Ochrona światowego dziedzictwa w Polsce

• Authors: PIOTROWSKA KATARZYNA

Title variants

EN

Protection of World Heritage in Poland

• Languages of publication: PL EN

Abstracts

EN

The Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, adopted by the General Conference of UNESCO in November 1972 was ratified by Poland in 1976. At the time when it was being formulated and in the preceding years, Poland had been an active member of UNESCO, committed to the instruments of international law created by the Organisation. Poland’s international activity and commitment to the protection of heritage ensued from the long-lasting experience of the Polish people in struggling for the preservation of their national identity, as well as their awareness of the importance of cultural and natural heritage for the future of their own country and the world. This is proven by early accession of Poland to the World Heritage Convention, which highlights the importance of heritage of outstanding value and the shared responsibility of all nations to preserve it. It is also demonstrated by Poland’s membership of the World Heritage Committee in 1977-1978, when the elite group was working on the criteria for selecting sites to be included in the World Heritage List and on the first Operational Guidelines for the Implementation of the World Heritage Convention, which laid down the foundations for the present-day World Heritage system. Signing an international agreement entails assuming domestic and international obligations. Poland’s accession to the World Heritage Convention also created such commitments, including the key aim of identifying sites of “outstanding universal value” and providing them with adequate protection, so that they would serve future generations with a full set of their values. Most of the activities in recent years have been focused on improving heritage protection in Poland, benefiting from all the guidelines developed internationally for World Heritage protection, conservation, presentation and management. The experience gained in protecting World Heritage sites on a day-to-day basis, as well as the organisational structures built so far, help Poland fulfil its mandate on the World Heritage Committee with a sense of common responsibility for World Heritage, a mandate which was entrusted to our country for the second time in 2013. Our World Heritage List In the four decades since Poland’s accession to the Convention, out of the nineteen candidatures proposed, fourteen properties representing the breadth of heritage in Poland have been inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Five of them were nominated in 1978. The Historic Center of Kraków and the Wieliczka Salt Mine [present name: Wieliczka and Bochnia Royal Salt Mines] were added in 1978, among the first twelve places in the history of the World Heritage List. In subsequent years, the other three: Białowieża National Park [present name: Białowieża Forest], the Auschwitz concentration camp [present name: Auschwitz Birkenau German Nazi concentration and extermination camp (1940-1945)] and the Historic Center of Warsaw were inscribed. The activity and commitment of Poland on the forum of World Heritage had been interrupted by the political and economic situation of the country. Following the Old City of Zamość in 1992, another three sites were added to the List in the late 1990s: Castle of the Teutonic Order in Malbork (1997), Medieval Town of Torun (1997) and Kalwaria Zebrzydowska: the Mannerist Architectural and Park Landscape Complex and Pilgrimage Park (1999). In recent years, further candidates successively entered the List: Churches of Peace in Świdnica and Jawor (2001), Wooden Churches of Southern Małopolska (2003), Muskauer / Mużakowski Park (2004), and Centennial Hall in Wrocław (2006). The most recent site on the List is a property added in 2013 – Wooden Tserkvas of the Carpathian region in Poland and Ukraine. The decisions regarding nominations on the World Heritage List made in successive years have been based on both professional analysis of the resource and assessment of the state of preservation of the individual sites, as well as on knowledge of prevailing trends. Preparing a nomination for the List has always required to present an adequate justification and make extensive efforts, including diplomatic steps, to secure entry on the List. For cultural sites, a crucial role has also been played by the long-lasting activity of Polish representatives at ICOMOS, the advisory body to the World Heritage Committee, and the very strong international presence of Polish experts. Thanks to this, the successive inscriptions of sites on the World Heritage List can be easily linked to individual persons who enjoyed high esteem in the community of experts dealing with the protection of heritage, notably Professors Krzysztof Pawłowski and Andrzej Tomaszewski. In time, the approach to site nomination has changed. At present, it takes the form of bottom-up initiatives, which, at each stage of the work, engage people who are directly responsible for the protection and management of a given property. The nomination dossier and management plan for a potential World Heritage site, which is a mandatory document required at application stage, is prepared with the participation of the owners and users, all the heritage protection services, local government and representatives of the local community. The process involves both people who have the required expertise, and novices in the field of heritage protection, with the process itself being an important educational tool helping to promote protection of heritage and developing the social skills of its participants. Professor Stanisław Lorentz, long-time director of the National Museum in Warsaw, who dedicated his life to the reconstruction of the Royal Castle in Warsaw, believed that if you need to protect something, you must involve ordinary people who do it out of love. The current approach to nominations proves its rationale. When looking at the World Heritage List, it is evident that many of the proposals submitted by Poland, in particular those dating back to 1978, were breaking new ground and reorienting the way of thinking about heritage and the needs linked to its protection. Thus they were an important voice in the debate about the character of the World Heritage List, and the direction it should follow. Furthermore, they were an early indication of the crucial role the World Heritage List plays in shaping the approach to heritage protection. One idea put forward by Poland was to ensure the protection of urban ensembles, which was treated somewhat marginally during the early stage of the List, and was limited to selected buildings or their settings. Poland’s approach is illustrated by the proposal to list Kraków, including its historic town centre and later additions. Earlier, Poland had participated in developing UNESCO recommendations on historic urban ensembles, adopted in 1976. The broad, contextual approach to heritage protection was then taken further in the UNESCO Recommendation on the Historic Urban Landscape adopted by the General Conference in 2011. A moment of reflection on the implementation of the Convention The initiative to join the World Heritage Convention was proposed in 1976 by the Polish Ministry of Culture, which has since played a leading role in the implementation of its provisions at state level. Historically, the principle has been established whereby matters related to World Heritage fall within the remit of the General Inspector of Monuments. The protection of World Heritage properties involves preserving all aspects of their “outstanding universal value”, as defined at the time of listing. It is a complex task which requires the collaboration of many individuals and institutions at central and local levels, as well as a strategic, consistent approach. Polish legislation does not envisage special treatment for World Heritage properties. However, the fact that they are identified under the ratified international agreement, which, according to the Polish Constitution, is a source of universally binding law, requires the “outstanding universal value” of those properties to be safeguarded both by central government, local government at all levels, specialised institutions, as well as government agencies, non-governmental organisations and citizens. Naturally, this requires creating a cooperation platform. The beginning of periodic reporting, and the preparation of the first report on its realisation in 2003- 2005, was a major development – if not a turning point – in the history of the implementation of the World Heritage Convention in Poland. The report concerned both the general policy of the state in the field of heritage protection and the condition of individual World Heritage sites. The process of collecting and analysing information, as well as the preparation of the report itself, including the related discussion, allowed a number of deficiencies to be highlighted. One striking conclusion concerned was the general lack of knowledge about World Heritage. One of the major difficulties noticed was the absence of appropriate systemic solutions which would allow one to define the principles of cooperation and ensure the proper protection of World Heritage sites in accordance with the relevant requirements. At the same time, attention was drawn to the Convention as an instrument of international law and to its potential as a tool supporting the preservation of heritage at national level. The preparation of the report, in combination with the monitoring conducted by the World Heritage Committee, initiated a series of activities and projects which, in a natural manner, significantly improved knowledge and perception of the World Heritage Convention in Poland, and had an influence on present- day rules and the methods of its implementation. In 2004, the League of Polish UNESCO Towns and Sites was set up, bringing together representatives of World Heritage sites and local government. Then, an analysis of the results of the periodic report, and the resultant expert study on the obligations and implications of being included in the World Heritage List, which was prepared in 2008, initiated an organisation of regular Meetings of the Guardians of World Heritage Sites. Another activity which brought World Heritage sites together was a project named Management of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Poland and Norway, delivered in the years 2009-2011 by the International Cultural Centre and its Norwegian partner. At around the same time, the Polish and Norwegian National Committees of ICOMOS, in collaboration with the National Heritage Board of Poland, carried out a project named Improvement of the existing protection and management systems for sites inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Its aim was to develop statements of Outstanding Universal Value for selected World Heritage sites (wooden churches and towns), and prepare the monitoring indicators. In addition to specific studies and publications, the projects were followed up by another initiative of the Polish National Committee of ICOMOS entitled Developing a model for the management of UNESCO World Heritage cultural properties, which completed in 2016, among others publication by professor Bogusław Szmygin UNESCO World Heritage Site – characteristics, methodology, management. Organisation of the Convention’s implementation today One of the first attempts to institutionalise the implementation of the World Heritage convention took place in 2003 when the National Center for Historical Monument Studies and Documentation (currently: the National Heritage Board of Poland) was named as the institution responsible for preparing the report in the I cycle of periodic reporting exercise. Following this, as soon as the exercise was concluded, in 2007, the General Inspector of Monuments instructed the Director of the Center to set up a unit “responsible for management plans and other matters related to World Heritage properties in Poland.” Nearly simultaneously with the creation of the World Heritage Unit at National Heritage Board of Poland, the Committee for Cultural World Heritage in Poland was set up as a supporting advisory body of the Minister of Culture and National Heritage. It includes representatives of key departments and institutions engaged in the protection of World Heritage in Poland, as well as respected national experts in the protection of cultural and natural heritage. Thus, actions were initiated towards organising the World Heritage system in Poland, whereby priority was given to the ordering of matters and strengthening of tools in order to ensure adequate protection of World Heritage sites. Over time and with growing interest in World Heritage, the solutions adopted in 2007 become insufficient. Therefore, in October 2014, by decision of the Minister of Culture and National Heritage, the Centre for World Heritage was established in the National Heritage Board of Poland with the purpose to improve conservation and management of World Heritage properties in Poland. The task of the Centre is to actively support the monument protection services, local governments, managers and government institutions in the protection and conservation of listed and nominated World Heritage properties. At the same time, it is meant to be a platform for collaboration and exchange of information between government and non-governmental organisations, as well as a wide range of stakeholders involved in protection and guardianship of the World Heritage sites. The Centre also plays the role of Focal Point for World Heritage in Poland, with all its activities working towards developing a model of effective cooperation. The organisational changes initiated in Poland ten years ago have slowly brought about visible results. The popularisation of World Heritage and relevant organisational arrangements have led into increased interest in the subject matter and deepened awareness of the importance of World Heritage sites, as well as of the growing need to safeguard them. International rules governing the conservation and management of valuable natural or cultural sites have gradually been implemented and are slowly becoming standard – not without difficulty, however, since this requires the involvement of many stakeholders at different organisational levels. Poland and world hertage Calendar before 1972 – taking part in work on drafting the content and negotiating the terms of the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage. 1976 – Poland ratifies the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage. 1976-1978 – mandate within the intergovernmental World Heritage Committee, Poland acting as vice chair of the Committee. 1978 – the large-scale urban structure of the Historic Centre of Kraków which includes Wawel, the Old Town and Kazimierz with Stradom becomes one of the first twelve sites on the World Heritage List. 1978 – Wieliczka Salt Mine, operating since medieval times, becomes the first industrial site to be inscribed on the List. 1979 – the World Heritage Committee inscribed the remains of the Auschwitz Concentration Camp on the List, at the same time limiting the addition of other similar sites. 1979 – Białowieża Forest is one of the first natural sites to be entered on the List. 1980 – following lengthy efforts, the Historic Centre of Warsaw, rebuilt after World War II, is inscribed on the List; the proposal regarding Warsaw initiated a discussion about the reconstruction of sites and groups of historical buildings in the context of the World Heritage List. 1992 – the Old City Zamość, a Renaissance città ideale, is inscribed on the List. 1992 – Białowieża Forest is one of the first transboundary natural sites on the List, following the extension of the area in Belarus. 1997 – the Medieval Town of Toruń and the Castle of the Teutonic Order in Malbork are inscribed on the World Heritage List. 1999 – Regional Thematic Expert Meeting on Cultural Landscapes in Eastern Europe, Białystok. 1999 – Kalwaria Zebrzydowska: the Mannerist Architectural and Park Landscape Complex and Pilgrimage Park, the only cultural landscape site in Poland is inscribed on the List. 2001 – the Churches of Peace in Jawor and Świdnica are entered on the List. 2003 – six medieval wooden churches are inscribed on the List as part of a serial property called Wooden Churches of Southern Małopolska. 2003-2005 – establishing cooperation between central institutions and representatives of individual World Heritage properties in Poland and joint preparation of a report within the first cycle of Periodic Reporting on the application of the World Heritage Convention. 2004 – the setting up of the League of Polish Cities and UNESCO Sites uniting the site managers of World Heritage properties, with the aim of developing collaboration and promoting tourism to individual sites. 2004 – after more than a decade of joint efforts on conservation, the Muskauer Park / Park Mużakowski located on the German- Polish border is inscribed on the List. 2006 – the Centennial Hall in Wrocław, along with the surrounding Exhibition Grounds, is inscribed on the List. 2007 – setting up the World Heritage Unit at the National Centre for Historical Monument Studies and Documentation (currently the National Heritage Board of Poland – NID) and commencement of strategic works to create a system of implementation of the World Heritage Convention in Poland. 2007 – the name of the World Heritage site Auschwitz Concentration Camp changed to Auschwitz Birkenau, German Nazi Concentration and Extermination Camp (1940-1945) and adoption of the Statement of Significance defining the value of the property. 2007 – setting up of the Committee for Cultural World Heritage in Poland, a supporting body for the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage, and establishing within the Committee ongoing cooperation with the Ministry of the Environment and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on World Heritage issue. 2007 – the Periodic Reporting follow-up meeting for Central and Eastern Europe, Wrocław. 2007-2008 – clarification and agreement of boundaries of World Heritage properties within the Reactive Inventory. 2008 – protection of the Wieliczka Salt Mine is strengthened thanks to the establishment of a buffer zone around the World Heritage site 2009 – the World Heritage Committee adopts Statements of Significance prepared retrospectively, defining the value of five World Heritage sites 2010 – protection of the Historic Centre of Kraków is strengthened thanks to the establishment of a buffer zone around the World Heritage site 2012 – International World Heritage Expert Meeting on Criterion (vi) and Associative Values, Warsaw 2012 – the Polish translation of the Operational Guidelines for the Implementation of the World Heritage Convention is published. 2012-2014 – cooperation between central institutions and representatives of individual World Heritage properties in preparing of a report within the second cycle of Periodic Reporting on the application of the World Heritage Convention in Poland. 2013 – the extension of the Wieliczka Salt Mine to include the Bochnia Salt Mine, which for centuries belonged to the same royal company and the seat of the board – Wieliczka Saltworks Castle and the change of name to the Wieliczka and Bochnia Royal Salt Mines. 2013 – sixteen Wooden Tserkvas of the Carpathian Region in Poland and Ukraine are inscribed on the List, following a long period of cooperation between Polish and Ukrainian specialists. 2013 – Poland takes up a four-year mandate within the intergovernmental World Heritage Committee. 2014 – change of criteria and extension of boundaries of the entry of Białowieża Forest on the List. 2014 – protection of the Historic Centre of Warsaw is strengthened thanks to the establishment of a buffer zone around the World Heritage site. 2014 – adoption of Retrospective Statements of Outstanding Universal Value defining the value of three World Heritage sites, including one transboundary site: Muskauer Park / Park Mużakowski, the Centennial Hall in Wrocław and the Historic Centre of Warsaw. 2014 – setting up of the Centre for World Heritage in NID, an official World Heritage Focal Point in Poland. 2015 – the beginning of regular collaboration between the Centre for World Heritage in NID and Regional Monuments Protection Offices on the protection and conservation of World Heritage sites. 2015 – the Polish translation of the World Heritage Resource Manual – Managing Cultural World Heritage is published. 2015 – Poland becomes the vice chair of the World Heritage Committee. 2016 – the submission of a nomination dossier to inscribe the Tarnowskie Góry Lead, Silver and Zinc Mine and its Underground Water Management System on the List. 2016 – the Polish translation of the World Heritage Resource Manual – Preparing World Heritage Nominations is distributed. 2016 – adoption of Retrospective Statements of Outstanding Universal Value defining the value of eight World Heritage sites in Poland, including additions and updating of, adopted earlier by the Committee the Statements of Significance, for Auschwitz Birkenau, German Nazi Concentration and Extermination Camp (1940-1945), Kalwaria Zebrzydowska: the Mannerist Architectural and Park Landscape and Pilgrimage Park, the Castle of the Teutonic Order in Malbork, the Historic Centre of Kraków, the Churches of Peace in Jawor and Świdnica, the Medieval Town of Toruń, the Old City of Zamość and the Wooden Churches of Southern Małopolska. 2016 – celebrations of the 40th anniversary of the ratification of the World Heritage Convention in Poland along with the exhibition “Historic Mines – Art of Nature, Work of People”. 2016 – Poland is chosen as the host country of the 41st Session of the World Heritage Committee. 2017 – the 41st Session of the World Heritage Committee in Kraków.

Keywords

PL

Ochrona światowego dziedzictwa w Polsce; Konwencja światowego dziedzictwa; Lista światowego dziedzictwa UNESCO; Polski Komitet ds. UNESCO; Komitet Światowego Dziedzictwa; Ośrodek ds. Światowego Dziedzictwa w NID

• Publisher: Narodowy Instytut Dziedzictwa
• Journal: Ochrona Zabytków
• Year: 2017
• Issue: Dodatek Specjalny. Dziedzictwo w Polsce.
• Pages: 55-66

Dates

published

2017

Contributors

author

PIOTROWSKA KATARZYNA

• Narodowy Instytut Dziedzictwa
• National Heritage Board of Poland

Identifiers

ISSN

0029-8247