What does UNESCO do?

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) was formed in 1945 at the initiative of a conference of ministers of education from World War II allies. According to the Constitution, the purpose of the organization is “to promote peace and security by expanding cooperation between peoples in the fields of education, science and culture in the interests of ensuring universal respect for justice, the rule of law and human rights.” UNESCO's activities include wide circle questions - from conservation problems cultural heritage to overcome illiteracy. Today, UNESCO's focus is on Africa and gender inequality. UNESCO's budget for 2016-2017 is $667 million.

UNESCO includes 195 states. Kosovo plans to join the organization in the near future. In 2015, the unrecognized republic did not receive enough votes for membership. Palestine became the last member of UNESCO in 2011.

How the US and other countries left and returned to UNESCO

In 1957, UNESCO left South Africa, accusing the organization of interfering in the state's internal racial politics. After Nelson Mandela came to power in 1994, South Africa returned to UNESCO.

The United States withdrew from UNESCO in 1985, citing the irrational use of funds and the politicization of the organization's activities as the reason. In 1986, Great Britain and Singapore left the organization. Nevertheless, all countries eventually returned: Great Britain in 1997, the USA in 2003, Singapore in 2007.

Election fever

Foreign Policy reported on Wednesday that Washington had decided to leave the organization. According to him, Tillerson made this decision several weeks ago. At the end of September he notified French President Emmanuel Macron, who was at the opening of the UN General Assembly in New York. According to Foreign Policy, the official announcement of the withdrawal was expected to take place “no earlier than early next week.”

At the same time, the next session of the UNESCO Executive Committee is currently underway, where a successor to Bokova, who has headed the organization for two consecutive terms since 2009, will be elected. The winning candidate will be approved at the UNESCO General Conference in early November. Foreign Policy explained the intention to postpone the announcement of the US withdrawal precisely by the desire to wait for the election of a new director general. The publication explains that this issue was raised precisely at the meeting with Macron by Paris’s desire to enlist the support of the French candidate from the United States.

There are two main candidates vying for the post of Director General of UNESCO. These are the former ministers of culture of France and Qatar - Audrey Azoulay and Hamad bin Abdulaziz al-Kawari. At the same time, Arabs have never headed UNESCO, and Azoulay is a Frenchwoman of Jewish origin. In March, the Egyptian news agency Al-Ahram Al-Arabi reported that an unnamed Western official described Azoulay's nomination as "an act of provocation directed against Arab states."

UNESCO meeting (Photo: Charles Platiau/Reuters)

Israeli trace

Washington’s decision has no direct connection with the election of the UNESCO director general, since it is aimed at “general discord in the international community and an attempt to escape international obligations,” says Alexey Borisov, head of the UNESCO MGIMO department.

As follows from the State Department statement, the US decision to leave the organization was influenced by its “anti-Israel bias.” Israel and the part of the American political elite that supports it have long and sharply criticized UNESCO for this approach, which was especially clearly manifested during the period of Bokova’s work.

As Al-Ahram Al-Arabi points out, UNESCO “has always been an arena of clashes and discussions on sensitive issues for Arabs, in particular the status of Jerusalem,” which both Israel and Palestine consider their capital. In the fall of 2011, UNESCO accepted the partially recognized Palestinian Authority into its membership. Then, at the beginning of October, at a session of the UNESCO Executive Committee, it was decided to submit the issue of admitting the country to a vote by the General Conference of the organization. A few weeks later, on October 31, representatives of 107 member countries of the organization, including Russia, voted for the entry of the Palestinian Authority. Delegates from 14 countries opposed, and another 52 abstained.

On the same day, the United States decided to refuse annual payments to the UN budget as a sign of protest against the voting results. They ranked first among UNESCO's funding sources: 22%, or $80 million per year. Israel in 2017 also several times increased the amount of its contributions to the organization's budget, threatening to stop them altogether.

Peaceful divorce

In six years, the US debt to the organization has reached almost $500 million. Washington’s decision is an attempt to optimize not only its financial, but also political costs, Maxim Suchkov, an expert at the Russian International Affairs Council (RIAC), explained in a conversation with RBC. “In this context, this looks like a logical continuation of President Trump’s line of getting rid of “unnecessary,” in his opinion, obligations in international organizations,” Suchkov added.

By freeing itself from obligations, the United States retains its rights in UNESCO, since it remains in observer status, Alexey Borisov from MGIMO explained to RBC. According to the State Department, the United States will continue to participate in programs to protect world heritage, freedom of the press, and promote scientific cooperation and education.

For UNESCO, the US withdrawal is not associated with financial costs, since the agency has already adapted to the lack of their contributions for several years, Borisov notes. In general, in his opinion, the consequences for both Washington and UNESCO will be limited to image damage. Washington will lose another platform for speeches and the opportunity to directly influence decisions in the field of culture, and for UNESCO the effectiveness of some programs will be reduced, since the authority and influence of the United States “really helped resolve issues.”

UNESCO will need some time to adapt, since the United States is a major power and a member of the UN Security Council, Suchkov adds.

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Lesson plan.docx

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Lesson outline

Topic: "America's Geographical Heritage."

Class: 10 Class

Lesson type : Learning new material.

Target: Formation of competence in educational and cognitive activities by solving cognitive problems, testing knowledge. To form an idea of ​​the characteristics of the US population, the stages of formation of the American nation.

Tasks:

Educational : get to know the racial and ethnic composition of the population, which is characterized by great complexity due to the history of settlement.

Educational: development of information, intellectual and communicative competence, development of skills of mutual control and self-control, develop the desire and ability to overcome cognitive difficulties.

Educational: nurturing positive motives for learning, the ability to work in a group, organization, and promoting cognitive activity.

Planned results :

Subject:

-

Personal:

Formation of a responsible attitude towards learning, readiness and ability of students for self-development and self-education based on motivation for learning and knowledge;

Meta subject:

Knowledge of the basics of self-control, self-assessment and mutual assessment of the results of educational activities;

Ability to organize educational collaboration and joint activities with the teacher and peers.

Equipment: Political map of the world, geographical atlas, outline map, cards,“Work results” table, group assignments,

Forms of organization of management : Form of organization of student activities: individual work, frontal work, group work, everyone has an individual work plan.

Methods: search and research, test technology, standard testing, lesson - project, self-control, workshop

Intersubject connections: literature, history, MHC

1.Special role in society priests. Human sacrifices were practiced.

2. On the Yucatan Peninsula, developed hieroglyphic writing, their own counting system, and a calendar that included 365 days.

3. The first people to settle America were the indigenous people…..Who?

4. The Aztecs waged constant wars with neighboring tribes to capture…. whom?

5. First known who have reached are believed to have been…Who? By the end of the 15th century, the Greenlandic Norse settlement died.

6. Their civilization is one of the most mysterious. They did not know the wheel and did not use pack animals.

7. The home of the Inca Empire was….. - mountain range.

Document selected for viewing Technological map lesson.docx

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materials

Technological lesson map

Full name Gracheva Galina Nikolaevna

Item: geography

Class: 10

Create conditions under which students will be able to: develop competencies in educational and cognitive activities by solving cognitive problems, testing knowledge. To form an idea of ​​the characteristics of the US population, the stages of formation of the American nation.

Educational: Become familiar with the racial and ethnic composition of the population, which is highly complex due to settlement history.

Developmental: development of information, intellectual and communication competence, development of skills of mutual control and self-control, development of the desire and ability to overcome cognitive difficulties.

Educational: nurturing positive motives for learning, the ability to work in a group, organization, and promoting cognitive activity.

Tasks

UUD

Personal UUD: understand the importance of knowledge for a person and accept it

Regulatory UUD: independently determine the purpose and objectives of the lesson and how to achieve them, monitor learning activities (self-control and mutual control), give an assessment based on the results of the activity (mutual assessment)

Communication UUD: accept a different opinion and position, allow the existence of different points of view

Cognitive UUD: Ogeneral educational – carry out search and selection of essential information (from textbook materials, for reproduction in memory); logical - build a logical chain of reasoning.

Planned results

Subject:

The ability to express judgments about the historical uniqueness of the pre-Columbian civilizations of America and the factors that contributed to the emergence of this originality;

The ability to characterize the general features of the civilization of pre-Columbian America;

- development of skills to search, analyze, compare and evaluate information contained in various sources about events and phenomena in the life of the peoples of America.

- Formation of specific racial groups of the American population. Solving the plantation labor problem. European immigration.

Personal:

- formation of a responsible attitude towards learning, readiness and ability of students for self-development and self-education based on motivation for learning and cognition;

Formation of a conscious, respectful attitude towards the cultural and historical heritage of the peoples of America;

Formation of readiness and ability to conduct dialogue with other people and achieve mutual understanding in it;

Meta subject:

Knowledge of the basics of self-control, self-assessment and mutual assessment of the results of educational activities;

Ability to convert information into a table;

- ability to organize educational cooperation and joint activities with the teacher and peers

basic concepts

Plantation economy, Latifundia, internal colonization, farming type of economy

Intersubject connections

Geography, literature, MHC

Resources:

Basic

additional

Political map of the world, geographical atlas, contour map, textbook A.P. Kuznetsov, E.V. Kim 2012

projector, computer presentation, cards, “Work Results” table.

Lesson type

Learning new material

Forms of organization of management:

individual work, frontal work, group work, for everyone individual plan work.

Reflection is an individual trajectory of studying a subject; students monitor and self-evaluate their activities in accordance with developed criteria.

Methods:

search and research, test technology, standard testing, lesson - project, self-control, workshop.

Technical training aids:

projector, computer presentation.

Equipment:

Political map of the world, geographic atlas, contour map, cards, “Work Results” table, group assignments.

Lesson steps

Activity teachers

Activity students

Tasks for students, the completion of which will lead to the achievement of planned results

Planned results

Subject

UUD

1 min.

Slide No. 1(1)

Greeting students, readiness for the lesson, organizational aspects of the lesson.

Teachers are greeted and they check that they have the necessary supplies. educational material on the desks

Question. Guys, what associations do you have when you hear about this country?

Draw attention to political map world number 20

Communication UUD:

Regulatory UUD: self-regulation

execution 3 min

Slide No. 2(2)

Perform the test

Appendix No. 1(2)

Slide No. 3(3)

Part of the world on two continents? (America)

2. The colonies in America had several European countries: please list (Great Britain, France, Netherlands, Spain, Portugal)

3. In the 20th century, more……How many appeared on the political map of America? Independent states. (15)

4. In the second half of the 20th century, ... (a single economic) complex was created as part of the USA and Canada.

5. Integration association created in 1994? (NAFTA - free trade area) between the USA, Canada and Mexico.

Formation of skills to use various sources of geographic information, as well as geographic characteristics

Cognitive UUD : ability to formulate basic concepts

Communication UUD: listen to your partner

Regulatory UUD: control andassessmentcomrades' answers

Personal UUD: motivation to learn new material

Updating knowledge

Presentation

Slide 4(4)

Offers to decipher a rebus on a given topic.

1 min.

Students identify the coded word - "America's Geographical Heritage."

Solving the puzzle

Slide No. 5(4)

Objective of the lesson:

Slide No. 6(5)

2 min

Set the goal of the lesson on your own: Organize your studies on this topic, set achievable goals, draw up your own work plan and evaluate your results.

Answer: Comprehensive personal development, the ability to plan your working time, clarity when performing a specific task. And in other lessons on any other topic, i.e. goal setting and achieving results.

Question - Why are we going to achieve this goal? Where and how will this be useful to you?

Plan.

Slide number 7. (6)

You were given an advanced task, and you prepared the material yourself.

Write on the board. Explanation for filling out the table.

2 min

Making a lesson plan.

Fill out the table “Results of your work in the lesson”Appendix No. 2(7)

1. How Europeans discovered America or Pre-Columbian America

2. How did colonization take place in America?

3. Ethnic composition population.

Application of knowledge

Cognitive UUD: search and selection of informationRegulatory UUD: planning activities and determining methods of activity.

Personal UUD:

1.Introduction to a new topic.

Leading is the student’s presentation.

5 min

Presentation demonstration.

Question - How was America discovered?Work on map No. 13(8)

What continents did pre-Columbian America occupy?

Application of knowledge, creative task- presentation.

Communicative UUD: listening to your partner

2. Statement of the problem

Slide No. 8(9)

On modern map In the USA you can find geographical objects with European names: Cambridge, Oxford, Berlin, Warsaw, Paris, Moscow, Rome, London, etc. What is this connected with?

3min

Students answer questions.

The names migrated along with the settlers.

They conclude: Mass immigration played a decisive role in the formation national composition US population. Modern American nation is the result of ethnic mixing and merging of immigrants from different parts Sveta.

Conversation

Questions:

What did Columbus call the inhabitants? Why?

What is another name for America? What is the Old World?

Testing your ability to explain. Students reveal the meaning and significance of historical concepts

Cognitive UUD:

ability to construct verbal statements orally, work with presentation demonstrations

Communication UUD: build effective interaction with peers and adults

Regulatory UUD:

self-control

planning activities and determining methods of activity

Personal UUD:

willingness to expand your own horizons

Physical education minute. (to improve cerebral circulation)

Work in a group - to consolidate the material received -

Slide No. 9(10)

Crossword.

Evaluating questions and answers according to certain criteria (competent formulation, complete answer, clarity and clarity, originality)

8 minutes.

Search for the necessary information to complete educational tasks.

Appendix No. 3(10)

Students express judgments about the historical uniqueness of the pre-Columbian civilizations of America and the factors that contributed to the emergence of this originality.

Cognitive UUD: search and selection of information,active reading

Communication UUD: enter into discussionsbuild effective interaction with peers and adultsRegulatory UUD: self-regulation, commented assessment

Personal UUD:

Moral and ethical assessment

Purpose: Testing knowledge of basic concepts, ability to highlight the main thing

evaluation of questions and answers according to certain criteria (competent formulation, complete answer, clarity and clarity, originality)

Slide No. 10,11, 12.13(11)

10 min

View the presentation.

They conclude: European colonization America began in the 16th century and continued in most countries until the 19th century. The economic development of the region went through several stages: robbery, massive development of the plantation economy, and the formation of a capitalist economy. Many types of farming have survived to this day.

Messages from students with advanced assignments.

How did the colonization of America take place?

Cognitive UUD: the ability to construct speech statements orally

Communicative UUD: enter into discussions, build effective interaction with peers and adults

Practical work in contour maps.

Map the colonized states of America

Let's look at the map and determine the place of settlement of the Indian tribes of the Mayans, Aztecs and Incas

2 min

10 book No. 4, atlas p. 12 (grade 7) (12) Students work with a map

Students characterize the general features of the civilization of pre-Columbian AmericaEstablish cause and effect relationships. Students read historical map based on legend

Communication UUD: buildeffective interaction with peers and adults

Reflection

Reflection of children.

Start with yourself, my motto by which I work, you already know “do not give ready-made knowledge, acquire it through work”

General conclusion about the lesson. Giving ratings with comments. The teacher thanks you for the lesson.

2 min

I learned how Europeans discovered America

Making a plan and goal will be useful to me in other lessons.

There was a lot to think about during the lesson.

I received an answer to all questions

I worked conscientiously during the lesson and achieved the lesson goals

Give a compliment to a friend

Regulatory UUD: goal setting, control, grade

Cognitive UUD : search and selection of information, the ability to construct speech statements inwriting, semantic reading, separation of main and secondary

Communication UUD: build effective interaction with peers and adults

Logical UUD: analysis, synthesis

Reflection and correction of knowledge

Exchange your cards. Check if you filled them out correctly and rate each other.

Show the results of the peer review.

Invites students to answer which tasks aroused interest, which ones caused difficulties and why. 2 min.

Fill out the table on your own based on the material you have studied..

Mutual control is carried out in pairs: checking and grading.

They give their opinion about the assignments and problems that have arisen in the lesson.

Filling out the table

Assessing the cognitive level of the lesson

Formation of a holistic perception of the lesson material

lesson summary

Our lesson on the topic of pre-Columbian America has come to an end. Everything you have learned will be useful to you in the future. After all, probably, deep down, each of you dreams of visiting distant countries. That's when knowledge will come in handy. The teacher evaluates oral answers based on participation in the lesson, performance, work in the table (selectively) 2 min.

Participate in assessments, comment on the assessments of their comrades

Determining the degree of active participation in the lesson and the realization of the student’s capabilities

Cognitive UUD : skill construct speech utterances orallyform

Communication UUD: listen to your partner, engage in discussions

Regulatory UUD: control, grade

Homework

intermediate level: create a crossword puzzle if you wish,

high level: Message on the topic “the fate of Indian peoples.”

increased level: p. 44, answer the questions p. 264 detailed answer.

1min.

Students write homework in their diaries, listen to the teacher’s recommendations for completing homework

Different level and differentiated tasks

development of skills to search, analyze, compare and evaluate information contained in various sources about events and phenomena in the life of the peoples of America.

Personal UUD: meaning makingCommunication UUD: listen to your partnerRegulatory UUD: self-regulation

LIST OF EDUCATIONAL EQUIPMENT USED IN THE CLASSES, PRO-

GRAMWARE, INFORMATION RESOURCES

№

Name

Purpose

1

projector, computer presentation. slide number 1 political map of the world No. 20

Organizational and motivational moment.

2

projector, computer presentation, cards, slide No. 2, application No. 1

application of knowledge acquired in the last lesson - mini-test

3

projector, computer presentation, Slide No. 3

Check using the sample on the slide.

4

projector, computer presentation. slide No. 4,5

Updating knowledge

5

projector, computer presentation. Slide No. 6

Purpose of the lesson

6

projector, computer presentation. Slide number 7.

Application of knowledge

7

Table. Appendix No. 2

Explanation for filling out the table “Results of your work in the lesson”

8

projector, computer presentation.Work on map No. 13

Introducing a new topic. Presentation demonstration.

9

projector, computer presentation Slide No. 8

Statement of the problem

10

projector, computer presentation. Slide number 9. Appendix No. 3

Working with text using cards.

independent work with self-test against the standard.

11

projector, computer presentation. Slide No. 10,11, 12.13

Testing knowledge of basic concepts and the ability to highlight the main thing

12

contour mapNo. 4, atlas p. 12 (grade 7)

Show the use of acquired knowledge.

Find material for any lesson,

The State Department announced the US withdrawal from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The decision will come into force on December 31, 2018. The State Department explained that Washington took such a measure because of “growing debts (on membership dues.- “Kommersant”) at UNESCO, the need for fundamental reform of the organization and its ongoing anti-Israel policies." In 2011, the United States withdrew from funding UNESCO after Palestine was admitted as a full member. UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova expressed “deep regret” in connection with latest decision Washington. Following the United States, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered preparations for the country's withdrawal from the organization.

“On October 12, 2017, the State Department notified general director UNESCO to Irina Bokova about the United States’ decision to withdraw from the organization and its intention to establish a permanent observation mission to UNESCO,” says a statement released by the US Foreign Office. The decision will come into force on December 31, 2018.

“This decision was not easy to make. It reflects US concern about the growing debt (on membership dues.- “Kommersant”) at UNESCO, the need for fundamental reform in the organization, and the ongoing anti-Israel bias at UNESCO,” the State Department said in an explanation.

At the same time, the United States, as follows from the statement, intends to continue interaction with UNESCO “as an observer country.”

Washington plans to participate in UNESCO's implementation of a number of its functions, including the protection of world cultural heritage, the protection of press freedom, the promotion of scientific cooperation and the educational process.

As it became known later, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the preparation of the country's withdrawal from UNESCO in parallel with the United States, giving the corresponding instructions to the country's Foreign Ministry. He welcomed the decision of US President Donald Trump, calling it “brave and highly moral.” "For recent years UNESCO has turned into a strange organization that has lost its professional path and defends the political interests of individual countries,” commented the Israeli representative to UNESCO, Carmel Sham Cohen, on the decision of the head of the Israeli government.

Commenting on the State Department’s statement, Maria Olsen, press secretary of the American Embassy in Russia, told Kommersant that today the US debt to UNESCO is about $550 million. She added that in recent years several resolutions have been adopted within UNESCO “ anti-Israel" orientation, which do not recognize Israel's rights to access its sacred sites, including the Temple Mount, and in which Israel is called an "occupier state." At the same time, the diplomat emphasized that the US withdrawal from UNESCO “will not affect US policy to support international cooperation in the fields of education, science, culture and the media if such projects bring technical, economic or political benefit to the United States.”

UNESCO Director General Irina Bokova expressed “deep regret that the United States has decided to leave the organization.” A statement published on the UNESCO website said that in 2011, after the decision to suspend US financial participation in UNESCO, Irina Bokova said that “UNESCO has never been more important to the US, and the US has never been more important to UNESCO.” . “This truth has become even more obvious today, at a time when the growth of extremism and terrorism requires new long-term solutions in the name of peace and freedom, in the fight against racism and anti-Semitism, in the battle against ignorance and discrimination,” notes Irina Bokova. According to her, “the partnership between UNESCO and the United States was deep and based on shared values.”

Permanent Representative of Russia to UNESCO Alexander Kuznetsov on Kommersant FM:

The organization is now in a difficult situation, but it will undoubtedly survive because member states are interested in this organization, it is an indispensable organization of the UN system that deals with humanitarian cooperation. Therefore, of course, the financial difficulties are great, but there is no doubt that the organization will function.

In 2011, the United States withdrew from funding UNESCO after Palestine was admitted as a full member. Membership was a major victory for Palestinian diplomacy, which had applied to join the organization two decades earlier. “The United States will not make another $60 million payment to UNESCO... The member vote on Palestine is premature and detrimental to our common goals,” State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said at the time. The American contribution to the organization's budget was about 22%. Israel also announced that it would stop funding UNESCO.

In July 2017, UNESCO decided to include the Old City of Palestinian Hebron on the World Heritage List, as well as on the list of sites in danger. At the same time, the place, revered by both Jews and Muslims, was called Palestinian. This formulation caused indignation in Israel: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called decision made"delusional". Israelis were outraged that the organization ignored Hebron's role in the history of the Jewish people.

Press Secretary of the Russian President Dmitry Peskov called the news about the US withdrawal from UNESCO “sad.”

Executive Secretary of the Russian Commission for UNESCO Grigory Ordzonikidze:

If the country that itself was at the origins of the creation of this organization is now leaving it, then this can only be regretted. This is an organization within which the Americans and I, despite all political differences, could continue cooperation in areas of interest to us in the fields of science, education, and culture. I think this decision is reckless.

According to the head of the International Affairs Committee of the Federation Council of the Russian Federation, Konstantin Kosachev, “even in a series of other refusals by Washington to continue its international obligations, this step looks very odious - this is the behavior of a real outcast, and not a responsible international power, as the United States itself everywhere presents itself.” “There is no benefit here for the United States (by the way, they themselves are among the top ten countries with the largest number UNESCO World Heritage Sites - there are more than 20 of them), but they dealt a serious blow to their claim to, first of all, moral leadership in the world,” the politician wrote on his page on

The United States intends to withdraw from UNESCO by the end of December 2018, until then the country will remain a member of the organization. The State Department said that the decision was related to the organization’s anti-Israel policy, in the opinion of the United States, and also noted the need to reform UNESCO. In total, there are 1073 objects on the list of world heritage sites, 23 of them are located in the United States, that is, 2.1% of total number. Ten are recognized as masterpieces of human genius, 13 are considered natural phenomena of exceptional beauty and aesthetic importance. Gallery of the US World Heritage Site at UNESCO - in the photo selection.

Mesa Verde National Park

Mesa Verde National Park is located in southwestern Colorado and covers an area of ​​211 km². It was created in 1906 to protect the numerous ruins of settlements of the Anasazi Indians (ancestors of modern Pueblos), created in the 6th-13th centuries. More than 700 thousand tourists visit the park every year.

Yellowstone National Park

Year of inscription as a UNESCO World Heritage Site: 1978

Yellowstone National Park is located in the states of Wyoming, Montana and Idaho. It is famous not only for the fact that it became the world's first national park - this happened in 1872, but also for its huge area - 8991 km².

The park contains lakes, rivers, canyons and caves. Yellowstone Lake, one of the largest alpine lakes in North America, is located in the center of the Yellowstone Caldera, the largest supervolcano on the continent. The caldera is considered a dormant supervolcano; it erupted with enormous power several times over the last two million years. Most of the park is covered with hardened lava; The park contains one of the five geyser fields existing in the world. About two thousand species of plants grow in the park, and several hundred species of mammals, birds, reptiles and fish are found.

About 3 million tourists visit the park every year.

Kluane, Rangel St Elias, Glacier Bay and Tatshenshini Alsek Parks and Reserves

Kluane, Rangel St. Elias, Glacier Bay and Tatshenshini-Alsek Parks and Reserves are an international park system located in British Columbia (Canada) and Alaska (USA), with a total area of ​​over 1294 km². The system is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site due to its impressive glaciers and icefield landscape, and its importance as habitat for grizzly bears, caribou and bighorn sheep.

Grand Canyon National Park

Year of inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List: 1979

Grand Canyon National Park is located in Arizona. The park is home to the Grand Canyon of the Colorado River, one of the recognized natural wonders of the world. The area of ​​the park is 4927 km². More than 4 million people visit the Grand Canyon every year.

The Grand Canyon, including its vast system of adjacent canyons, is neither the largest nor the deepest in the world, but it is prized primarily for its harmonious combination of size, depth and multi-colored layers of exposed rock that date back to the Precambrian period.

Everglades National Park

Year of inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List: 1979

Everglades National Park is located in the south of the Florida peninsula. This region is the only place in the United States with a tropical climate, so it contains animals and plants that are not found anywhere else in the United States. Hidden in the thickets are hundreds of small lakes and rivers that flow into the Strait of Florida. The territory of the Everglades National Park is 6105 km². About 1 million tourists visit the Everglades every year.

Independence Hall

Year of inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List: 1979

Independence Hall is a building in Independence Square in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It is famous for the fact that the Declaration of Independence and then the US Constitution were discussed, agreed upon and signed here in 1776.

Redwood National Park

Year of inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List: 1980

Redwood National Park is located in California. The 429 km² park is covered in ancient redwood forests. These trees are one of the tallest and most massive tree species on Earth. Individual specimens of sequoia reach a height of more than 110 meters (35 floors!) - these are among the tallest trees on Earth. The maximum age is more than three and a half thousand years. In addition to the redwood forests, the parks preserve the area's native flora and fauna, prairie grasslands, cultural resources, portions of rivers and streams, and 60 kilometers of pristine coastline.

By the way, the planet Endor from “The Park” owes its landscape to the park. Star Wars"- a significant part of the filming of the final episode of the original trilogy took place here.

Mammoth Cave National Park

This national park in Kentucky is home to the longest cave system on the planet, resulting from karst processes - Mammoth Cave. The park and its underground areas, stretching for more than 560 km, contain a wide variety of plants and animals, including endangered species. More than 500 thousand tourists visit the park every year.

Olympic National Park

Year of inscription as a UNESCO World Heritage Site: 1981

Olympic National Park. Photo: HapFam/Flickr

Olympic National Park is located in northwestern Washington State and covers an area of ​​3,734 km². It is famous for its diversity biological species. Thanks to the long-term isolation of the peninsula from the vast mainland spaces, a unique flora and fauna has formed here. Until now, 15 endemic species of animals and 8 endemics from the plant kingdom are found here. The 11 rivers that drain the Olympic Mountains are considered some of the best salmon runs in the country. The park also includes 100 kilometers of coastline, the largest stretch of pristine coastline in the northwestern United States.

Cahokia Mounds Historical Monument

Year of inscription as a UNESCO World Heritage Site: 1982

The Cahokia Mounds, located approximately 13 km northeast of St. Louis, Illinois, is the largest pre-Columbian settlement north of Mexico and the largest archaeological site of the Mississippian VII-XIII culture. This is a prime example of an ancient tribal settlement, which includes numerous associated burial mounds and surrounding small villages. Among the main attractions is Monk's Mound, the largest prehistoric earthen structure in America, measuring 5 hectares and 30 m high.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Photo: Jeff Pearce/Flickr

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is located in the central part of the ridge of the same name, the name of which can be literally translated as the Great Smoky Mountains of the Appalachian mountain system. The park is located in the American states of North Carolina and Tennessee, the border between which runs along the middle part of the ridge.

According to Federal Service National Parks of the United States, the Great Smoky Mountains is the most visited national park in this country - about 10 million people visit it annually.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Photo: netbros/Flickr

The so-called Appalachian Trail passes through the protected area - the longest continuous hiking route in the world and one of the most famous in the United States, running along this mountain system from Maine to Georgia. This exceptionally picturesque park, covering an area of ​​2,108 km², is home to more than 3,500 plant species, including 130 tree species—about the same number recorded throughout Europe.

La Fortaleza fortress and the historical part of the city of San Juan on the island of Puerto Rico

Year of inscription as a UNESCO World Heritage Site: 1983

The fortress of La Fortaleza was the first defensive fortification built on strategic territory Caribbean Sea to protect the bay and the city of San Juan from attacks by French, Dutch and British corsairs in the 16th century. The fortress was also made the governor's residence.

Statue of Liberty

Statue of Liberty. Photo: Jason Betzner/Flickr

The Statue of Liberty is a colossal neoclassical sculpture on Liberty Island about 3 km southwest of the southern tip of Manhattan Island. This tower-mounted monument to freedom, created in Paris by the French sculptor Bartholdi in collaboration with Gustave Eiffel, was gifted by France to America in 1886 on the centenary of its independence. The height from the ground to the tip of the torch is 93 meters, including the base and pedestal. The height of the statue itself, from the top of the pedestal to the torch, is 46 meters.

Yosemite National Park

Year of inscription as a UNESCO World Heritage Site: 1984

Yosemite National Park covers an area of ​​3,081 km² and is located on the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada mountain range in California. Here you can see deep canyons, numerous waterfalls and lakes, moraine deposits, rounded granite domes and outcrops with steep walls and other typical glacial landforms.

Situated at an altitude of 600 to 4000 m above sea level, the park includes five main vegetation zones: dense thickets of shrubs and oaks, lower montane forest, upper montane forest, subalpine and alpine belts. Of the 7,000 plant species growing in California, approximately half are found in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, and a fifth are found within the park itself. About 89% of the park is considered zone wildlife. About 3 million people visit the park every year.

Chaco National Historical Park

Chaco National Historical Park covers 137.5 km² and is considered one of the most archaeologically important areas in North America. It is located in northwestern New Mexico, between the cities of Albuquerque and Farmington, in the Chaco Canyon.

The people who inhabited this land created the most massive man-made structures in the history of the region before 1800. Chaco was the center of the flourishing culture of the Pueblo Indian tribe. Although the area was generally deserted, life was in full swing in the canyon area. Locals They erected huge towers (pueblos) with spacious rooms inside, around which small settlements arose. This development system has become distinctive feature the entire region. The main elements of the architecture of local buildings were stone walls, cobblestone bases and an external cladding of pointed stones. This made it possible to create buildings more than four stories high, which was uncharacteristic for that time.

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

Year of inscription as a UNESCO World Heritage Site: 1987

Hawaii Volcanoes National Park on the island of Hawaii contains two of the most active volcanoes on Earth - Kilauea and Mauna Loa. The park's land area is 1308 km². Volcanic eruptions create an ever-changing landscape here, and solidified lava flows are found everywhere. The park is home to rare birds and a huge number of endemic species, and is home to forests of giant tree ferns.

Monticello Estate and the University of Virginia in Charlottesville

Year of inscription as a UNESCO World Heritage Site: 1987

In addition, Jefferson designed its ideal “academic village,” which is still the campus of the University of Virginia.

Virginia State University campus. Photo: elander/Flickr

Indian settlement of Pueblo de Taos

Year of inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List: 1992

Pueblo de Taos. Photo: Tim/Flickr

Pueblo de Taos is a small Indian settlement located on the banks of the Red Willow Creek in the US state of New Mexico. It notable for its multi-storey residential complex, built between the 10th and 15th centuries from brownish-red clay. Complex consists of adobe houses 5-6 floors high with thick walls up to a meter thick. At first, the structure played the role of a fortress: it had no doors, it was possible to enter inside only through holes in the roofs, they were climbed using ladders, which were pulled inside in case of danger. Indians still live in the complex, preserving the ancient way of life and the originality of their culture - aboutThe Taos community is known for its secrecy and conservatism, which, however, does not prevent them from making money from tourists.

Carlsbad Caverns National Park

Carlsbad Caverns National Park is located in the Guadalupe Mountains in southeastern New Mexico. The main attraction of the park is a chain of 80 karst caves, which are characterized by the diversity and beauty of mineral formations. The age of the caves is 250 million years, the depth is up to 339 m, the total length of all passages and halls is about 12 km. The park is home to 16 species of bats with a total number of up to 1 million individuals.

Waterton Lakes International Peace Park - Glacier

Year of inscription as a UNESCO World Heritage Site: 1995

Waterton Lakes-Glacier International Peace Park is the first national park of its kind in the world. It was established in 1932 as a result of the merger of two parks in the northern Rocky Mountains - Waterton Lakes National Park in Canada and Glacier National Park in the United States. The American part of the park occupies 4102 km², the Canadian part - 505 km². The park is replete with glaciers and relict coniferous forests, and is also known for its large population of grizzly bears.

Papahānaumokuākea National Marine Park

Year of inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List: 2010

Papahānaumokuākea is a vast and isolated group of small, low-lying islands and atolls surrounded by ocean and scattered over a distance of nearly 250 km northwest of the main archipelago of the Hawaiian Islands and a length of approximately 1,931 km. The park includes 360,000 km² of deep-sea waters and surpasses all other US national parks in this indicator, Papahānaumokuākea is the world's largest protected marine reserve.

Poverty Point monumental earthworks

Year of inscription as a UNESCO World Heritage Site: 2014

The Poverty Point Earthworks are an archaeological culture of Indians who lived in the lower reaches of the Mississippi River. It existed approximately in the 17th - 7th centuries BC. Monuments of this culture are the colossal earthen structures (mounds) that have survived to this day at Poverty Point near the city of Epps in Louisiana. At archaeological excavations discovered large number artifacts, in particular, images of animals, fragments of soapstone bowls, and so on.

San Antonio Missions

Year of inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List: 2015

The facility includes five architectural complexes located in the state of Texas, founded by Franciscan missionaries in the 18th century. The main one is the Alamo, a former Catholic mission that also served as a fortress.

Islands lost among the waters of the Pacific Ocean, mysterious moai statues known throughout the world, colonial cities of incredible beauty and religious monuments with rich decoration - these are just some of the unique attractions that visitors to South America can see. Some natural reserves and architectural monuments located on the continent have been recognized as World Heritage Sites; today these attractions are well known even to those who have never been to South America. There are unique objects to explore here for absolutely everyone; nature lovers will definitely love the national parks, and history buffs will love the ancient cities and archaeological areas.

Iguazu National Park was founded in 1934 and covers an area of ​​more than 55,000 square meters. km. Every year, the park is visited by more than 1.5 million people, they come to admire the magnificent waterfalls, walk through ancient forests and fabulously beautiful mountainous areas. More than 2,000 species of plants grow on the territory of the reserve; it has become a habitat for 70 species of mammals, 40 species of reptiles and 400 species of birds. The main feature of Iguazu Park remains its beautiful waterfalls, of which there are more than 270 on its territory.

Today near the most beautiful waterfalls Convenient bridges and observation decks are equipped for tourists, so natural attractions can be seen in all their glory. There are many fast-moving rivers in the park, rafting along which is also very popular among tourists, and many prefer to simply stroll through the most picturesque areas of the reserve on foot. Not long ago, a hotel for tourists was built on the territory of Iguazu Park, so everyone can stay longer in these picturesque places.

The main natural attraction of the reserve is a waterfall with the terrifying name “Devil’s Throat”, over which a rainbow forms every day. Jeep safaris are conducted around the reserve, during which you can see many rare representatives of the local fauna. Hiking is popular for those who enjoy bird watching, and the exotic forests are home to cute, colorful parrots, toucans and more exotic bird species found nowhere else in the world.

In Spanish, the name of the cave Cueva de las Manos can be translated as “cave of hands”; this cave is one of the most interesting in the world from a paleontological point of view. Researchers have discovered many ancient rock paintings, including numerous images human hands. Researchers estimate that some of the cave paintings are more than 10,000 years old, indicating that the cave has been inhabited by people for thousands of years.

In the immediate vicinity of Cordoba there is a historical Jesuit quarter; a stroll through it will be interesting for those who like to explore historical sights. The quarter is a complex of surviving buildings that were erected by Jesuit missionaries. In the historical area, the building of the National University, which is one of the oldest in South America, has been preserved. In addition, you can see an old school building, several surviving residential buildings and an old church.

Fans of walking through historical places in Bolivia should definitely visit the ancient city of Sucre. His main value There are numerous surviving monuments from colonial times, some of them built in the first years after the founding of the city. The official founding date of the city is November 30, 1538. It was originally called Chuquisaca, and received its current name in 1825. A significant part of the historical buildings that can be seen in the city today were built in the first half of the 17th century.

For those who are partial to natural attractions, a walk through national park Noel-Kempff-Mercado. It is located in the eastern part of Bolivia, on the very border with Brazil, the area of ​​this park is slightly less than 16,000 square meters. km. Among the main features of the park is the diversity of landscapes; on its territory there are rocky areas with deep canyons, and spacious plains, and evergreen Amazonian forests.

Brazil also has an amazing historical city, which researchers and ordinary tourists come from all over the world to admire. The city of Ouro Preto is located in the state of Minas Gerais; it was once the prosperous capital of this state. Founded in 1711, Ouro Preto became the real center of the Brazilian gold rush. Gold seekers came here from all over the world; the number of luxurious palaces and mansions in the city increased every year, among which there are unique monuments in the Baroque style.

Located in the Brazilian city of Congonhas, the Bom Jesus do Congonhas church complex was built in the 18th century and is a striking architectural monument in the Baroque style. The snow-white church is distinguished by marvelous interiors; many pristine decorations, including beautiful ones, have been preserved within its walls. sculptural compositions with biblical motifs. A beautiful church was built according to the design famous architect Francisco Lima Cerquira, its construction was completely completed in 1773.

In the northeastern part of Brazil, the world-famous Serra da Capivara National Park is located, which is famous not only for its natural attractions, but also for its priceless rock art monuments. The first archaeologist to explore these amazing places was Niede Gidon, after his amazing discoveries the park was recognized as a World Heritage Site. The Serra da Capivara park covers an area of ​​more than 1,200 square meters. km, since the time of the first archaeological expeditions, its research has not stopped.

Among the cities of Venezuela, one of the most interesting is Santa Ana de Coro. Today the population of this ancient town is about 174,000 people, it is located on the very outskirts of the Paraguana Peninsula, on the shores of the Caribbean Sea. A small port town was founded here back in 1527; in a matter of years its scale increased tenfold, with new buildings appearing in the city every year.

In Colombia there is the world-famous archaeological park of San Agustin, which is visited not only by researchers from all over the world, but also by curious travelers. Here, archaeologists discovered the largest group of religious monuments in South America, which today can be seen by absolutely everyone. The sculptures discovered during excavations in the park were called “chinas”; as the researchers found out, they were made from volcanic rocks. Numerous sculptures depict people dressed in a variety of traditional clothes.

The islet of Malpelo, lost among the endless waters of the Pacific Ocean, is also a landmark of world significance. The rocky island is uninhabited; its length is about 1,850 meters and its width reaches 600 meters. In fact, the main interest is not the rocky island, but the surrounding waters, which are home to rare species of sharks, fish and other inhabitants of the deep sea. It was here that researchers were able to simultaneously see several rare species of sharks: silky, whale, frilled and hammerhead sharks, and a rare sand shark is also found in the vicinity of the island.