The recognition by the international community that a property is worthy of being inscribed on the World Heritage List is fundamentally dependent on demonstrating that it has outstanding universal value or OUV. From there, the management, the state of conservation, and the governance can be developed with a clear focus since the objective of the World Heritage Convention is to protect and conserve this OUV.
What does OUV mean? How is it defined? What are the challenges of articulating a convincing OUV? Why is it different from national, provincial, municipal or other forms of definition of significance? Whether considering a submission to Canada’s Tentative List or preparing a World Heritage nomination, ICOMOS Canada offers a personalized discussion that will provide the context and general direction to translate local significance into potential OUV. Some of the points discussed include:
• The definition of OUV, integrity and authenticity;
• General considerations for stakeholder relations;
• The importance of management; and,
• Highlights of the World Heritage nomination process.
For more detail about ICOMOS Canada’s OUV assistance, please go to ICOMOS Canada Initiatives, by clicking here.
(photo: Office du Tourisme de Québec)