Case Studies
Previous Watch site representatives from the UK and across the world tell us how the Watch helped to secure their future:
Threats to World Heritage
The biennial WMF World Monuments Watch reveals common threats, both natural and man-made, to cultural heritage around the world. The 2008 Watch, WMF’s seventh, highlighted the threat mankind poses to its own cultural heritage through pollution, unmanaged tourism, climate change, conflict and economic and development pressures as urban centres expand.
In the UK, English Heritage places 1 in 30 of England’s 30,554 Grade I and II* buildings at risk of loss through neglect and decay (reference – English Heritage, Building at Risk Register, 2008). SAVE Britain’s Heritage has identified that many of our buildings are endangered by redundancy as technologies and tastes develop in response to global influences and economic pressure.
What is the Watch?
Launched in 1996, the Watch is the flagship advocacy programme of World Monuments Fund. One of the organisation’s most effective tools, the Watch acts as a potent call to action on behalf of sites in urgent need of immediate help.
The following sites, ancient to modern, are eligible:
Archaeological sites; residential, civic, commercial, military or religious architecture, including vernacular architecture; engineering or industrial works; cultural landscapes; historic city centres; and townscapes.
Nominations from around the world form a long list before an independent panel of experts select the final 100.
Selection of the sites is based on:
- Significance
- Urgency
- Viability
- Relevance
See Guidance information for details
With the announcement of each new list, WMF presents a snapshot of the state of the world’s cultural heritage and identifies sites in need of help.
How can the Watch help to save your heritage?
The Watch places UK sites such as the Church and Friary of St. Francis in Gorton, Manchester on the world stage alongside famous sites such as the Taj Mahal.
Objectives of Watch listing:
- Raise public awareness of the challenges of preserving historic sites.
- Alleviate urgent threats
- Stimulate local interest and participation in preservation efforts.
- Encourage the development of long-term plans for the protection of a site.
Inclusion on the Watch brings an international level of advocacy which can secure global attention, elevating local campaigns into national and global arenas. This is often achieved by challenging international and local communities to work together to help protect and preserve important places for future generations.
Sites can be nominated by anyone who cares for the future of a building - governments, conservation professionals, NGO’s or concerned and passionate individuals.
Inclusion on the Watch does not guarantee a site WMF funding but through targeted grant-making, technical assistance and advocacy, WMF seeks to effect lasting change at the sites included on the list and wherever possible, to help foster local and international constituencies that will provide for their protection in the long term.
How to nominate a site
It is recommended that prospective nominators read the available guidance information.
In order for a site to be considered for inclusion on the 2010 World Monuments Fund Watch List of 100 Most ENDANGERED Sites a “nomination form” must be completed and submitted to WMF head office in New York.
This must be accompanied with a completed “nomination signature sheet”. These forms can be downloaded and filled in by hand, electronically off-line or they can be completed on-line.
Downloadable forms:
CLOSING DATE FOR NOMINATIONS IS 15 MARCH 2009
See a list of WMF’s past Watch Sites
