In a historic gathering in Busan, Republic of Korea, UNESCO welcomed 25 new sites to its World Heritage List, bringing the total to 1,273 protected places across 173 countries. But what made this 48th session truly remarkable was who showed up to celebrate.
Three African nations saw their very first sites inscribed: Comoros, São Tomé and Príncipe, and South Sudan. Comoros President Azali Assoumani traveled in person to witness his country's debut on the list, a moment he called a historic milestone. With these additions, the number of countries without a World Heritage site dropped from 26 to just 23.
The new inscriptions include 19 cultural sites, 5 natural ones, and 1 mixed site. Among them, three were added on an emergency basis because conflict or instability puts them at risk: the Boma-Badingilo Migratory Landscape in South Sudan, Mount Amel Castles in Lebanon, and Sebastia in the State of Palestine. These sites gained the highest level of international protection simultaneously with being added to the List of World Heritage in Danger, unlocking access to technical and financial support from the global community.
This session also marked a turning point for small island nations. UNESCO adopted the World Heritage Strategy for Small Island Developing States 2026–2034, backed by $13 million in funding. The plan aims to help these vulnerable countries identify, protect, and manage their heritage sites while coping with climate change impacts like rising seas and stronger storms.
The committee approved all decisions by consensus, showing what international cooperation can accomplish. They also extended protection for the Getbol, Korean Tidal Flats in the host country, and removed the Historic Centre of Vienna from the danger list after improvements in conservation.
With 196 countries signed onto the 1972 World Heritage Convention, it remains one of the most widely supported treaties on Earth. Director-General Khaled El-Enany put it simply: the list must reflect the full diversity of our world, and this session moved that goal forward.