Meet Our Nominators: The People behind the Places of the World Monuments Watch
From neighborhood groups to Indigenous communities, from architecture students to activists, from museum professionals to government agencies, the diversity of those who choose to nominate sites to the World Monuments Watch is part of what gives the program its breadth and vitality. Preserving heritage is a collective effort, and a key part of the Watch is close collaboration with nominators on the ground to co-design strategies for advocacy, fundraising, and conservation. To get a sense of who our past nominators are—and how selection to the Watch benefited them and their community—we’ve collected a series of profiles. To learn more about the Watch and nominate a site, click here.
Meet Sento & Neighborhood (S&N), nominators of the 2020 Watch site Inari-yu Bathhouse
“We have seen many baths in Tokyo vanish due to redevelopment. Inari-yu is an especially valuable neighborhood bath we felt needed to be preserved.” – Sam Holden, Researcher at S&N
S&N is a nonprofit organization that advocates for preserving traditional bathhouses in the Tokyo area and promotes their continued cultural and social value for communities. Inclusion on the 2020 Watch supported Inari-yu Bathhouse’s restoration and transformation into a neighborhood gathering space.
Sam Holden, a decade-long user of Japanese public bathhouses, says that “inclusion on the Watch was a vital step for us to build momentum towards a successful project, and can serve as a catalyst at other sites as well.”
Meet the Friends of Bennerley Viaduct (FoBV), nominators of the 2020 Watch site Bennerley Viaduct
“The viaduct isn’t just a symbol of our past. Our old bridge represents hope for the future.” – Kieran Lee, FoBV Community Engagement Lead
Kieran Lee, nominating an abandoned wrought-iron viaduct near his home to the 2020 Watch meant a shot at rejuvenating the post-industrial Erewash Valley in central England.
FoBV formed in 2015 with the mission of giving new life to this former railway bridge. Thanks to the group’s efforts and the support of WMF and local partners, Bennerley has now reopened as a public recreational space, allowing it to serve as a renewed source of pride for the surrounding communities.
Says Kieran, a retired special needs teacher, “The idea of being able to make a difference in the community where you live is a powerful and rewarding experience.”
Meet the Chiva Chaitya Organization (CCO), a Kathmandu community group behind two successful nominations to the World Monuments Watch (2020 & 2022).
“I am proud to be part of restoring chivas in the neighborhood where I grew up.” – Amar Tuladhar, CCO Secretary
Kathmandu Valley residents formed the CCO in 2019 to promote aspects of the area’s cultural heritage that are often overlooked despite serving important roles in community life. Through the Watch, World Monuments Fund (WMF) and the CCO have partnered to preserve and raise awareness around the valley’s chivas and chaityas (Buddhist shrines)—and, after this first success, its hitis (public water fountains). Within a rapidly urbanizing landscape, these efforts are an investment not only in public health but in the communities’ social, economic, and spiritual wellbeing.
CCO Secretary Amar Tuladhar explains, “After our experience with Chivas and Chaityas, we were convinced that we needed to get another site on the Watch (Hitis of the Kathmandu Valley). ”
Meet the Arts Council of Mongolia (ACM), nominator of the 2020 World Monuments Watch site Choijin Lama Temple
“Through the Watch, Choijin Lama Temple has become a model project for the local conservation of Mongolian heritage.” – Odgerel Odonchimed, ACM Executive Director
The Arts Council of Mongolia (ACM), nominator of the 2020 World Monuments Watch site Choijin Lama Temple, believes that Mongolian art and culture are critical to the country’s sustainable development.
As part of its mission to develop Mongolia’s cultural sector, ACM nominated Choijin Lama Temple, one of few Mongolian Buddhist temples that survived the communist-era suppression of religious worship. Since its inclusion on the Watch, ACM and World Monuments Fund (WMF) have partnered to develop a conservation project matching international standards with traditional Mongolian materials and practices. Today, the restored temple serves as a public symbol of Mongolian Buddhism’s contemporary revival.
ACM Executive Director Odgerel Odonchimed adds, “The Watch played a vital role in building public appreciation for Choijin Lama Temple.”
Meet Ibrahim Tchan, nominator behind the 2020 Watch site Koutammakou
“The Watch proved to be the catalyst for a genuine transformation of the site.” – Ibrahim Tchan, Executive Director of the Beninese Volunteer Corps
Ibrahim Tchan, the nominator behind the 2020 Watch site Koutammakou, Benin and Togo, feels that preserving the landscape’s unique architecture has allowed him to weave deep connections with the community.
As Director of the Beninese Volunteer Corps, Ibrahim began mobilizing youth volunteers to conserve the site’s sikien houses in 2015. Subsequent inclusion on the Watch led to a project to map and conserve 80 sikien with the participation of 1,200 people from Benin and Togo. Besides preserving an important living tradition of the Batammariba people, these efforts were critical to UNESCO’s 2023 decision to expand Koutammakou’s World Heritage status to cover both sides of the border.
“This endeavor is more than just a professional undertaking,” says Ibrahim. “It is a profound personal commitment to safeguarding the unique heritage of Koutammakou.”
Meet Daniela Meza Marchant, nominator behind the 2020 Watch site Rapa Nui
“The Watch focuses on working directly with the community as active participants rather than as passive observers.” – Daniela Meza Marchant, archaeologist and conservator
Meet Daniela Meza Marchant, lead archaeologist and conservator for the Ma’u Henua Indigenous community on Rapa Nui, also known as Easter Island.
In 2017, the Chilean government transferred Rapa Nui National Park’s administration to the Ma’u Henua. Daniela nominated Rapa Nui to the 2020 Watch seeking the resources and specialist knowledge to empower community management of their ancestral legacy. Since Rapa Nui’s inclusion on the Watch, World Monuments Fund (WMF) has helped build local expertise to preserve both the site and the Ma’u Henua’s autonomy over decision-making.
As Daniela explains, "The Watch has allowed experts to come to work directly with us, ensuring that site management stays within the community.”
Meet the Eyzidi Organization for Documentation (EOD), nominator behind the 2020 Watch site Mam Rashan Shrine
“My personal connection to Mam Rashan is deeply rooted in my heritage. Preserving it is not just a duty but a passion.” – Ream Dhaher, EOD Project Manager
Meet the Eyzidi Organization for Documentation (EOD), which works to gather evidence of human rights violations by Daesh (also known as ISIS) against the Yezidi religious minority in Iraqi Kurdistan.
EOD nominated Mam Rashan shrine to the 2020 World Monuments Watch after its destruction during Daesh’s 2014 genocidal campaign against the Yezidis. Its Watch inclusion called for solidarity and joint action to rebuild the shrine—and with it, the community’s sense of cultural continuity and dignity. This partnership resulted in capacity-building workshops, physical reconstruction, and a community celebration for the shrine’s completion.
According to EOD Project Manager Ream Dhaher, "The Watch has provided technical expertise and connected us with a network of like-minded individuals and organizations."
Meet Bill Greaves, nominator behind the 2020 Watch site Ontario Place
“The ability to say, ‘The world is watching’ is powerful.” – Bill Greaves, architect at Architecture Conservancy Ontario
Bill Greaves’s aspirations to become an architect stemmed from childhood birthdays spent at Ontario Place, a utopian architectural landmark on Toronto’s waterfront.
Since 1971, this public park and entertainment complex has embodied public values of inclusion, diversity, and cultural enrichment. However, after the provincial government initiated steps for its private redevelopment, Bill nominated Ontario Place to the 2020 Watch on behalf of the group Ontario Place for All. Through the Watch, World Monuments Fund (WMF) has launched an initiative with local partners to protect the site’s future, facilitate open dialogue with community stakeholders, and hold public authorities accountable. A petition from our partners to prevent the demolition of important parts of the site can be found here.
“As a small grassroots organization, it can be easy for those in power to dismiss our concerns,” says Bill. “The Watch lends weight to the issues we raise.”
The Watch invites anyone to nominate a site facing urgent challenges where preservation can bring transformative change and creative solutions. To learn more and submit a nomination before the March 15 deadline, click here.