishment of an International Thematic Programme for Religious Heritage"
- 2008 UNESCO MAB/IUCN Guidelines for the Conservation and Management of Sacred Natural Sites.
- 2008 Quebec Declaration on the Preservation of the Spirit of Place, adopted at the 16th General Assembly of ICOMOS in 2008.
- 2010 Kyiv declaration adopted within the context of the International Year for the Rapprochement of Cultures 2010
- June 2011 , the Word Heritage Committee at its 35th Session (UNESCO, 2011) requests the World Heritage Centre to elaborate a thematic paper proposing to States Parties general guidance regarding the management of their cultural and natural heritage of religious interest. (Decision: 35 COM 5 A, page 2
There were a number of conclusions and recommendations drawn from previous meetings and activities on religious and sacred heritage:
- 2003 ICCROM Forum on the conservation of Living Religious Heritage
- 2005 ICOMOS General Assembly resolution calling for the "establishment of an International Thematic Programme for Religious Heritage"
- 2008 UNESCO MAB/IUCN Guidelines for the Conservation and Management of Sacred Natural Sites.
- 2008 Quebec Declaration on the Preservation of the Spirit of Place, adopted at the 16th General Assembly of ICOMOS in 2008.
- 2010 Kyiv declaration adopted within the context of the International Year for the Rapprochement of Cultures 2010
- June 2011 , the Word Heritage Committee at its 35th Session (UNESCO, 2011) requests the World Heritage Centre to elaborate a thematic paper proposing to States Parties general guidance regarding the management of their cultural and natural heritage of religious interest. (Decision: 35 COM 5 A, page 2
Terminology
The term "Religious property", as used by ICOMOS defines "any form of property with religious or spiritual associations: churches, monasteries, shrines, sanctuaries, mosques, synagogues, temples, sacred landscapes, sacred groves, and other landscape features, etc.".
The term "Religious property", as used by ICOMOS defines "any form of property with religious or spiritual associations: churches, monasteries, shrines, sanctuaries, mosques, synagogues, temples, sacred landscapes, sacred groves, and other landscape features, etc.".
The term "Sacred site" embraces
areas of special spiritual significance to peoples and communities; and the
term of "Sacred natural site" corresponds to the areas of land or
water having special spiritual significance to peoples and communities,"
as proposed by the UNESCO/IUCN Guidelines, 2008