The UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation (‘Awards’) recognizes exemplary efforts by individuals and organizations in the region to restore or conserve structures, places or properties of heritage value. By bringing to public attention such distinguished achievements, the Awards programme seeks to foster best practices and inspire others to undertake similar projects within the region’s diverse communities, whether property owners choose to pursue conservation projects independently or through public-private partnerships.

Since 2000, the Awards programme has recognized 290 winners from 27 Asia-Pacific countries for their thorough understanding of their sites; their sound technical achievements; and the significant social and policy impacts of their projects at the local, national and regional levels. By recognizing these practices, the Awards programme has helped to advance a regional conversation about what constitutes cultural heritage, who has a stake in its thoughtful stewardship, and how cultural heritage can contribute to the sustainability of cities, societies and the environment. 

Projects must have been completed within the last 10 years (February 2014 – June 2024 if pre-existing use was retained, or June 2023 if a project is for a new use). Houses, commercial and institutional buildings, historic towns and villages, archaeological sites and cultural landscapes, for example, are all suitable for submission.

Entries are required to be submitted via the online form before the deadline. There are two types of entry forms depending upon which category the submitter is applying to: the Conservation category and the New Design category. Submitters should ensure that they are applying to the correct category prior to submitting their entry. In addition, the project dossier containing all supporting documentation, including a description of the project in the official, requisite format, and drawings and photographs in hard and soft copy formats should be posted to UNESCO Bangkok by mail and postmarked no later than 30 June 2024. 

To Apply for the 2024 Awards and for relevant resources, please visit: Apply for #HeritageAwards

Winners are selected by the Awards Jury through a deliberation process that evaluates the project submissions based on the Awards Criteria. Jury members, composed of 5 to 7 international conservation experts, and a Jury Chair are appointed annually by UNESCO based on their geographical representation and areas of expertise. 

Winners will be announced in November 2024 according to the following categories (each category may have multiple winners in any given awards cycle)*: Award of Excellence; Award of Distinction; Award of Merit, Award for New Design in Heritage Contexts, and Special Recognition for Sustainable Development.

  • The Award of Excellence is the highest recognition in the Awards programme; it is given for projects which display exceptional achievement in all criteria, and which demonstrate a major catalytic impact at the national or regional level. 
  • The Award of Distinction is given to projects which demonstrate outstanding achievement in all criteria, and which have a significant impact at the national or regional level.
  • The Award of Merit recognizes projects which demonstrate superior achievement in all criteria.
  • The Award for New Design in Heritage Contexts is given to newly-built projects which demonstrate outstanding design and are well integrated with their historic contexts. Submissions of completed new architecture and designs which enrich an existing heritage setting are encouraged. New annexes, new extensions, new buildings, new public spaces, and new structures – such as bridges – are all eligible for consideration.
  • The Special Recognition for Sustainable Development was introduced in the 2020 Awards cycle to recognize projects which demonstrate noteworthy achievement in the overall Awards criteria and promise a significant contribution to sustainable development. Projects that are submitted to either the Conservation or the New Design category of the Awards programme are eligible for this recognition. 

The 2023 Awards competition received 48 projects from 8 Asia-Pacific countries; 12 projects from 3 countries were recognized with Awards. The 2023 Award of Excellence was given to the Rambagh Gate and Ramparts in Punjab, India, for its inclusive and resilient urban revitalization. Three projects, the Karnikara Mandapam at Kunnamangalam Bhagawati Temple, in Kerala, India; Pipal Haveli, in Punjab, India; and Sikami Chhen, in Kathmandu, Nepal, were awarded with the Special Recognition for Sustainable Development. The Award for New Design in Heritage Contexts went to Erlitou Site Museum of the Xia Capital, in Luoyang, China. 

Since 2021, the Awards programme has been generously supported by the Ng Teng Fong Charitable Foundation (NTFCF). The partnership between UNESCO and NTFCF promotes transformative heritage practices in Asia-Pacific through tailored capacity-building activities that amplify the impact of the Awards programme.