Unesco News — Latest Headlines & Stories

Inside Kazakhstan’s historic rock-hewn mosques now recognised by UNESCO

Five rock-hewn mosques and associated sacred sites dating from the 12th to the 18th centuries make up Kazakhstan’s newest UNESCO World Heritage property. The complexes preserve centuries of Sufi tradition alongside much older beliefs.

Kazakhstan UNESCO

Oct 7, 2026 · byEuronews

Balloons, baths and poppy-seed cuisine: discover Afyonkarahisar

In Afyonkarahisar, hot air balloons drift over 3,000-year-old Phrygian rock carvings, mineral-rich thermal springs have drawn visitors since 1200 BC, and poppy seeds define a UNESCO-recognised culinary tradition.

UNESCO

Oct 7, 2026 · byEuronews

How Irish hospitality is quietly overachieving in sustainability

Without realising it, Irish hotels and restaurants are already teaching their staff the skills UNESCO says it needs for sustainable development

UNESCO

Sep 28, 2026 · byBusiness

‘People are standing up and fighting back’: the north Devon revolt against a vast AI datacentre

Plans for one of Europe’s largest AI campuses in a Unesco-designated reserve have sparked a fierce local backlash The datacentre revolt spreading across the US has reached the rolling hills of north Devon in an uprising against a planned hyperscale AI data campus in the middle of a globally protected landscape. Perched on an inland cliff, the town of Great Torrington has views that stretch for miles over the landscape of the Unesco biosphere reserve in which it sits, taking in the winding River Torridge and rolling acres of wooded valley and wildflower meadows. Pastoral and peaceful, its history was notably punctured by violence in 1646 when the royalists’ resistance in the first English civil war was brought to an end by the parliamentarian New Model Army in a battle fought out in the narrow streets in heavy rain and darkness. Continue reading...

Europa UNESCO

Sep 27, 2026 · byThe Guardian

AI must serve humans, rather than 'become an instrument of domination and injustice', pope warns

Pope Leo XIV, who has made AI a central component of his pontificate, warned against the dangers of the technology at UNESCO.

Pope Leo XIV UNESCO

Sep 25, 2026 · byEuronews

REPLAY: Pope Leo XIV's address at UNESCO

Watch the replay of Pope Leo XIV's address at UNESCO on September 25, 2026 where he spoke about peace, culture, AI and international cooperation during the first stop of his France visit.

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Pope Leo XIV República Francesa UNESCO

Sep 25, 2026 · byFrance 24

Paris: Pope Leo XIV expected at UNESCO and Notre-Dame

Crowds have already begun gathering outside Notre-Dame Cathedral as Pope Leo XIV prepares for one of the highlights of his Paris visit. Before heading to the cathedral, the pontiff is expected to deliver another speech at UNESCO headquarters, where he is set to address global challenges including peace, culture and international cooperation, as FRANCE 24's Claire Paccalin explains.

UNESCOneutral

Notre Dame Cathedral Paris Pope Leo XIV

Sep 25, 2026 · byFrance 24

Pope Leo XIV's Paris agenda includes Macron meeting and Notre-Dame visit

Paris is making final preparations for Pope Leo XIV's first official visit to the French capital in 18 years, with volunteers welcoming crowds ahead of his four-day trip. His programme includes meetings with President Emmanuel Macron and UNESCO, a popemobile procession, a prayer service at Notre-Dame, a youth vigil at the Stade de France, and a mass at Place de la Concorde expected to draw up to one million people before he continues to Lourdes and Metz.

Emmanuel Macronneutral

Emmanuel Macron Lourdes Metz

Sep 25, 2026 · byFrance 24

Pope Leo visits France for first papal visit in 18 years – Europe live

The pope will deliver a landmark speech on AI development and discuss Europe’s future Pope Leo will visit France this weekend, the first papal state visit to the country in 18 years, beginning with Paris today. During the visit, Leo is expected to seek to repair the Catholic Church’s standing after abuse scandals in the country , as well as deliver a landmark speech on AI development at Unesco and talk about Europe’s future in Metz, with some other European leaders expected to attend. Continue reading...

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Europa Lionel Messi Metz

Sep 25, 2026 · byThe Guardian

Trump invades the UN with a brutish speech | Ted Widmer

Gone was any shred of US idealism. It was a spectacle of raw power – a power that is likely to only diminish in the years ahead Expectations were low for Donald Trump’s address to the UN on Tuesday, and yet somehow it was even worse than expected. He does not perform well in formal settings, like chambers of government, preferring a blingier room, like Mar-a-Lago, or an outdoor rally. For years, he has made no secret of his hostility to the UN, and the very principles of international order that define it. In recent years, that hostility has deepened into something more like a full-on assault, with frequent attacks on the international criminal court (perhaps out of fear that he will someday be indicted), on the UN’s climate agenda, and on Unesco (which the US decided to withdraw from in July 2025). Continue reading...

Donald Trumpcritical

Donald Trump UNESCO

Sep 22, 2026 · byThe Guardian

New report tackles problem of governments' overreliance on consulting firms

Dependence on consulting firms is a growing trend among governments globally. Left unchecked, it can have a negative impact due to high costs or transparency issues. Such dependence came to the fore in France a few years ago, when the Macron government was criticised for its close ties with US consulting giant McKinsey. UNESCO's Inclusive Policy Lab, headed by Iulia Sevciuc, has established a new blueprint to tackle this problem. She spoke to us in Business.

Emmanuel Macron McKinsey República Francesa

Sep 22, 2026 · byFrance 24

China’s porcelain city carries centuries-old heritage to a new generation

JINGDEZHEN, China (AP) — Jingdezhen’s pottery-making history spans more than 2,000 years. It began during the Han Dynasty, and its porcelain sites were inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List in 2026.

China UNESCO

Sep 21, 2026 · byReligion News Service

Gran Canaria: how an Atlantic island is emphasising its year-round appeal

Gran Canaria blends beaches, volcanic mountains, UNESCO heritage, starry skies and Michelin dining into a year-round, sustainable escape for European travellers.

Michelin Oceanul Atlantic UNESCO

Sep 17, 2026 · byEuronews

Raiding the past: Lara Croft relives her first adventure in Legacy of Atlantis

We have a first play of the forthcoming Tomb Raider remake and speak with its developers. Can they improve on the gameplay without losing what made the 1996 original such a classic? We join Lara Croft in St Francis’ Folly – inspired by the Unesco-listed monasteries of Meteora in Greece – as the light shines through the cracked ceiling and a flock of bats glide across the vast ruins below. When Lara leaps down to the monastery’s crumbling pillared courtyard, it becomes clear that these screeching, leathery creatures aren’t just set dressing. As they lurch towards her with unpredictable movements, she dispatches the swarm with a flurry of gun fire and panicked punches. It’s a suitably cinematic reintroduction to our heroine and her very first adventure. Co-developed by longtime Lara custodians Crystal Dynamics and Polish studio Flying Wild Hog, Legacy of Atlantis is a reimagining of the classic 1996 game Tomb Raider, and this familiar cliffside location is now brimming with new life and believable detail. Yet while our reunion gets off to an auspicious start, I have my concerns. It feels like reconnecting with an old friend at the pub, only for them to begin spouting conspiracy theories two pints in. Continue reading...

Griechenland UNESCO

Sep 11, 2026 · byThe Guardian

Raiding the past: Lara Croft relives her first adventure in Legacy of Atlantis

We have a first play of the forthcoming Tomb Raider remake and speak with its developers. Can they improve on the gameplay without losing what made the 1996 original such a classic? We join Lara Croft in St Francis’ Folly – inspired by the Unesco-listed monasteries of Meteora in Greece – as the light shines through the cracked ceiling and a flock of bats glide across the vast ruins below. When Lara leaps down to the monastery’s crumbling pillared courtyard, it becomes clear that these screeching, leathery creatures aren’t just set dressing. As they lurch towards her with unpredictable movements, she dispatches the swarm with a flurry of gun fire and panicked punches. It’s a suitably cinematic reintroduction to our heroine and her very first adventure. Co-developed by longtime Lara custodians Crystal Dynamics and Polish studio Flying Wild Hog, Legacy of Atlantis is a reimagining of the classic 1996 game Tomb Raider, and this familiar cliffside location is now brimming with new life and believable detail. Yet while our reunion gets off to an auspicious start, I have my concerns. It feels like reconnecting with an old friend at the pub, only for them to begin spouting conspiracy theories two pints in. Continue reading...

Griechenland UNESCO

Sep 11, 2026 · byThe Guardian

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“Urgent Action” Needed to Protect a World Heritage-Listed Temple in Cambodia

The Temple of Preah Vihear suffered extensive damage from “direct hits” following the 2025 border war between Thailand and Cambodia, a UNESCO-led study found.

Cambodia Tailandia UNESCO

Sep 10, 2026 · byARTnews

UNESCO warns there’s close to a 100% chance of a Mediterranean tsunami

The Mediterranean may seem far removed from the world’s major tsunami zones, but history and modern modeling show that destructive waves can strike the French Riviera with surprisingly little warning. Some tsunamis could reach shore in under 10 minutes, while past events have produced waves around two meters high, powerful currents, damage, and deaths.

Mediterranean UNESCO

Sep 10, 2026 · byScienceDaily

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Tourist Plane Crash in Peru Kills 13 Over the Nazca Lines

Local authorities have confirmed that a plane crash killed all 13 people on board a tourist sightseeing flight over the Nazca Lines in Peru. The tragic accident occurred on Saturday, Aug. 1, when passengers were visiting the famous Nazca region as part of a popular tourist attraction that offered to fly over the UNESCO site. […] The post Tourist Plane Crash in Peru Kills 13 Over the Nazca Lines appeared first on Travel Radar - Aviation News .

Perú UNESCO

Aug 3, 2026 · byTravel Radar

Israel demolishes near UNESCO site in Lebanon amid Hezbollah tensions

Escalating tensions risk undermining regional stability and peace efforts, potentially affecting international diplomatic and market dynamics. The post Israel demolishes near UNESCO site in Lebanon amid Hezbollah tensions appeared first on Crypto Briefing .

Hezbollah Israel Lebanon

Jul 30, 2026 · byCryptoBriefing

US and Israeli strikes damage Iran’s UNESCO cultural sites as crypto sanctions tighten

The destruction of cultural heritage sites and tightened crypto sanctions could exacerbate regional tensions and impact global cultural preservation. The post US and Israeli strikes damage Iran’s UNESCO cultural sites as crypto sanctions tighten appeared first on Crypto Briefing .

Iran UNESCO

Jun 29, 2026 · byCryptoBriefing

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