At its World Heritage Convention on November 16, 1972, UNESCO adopted an international treaty that for the first time linked the concepts of nature conservation and preservation of cultural properties. The World Heritage Sites program was sparked by Egypt"s plans to construct the Aswan High Dam. UNESCO helped save thousands of antiquities that would have been lost as a result of the dam, which flooded a large swath of the Nile Valley.
50 years of World Heritage Sites
Today in History
More Desktop Wallpapers:
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Is that a face in the sand?
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A star blows a bubble
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Red squirrel in Cairngorms National Park, Scotland
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Polar bear season in Manitoba
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Keep watching the skies
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A bridge of Madison County
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A Great view from above
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Drop in on International Surfing Day
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The Aomori Nebuta Festival parade, Japan
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Sligachan Old Bridge, Isle of Skye, Scotland
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Joshua Tree National Park
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National Llama Day
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Dance of the egret
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It’s World Migratory Bird Day
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A species worth defending
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Bird’s-eye view of the Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, California
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Cold? What cold?
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Autumn in Alaska
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Dog days of summer
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A horse of many colors
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Aerial view of the Colorado River Delta in Mexico
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A bohemian feline
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Indigenous Peoples Day
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Twas a night just like tonight
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Islands of the Salish Sea
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Just another day in paradise
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Burns Night
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Saint Dwynwen s Day
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A wild and scenic scene
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National Find a Rainbow Day