The extraordinary heritage of the City of York has been recognised by UNESCO, placing it on the Tentative List, the next step in York becoming a World Heritage Site. There are few places in the UK which can boast such rich cultural heritage as York, from Roman, Viking and Medieval sites through to the transformative social movements of the last two centuries, making York the compassionate and humane city it is today.
As a city we can be proud of our heritage, not as something that we take for granted, but as our inheritance that we must treasure. Following much work over the last few years, the threads which have woven our city together through the centuries have been recognised in order to give us this opportunity.
The next phase of the project will be to set out a comprehensive offer to UNESCO to convert York from the Tentative List into becoming a World Heritage Site. This process will demand funding and significant contributions from people and organisations across our city. I very much hope that everyone will be part of this project which promises to create real opportunities for York, and we can make it a truly community-led project.
Rachael Maskell MP, “I am absolutely delighted to see York recognised for the UNESCO World Heritage Site Tentative List. This is such an important step for our city to not only celebrate all our cultural assets and past, but to build a visionary plan for our future. To reach the UNESCO criteria will be a significant challenge, but in getting this right, it will bring real opportunity and good quality jobs to York. I particularly want to thank Janet Hopton for her tireless work in taking York’s bid forward.”
“Today’s announcement is yet another reminder of the special place that York is. As a city with so much to offer, it is important that everyone is included in this next stage of the project. I very much hope that the project will embrace the creativity and experience of people right across York, from children and young people, through to people who have lived in York through the decades to ensure that the UNSECO project is a truly community led project. There will be need for funding and support from businesses across the city too, so all must come on board to secure York’s true recognition.”