UNESCO announced on July 26 that twenty-five cultural heritage sites have been added to the list for recognition this year. Among these sites are locations currently under threat due to conflicts.
The article presents a list of some of the sites included in the recognition list for 2026.
UNESCO has added more than a dozen sites from various countries to the World Heritage list. Among the new inclusions are the Wat Phra Mahathat Woramahawihan Buddhist temple, which has been operating for over 1500 years in Nakhon Si Thammarat province of the Kingdom of Thailand, as well as the Sungu burial complexes in Mongolia.
During a live broadcast, UNESCO also approved the inclusion of the sacred complex of the Mangystau province in Kazakhstan, consisting of 'unique underground mosques,' and the Jingdezhen porcelain industry in China, covering an area of about 2000 hectares.
Furthermore, UNESCO gave its approval for the ancient Buddhist temple in Sarnath, India, to be recognized as a World Heritage site. This sacred place is considered where Buddha delivered his first sermon and met his first disciples.
On the African continent, the historical heritage of the Medhin Sultanates of the Comoro Islands was added to the list, as well as the Tunisian village of Sidi Bou Said, located by the Mediterranean Sea.
In terms of natural heritage, UNESCO included the Okefenokee Wildlife Refuge (United States of America) and the Wadi Arla Natural Reserve in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The Limfjord fish bone fossils in Denmark were also added to the World Heritage list, as this is the oldest and most important site for studying the initial evolution and diversification of modern bony fish.
The archaeological site of Sebastia on the West Bank of the Jordan River and five castles in the Mont Amal region of Lebanon were included in the UNESCO list, despite objections from Israel, which called on the organization to reject these applications.
Members of the UNESCO committee decided to include Sebastia and the five castles of the Mont Amal region both on the World Heritage List and the World Heritage in Danger List, following the analysis of urgent applications, citing ongoing conflicts in the Middle East.
The 48th session of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Committee will take place from July 19 to 29 in Busan, South Korea, where 30 applications from various countries will be reviewed.
