The World Heritage Convention was effected on the initiative of UNESCO, which was founded under the flag of the United Nations (UN). The UN was established on 24 October 1945. The UN includes a substantial number of specialist organisations, among which the FAO (Food and Agricultural Organization) and the WHO (World Health Organization). UNESCO, with its headquarters in Paris, is part of the UN as well.

Numerous organisations, both large and small, work together within the framework of the World Heritage Convention. Amongst them are the International and National UNESCO Committees, many ministries and various (international) organisations, only some of which are mentioned here: the World Heritage Committee itself, the World Heritage Centre, ICOMOS, ICCROM and IUCN. Please refer to World Heritage in the Netherlands for a list of the Dutch organisations.

In addition to these organisations there is also the UNESCO programme ‘Memory of the World’ or ‘List of Documents in the World History Register’.