A little over a generation ago, the 1972 World Heritage Convention paved a new highway of nature conservation and cultural properties preservation that was destined to elevate some of Bermuda’s cultural assets to the level of one of but 981 ‘World Heritage Sites’ in 160 ‘State Parties’ lands around the earth.It was those assets and others that Dr Christopher Young, Head of International Advice at English Heritage, recently came to Bermuda to view at first hand at the invitation of the National Museum, for it had been some years since such an official from the United Kingdom (our State Party) had set eyes on our buildings and monuments.While Dr Young was most kindly hosted by His Excellency the Governor of Bermuda, Mr George Ferguson and Mrs Margaret Ferguson, much of the ‘site’-seeing was organised by Richard Lowry and Larry Williams of the Department of Planning and Peter Frith of the Bermuda National Trust.After meeting with the Mayor of St George’s, Garth Rothwell, and the Rev David Raths at St Peter’s Church, Dr Young was invited to a small ‘town hall’ meeting at the World Heritage Centre of the St George’s Foundation, where some 25 persons spoke with him for over two hours.The following day, Dr Young ventured to the other end of Bermuda, where he met with Ray Charlton, Chairman, West End Development Corporation, and some of the trustees of the National Museum.The visit concluded with a general meeting in Hamilton, followed by meetings at the Department of Planning, which is largely responsible for the administrative aspects of maintaining the standing of Bermuda’s World Heritage Site.Sylvan Richards Minister of Environment and Planning has noted that: “One of only three historic towns designated as a World Heritage Site throughout the English-speaking New World, the Historic Town of St George's and Related Fortifications embodies over 400 years of our Island’s cultural and architectural heritage.“As Bermuda enters into its fifth century, a partnership of Government, private, and municipal stakeholders is committed to ensure the continued vitality of the World Heritage jewels in St George’s Parish.”That commitment may be aided by the fact that ‘Cultural Heritage’ is now, for the first time, considered one of the main pillars of the National Plan for Tourism for Bermuda, which must be like seeing the ‘Unfinished Church’ finished, for many dedicated souls who have been advocating the use of the island’s built-heritage as a major asset of the visitor economy for many years.Fortunately for Bermuda and many other places, the 1972 World Heritage Convention revolutionised how the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) regarded such heritage, as encapsulated in the WHC website:“The Convention defines the kind of natural or cultural sites which can be considered for inscription on the ‘World Heritage List’. The Convention sets out the duties of ‘State Parties’ identifying potential sites and their role in protecting and preserving them.“By signing the Convention, each country pledges to conserve not only the World Heritage sites situated on its territory, but also to protect its national heritage.“The States Parties are encouraged to integrate the protection of the cultural and natural heritage into regional planning programmes, set up staff and services at their sites, undertake scientific and technical conservation research and adopt measures which give this heritage a function in the day-to-day life of the community.”The WHC website goes on to note: “Today, the World Heritage concept is so well understood that sites on the List are a magnet for international cooperation and may thus receive financial assistance for heritage conservation projects from a variety of sources.“Sites inscribed on the World Heritage List also benefit from the elaboration and implementation of a comprehensive management plan that sets out adequate preservation measures and monitoring mechanisms.“In support of these, experts offer technical training to the local site management team. Finally, the inscription of a site on the World Heritage List brings an increase in public awareness of the site and of its outstanding values, thus also increasing the tourist activities at the site.“When these are well planned for and organised respecting sustainable tourism principles, they can bring important funds to the site and to the local economy.”In the year 2000, Bermuda’s World Heritage Site was inscribed on the World Heritage List by UNESCO and has the brief description of “The Town of St George's, founded in 1612, is an outstanding example of the earliest English urban settlement in the New World.“Its associated fortifications graphically illustrate the development of English military engineering from the 17th to the 20th century, being adapted to take account of the development of artillery over this period.”Bingo! And congratulations to the then Government and all who laboured long and well to submit some of the heritage of this small, but internationally significant place, for inscription as a World Heritage Site.Now is not the time to labour you over with the details of all that wonderful heritage which lies north and east of Castle Harbour, from the divine (architecturally speaking) St Peter’s, to the little and great fortifications, to the wonderful homes and streetscapes of the Town, and other monuments, but to say that we in Bermuda have been accorded a privilege given but to a few.It is an honour that comes with great responsibilities, the achievement of which cannot but rebound to the good of the whole country, for our best friends and repeat visitors are those who love us for our heritage, for what makes Bermuda, Bermuda.We hope that Dr Young returned to the ‘State Party’ not only impressed with the monuments themselves but with the commitment that all who love and reside in this place have in preserving that heritage, not only for Bermuda, but all other peoples as well, for part of this place is now officially designated as an asset in the ‘World Heritage’ universe.