Recognizing and rewarding best practice in World Heritage site management on the occasion of the 40th Anniversary of the World Heritage Convention was called for by the World Heritage Committee at its 35th session in Paris, France in 2011. Twenty-three countries participated by sending in proposals for 28 World Heritage sites, both cultural and natural. Submissions were reviewed by a selection committee mandated by the UNESCO World Heritage Centre. The Historic Town of Vigan (Philippines), inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1999, has been recognized as a model of best practices in World Heritage site management, at the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the World Heritage Convention.

Established in the 16th Century, Vigan is the best-preserved example of a planned Spanish colonial town in Asia. Its architecture reflects the coming together of cultural elements from elsewhere in the Philippines, from China and from Europe, resulting in a culture and townscape that have no parallel anywhere in East and South-East Asia.

Vigan’s successful and sustainable management has been achieved with relatively limited resources, which should make it adaptable to sites in all countries; the local community is well integrated into many aspects of the sustainable conservation and management of the property; and a multi-faceted approach to the protection of the site has been developed.

For more information, please refer to:

http://whc.unesco.org/uploads/news/documents/news-948-1.docx