World Heritage coordinators

To ensure the dialogue with local communities and stakeholders as well as their participation in World Heritage processes, the Norwegian policy foresees the identification of a World Heritage coordinator at each World Heritage property. The role of the coordinator is to coordinate dialogue and information flow between national institutions and local governments, communities and stakeholders. A yearly meeting has been established between the world heritage coordinators, the Ministry of Climate and Environment and the directorates with the aim to facilitate this dialogue. A world heritage coordinator is in place at all eight world heritage properties in Norway.

The World Heritage Coordinators work together with local stakeholders in enhancing local capacities through awareness raising and outreach campaigns aimed at communicating the Outstanding Universal Values and other values of the properties and in enhancing local understanding of what World Heritage is and what the requirements are, also looking at the importance of balancing development and conservation needs.

World Heritage Coordinators are established within the framework of the Report to the Storting (white paper) no. 35 (2012-2013) The Cultural Heritage Policy (Chapter 4.8 World Heritage) and the Report to the Storting (white paper) no. 16 (2019-2020).

  • World Heritage coordinators play a significant role in ensuring the effective implementation of the World Heritage Convention at inscribed properties. The task requires to be up to date with changes in the mechanism and knowledge applied to the implementation of the convention (including changes in the Operational Guidelines) and for this reason it has proven important to ensure that World Heritage coordinators have access to knowledge and up-to-date information as well as to be able to participate in capacity building activities (for example training courses or site managers’ fora).
  • The work of a World Heritage coordinator is effective when local communities and stakeholders are involved and aware of the importance and value of World Heritage properties. The role of the coordinator is to strengthen local understanding of the property and local participation in World Heritage processes.
  • The establishment of the annual world heritage coordinator meeting has been essential in securing the information flow from national level and to secure information flow between coordinators.