Application Deadline: 5 January 2026
Applications are now open for the 2026 UNESCO World Heritage Volunteers Initiative Program. After seventeen years of grassroots youth activities and international cooperation, the World Heritage Volunteers (WHV) Initiative continue to involve young people, communities and site managers in building together new, inclusive societies where World Heritage is a source of resilience, humanity and innovation, beyond the challenges that faces the World.
In the framework of the International Year of Volunteers for Sustainable Development (IYV 2026), the program look forward to welcoming historic partners and new actors to be part of the renewed activities that make this dedicated community a solid pillar to sustain all future work for World Heritage protection, preservation and awareness work around the world.
The WHV Initiative was launched in 2008 to encourage young people to undertake concrete actions and to play an active role in the protection, preservation, and promotion of World Heritage sites. It consists of action camps organized by youth organizations or institutions in cooperation with multiple stakeholders and partners, who work together for the state of conservation of World Heritage sites. The initiative mobilizes national and international volunteers through hands-on and awareness-raising activities for the conservation of our common cultural and natural heritage.
Within the framework of the World Heritage Education Programme at the UNESCO World Heritage Centre, the World Heritage Volunteers (WHV) Initiative was launched in 2008 in collaboration with the Coordinating Committee for International Voluntary Service (CCIVS) to mobilize and involve young people and youth organizations in World Heritage preservation and promotion. Today, the Initiative is coordinated by the UNESCO World Heritage Centre in cooperation with Better World.
SELECTION CRITERIA
In order to be eligible for selection, both the applying organisations and the proposed projects must fulfil the set of mandatory criteria detailed below.
Organizations
- The applicant should be legally registered as a public or private organisation or institution in the country where the project takes place;
- All activities of the organisation related to WHV should be non-profit. All local, national and international partnerships developed by the applicant in the framework of WHV should be submitted for approval to the WHV coordinators;
- First time applicants should submit two letters of support from recognised organisations and/or institutions recommending the applicant on the basis of past or current proven cooperation;
- First time applicants should submit a copy of their Constitution / Bylaws of their most recent activity report in one of the UN official languages.
- Each organisation is eligible to apply for a maximum of 4 projects to be carried out at different sites (you may apply to run several projects at the same site: these will be counted as one project unless they involve a completely different set of local partners and differ substantially in terms of activities and theme).
- In order for the new WHV proposals to be considered in 2026, organisations must have submitted the evaluation form of the projects implemented in the previous years.
Projects
- Should be organised in immediate connection to a property inscribed on the World Heritage List or a site on a Tentative List:http://whc.unesco.org/en/list ; http:// whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists;
- Should have a minimum 10 day duration consecutive or not, (excluding arrival and departure dates); and include the same group of people for the duration of the action camp;
- Should ideally start after 15 April and end by 15 December 2026;
- Should involve as much as possible, international volunteers; e. Should include awareness-raising activities, practical hands-on activities and skills related to UNESCO World Heritage sites where the action camps will be conducted (detailed definitions of awareness-raising and hands-on activities and skills in Annex below);
- Should be developed in consultation with site managers and local authorities, reflecting the needs of the sites;
- Should include practical hands-on skills training activities as well as reflection on issues related to World Heritage;
- Should involve the community in order to deepen their knowledge around issues related to World Heritage and the World Heritage Volunteers Initiative;
- Should respect participants’ gender balance (ideally equal number of male and female participants) and geographical diversity (ideally representing different countries and regions).
MICRO-GRANTS AND MOBILITY FUND
The 2026 Campaign will offer again micro-grants that are intended to ensure that selected organisations receive at least partial compensation for the basic administration work required by their involvement in the WHV Initiative. The funds will be automatically attributed upon completion of the project activities and reporting, with priority given to projects taking place in Low Income Countries, Lower Middle Income Countries and Small Island Developing States (SIDS). The amounts will be between a minimum of 100 USD and a maximum of 300 USD per project.
How to Apply
In order to get involved in and/or renew your commitment towards the protection, preservation, and promotion of World Heritage through the WHV Initiative, please fill in the following application form:
And send it by email to Francesco Volpini at Better World ([email protected]) with a copy to Ines Yousfi ([email protected]) and Erik Eschweiler-Dienerowitz ([email protected]) at the UNESCO World Heritage Centre
Application Timeline:
- 5 January 2026 Deadline for the submission of project applications.
- 12-31 January 2026 Additional information may be requested from the organisations.
- 1 March 2026 Announcement of selected WHV projects. Confirmations will be sent to the selected organisations. Applications for the Mobility Fund will be open.
- End of March 2026 Official communication will be sent to the National Commissions for UNESCO, Permanent Delegations to UNESCO, UNESCO Field Offices and site management authorities.
- 15 April 2026 – 15 December 2026 : Project implementation, documentation and monitoring.
- December 2026: World Heritage Volunteers Initiative Global Capacity Building Training Workshop, Kenya
- 20 December 2026 Submission of the evaluation form and questionnaires including pictures, videos and a signed copyright agreement by the implementing organisations.
- November/December 2026 WHV Call for Projects 2027 will be launched
For More Information:
Visit the Official Webpage of the UNESCO World Heritage Volunteers Initiative Program.
