Reaching for UNESCO World Heritage Site Status: A Study of Three German Sites, on Three Stages, in Three Acts

Abstract

The aim of this thesis is to investigate whether The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization’s (UNESCO) mission of “building peace in the minds of men and women” can remain relevant by promoting World Heritage sites in countries like Germany. European and traditionally Christian, with 39 properties already inscribed on the list, how can Germany further contribute to the spectrum of cultural diversity, and in turn, to peace-building in the 21st century? A study carried out by the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) concluded that Europe and Christianity were overrepresented on the list and that “living cultures” (from the 20th century onwards) and “traditional cultures” were underrepresented. In 1994, UNESCO adopted its “Global Strategy”, expanding the definition of heritage to include sites which would reflect a more balanced spectrum of the diversity of the world’s cultural heritage. What implications does this have for Germany, currently permitted to submit only one cultural and one natural site per year? Can countries like Germany further contribute to the spectrum of cultural diversity vital to furthering UNESCO’s peace-building mission? This thesis examines three German cultural sites, in three cities, and in three different chronological and developmental stages of the application process to the UNESCO World Heritage list, then filters the sites through criteria draw from the foundational theories as well as from those conceived by the continuing architects of the evolution of UNESCO thought in relation to World Heritage, global education, global culture and planetary peace-building. UNESCO’s purpose has always been to preserve culture and heritage through education of the world to the world, so that the past and the present is not only championed by UNESCO, but also protected by global citizens. UNESCO World Heritage sites still have a relevant place in peace-building, because promoting the preservation of these sites allows humanity to share places where one country’s tangible history can be learned as our collective history. This thesis should convey a deeper understanding and internalization of the continuing relevance of UNESCO’s original mission in today’s global landscape and Germany’s role in aiding UNESCO with peace-building in the 21st century by continuing to share its World Heritage.