Selecting cultural sites for the UNESCO World Heritage List: Recent work in the Rock Islands–Southern Lagoon area, Republic of Palau

Abstract

In this paper, we discuss approaches and issues raised by the nomination of cultural properties in the Pacific Islands to the World Heritage List. The World Heritage Committee in 2003 acknowledged the under-representation of the Pacific region on the World Heritage List. In response, the action plan World Heritage Pacific 2009 (UNESCO World Heritage Centre 2004) was launched to build capacity in the region and encourage nomination of sites to the Tentative List through identification of properties of potential outstanding universal value (OUV), including transboundary and serial site nominations. Since 1992, Pacific cultural-heritage research has taken an active role in reshaping notions of cultural significance and OUV criteria traditionally employed to achieve World Heritage status. Archaeological expertise in partnership with traditional knowledge and local community involvement is increasingly relied on to provide the material necessary for World Heritage site nomination and heritage management in the Pacific. Emerging issues include tensions between traditional/community structures and government/federal organisations over World Heritage cultural and mixed properties, and the means by which Pacific nations can accumulate the resources and expertise necessary for a World Heritage nomination.