Jacek Purchla appointed new Chair of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee
The 2017 Session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee will be held in Krakow. The decision was made by the Committee during its session in Istanbul. On Wednesday October 26th 2016 in Paris, Prof. Jacek Purchla will become the Committee’s new Chair. He will hold the position for a year.
The Committee is meeting in Paris, where its headquarters are also located. During the meeting, a representative of Poland will take over the Committee’s Chair. The candidature was accepted unanimously by the delegates in Istanbul. The candidate, Prof. Jacek Purchla, is a renowned specialist in cultural heritage protection and conservation. He is also the founder and the long-standing director of the International Cultural Centre in Krakow.
In July 2017, approximately 1000 delegates from 190 countries will convene at ICE Kaków Congress Center - one of Europe’s most advanced conference venues. The delegates will discuss the future of some of the world’s most treasured sites of cultural and natural heritage.
Krakow’s bid, supported by the Polish Ministry of Culture and National Heritage as well as the Foreign Office, won against Vietnam’s proposal. The city’s central location, a fast developing airport offering connections to nearly all parts of the world and ICE Kraków – a truly unique conference venue – were all significant competitive advantages that contributed vitally to Krakow’s victory.
