Strengthening World Heritage Management and Climate Resilience in Pacific SIDS

In collaboration with ICCROM, UNESCO supported the organization of the International Course on Managing World Heritage: People Nature Culture (PNC), held in Suzhou, China, from 26 May to 4 June 2026. In the framework of the project Sustainable Islands: Building Heritage Disaster and Climate Resilience of Small Island Developing States in the Pacific Region, generously supported by the UNESCO/Republic of Korea Funds-in-Trust, UNESCO supported the participation of heritage professionals from six Pacific Small Island Developing States (SIDS): Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Samoa and Tonga.

The ten-day course brought together 34 participants from around the world to strengthen capacities for integrated and people-centred heritage management.

Throughout the course, participants worked with two World Heritage properties from the Pacific region as case studies: Levuka Historical Port Town in Fiji and the Kuk Early Agricultural Site in Papua New Guinea. Using the latest Managing World Heritage Resource Manual and the Enhancing Our Heritage Toolkit 2.0 (EOH 2.0), participants assessed the value and attributes, factors affecting the properties, examined management systems, and explored practical approaches to disaster risk management, climate action and community engagement.

Through lectures, expert presentations, group discussions, field exercises and peer learning activities, participants explored the heritage place approach and reflected on how integrated management can strengthen both heritage conservation and community resilience.

© UNESCO / Xiangling Chen

“The course helped me better understand place-based approaches to heritage management, focusing on the conservation and enhancement of the multiple values of heritage places within their broader social, environmental, cultural and economic contexts. The knowledge and skills gained through this training will strengthen my capacity to document, protect and manage cultural and natural heritage sites in Samoa in close collaboration with local communities.”

Forrest Time, Assistant Chief Executive Officer, Ministry of Education and Culture (Samoa)

© UNESCO / Xiangling Chen

“What I found most valuable was learning from other participants and reflecting on the importance of communities and traditional landowners. Rather than telling people what to do, we need to build trust and work together to support the protection of heritage places.”

Vaciseva Kuli, Acting Executive Officer, World Heritage Unit, Department of Culture, Ministry of Itaukei Affairs (Fiji)

© UNESCO / Xiangling Chen

“These approaches will be particularly useful for the management of the Kuk Early Agricultural Site and other heritage places we are working on. They will help us better manage community expectations, and I intend to use the tools introduced during the course as a practical checklist to strengthen our management planning.”

Jim Onga, Manager of World Heritage Programs, Conservation and Environment Protection Authority (Papua New Guinea)

The course established a strong foundation for the next phase of the implementation of the project supported by the Korea Heritage Service via the UNESCO/Republic of Korea Funds-in-Trust. The knowledge, tools and professional networks developed through the training will support participating countries in strengthening disaster preparedness, climate adaptation and the sustainable management of heritage places across the Pacific region.