Funding opportunity: Support for Indigenous Peoples to attend the 48th session of the World Heritage Committee

Applications are now open for Indigenous Peoples’ representatives to apply for grants from the United Nations Voluntary Fund for Indigenous Peoples (UNVFIP) to participate in the 48th session of the World Heritage Committee. These grants aim to ensure the meaningful participation of Indigenous Peoples in the work of the World Heritage Convention and to support their active engagement in global discussions on the future of heritage conservation.

The 48th session of the World Heritage Committee will take place from 19 to 29 July 2026 in Busan, Republic of Korea.

Many World Heritage properties are home to Indigenous Peoples, whose diverse knowledge systems and cultural practices have ensured the sustainable management of cultural and natural resources over generations. At the same time, the World Heritage Committee has recognised the challenges that Indigenous Peoples may encounter in navigating the World Heritage system. In 2024, the mandate of the UNVFIP was extended to include support for participation in meetings of the World Heritage Convention, marking an important step towards strengthening the involvement of Indigenous Peoples in discussions that directly concern them.

Participation in the 48th session will provide an opportunity to contribute to the joint work requested by the Committee, through which the World Heritage Centre, the Advisory Bodies, States Parties and Indigenous Peoples collaborate to identify ways to better reflect Indigenous heritage values and enhance their participation under the Convention.

Indigenous representatives and organizations with experience in World Heritage may apply for UNVFIP grants to cover travel and accommodation costs associated with participation in the Committee’s proceedings.

Indigenous people who are designated site managers of World Heritage properties and who wish to participate in the World Heritage Site Managers’ Forum that will take place in the framework of the 48th session of the World Heritage Committee in Busan, Republic of Korea, are invited to apply separately through the dedicated Call for Applications, which will shortly be available at the following webpage: https://whc.unesco.org/en/site-managers-forum/

Further details and the online application form. The deadline for applications is 27 February 2026.

Apply online

The UN Voluntary Fund for Indigenous Peoples provides financial support to enable representatives of Indigenous communities and organizations to participate in UN mechanisms and processes that are most relevant to them.

The Fund relies on voluntary contributions from Governments, non-governmental organizations, and other private or public entities. Regular support is essential for the Fund to meet growing operational demands and to fulfil its mandate effectively.

For information on how to contribute, please contact the secretariat of the Fund.