The World Monuments Fund (WMF), an independent nonprofit organization dedicated to the preservation of historic architecture and cultural heritage since 1965, receives nominations through the World Monuments Watch, a flagship advocacy and conservation program. Every two years, the Watch selects 25 sites from the nominations received from individuals and community-based organizations worldwide. Nominations for the 2027 World Monuments Watch closed on March 20, 2026, with a total of 372 public nominations from 84 countries and territories. Before announcing the selected sites in early 2027, the WMF offers an analysis of the nominations. Global data shows three main causes of heritage endangerment worldwide: government austerity, intensifying climate impact, and lack of access to specialized skills and expertise. At a time when political priorities tend to stray from history, the call is to recognize heritage sites as an area of shared opportunity rather than a burden.
Inadequate public funding was the most common driver of heritage endangerment across geographic regions. Among all nominators, 86% cited funding shortages and economic development as a primary issue, up from 80% in the 2025 cycle. In the nominations for the 2027 Watch, 65% cited "insufficient funding and resources" as the most important cause. The three main resource problems were inadequate public funding (22%), local economic constraints (17%), and rising costs for specialized materials and labor (10%). The preservation of world heritage is affected by current political and economic instability and cultural transformations on a global scale, with shrinking public budgets as the leading cause. However, 63% of the nominations identified opportunities to leverage heritage to support local economies through sustainable tourism, job creation and urban regeneration. In a virtuous cycle, built heritage can be viewed not simply as an economic burden but as a source of resources and employment.
Intensifying climate hazards were listed as the second most important cause, highlighted in 66% of the nominations. They were the primary challenge in 54% of the cases, up from 6% in the 2025 selection process. The problem is tangible, as 30% of the sites have been directly threatened by extreme weather events such as flooding, storms, drought, and wildfires. The WMF has two specific programs supporting stewards of historic landscapes and coastal heritage: Cultivating Resilience and Coastal Connections. The first focuses on strengthening the ability of historic gardens and cultural landscapes to adapt to the growing impacts of climate change, while the second gathers a global network of coastal heritage sites to share knowledge and practical solutions for addressing coastal impacts. The programs have documented environmental impacts worldwide, registering damage from severe storms, disrupted agricultural calendars, drought, and subsequent erosion leading to ground destabilization.
From a practical standpoint, and as a window of opportunity for action, the institution identified a growing need for technical expertise in historic preservation. Among all nominators, 44% highlighted access to specialized skills and expertise as a critical issue, a 10% increase from the last cycle. Within this category, the lack of local preservation knowledge or the availability of specialists was noted in 35% of the nominations. This reality adds to global movements calling to revive traditional crafts and pass that knowledge to future generations, not only to preserve heritage but also to create more resilient and sustainable architecture. Historic sites are not only places to remember but also places to study. WMF project sites offer conservation work that is used to train new specialists. Municipal staff, local conservation professionals, and university students gain hands-on experience, as working with monuments requires passing specialized building skills to local stewards.
For three decades, the World Monuments Watch has given us a direct view of what communities are facing on the ground. This year's nominations show that the pressures on heritage are intensifying while the resources to protect it are not keeping pace. According to findings in the UNESCO Global Report on Cultural Policies, only one in four countries has the means to safeguard its heritage. Communities are being asked to do more with less as climate change accelerates and the skills needed to care for these places grow scarce. These findings are a call to action, and they will help guide where our work is needed most. ― Bénédicte de Montlaur from the World Monuments Fund
The nominations undergo internal and external evaluation based on cultural significance, threat urgency, and the feasibility of community-driven solutions. The final selection for the 2027 World Monuments Watch is being deliberated by a panel of international heritage practitioners and experts chaired by Brinda Somaya, founder and principal of Somaya Sompat. The panel also includes Victoria Herrmann, founder and executive director of Preserving Legacies; Rohit Jigyasu, program manager at SEAMEO-SPAFA; Ishanlosen Odiaua, senior social development specialist at the World Bank and member of ICOMOS Nigeria; John Schofield, professor and director of studies for cultural heritage management at the University of York; Roger Valencia, minister of foreign trade and tourism and former minister of culture of Peru; and Patiphol Yodsurang, associate professor in the Faculty of Architecture at Kasetsart University. The complete 2027 World Monuments Watch list will be officially announced in February 2027.
ArchDaily and World Monuments Fund have partnered to support conservation work at modernist heritage sites around the globe, focusing on protecting the past while informing and inspiring the future of architecture. Through interviews and feature articles, we publish stories about buildings that reflect moments in local and international history, such as Amancio and Delfina Williams' modernist house Casa sobre el Arroyo in Argentina; Angola's Namibe Cinema-Studio; and, among India's earliest experiments in modernist public architecture, the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Stadium. Recently announced WMF initiatives include a new list of ten heritage places representing the history of the United States on the occasion of the 250th anniversary of its Declaration of Independence; official support for 21 heritage preservation projects launched this year; and the 2026 World Monuments Fund/Knoll Modernism Prize, awarded to Australia-based architecture firm Architectus for the conservation of the United Nations' Africa Hall in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
