Process of the inscription on the World Heritage List

  •  
    Following Macao’s Handover to China, the MSAR Government, with the support of the Central People’s Government, took the inscription of Macao as World Heritage as one of its priorities.
  • In 2001,
    the MSAR Government began a series of promotion works of the application of Macao as World Heritage, drafting the text of the application proposal of the “Historic Monuments of Macao”. 23 July was the “Application of Macao to World Cultural Heritage Launch Day”.
  • In 2002,
    the MSAR Government sent to UNESCO’s World Heritage Centre, through the Central People’s Government, the application proposal for Macao as World Heritage. The proposal was only accepted by the World Heritage Centre after a technical exam and the confirmation that it met all requirements.
  • In 2003,
    the “Historic Monuments of Macao” were declared the first item in China candidate for World Heritage status for the year of 2015.
  • In September 2004,
    the International Counsel on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS), in charge of the World Cultural Heritage assessment works, sent experts to Macao for an on-site evaluation.
  • In December 2004,
    in reply to the International Counsel on Monuments and Sites’ request for submission of supplementary documents to the application proposal, the original name “Historic Monuments of Macao” was changed to “Historic Centre of Macao”, starting from and enriching the idea of the 12 original buildings and linking them to neighbouring squares and streets, giving shape to a nuclear historical area that comprised the old centre of Macao.
  • In February 2005,
    the items proposed were subjected to a technical assessment by World Heritage experts.
  • On 15 July 2005,
    during the 29th Session of UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee in Durban, South Africa, the Historic Centre of Macao was included in UNESCO’s World Heritage List, making it the 31st World Heritage site in China.