All countries have sites of local or national heritage significance that are, understandably, a source of national pride. The Convention encourages countries to identify and protect their heritage whether or not it is placed on the World Heritage List. Site selected for World Heritage listing are inscribed after carefully assessing whether they represent the best example of cultural and natural heritage.
The World Heritage List includes places where many would recognize instantly, as well as lesser known places that many may be surprised to find on the list. The List includes places such as: the Rice Terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras; Old Town of Ghadames, Libyan Arab Jamahirya; Auschwitz Concentration Camp, Poland; Yosemite National Park, United State; the Taj Mahal, India; and, Ouadi Qadisha (the Holy Valley) and the Forest of the Cedars of God (Horsh Arz el-Rab), Lebanon.