York is a city with an outstanding past and an exciting future. The quality and range of archaeological and historic buildings and layers and the quality and extent of the archives contained within the city make York one of the most interesting and important places in the world. York wants to pursue World Heritage status so that these outstanding universal qualities are recognised and celebrated.

The World Heritage Convention (adopted by UNESCO in 1972) was ratified by the UK in 1984. The Convention provides for the identification, protection, conservation and presentation of cultural and natural sites of "outstanding universal value", and requires a World Heritage List to be established under the management of an inter-governmental World Heritage Committee.

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) is responsible for the UK's general compliance with the Convention, and for nominating sites in England. The DCMS completed a review of the UK Tentative List of World Heritage sites in 2009. The DCMS has decided that a new UK Tentative List will be created. A simple, inexpensive, two-stage application process has been set out. Stage 1 applications must be made to the DCMS by 12 June 2010.

On 17 March 2009, the Executive of City of York Council agreed that once the DCMS announced what the application process will be, York should apply for World Heritage status. This decision followed on from work carried out by the York World Heritage Steering Group, chaired by Janet Hopton MBE. The Steering Group will continue to meet and coordinate information to support the bid which will be made by City of York Council.

The work of the Steering Group has demonstrated that World Heritage status will deliver a number of significant economic and social benefits for the city.

It will:

• maintain and boost tourism visits and spend in the city
• develop the strengths of York-based companies and University departments that research and interpret the past
• encourage better design of new buildings in the city
• underpin the quality of life which makes York a world-class place to live, learn and do business in
• showcase York's successful policies in relation to conserving and understanding the archaeology of the city
• lead to increased international links

Public consultation in 2008-09 demonstrated that there is overwhelming public support within the city for this bid.

You can email comments to the Steering Group

Ambassadors

Acting as Ambassadors for York, to promote the city's bid for World Heritage Site status:

• The Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu
• Professor Brian Cantor, Vice Chancellor, University of York
• Professor David Fleming, Vice Chancellor, York St. John University
• Professor Julian D Richards, Head, Department of Archaeology, University of York
• Professor Helen Weinstein, Director, Institute of the Public Understanding of the Past, University of York
• Mrs Sylvia Thomas, President, Yorkshire Archaeological Society
• Mr Gary Verity, Chief Executive, Welcome to Yorkshire

York World Heritage Steering Group

• Mrs Janet Hopton MBE, Chairman
• Mr John Oxley, City Archaeologist, City of York Council
• Dr Peter Addyman CBE
• Dr Richard Shephard, Chamberlain, York Minster
• Mr John Walker, Chief Executive, York Archaeological Trust
• Miss Alison Sinclair, Historian and Conservationist
• Professor Sir Ron Cooke, Chairman, York Civic Trust
• Mr Darrell Buttery, President, York Civic Trust
• Mr Steve Davies MBE, Director, National Railway Museum
• Mr Martin Watts, York Museums Trust
• Mr Mike Woodward, York Museums Trust
• Mr Ian Tempest, External Relations Manager, Visit York
• Ms Gill Cooper, Head of Arts & Culture, City of York Council
• Mr Steve Eccles, Communications team, City of York Council
• Mr David Warburton, Head of Design, Conservation and Sustainable Development, City of York Council
• Councillor Dave Taylor, Heritage Champion, City of York Council

Supporters

The bid by the City of York Council for World Heritage Site status for York is supported by:

• Archbishop of York, Dr. John Sentamu
• Askham Bryan Parish Council
• Association of Voluntary Guides to the City of York
• Barley Studio, conservators of stained glass
• Bishop of Selby, The Right Reverend Martin Wallace
• Campaign to Protect Rural England
• Chancellor of the University of York, Greg Dyke
• City Screen Picturehouse
• Copmanthorpe Parish Council
• Rt. Hon. Frank Dobson, MP
• Dunnington Parish Council
• Elvington Parish Council
• Freemen of England and Wales
• Friends of New Walk
• Fulford Parish Council
• The following MPs whose constituencies, before 2010 boundary changes, included areas of York: John Greenway (former MP); John Grogan (former MP); Anne McIntosh MP.
• The Grand Opera House
• Guild of Cordwainers
• Guild of Scriveners
• Hessay Parish Council
• Hugh Bayley MP (York Central)
• The Company of Merchant Adventurers
• National Centre for Early Music
• National Railway Museum
• Nether Poppleton Parish Council
• Osbaldwick Parish Council
• Rufforth with Knapton Parish Council
• The Stained Glass Centre
• Julian Sturdy MP (York Outer)
• The Dean of York
• The Gild of Freemen of the City of York
• The University of York
• Visit York
• Helen Whittaker, stained glass designer
• Welcome to Yorkshire
• York St John University
• York Guild of Building
• York Archaeological Forum
• York Archaeological Trust
• The Yorkshire Architectural and York Archaeological Society
• York Business Pride
• York Christian Heritage Walk
• York Civic Trust
• York Conservation Trust
• York Consortium for Conservation and Craftsmanship
• York Council for Voluntary Service
• York Enterprise
• York Georgian Society
• York Green Party
• York Professionals
• York Racecourse
• York Tangent Club
• York Theatre Royal
• Yorkshire Museum
• Yorkshire Archaeological Society
• Yorkshire Philosophical Society

and the people of the City of York.