Paris, 6 July 2025. A Cuban delegation is participating in the 47th Session of the World Heritage Committee, held at UNESCO Headquarters from 6 to 16 July, in its capacity as a State Party to the 1972 Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage.
During the debate on the activities of the World Heritage Centre and the implementation of the Committee’s decisions, Cuba shared its national experiences in the preservation and sustainable management of its cultural and natural heritage.
The Cuban delegation highlighted the adoption by the National Assembly of People’s Power of the General Law on the Protection of Cultural and Natural Heritage, a milestone that strengthens conservation mechanisms and promotes the active participation of communities and heritage professionals. It also reported progress in preparing the nomination file for the Cuban Caribbean Reef System, which encompasses highly biodiverse marine ecosystems currently threatened by sea-level rise and coral bleaching.
In its statement, the delegation underlined the importance of enhancing international cooperation in the field of heritage conservation, noting that:
“Our country, with nine sites inscribed on the World Heritage List and more than 400 National Monuments, continues to make significant efforts to protect its cultural and natural heritage. A recent milestone is the adoption of the General Law on the Protection of Cultural and Natural Heritage, which strengthens sustainable management for heritage professionals and communities.”
Cuba also reaffirmed its firm commitment to the principles of the 1972 Convention and emphasized the need for effective and context-sensitive strategies to safeguard heritage in Small Island Developing States (SIDS), a group that receives special attention from UNESCO.
The delegation called for greater international solidarity in addressing global challenges that endanger humanity’s heritage, condemning armed conflicts that threaten sites inscribed on the World Heritage List. In this regard, Cuba denounced the genocide against the Palestinian people in Gaza and the ongoing aggression against the Islamic Republic of Iran, as well as the economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed by the United States, which severely restricts the country’s access to resources and technologies essential for heritage protection and restoration.
The Cuban delegation was composed of Nilson Acosta Reyes, Vice President of the National Council of Cultural Heritage and Cultural Focal Point; Aylem Hernández Ávila, Deputy Director of the National Center for Protected Areas and Natural Focal Point; and Laura Alvarez Delgado, Third Secretary of the Permanent Delegation of Cuba to UNESCO.
The World Heritage Committee, composed of 21 States Parties, is examining during this session 30 new nominations and the state of conservation of 248 sites, including 56 listed as World Heritage in Danger.
Cuba reiterated its steadfast commitment to continue working alongside all States Parties and UNESCO to preserve, protect and transmit its cultural and natural heritage to future generations.