Chief of the Korea Heritage Service (KHS) Choi Eung-chon: following Korea's election as a member of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee last year, we are currently considering the possibility of hosting the committee's session in the country for the first time in 2026.

https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/culture/2024/05/135_374657.html

They might want to consider 2027 when the 'Capital Fortifications of Hanyang' will be on the agenda! Either way, I am excited for this possibility, its well past due.

Patzcuaro, Site of Humanistic Memory and Cultural Confluence (Mexico)

https://www.elsoldemorelia.com.mx/cultura/expediente-para-nombrar-a-patzcuaro-como-patrimonio-mundial-de-la-humanidad-casi-listo-11932973.html

I think this pushes Las Labradas to 2027.

Bastioned Fortresses of Raia (Portugal)

The aim is to submit the dossier in 2025 and potentially Spain to join (though its not indicated if Spain would be ready to join by 2025).

https://jornalaguarda.com/atualidade/comissao-nacional-da-unesco-recebeu-candidatura-das-fortalezas-abaluartadas-da-raia/

WHS 2026 [Potential host - Republic of Korea]

Africa (1)
- Tarrafal Concentration Camp (Cabo Verde)

Arab States (3)
- Gebel Qatrani Area (Egypt)
- Aqaba Marine Reserve [AMR] (Jordan)
- Wadi Wurayah (UAE)

Asia and the Pacific (8)
- Flinders Ranges (Australia)
- Hainan Tropical Rainforest and the Traditional Settlement of Li Ethnic Group (China)
- Asuka-Fujiwara: Archaeological Sites of Japan's Ancient Capitals (Japan)
- Silk Roads: Fergana-Syrdarya Corridor (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan & Uzbekistan)
- Getbol, Korean Tidal Flats [Extension] (Korea)
- Ancient Port of Banbhore (Pakistan)
- The Tabon Cave Complex (Philippines)
- Koytendag Mountain Ecosystem (Turkmenistan)

Europe and North America (13)
- Großglockner-Hochalpenstraße (Austria)
- Una National Park (Bosnia)
- Wanuskewin (Canada)
- The Architectural Works of Alvar Aalto - a Human Dimension to the Modern Movement (Finland)
- Fortresses of Carcasonne (France)
- Via Francigena (Italy)
- Ancient and Primeval Beech Forests [Extension] (France, Montenegro, Serbia)
- Mount Olympus (Greece)
- Bastioned Fortresses of Raia (Portugal)
- The Bashkir Shikhans of Toratau, Kushtau and Yuraktau (Russia)
- Water Landscape: Ribeira Sacra (Spain)
- The Historical Port City of Izmir (Türkiye)
- Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge (USA)

Latin America and the Caribbean (4)
- La Payunia, Campos Volcánicos Llancanelo y Payún Matrú (Argentina)
- Brazilian Fortresses Ensemble (Brazil)
- Patzcuaro, Site of Humanistic Memory and Cultural Confluence (Mexico)
- Isla de Flores Cultural Landscape (Uruguay)

Wat Phra Mahathat Woramahawihan (Thailand)

Extract from local news that Director of Department of Fine Arts reported to Minister of Culture that "The Department of Fine Arts aims to prepare documents and propose Wat Mahathat Woramahavihan, Nakhon Si Thammarat Province to apply for registration as a World Cultural Heritage within this year (2024)"

Interesting Fact
All previous cultural WHS nomination were initiated and done by experts and historians under the Department of Fine Arts in collaboration with local ICOMOS. Wat Mahathat is the first nomination initiated and done by provincial government and politician. The nomination caused a lot of problem and controversies on provincial government budget expenditure until last year that central government and local ICOMOS intervened and took the work in their arms.

4 African nominations that all plan to submit their dossier by January 2025.

- Zakouma National Park (Chad)
- Historic Sultanates of Comoros (C)
- Catholic Mission of Ambodifotatra (Madagascar)
- Volcanic Islands of Sao Tome and Principe (ST)

"With the provided support, Madagascar and Comoros are currently in the process of developing their nomination dossiers for the Catholic Mission of Ambodifotatra and the Historic Sultanates of Comoros, respectively. These dossiers are anticipated to be submitted in January 2025." - Report of the World Heritage Centre on its activities and the implementation of the World Heritage Committee's Decisions (June 2024)

Regarding Zakouma,

"In addition, the World Heritage Fund was used to support the preparation of a nomination dossier for Zakouma National Park (in Chad). It is expected that the dossier be finalized and submitted by the State Party in January 2025. A first draft of the dossier has already been prepared and a mission is planned by UNESCO to the site in April 2024 to meet with the communities of the village of Bone around the property, for their involvement and support before finalisation of the dossier." - Additional detailed information on the World Heritage Centre's activities and on the implementation of the World Heritage Committee's Decisions (June 2024)

Regarding Sao Tome,

"Sao Tome and Principe: The preparation of the nomination dossier in ongoing. A roadmap has been established for a planned submission of the dossier in January 2025." - Additional detailed information on the World Heritage Centre's activities and on the implementation of the World Heritage Committee's Decisions (June 2024)

well-spotted, winterkjm! I will add them to the list

Indeed, the "Plano Estratégico e de Marketing para o Turismo AVALIAÇÃO INTERMÉDIA São Tomé e Príncipe | 2018- 2025" Page 64 has as "OBJETIVO ESTRATÉGICO 2. CONTRIBUIR PARA A PRESERVAÇÃO DOS ESPAÇOS NATURAIS E CULTURAIS" with a "OBJETIVO ESPECÍFICO" to achieve as an METAS OPERACIONAIS ("Operational goal") for 2025 "1 candidatura UNESCO",

Let's hope all that "management consultancy speak" isn't simply "shelfware"!! This could be another "tick" from long long ago.....Is it (or any of the 4 ) in the "Upstream Process"???

UPDATE - Wat Phra Mahathat Woramahawihan (Thailand)

Thailand will send nomination dossier to UNESCO for preliminary assessment process on September 30. Its OUV now change to a testimony of 1500 years of Malay Peninsula's cultural transition via ancient maritime trading route, IMO aka Maritime Silk Route.

Nigeria - Gashaki-Gumpti National Park

The news is quite confusing, not sure this is just for PA process or part of preparing for final dossier which such timeline should be for WHC 2026 or 2027.

https://curlytales.com/unesco-to-recognise-nigerias-gashaka-gumti-national-park-as-a-world-heritage-site-heres-all-you-need-to-know-about-it/

See the Nigeria topic. This is not for 2026. Fake news Nigerian style

Andorra/France/Spain
https://www.ladepeche.fr/2024/09/28/on-ne-fait-que-poursuivre-800-ans-dhistoire-derniers-preparatifs-pour-la-candidature-a-lunesco-de-landorre-lespagne-et-la-france-12224557.php