UNESCO World Heritage Day – A New Zealand first
UNESCO World Heritage Day will be celebrated for the first time in New Zealand on Sunday 4 June.
The purpose of World Heritage Day is to raise awareness of our historic and cultural heritage. The focus of this year’s
event is the celebration of diversity and cultural heritage, unwinding the past to discover our ancestry and family
history.
“Our cultural and historic heritage defines who we are as peoples,” says ARC Parks and Heritage Chair, Cr Sandra Coney.
“Our identities are built on where we have come from and our journey from the past. This day provides an opportunity for
Auckland people to explore their heritage and contribute their stories.”
World heritage day in the Auckland region is being promoted by an interagency committee representing NZ National
Commission for UNESCO, Auckland Regional Council, The New Zealand Historic Places Trust and region’s local councils.
“A variety of events that will help people connect with the past are being planned, including heritage walks, heritage
property open days and museum and library displays. We hope that World Heritage Day will become an annual event in
Auckland and that it will grow from here,” says Cr Coney.
ENDS