Botanic Gardens’ bid to be country’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site now in final phase

The final decision will be known in Q2.

Is Singapore’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site finally within reach? A statement released Saturday by the National Parks Board and the National Heritage Board revealed that Singapore Botanic Gardens’ UNESCO World Heritage Site bid is now in its final phase.

Singapore formally submitted its nomination in January 2014 after a consultation process that lasted for almost four years.

In September 2014, a technical assessor from the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) visited the Gardens as part of the bid evaluation process.

“The evaluation process is now in its final stages. By May 2015, the ICOMOS will make a recommendation on whether the site should be inscribed. The ICOMOS’ recommendation will be taken into consideration by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee. They will convene in Bonn, Germany in end June/early July to discuss and decide on the outcome of all World Heritage Site nominations. The outcome of our bid will likely be known at the Bonn Meeting,” the statement noted.

However, the Committee could also defer its decision and request more information from Singapore, in which case, our bid will be discussed at future World Heritage Committee Sessions.