Apply before 5 May 2024.

ARCWH Call for applications

The Arab Regional Centre for World Heritage (ARC-WH) and the ICCROM-IUCN World Heritage Leadership (WHL) programme are seeking World Heritage Management Teams to join the regional capacity-building programme on “Improving Management Effectiveness of World Heritage Properties in the Arab States Region”, which will be held in three phases from June to November 2024. 

This programme provides World Heritage Management Teams with the skills and knowledge needed to manage World Heritage properties and carry out management effectiveness assessments to support the improvement and enhancement of management systems for World Heritage.  

By promoting a ‘heritage place approach’ to heritage management, focused on understanding how to manage and conserve the multiple heritage values of heritage places in their wider social, environmental and economic contexts, the programme helps World Heritage Management Teams evaluate the effectiveness of their management practices and identify areas for improvement in management processes, legal and planning frameworks, governance arrangements and results delivered by the management system. 

The three phases of the project consist of: 

  1. In-person course on Managing World Heritage: People Nature Culture (30 June – 4 July 2024) 

  1. Online facilitation for World Heritage Management Teams on the implementation of a management effectiveness assessment using the methodology and tools of the Enhancing Our Heritage Toolkit 2.0 (September 2024 – early November 2024) 

  1. Closing in-person workshop on-site to finalize the assessment and set the way forward (November 2024) 

This course is based on two key resources: 

  • Enhancing Our Heritage Toolkit 2.0 (EOH 2.0), which offers an integrated management effectiveness methodology specific to World Heritage properties’ needs

  • Forthcoming resource manual on managing World Heritage that combines the two previous resource manuals — Managing Cultural World Heritage and Managing Natural World Heritage — offering an integrated framework for World Heritage management and conservation 

3-phase capacity-building programme

The programme is made up of three phases that guide World Heritage Management Teams through a foundational course on World Heritage management, site-based mentoring in implementing a management effectiveness assessment, and the identification of actions to strengthen the management system and inform the next cycle of management planning.  

World Heritage Management Teams will be asked if they wish to continue the programme after the completion of each phase.  

Phase 1 – Course on “Managing World Heritage: People Nature Culture” 

World Heritage Management Teams will select two representatives to join the regional course on “Managing World Heritage: People Nature Culture” at the Arab Regional Centre for World Heritage in Manama, Kingdom of Bahrain, from 30 June to 4 July 2024.  

Each World Heritage Management Team will be required to select a Team Leader and a Team Coordinator to attend the course on behalf of the larger team. The larger team may follow the course through online modalities. 

The course provides an overview of what constitutes a heritage management system and tools to assess its effectiveness, recognizing the need to adapt to changing times and realities. By understanding how the system works, it is possible to evaluate how it operates and its performance, including how existing resources can be better utilized while exploring new ways of doing things. During the course, participants will be introduced to key tools and resources for improving management, planning and decision-making processes at World Heritage properties and other heritage places.  

Phase 2 – Online facilitation on implementing the management effectiveness assessment using EOH 2.0 

In this phase, the World Heritage Management Teams will participate in four online sessions with a dedicated facilitator. The teams will work independently through the various EOH 2.0 tools and share their work with the facilitator to discuss their progress on the management effectiveness assessment of their World Heritage site’s management system. 

Phase 3 – Workshop hosted by selected World Heritage properties to finalize the assessment 

World Heritage Management Teams will host a 3-day workshop at their sites to finalize the management effectiveness assessment and set the way forward. The workshop will be jointly coordinated and implemented with the facilitators that who accompanied the team in the assessment. 

Who can apply? 

The programme is open to World Heritage Management Teams from World Heritage properties located in the Arab States region.

World Heritage Management Teams should include:  

  • site managers  

  • representatives of heritage and planning institutions and agencies   

  • organizations and communities involved in managing World Heritage

Teams should be made up of 3 to 6 people representing the different actors involved in World Heritage management. Management Teams from World Heritage properties with management plans currently undergoing revision are recommended to apply.

How to apply

Please complete the application form by 5 May 2024. 

Applications should include the following documents:

  • Professional Curriculum Vitae (in English, max. 2 pages) of all team members

  • Indication of the Team Leader and Team Coordinator who will attend the in-presence course on “Managing World Heritage: People Nature Culture” 

  • Endorsement form signed by your employer/institution

For the World Heritage Management Teams interested in applying for a grant, a letter of intent must be submitted with your application to capacitybuilding@arcwh.org. The letter should explain why this capacity-building programme is needed and how it will contribute to your work and the management of the World Heritage property you are involved with.