UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova officially launched the 40th anniversary celebrations of the World Heritage Convention during a ceremony held on January 30 at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris.

The event marked the beginning of a series of global activities organized by the States Parties to the 1972 Convention, culminating in a final celebration in November 2012 in Kyoto, Japan.

The launch featured a special concert led by legendary jazz musician and UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador Herbie Hancock, alongside performances by Corinne Bailey Rae, Esperanza Spalding, Manu Katché, and Stephen Brown. During the event, an original composition by Esperanza Spalding dedicated to heritage was performed for the first time.

Audiovisual presentations highlighted both the achievements and ongoing challenges in implementing the World Heritage Convention. The event was supported by companies such as Panasonic, Jaeger-LeCoultre, and Citibank.

In her remarks, Irina Bokova described the idea, conceived in the early 1970s, of sharing international responsibility for safeguarding humanity’s cultural and natural heritage as a vision that has evolved into a meaningful global endeavor.

She emphasized that World Heritage should not be seen as a competition among countries, but rather as a long-term commitment involving governments, authorities, and local communities.

Herbie Hancock highlighted the importance of heritage as a connection to history and identity. He reaffirmed his commitment as a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador to promoting intercultural dialogue and mutual understanding.

He also stressed that culture, education, science, and communication are essential pillars for building a better future, noting that without them there is no identity, no future, and no community.

The World Heritage Convention is one of the most widely ratified international agreements, with 188 States Parties. The World Heritage List currently includes 936 properties of outstanding universal value, comprising cultural, natural, and mixed sites across more than 150 countries.