Karya Naz BalkizAs the 48th session of UNESCO's World Heritage Committee draws to a close in Busan, South Korea, Türkiye is emerging as one of the organisation's most active diplomatic players.
From helping broker consensus on some of the session's most closely watched heritage decisions to preparing to host the Committee's next meeting in Istanbul, Türkiye has sought to position itself as both a guardian of cultural heritage and a bridge between countries facing complex conservation challenges.
Among the most closely watched discussions were those surrounding Palestine's Sebastia archaeological site in the occupied West Bank and Lebanon's Mount Amel Castles, both recognised as heritage sites on July 23 by a panel of international experts. Both under threat from ongoing Israeli attacks.
"We believe that Sebastia's inscription on the World Heritage List will further strengthen international cooperation and support for safeguarding Palestine's rich cultural heritage for future generations," Ambassador Mustafa Yurdakul, Türkiye's Permanent Delegate to UNESCO, told TRT World.
"We appreciate Palestine's efforts to preserve its rich cultural heritage, often under extremely difficult circumstances," Yurdakul added, stressing that Sebastia "bears witness to a succession of civilisations that have shaped the region's history for more than three thousand years."
Located near Nablus in the occupied West Bank, Sebastia has been the focus of Palestinian efforts to secure UNESCO recognition for more than a decade, with officials arguing that international protection is essential to safeguard the archaeological site under Israeli occupation.
Commenting on Türkiye's efforts to build consensus for Sebastia's emergency inscription, Adel Attieh, Permanent Delegate of the State of Palestine to UNESCO, praised what he described as "the moral power and the political power of the ambassador of Türkiye, who led a strong fight against all attempts to intimidate member states and to hijack this committee into voting against this nomination."
Despite "the heated debate and the endless attempts of the (Israeli) occupying power to sabotage the voting", including what he described as intimidation by Tel Aviv, "the international community decided to uphold its responsibilities to recognise the universal values of those sites as Palestinian sites," Attieh told TRT World.
Türkiye also helped present and defend Lebanon's Mount Amel Castles for emergency inscription on both UNESCO's World Heritage List and the List of World Heritage in Danger alongside Kuwait.
The five castles, located across southern Lebanon, represent nearly nine centuries of fortified architecture, blending Christian, Ayyubid, Mamluk and local influences. UNESCO recognised the sites as being under threat following repeated Israeli strikes and military operations that have endangered the country's cultural heritage.
Elsewhere during the committee session, Türkiye also emerged as a leading voice on international heritage conservation through its mediation efforts surrounding the Ohrid Region, a transboundary World Heritage site shared by North Macedonia and Albania.
Rather than supporting Ohrid’s inscription on UNESCO's List of World Heritage in Danger, Türkiye led efforts to secure additional time for both countries to implement conservation measures through closer cooperation. The proposal was backed by a majority of committee members and welcomed by both governments.
"The broad support our draft decision received from members of the World Heritage Committee once again demonstrated Türkiye's constructive and confidence-building approach on international platforms," Yurdakul told TRT World, adding that the country's approach has centred on cooperation rather than confrontation.
Ankara's growing role within UNESCO will continue next year after member states agreed that the 49th session of the World Heritage Committee will be held in Türkiye from June 27 to July 7 2027.
The meeting will place Türkiye at the centre of global discussions on protecting the world's cultural and natural heritage, building on the diplomatic role it has played throughout this year in connection with the session in Busan.
Türkiye currently has 22 UNESCO World Heritage Sites and has served on the World Heritage Committee since winning election with the highest number of votes among candidates in 2023.
