Submissions are now being accepted for the 2019 Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation. The upcoming cycle will mark the 20th year of the Awards honouring best conservation practices in the Asia-Pacific region. The UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation recognise exemplary efforts by individuals and organisations to restore or conserve structures, places and properties of heritage value in the region. They aim to encourage other property owners to undertake conservation projects within their communities, either independently or by seeking public-private partnerships. Since 2000, the Awards have recognised 233 winners from 21 countries for their thorough understanding of the places, sound technical achievements, and significant social and policy impacts at the local, national and regional levels. By recognising these practices, the Awards have contributed to meaningful achievements in changing the conversation about what constitutes cultural heritage, who has a stake in its stewardship, and how cultural heritage can contribute to the sustainable well-being of cities, societies and the environment. UNESCO will celebrate these 20 years of success through a regional event organised in partnership with Think City, a leading community-based urban regeneration organization based in Malaysia.

Award categories

Winners will be announced in November 2019 in the following categories:

• Award of Excellence, which is the highest recognition presented to projects that display exceptional achievement in all criteria and have major catalytic impact at the national or regional level
• Award of Distinction
• Award of Merit
• Honourable Mention
• Award for New Design in Heritage Contexts

The Award for New Design in Heritage Contexts is given to newly built projects that demonstrate outstanding design that is well integrated into historic contexts. Submissions of completed new architecture and designs that enrich the existing heritage setting are encouraged. Building annexes, as well as new extensions, new buildings, new public spaces and new structures, such as bridges, are all eligible for consideration.

Eligibility criteria

Eligible projects must have been completed within the last 10 years. Houses, commercial and institutional buildings, historic towns and villages, archaeological sites and cultural landscapes, for example, are all suitable for entry.

How to apply

Entries for the 2019 Awards programme must be submitted to UNESCO Bangkok before 31 March 2019, using an official entry form, a description of the project in the official format, and drawings and photographs in hard and softcopy formats. For further information and access to the official application materials, please visit https://bangkok.unesco.org/content/apply-awards