This past week, the 34th session of the World Heritage Committee met in Brasília, Brazil to discuss the additions and changes to the list of UNESCO World Heritage sites.

A total of 21 new sites have been inscribed, including 15 cultural and 5 natural properties. Kiribati, the Marshall Islands, and Tajikistan are the newest members of the list of UNESCO countries. Some cultural highlights are;

• Australian Convict Sites (Australia)
• Tabriz Historical Bazaar Complex (Islamic Republic of Iran)
• Bikini Atoll, Nuclear Test Site (Marshall Islands)
• Historic Villages of Korea: Hahoe and Yangdong (Republic of Korea)

The new natural properties added are;

• China Danxia (China)
• Pitons, Cirques and Remparts of Reunion Island (France)
• Phoenix Islands Protected Area (Kiribati)
• Putorana Plateau (Russian Federation)
• Central Highlands of Sri Lanka (Sri Lanka)

The more sobering list that the Committee maintains is the World Heritage in Danger, those sites for whom armed conflict and war, earthquakes and other natural disasters, pollution, poaching, uncontrolled urbanization and unchecked tourist development threaten their existence. Four sites were added to this solemn list;

• Bagrati Cathedral and Gelati Monastery (Georgia)
• Rainforests of Atsinanana (Madagascar)
• Tombs of Buganda Kings (Uganda)
• Everglades National Park (United States of America)

Thankfully, because of significant efforts made by Ecuador in addressing the threats posed by invasive species, unbridled tourism and over-fishing, the Galapagos Islands have been removed from the list.