What is the Charter about?

To mark the 40th anniversary of the World Heritage Convention in 2012, the Swiss Commission for UNESCO launched the idea of a Swiss Charter on World Heritage. The Charter aims to increase people’s affinity with World Heritage, preserve World Heritage properties and promote awareness of the significance of their outstanding universal value.

How was the Charter drawn up?

The Swiss Commission for UNESCO produced a first draft of the Charter in spring 2013, and this was further refined by a focus group comprising potential signatories. A national consultation on the Charter text followed in February 2014. Around 180 World Heritage proponents – World Heritage properties, the federal government, cantons, communes, tourism organisations, national institutions and associations – were written to directly and asked for their opinion on the Charter. Based on the feedback received (Consultation Report), the Charter was revised again and adopted at the General Assembly of the Swiss Commission for UNESCO on 29 November 2014.

On 23 March 2015, the Charter was signed at a ceremony attended by Georges Martin, Deputy State Secretary and Deputy Political Director, Isabelle Chassot, Director of the Federal Office of Culture, Bruno Oberle, Director of the Federal Office for the Environment, Jean-Bernard Münch, President of the Swiss Commission for UNESCO, and a number of others with an interest or responsibilities in the area of World Heritage.