2. CONVENTION CONCERNING THE PROTECTION OF THE 

 WORLD CULTURAL AND NATURAL HERITAGE, 

 NOVEMBER 23, 1972. Not in Force'' 



Done at Paris on Noveiiiber 23, 1972; Ratification advised hy the 

 Senate (ivith declaration) October SO, 1973 ; Ratified hy the Pres- 

 ident {with declaration) November 13, 1973; Ratification deposited 

 {loith declaration) , December 7, 1973; 



The General Conference of the United Nations Educational, 

 Scientific and Cultural Organization meeting in Paris from 17 Octo- 

 ber to 21 November 1972, at its seventeenth session. 



Noting that the cultural heritage and the natural heritage are 

 increasingly threatened with destruction not only by the traditional 

 causes of decay, but also by changing social and economic conditions 

 which aggravate the situation with even more formidable phenomena 

 of damage or destruction. 



Considering that deterioration or disappearance of any item of the 

 cultural or natural heritage constitutes a harmful impoverishment of 

 the heritage of all the nations of the world. 



Considering that protection of this heritage at the national level 

 often remains incomplete because of the scale of the resources which 

 it requires and of the insufficient economic, scientific and technical 

 resources of the country where the property to be protected is situated, 



Recalling that the Constitution of the Organization provides that it 

 will maintain, increase and diffuse knowledge, by assuring the conser- 

 vation and protection of the world's heritage, and recommending to 

 the nations concerned the necessary international conventions, 



Considering that the existing international conventions, recommen- 

 dations and resolutions concerning cultural and natural property dem- 

 onstrate the importance, for all the peoples of the world, of safe- 

 guarding this unique and irreplaceable property, to whatever people 

 it may belong. 



Considering that parts of the cultural or natural heritage are of 

 outstanding interest and therefore need to be preserved as part of the 

 world heritage of mankind as a whole, 



Considering that, in view of the magnitude and gravity of the new 

 dangers threatening them, it is incumbent on the international com- 

 munity as a whole to participate in the protection of the cultural and 

 natural heritage of outstanding universal value, by the granting of 



*Source: 93d Congress, 1st session. Senate. Executive F. 



Ratified hy: Algeria, Australia. Bulgaria (with declaration), Egypt, Iraq, Sudan, United 

 States (with declaration), as of Dec. 31, 1974 (Entry into force requires ratification by 

 20 nations). 



(121) 



