Cultural heritage as the common heritage of humankind: a critical re-evaluation

The 1972 World Heritage Convention describes listed sites as the 'world heritage of mankind as a whole', a component of the more generally referred to international law concept of the 'common heritage of humankind'. This article considers the contemporary status of this concept and argues that its constituent principles continue to provide a basis upon which a more comprehensive international law regime might be constructed to protect the world's cultural heritage.