Jean-Paul-L’Allier prize for heritage: beginning of submission of candidacies

November 12, 2012 – The Organization of World Heritage Cities (OWHC) opens today the period for the submission of candidacies for the Jean-Paul L’Allier Prize for Heritage. This prize is awarded every second year to a city that is a member of the OWHC, and that has distinguished itself by its achievement toward the conservation, enhancement or management of property on the World Heritage List.

To be a candidate, the city that is a member in good standing of the OWHC must have paid its contribution for the last three years. The cities on the World Heritage List for less than three years are also eligible, provided that their contribution has been paid each year since their inscription.

The by-laws concerning the contest and the registration form are available on the OWHC Internet site at the following address: www.ovpm.org. The cities that wish to submit their candidacies have until August 31, 2013, to do so. The name of the winning city will be officially revealed on November 19, 2013, at the opening ceremony of the 12^th World Congress of the OWHC, in Oaxaca, Mexico.

The Jean-Paul L’Allier Prize was created in honour of the Founding President of the OWHC, an international organization whose seat is in Québec, Canada. Mayor of Québec from 1989 to 2005, Mr. Jean-Paul L’Allier demonstrated through his initiative that he cared for the cultural and heritage development of his city. A strong leader, he helped bring together all the world heritage cities with the creation of the OWHC.

The first edition of the Jean-Paul L’Allier prize held in 2009 was won by Warsaw, in Poland, owing to the fortification walls illumination project of its historic centre. In 2011, the city of Tunis, Tunesia, was honoured by distinguishing itself by its restoration and enhancement project of the urban circuit entitled “from Zitouna to Sidi Ibrahim”.

Chantale Émond
Coordinator of the Jean-Paul-L’Allier Prize for Heritage