International Day for Monuments and Sites
Next: April 18, 2027
Old stones, still telling stories.
The story
Where it comes from
The International Day for Monuments and Sites, often called World Heritage Day, was first suggested at a symposium held by ICOMOS Tunisia in Hammamet on 18 April 1982. ICOMOS, the International Council on Monuments and Sites, wanted a day to celebrate cultural heritage worldwide: many countries and regions had their own heritage days, but none existed on a global scale. Its board approved the project and advised its network on how to mark the day, and in 1983 UNESCO's General Conference adopted the idea at its 22nd session.
How it's celebrated
ICOMOS committees around the world organise visits to monuments, historic sites and conservation work in progress, along with talks, exhibitions, competitions and the reopening of restored buildings. There is a theme each year, though local committees may choose the issue that matters most where they are. Anyone can join in by visiting an old building near home, or by learning the story behind a street you walk down every day.
Did you know
- Since 2001 ICOMOS has asked its committees to use the day to draw attention to a particularly endangered type of heritage.
- Melaka and George Town in Malaysia, shaped by more than 500 years of trade between East and West, were inscribed together on the World Heritage List in 2008.
- The Singapore Botanic Gardens, founded in 1859, became Singapore's first World Heritage Site in 2015, after an assessment by ICOMOS.
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- UN Chinese Language Day · April 20, 2027
- Kartini Day · April 21, 2027
- World Creativity and Innovation Day · April 21, 2027
- Earth Day · April 22, 2027
- International Girls in ICT Day · April 22, 2027