The Watch

The 2022 cycle of the Watch is taking place amidst circumstances that have revealed the profound interconnectedness of our world. In its global spread the Covid-19 pandemic has brought tragic loss of life and livelihood and continues to disrupt the functioning of many societies. In challenging the well-being of communities, the pandemic has also upset the operations of heritage places while bringing about drastic reductions in the resources available to them. More broadly, Covid-19 has laid bare the dependence of heritage protection on mass tourism and the tourism economy in so many parts of the world, pointing to the need for greater destination resilience. In its disruptive effects around the world, the pandemic resembles other looming challenges, including global climate change and its real and anticipated impacts. And critically, the world’s connectedness has also been made visible in the transnational spread of calls for equity and justice in public space, the landmarks that it encompasses, and the narratives that they represent. The most competitive nominations to the 2022 Watch will illuminate and propose innovative ways to address these challenges or point to other challenges and opportunities that are emerging.

Nominations are open for the 2022 Watch