The Government of Saskatchewan is investing in Wanuskewin Heritage Park to assist with their United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage Site application.

The province is providing one-time funding of $60,000 to Wanuskewin to hire a designated project coordinator to directly support the UNESCO application process. This investment, along with other contributions and partnerships, demonstrates the province’s commitment to assist Wanuskewin in their pursuit of Saskatchewan’s first UNESCO World Heritage designation.

“Wanuskewin is a significant part of our province,” Parks, Culture and Sport Minister Laura Ross said. “Our government highlighted our commitment to support Wanuskewin’s UNESCO application in Saskatchewan’s Growth Plan, and we believe this grant will provide a solid foundation to move the process forward.”

A UNESCO World Heritage designation is the highest recognition for a protected heritage area and recognizes humanity’s most outstanding achievements and nature’s most inspiring creations. The designation is the gold standard for cultural and scientific sites internationally and the process of obtaining such a designation is complex and takes many years to achieve.

Examples of UNESCO World Heritage Sites include: The Great Barrier Reef, the Great Wall of China, and the Taj Mahal.

“The province’s investment into preserving the past, is a strong investment in our shared future to ensure that we have the resources to put toward Wanuskewin’s UNESCO nomination work,” Wanuskewin CEO Darlene Brander said. “We know that we cannot do this alone. This kind of provincial support signals strong stakeholder engagement to help us tell our story. One that showcases the richness, cultural diversity and archaeological attributes that will make Wanuskewin a very strong contender to become Saskatchewan’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site.”

Canada currently has 20 sites on the UNESCO World Heritage List. All provinces and territories have a least one designated site, except for Saskatchewan and Nunavut.

For more information on the Wanuskewin Heritage Park visit https://wanuskewin.com.