UPDATE ON THE US WORLD HERITAGE PROGRAM

Stephen Morris, Chief of the National Park Service's Office of International Affairs, will provide an overview of the current status of the US World Heritage Program. The National Park Service (NPS) conducts the US World Heritage Program on behalf of the Department of the Interior and in cooperation with the State Department. In the last several years, the US has been honored by the inscription of US sites to the World Heritage List, including most recently the San Antonio Missions in Texas, despite the fact that the US remains in arrears in its UNESCO dues. The NPS is beginning the process of revising the candidate or Tentative List for potential future nominations, last updated in 2007. Mr. Morris will discuss the opportunities and challenges presented by the sometimes difficult relationship between the US and UNESCO.