It is in the cities, where human populations are concentrated, that the cultural traits of peoples are expressed. It is cities registered on the World Heritage List that, insofar as they exemplify human achievement, have a demanding valuable role to play.

The Organization of World Heritage Cities consists of the 203 cities in which are located inhabited sites that are listed as cultural properties on the World Heritage List of UNESCO. The OWHC's mission is to promote the implementation of the World Heritage Convention by helping municipal administrators access the information they need this challenge. To this end, the OWHC organizes symposia and seminars dealing with the challenges to be met in the realm of management and strategies pertaining to the development and preservation of historic sites.

Six Regional Secretariats support the work of the General Secretariat: Bergen (Norway) for North-West European Region, Budapest (Hungary) for Central and Eastern European Region, Córdoba (Spain) for South Europe and Mediterranean Region, Guanajuato (Mexico) for Latin America Region, Kazan (Russia) for Euro-Asia Region and Tunis (Tunisia) for North-Africa and Arab States.

The primary mission of the Regional Secretariats is to serve as a link between the member cities of their particular region and the General Secretariat . Their main goals are:

• grouping together cities that share cultural, linguistic or geographic affinities;
  
• assisting the General Secretariat in producing documents intended for members, data collection and the organization of relevant events;
  
• representing, when necessary, the General Secretariat at events in which the latter is invited to participate;
  
• organizing in their regions activities intended to promote the Organization's values and objectives.

Information:
Organization of World Heritage City

www.ovpm.org