World Heritage Nomination

The United States announced its nomination of Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Centre for consideration for inscription on the World Heritage List. 

Along with Mount Vernon, also nominated this year, Papahānaumokuākea will mark the United States’ first nominations to the World Heritage Convention in over 15 years. If inscribed under the World Heritage Convention, Papahānaumokuākea would join a globally exclusive list of properties with outstanding universal value that are unique and diverse—such as East Africa’s Serengeti, the Egyptian pyramids, Latin America’s Baroque cathedrals, Hawai‘i Volcanoes National Park, and the Galapagos Islands.

Papahānaumokuākea was nominated as a “mixed” site, for both its natural and cultural significance to the world. Very few sites are submitted as "mixed" and the rationale for this type of nomination is due to its unique geological, ecological, biological and Native Hawaiian cultural heritage. 

The nomination processis quite lengthy so we encourage the public to check our site and the reference links below regularly. For more detailed information on the overall U.S. World Heritage Program please visit the National Park Service Office of International Affairs website.

Reference Links

• World Heritage Fact Sheet (PDF 86KB, January 2009)
• World Heritage FAQs (June 2008)

World Heritage Application

• Full Application (PDF 40MB)
  

Application by Chapter

• Executive Summary (PDF 6MB)
  
  
• Identification of the Property (PDF 4MB)
  
  
• Introduction: Native Hawaiian Culture and Papahanaumokuakea (PDF 4MB)
  
  
• Description and History of the Property (PDF 20MB)
  
  
• Justification for inscription (PDF 17MB)
  
  
• State of Conservation (PDF 5MB)
  
  
• Protection and Management (PDF 4MB)
  
  
• Monitoring (PDF 2MB)
  
  
• Documentation (PDF 2MB)
  
  
• Contact Information and Responsible Authorities (PDF 2MB)
  
  
• Signatures & Glossaries (PDF 3MB)