The objectives of the World Heritage Young Experts Forum were

• to develop a deeper understanding of the World Heritage Convention and the workings of the World Heritage Committee by analysing the implementation of the Convention at three different German World Heritage sites and by simulating the workings of the World Heritage Committee in a Model
• to face the challenges and potential impacts of a sustainable management of World Heritage sites during workshops and practical hands-on work at a World Heritage site
• to empower the young experts to develop their own sustainable initiatives in their country in order to make World Heritage fit for the future by offering a follow-up on the activities and ideas initiated during the Young Experts Forum
• to improve the visibility and recognition of the Young Experts Forum within the World Heritage Committee.

The programme of the World Heritage Young Experts Forum consisted of three main fields – the participants should acquire knowledge about heritage, should demonstrate own engagement for heritage and should finally transfer both into political decisions.

For the first aspect there had been inputs from and discussions with international heritage experts, visits to World Heritage sites and workshops about various aspects of a sustainable management of World Heritage sites.

Secondly, during three of the eleven days the participants carried out practical hands-on work on four different topics related to the research, the conservation and / or the maintenance of World Heritage sites. This [l#NetworkingOfHeritageActivists/WorldHeritageYoungExpertsForum/HandsOnPart|hands-on part] of the World Heritage Young Experts Forum had been developed, prepared and realised by European Heritage Volunteers.

Finally the young experts simulated a model of a plenary debate of the World Heritage Committee and drafted a declaration which they addressed to the World Heritage Committee and presented during the official Opening Ceremony of the World Heritage Committee Session.
Moreover, most of the participants had been a part of the delegations of their country during the first plenary day of the Session of the World Heritage Committee.

The detailed programme you can download here.

The text of the declaration you can download here.