Lithuania Promotes Cultural Heritage Reforms, Aims For Bigger UNESCO Role By 2027

(MENAFN- Trend News Agency) BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 10. Lithuania is taking an active role at the 47th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, held from July 6 through 16 at UNESCO headquarters in Paris. The session brings together international delegations to evaluate heritage conservation efforts, review new nominations to the World Heritage List, and address key political and financial issues related to the World Heritage program, Trend reports.

Lithuania's national delegation used its address to reaffirm its strong commitment to the principles of the World Heritage Convention and to highlight recent legislative advances that reinforce the protection of cultural heritage sites at the national level. Notably, the country's newly revised Law on the Protection of Immovable Cultural Heritage introduces clearer regulation and governance measures for UNESCO-listed sites in Lithuania.

“This session is more than just an opportunity to engage in expert dialogue on global heritage protection. It's also a chance for us to present Lithuania's concrete actions and future goals. The updated legislation and approved management plans for our World Heritage properties - Kernavė Archaeological Site and the Historic Center of Vilnius - provide a strong foundation. Together with our active international cooperation, this lays the groundwork for Lithuania's candidacy for the World Heritage Committee in 2027,” said Sigita Bugenienė, Lithuania's national coordinator for World Heritage and head of Cultural Heritage Policy at the Ministry of Culture.

Lithuania also emphasized continued support for heritage protection in Ukraine, expressing solidarity through its national statement and as a co-signatory of a joint declaration by a group of UNESCO member states.

Throughout the session, Lithuania's delegation held meetings with representatives from the UNESCO World Heritage Centre and ICOMOS (International Council on Monuments and Sites) to review national progress in implementing the Convention and to discuss the country's readiness to contribute more broadly on the global stage.

The Lithuanian delegation in Paris includes Dr. Agnė Jasinavičiūtė-Trakimienė, Chair of the Lithuanian National Commission for UNESCO and Director of the State Service for Protected Areas; Renata Vaičekonytė-Kepežinskienė, Head of Heritage Programs at the National Commission's Secretariat; and Aistė Marija Macaitė, Third Secretary at Lithuania's Permanent Delegation to UNESCO.

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