What has the Working Group been doing?

The main work item for the WG so far has been the Thematic Study on the Heritage Sites of Astronomy, which has been prepared in collaboration with ICOMOS,the Advisory Body to UNESCO that assesses WHL applications relating to cultural heritage. (More)

A second key activity is to create a public database of properties with a relationship to astronomy that will serve as a forum for information gathering and exchange. The database and forum will be accessed from this new Working Group website. (More)

The November 2009 issue (no. 54) of UNESCO's quarterly review World Heritage is devoted to astronomical and science heritage (see right-hand feature bar) and contains a number of articles by Working Group members.

The Working Group has also developed strong links with the Starlight Initiative and was represented at its meetings in Fuerteventura in March and La Palma in November. A significant outcome of the March meeting was the establishment of a “Dark Skies Advisory Group” whose remit is to support IUCN activities relating to dark skies (IUCN being the Advisory Body to UNESCO that assesses WHL applications relating to natural heritage). The WG is represented on this Advisory Group by its Chair. (More)

Finally, members of the Working Group and the Starlight Initative are working together to produce a new integrated web portal for the Astronomy and World Heritage Initiative. (More)