World Heritage Committee

node · earth · Global (sessions rotate by host State)

The 21-member intergovernmental body, elected by the General Assembly of States Parties, that actually decides: it inscribes properties, adds and removes them from the List of World Heritage in Danger, allocates World Heritage Fund assistance, and alone holds the power of deletion. It meets annually (the 45th session sat in Riyadh in September 2023; the 47th in July 2025). Its decisions are taken by States, not by experts, which is why they can and do depart from the recommendations of ICOMOS and IUCN — as they did for Venice in both 2021 and 2023. Deletion requires a two-thirds majority of members present and voting.