With participants from 37 countries, the “We Are Site Managers International Symposium” was held from 1-5 March 2024 in George Town/Malaysia.
Dr. Matthias Ripp, Regional Coordinator for Northwest Europe and North America, contributed to this symposium with a session on enhancing the competencies and capacities of a Site Manager while introducing the potential opportunities of international cooperation. Also OWHC expert and consultant David Johnson was participating and presented the OWHC emergency programme for the management of natural and man-made disasters.

World Heritage Site Managers are the frontliners of the UNESCO 1972 Convention with responsibilities to conserve, protect and safeguard the Outstanding Universal Values of respective World Heritage Sites. We Are Site Managers International Symposium aimed to promote the understanding of the functions, responsibilities, challenges and needs of Site Managers, to international organizations, state parties and the larger heritage-related
communities. Leading Site Managers from around the world were invited to George Town, Malaysia to discuss, debate and deliver their experiences in the field, and thus contribute to the common edition of the George Town Declaration