Nomination Guidelines

Launched in 1996 and issued every two years, the World Monuments Watch calls international attention to cultural heritage around the world that is threatened by neglect, vandalism, conflict, or disaster. The 2010 Watch continues this tradition of identifying endangered sites, while also encompassing sites with compelling issues or progressive approaches that could inform the field at large.

Please note: the deadline for nominations to the 2010 Watch list has passed. The information provided below is for reference only. Information about nominating to the 2012 Watch list will be available in 2010.

Watch listing provides an opportunity for sites and their nominators to raise public awareness, foster local participation, advance innovation and collaboration, and demonstrate effective solutions. The Watch nomination process also serves as a vehicle for requesting WMF assistance for select projects. Since the program’s inception, 544 sites have been included on the seven Watches. Nearly half the listed sites, representing 79 countries, have received WMF grants totaling $50 million. These WMF monies have leveraged an additional $150 million in assistance from other sources.

As the flagship advocacy program of the World Monuments Fund, the Watch is emblematic of WMF’s commitment to inspiring heritage stewardship, forging partnerships, and advancing conservation. In sponsoring the Watch program, WMF seeks to highlight emerging issues and opportunities in the field, confront urgent challenges, foster community engagement, and build capacities and constituencies for sustaining heritage protection in the long-term.

ELIGIBILITY

Heritage sites from all time periods—ancient to modern—are eligible for Watch listing. Sites may include residential, civic, commercial, military or religious architecture; engineering and industrial works; cultural landscapes; archaeological sites; and townscapes and historic city centers. Privately and publicly owned sites may be Watch listed, though WMF cannot provide financial support for projects at privately owned sites.

NOMINATORS

Sites are nominated to the list by a private individual or representative of a government agency, nonprofit, or other non-governmental organization who is familiar with the site. Sites need not be nominated by their legal owners, though owners will be notified of the nomination. During and after the nomination and selection process, the nominator is the person with whom WMF will correspond directly about the nomination and serves as the official sponsor of the site for the Watch. It is the responsibility of the nominator to provide updates to WMF about changes in the status of the site and to notify WMF of changes in his or her contact information or relationship to the site.

SELECTION PROCESS

All completed nominations received by deadline undergo an initial review by WMF staff. Eligible nominations are then reviewed by a panel of experts in the field, including scholars, conservators, archaeologists, architects, representatives of major cultural organizations, and others. Nominators are notified of the results of the selection process when the reviews and recommendations are complete.

Evaluation of nominations to the Watch is based on the following criteria:
• Significance: Is the site important in terms of its historical/artistic, social/civic, spiritual/religious, research, natural, economic, and/or symbolic/identity value?
• Urgency: Does the site face imminent challenges and/or opportunities that warrant timely intervention?
• Viability: Can the challenges and/or opportunities be met through a feasible plan of action?
• Relevance: Are the issues at the site informative to the heritage field at large?

WATCH LISTING

 Selected sites are on the Watch list for a two-year period. Sites may be re-nominated and are considered for re-listing at the discretion of WMF and the review panel.

Unlike national and international designations, the Watch does not confer historic landmark status or permanent recognition on a site. Nor does inclusion on the Watch reflect poor management or stewardship of a site. Rather, by featuring new sites every two years, the Watch seeks to focus attention on issues and ideas emerging from a wide range of sites and heritage challenges and opportunities.

Each site selected for the Watch is included in a special publication created by WMF and is described on www.wmf.org. The Watch receives extensive publicity in international media, beginning with WMF’s public announcement of the selection of the list. Nominators of selected sites receive a press kit that can be used to organize local press conferences and copies of WMF’s special Watch materials. Watch sites, nominators, and collaborators may also be invited to participate in an online forum and/or colloquia dedicated to examining shared issues and experiences during the two-year listing.