The World Heritage List. What is OUV? Defining the Outstanding Universal Value of Cultural World Heritage Properties

An ICOMOS study compiled by Jukka Jokilehto, with contributions from Christina Cameron, Michel Parent and Michael Petzet. The preamble of the World Heritage Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage (1972) presupposes “that parts of the cultural and natural heritage are of outstanding interest and therefore need to be preserved as part of the world heritage of mankind as a whole.” For this purpose the preamble demands “a convention establishing an effective system of collective protection of the cultural and natural heritage of outstanding universal value”. In articles 8, 13 and 14 of this Convention ICOMOS , the International Council on Monuments and Sites, is named together with ICCRO M and IUCN as advisory body of the World Heritage Committee. And as advisory body our guideline in defining OUV, the outstanding universal value, remains of course first and foremost the World Heritage Convention in connection with the Operational Guidelines for the Implementation of the World Heritage Convention (last revision January 2008).