35 years on the List of World Heritage Sites
This year marks the 35th anniversary of the first List of World Heritage Sites of 1978 with the inscription of the historic Krakow Old Town and Wieliczka Salt Mine. Representatives from partner cities of Krakow (such as Vienna, Budapest and Riga) came to Krakow to celebrate this significant event.
The List of World Heritage Sites was established in 1978 by the World Heritage Committee in Washington, to show the international community the importance of preservation of cultural and natural heritage objects. The Committee was composed of countries which had signed and ratified the Convention concerning the protection of the world cultural and natural heritage. 12 sites in seven countries were entered on the list 35 years ago, icluding two sites in Poland: Krakow's Historic Center (with the Wawel Hill, Old Town within the Planty Park and the district of Kazimierz and Stradom) and the Wieliczka Salt Mine (in 2013 the entry was extended to include the Royal Salt Mine in Bochnia and the Wieliczka Salt Mine Castle). Presently, the list features 981 objects in 160 countries: 759 cultural, 193 natural, and 29 mixed properties.
The anniversary celebration was coorganized by the City of Krakow and Wieliczka. On Thursday, 5th September, a ceremonial session was held in the Session Hall of the Council of the City of Krakow (pl. Wszystkich Świętych 3-4).The main topic of the conference was the issue of cultural preservation and new methods for heritage promotion. The conference is accompanied by the exhibition "Krakow Old Town Cultural Park– yeatserday and nowadays" presenting the results of restoration works that were held in Krakow's Old City.