Türkiye to host 49th UNESCO World Heritage session

Türkiye will host the 49th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee in Istanbul in 2027 after its bid was unanimously approved during the committee's 48th session in Busan, South Korea, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said.

The 49th session is scheduled to take place in Istanbul from June 27 to July 7, 2027.

Türkiye's permanent delegate to UNESCO, Ambassador Mustafa Yurdakul, assumed the chairmanship of the 49th session.

The ministry said Türkiye will continue contributing to international cooperation aimed at protecting cultural and natural heritage recognized as the common heritage of humanity.

Hosting the session will further strengthen Türkiye's active role within UNESCO and enhance its visibility in the field of cultural diplomacy, while also providing an important opportunity to promote the country's rich cultural and natural heritage internationally.

Türkiye currently has 22 cultural and mixed heritage sites inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

The UNESCO World Heritage Committee decides on new inscriptions to the World Heritage List, reviews the conservation status of listed sites, adopts decisions on the List of World Heritage in Danger, and determines the use of the World Heritage Fund.