World Heritage is the shared wealth of humankind. Protecting and preserving this valuable asset demands the collective efforts of the international community.  The 18th April offers an opportunity to raise the public’s awareness about the diversity of cultural and natural heritage and the efforts that are required to protect and conserve it, as well as draw attention to its vulnerability.

Put simply, it is an opportunity to shout about how fantastic our World Heritage is!!

It is an ‘official’ celebration day first proposed by ICOMOS, the International Council for Monuments and Sites and then approved by the UNESCO General Conference in November 1983. Each year has a theme, and this year’s is sustainable tourism. ICOMOS have put a set of resources online relating to this here. Many Sites simply choose to use the day to raise awareness

A number of UK Sites are choosing to celebrate the day this year, with events from illuminations and hustings to Minecraft and yarnbombing! The information we have about there so far is here:

Fountains Abbey & Studley Royal
Location: Ripon, HG4 3DY
Planned Event: World Heritage Day at Fountains Abbey & Studley Royal
Date: Monday 1 May
Time: 11am-4pm
Price: Activities will be free but normal admission price applies.
Details: Find out how we are trying to protect this World Heritage Site from its biggest threat, water. There will be splashes of fun to be had with the Yorkshire Dales River Trust at Swanley, with water activities to join in with throughout the day. You can even have a go at diverting a river!
Link: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/events/b4188263-901b-444a-8cf5-7d6979057bfc/pages/details

Durham World Heritage Site
Location: Durham World Heritage Site Visitor Centre, Durham Cathedral, Palace Green Library, Palace Green, Fowlers Yard
Planned Event: World Heritage Weekend
Date: 22^nd – 23^rd April 2017
Time: 9.30am – 4.30pm (Times vary for the activities)
Price: Free Event
Details: Visit Durham World Heritage Site for an exciting weekend filled with fun activities for all! As part of the World Heritage Day celebrations Durham is hosting a fun weekend showcasing the amazing crafts people of Durham that keep the site alive. From textiles to scriptorium there is something for everyone!
Link: https://www.durhamworldheritagesite.com/visit/news/2017/world-heritage-weekend
Download: world heritage weekend leaflet (1) durham

City of Bath
Location: Parade Gardens, Bath
Planned Event: Day of family entertainment, including walks, talks, music, displays, games and craft activities.
Date: Sunday 23^rd April
Time: 11am to 3pm
Price: Free entry to all
Details: Each year Bath celebrates World Heritage Day, themed on one of the reasons that the site was inscribed. This year it is the ‘Waters of Bath’ and we have stalls, a programme of short talks, guided walks, children’s games and craft activities all set within the historic riverside park of Parade Gardens.
Link: https://www.bathworldheritage.org.uk/events

Download: Bath World Heritage Day 2017 leaflet email version

New Lanark World Heritage Site
Location: New Lanark Mills, New Lanark, ML11 9DB
Planned Event: Heritage activities at New Lanark
Date: 18^th April 2017
Time: 10am – 4pm
Price: Free
Details: Grab your knitting needles and craft supplies and celebrate World Heritage Day with Dig It! 2017 through yarnbombing, taster sessions, interactive workshops and plenty of tea at New Lanark. If you would like to get involved ahead of the event by sending in your own knitting creations to add to the yarnbomb please contact sara@digit2017.com. If you’d like to come along to the event on 18th April to help with the yarnbombing please register for a place on this Eventbrite page: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/knit-new-lanark-scotland-in-six-tickets-33014096050

Further details: On 18^th April New Lanark will also be running two free Archaeology Taster Tours at 11am and 2pm. Booking is essential at https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/archaeology-taster-tours-tickets-33277865993

Old and New Towns of Edinburgh
Location: Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, Glasgow, and National Museum of Scotland Chambers Street Edinburgh
Planned Event: Celebrate World Heritage Day event
Date: 11 – 18th April
Time: 10am -4 pm
Price: Free
Details: All details of events happening in Edinburgh and across Scotland for World Heritage Day can be found here: https://www.historicenvironment.scot/advice-and-support/listing-scheduling-and-designations/world-heritage-sites/world-heritage-day/

Location: Saint Stephen’s Stockbridge, 105 St Stephen Street, Edinburgh, EH3 5AB
Planned Event: 2017 Heritage Hustings for the Local Government Elections
Date: 18^th April
Time: 6pm – 8pm
Price: Free
Details: Your chance to question the candidates on Edinburgh city heritage matters, followed by a chance to meet the team from Edinburgh World Heritage.

Download: EWH Hustings Poster A4 v.5 RGB

Ironbridge Gorge
A wide range of events are happing near or around the world-famous Ironbridge Gorge to mark World Heritage Day.  Details can be found here’: http://www.ironbridge.org.uk/plan-your-visit/events-and-exhibitions-calendar/  Some of these include:
Location: Blists Hill Victorian Town, The Ironbridge Gorge Museums, Telford
Planned Event: Meet the Animals
Date: 8 – 23 April
Time: 10am – 4:30pm (Museum opening hours)
Price: Adult – £17.95, 60 Plus – £13.75, Child – £11.85 (extra charges may apply for various workshops/activities)
Details: At Blists Hill Victorian Town you can meet sheep and working horses, watch harnessing demonstrations (1.30pm) and take a horse and carriage ride around the Town (1.30-3pm). Don’t forget to bring along your pooch for entry into the fun dog show, which will take place on The Green from 2.30pm.  Small extra charges may apply for various activities

Location: Coalport China Museum, The Ironbridge Gorge Museums, Telford
Planned Event: Animal-themed Ceramic Workshops
Date: 8 – 23 April
Time: 10:00am – 4:00pm
Price: Adult – £9.75, 60 Plus – £8.75, Child – £6.25
Detail: Come along to Coalport China Museum where you can take part in hands-on animal-themed ceramic painting activities and, on certain days, try sculpting your own creature from air-drying clay; choose from a horse, lion or rabbit, or follow your imagination and create your own four-legged beast. Small extra charges may apply for activities and materials.

Location: Enginuity, The Ironbridge Gorge Museums
Date: 8 – 23 April
Time: 10:00pm – 4:00pm
Price: Adult – £9.75, 60 Plus – £8.75, Child – £7.65
Details : Come along to Enginuity and meet the animals in the Exotic Zoo; see a variety of different creatures including snakes, spiders, iguanas and other creepy crawlies in the shows at 11am and 2pm. Join-in a fun animal-themed design & make workshop between 10.30am-3.15pm. Small extra charges apply for drop-in workshops
Images: Exotic Zoo

Location: Jackfield Tile Museum, The Ironbridge Gorge Museums Telford
Planned Event: Tile Decorating Workshops
Date: 8, 10-15, 17-22 April
Time: 10:00am – 4:00pm
Price: Adult – £9.75, 60 Plus – £8.75, Child – £6.25
Details: Join drop-in animal themed tile decorating workshops at Jackfield Tile Museum and use your imagination to decorate tiles using the traditional tube lining technique; perhaps a ginger cat, spotty dog, elephant or giraffe.
Images: Tile Workshop

Saltaire World Heritage Site
Location: Saltaire World Heritage Site, Bradford
Planned Event: People’s Stories, Saltaire Stories
Date: 22^nd – 23^rd April 2017
Time: 11am – 16:30
Price: Free, some activities have a fee
Details: The theme of World Heritage Weekend 2017 is the amazing stories of day-to-day lives in and around the historic village of Saltaire. How did people live, work and play? How different are lives today in the World Heritage Site? Come and tell your story  to our volunteers at the Archive Exhibition. Be a ‘Story Explorer’ and collect stamps for a reward.
Link: https://saltairestories.org/world-heritage-weekend/

St Kilda
Location: Outer Hebrides
Planned Event: Crafting St Kilda on Minecraft
Date: 18^th April 2017
Time: All day
Details: Long standing Dig It! 2017 partners ImmersiveMinds will once again take on the challenge of building a historic Scottish landscape in Minecraft. With a map of St Kilda that will be available for public download after the event, gamers all over the world will be able to explore St Kilda’s history, heritage, stories, people and landscapes.
Link: http://digit2017.com/events/crafting-st-kilda-scotland-in-six/

All Scottish WH Sites: Edinburgh, St Kilda, Forth Bridge, New Lanark, Antonine Wall and Neolithic Orkney
Planned Event: Events from Dawn to Dusk
Date: 18^th April 2017
Time: All day
Details: Scotland in Six invites you to a nation-wide World Heritage Day celebration – one which has been 5,000 years in the making!  On World Heritage Day 2017, Scotland will celebrate our six iconic World Heritage Sites with six toe-tapping, mouth-watering, jaw-dropping, heart-pumping events from dawn to dusk.
Link: http://digit2017.com/events/scotland-in-six-world-heritage-day-2017/

Maritime Greenwich World Heritage Site
Location: Maritime Greenwich
Planned Event: Lights display to celebrate 20 years of World Heritage Status
Date: 18^th April
Time: 8.30pm – 11.99pm
Price: Free
Details: After the lights are switched on at 8:30pm, visitors to the World Heritage Site will see famous Greenwich landmarks illuminated in spectacular fashion, showcasing the culturally and architecturally significant buildings that form Maritime Greenwich.

Links: www.visitgreenwich.org.uk
http://www.rmg.co.uk/work-services/news-press/press-release/maritime-greenwich-celebrates-20-years-unesco-world-heritage