Eight More Sites Join UNESCO's World Heritage List

Eight more sites inscribed on UNESCO's World Heritage List

7 July 2008 - Eight new sites in places such as Malaysia and Croatia have joined the World Heritage List of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), it was announced today.

The additions mark the first time Papua New Guinea and San Marino have had sites inscribed on the List.

Melaka and George Town, cities on the Straits of Malacca in Malaysia, have been imbued with a multicultural heritage after more than five centuries of trading and cultural exchanges between East and West.

Comprising over 100 hectares of swamps in southern Papua New Guinea some 1,500 metres above sea level, the Kuk Early Agricultural site has been shown to be one which was worked continuously for at least 7,000 - and possibly for as long as 10,000 - years.

Located on the Adriatic island of Hvar in Croatia, the Stari Grad Plain - also a nature reserve - has been virtually intact since it was colonized by Ionian Greeks in the 4th century BC.

The fortifications of Vauban, consisting of 13 groups of fortified buildings and sites, can be found along the western, northern and eastern borders of France, representing the finest examples of the work of Sébastien Le Prestre de Vauban, military engineer of King Louis XIV.

The Modernism Housing Estates in the German capital Berlin encompass six housing estates showcasing housing policies between 1910 and 1933, especially during the Weimar Republic.

In northern Italy's Po valley, Mantua and Sabbioneta represent two key features of Renaissance town planning: the renewal and extension of an existing city, and the implementation of the period's theories about ideal city planning.

The San Marino Historic Centre and Mount Titano in San Marino dates back to the city-state's establishment in the 13th century, including fortification towers, walls, gates and bastions.

Lastly, the Wooden Churches of the Slovak part of the Carpathian Mountain area contain two Roman Catholic, three Protestant and three Greek Orthodox churches built between the 16th and 18th centuries.

Yesterday, the 21-member World Heritage Committee - which is currently meeting in Quebec City, Canada - added four sites in Mauritius, Saudi Arabia, China and Iran to the List.

ENDS

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