Prior to the 41^st session of the World Heritage Committee, which this year will be held in Poland, and in the framework of the UNESCO World Heritage Education Programme, the Polish National Commission for UNESCO and the International Cultural Centre in Krakow are proud to hold the World Heritage Young Professionals Forum 2017 “Memory: Lost and Recovered Heritage” from the 25 June to 4 July 2017, in Warsaw and Krakow (Poland). A call for participation has recently been launched. The main goal of the Forum is to compare and contrast two historic centres of the two largest Polish cities – Warsaw and Krakow, and discuss them as examples of destruction and continuance. Young professionals from all over the world, between 22 and 32 years of age, who are interested in cultural heritage will have an opportunity to exchange ideas, broaden their outlook and contribute to the discussions in topics such as:

• memory and identity;
• conservation and restoration of sites;
• limits of reconstruction;
• heritage management

The aim of the Forum is to increase young people's knowledge and understanding of the importance of the following:

• the implementation of the World Heritage Convention;
• the working methods of the World Heritage Committee;
• the challenges and opportunities of the protection, conservation and restoration of selected World Heritage sites carrying associative values.

The programme of the Forum includes visits to selected World Heritage sites, meetings with international heritage experts, workshops and discussions, presentations by participants, and the attendance of the first session of the 41st session of the World Heritage Committee, among others. Participants should be fluent in English and citizens of one of the 21 Member States of the current World Heritage Committee, which include, among others, Croatia, Finland, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, the Republic of Korea, and Viet Nam, as well as citizens of the Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, India, Lithuania, Russian Federation and Slovakia, among others. Applications to take part in the World Heritage Young Professionals Forum 2017 should be submitted by 3 April 2017. For additional information, please visit http://whc.unesco.org/en/events/1363