Seven UK sites to win UNESCO World Heritage status
EURONEWS – Seven UK sites – including one in its overseas territories - are in the running to win UNESCO World Heritage status.
The ancient city of York, The Zenith of Iron Age Shetland in Scotland and The Little Cayman Marine Parks and Protected Areas, in the UK overseas territory of the Cayman Islands, are among the standouts on the list.
Birkenhead Park in Merseyside, in north west England, is also a popular addition.
The UNESCO designation, which is recognised globally, is given to places of historical, cultural or scientific significance. The UK is already home to 33 World Heritage sites in the UK, including Westminster Abbey, Stonehenge and Blenheim Palace. Globally, the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt, Machu Picchu in Peru and the Acropolis of Athens are among the most famous on the list. The UK government adds choices to a ‘tentative list’, which is published about once a decade and includes locations they feel have the best chance of being included in the ranking.