UNESCO Bangkok is currently accepting entries for the 2013 UNESCO Asia‐Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation.

The UNESCO Heritage Awards was established in 2000 in response to increasing threats to our built heritage. The main objective of the Awards is to recognize and acknowledge outstanding achievements and contributions made by the private sector and public‐private initiatives in addressing these growing concerns, and subsequently protecting these diverse, yet vulnerable places.

In 2005, UNESCO launched the Jury Commendation for Innovation. This award recognizes newly‐built structures which demonstrate outstanding architectural design that is well integrated into historic contexts.

Deadline for submission is 31 March 2013.

In 2012 Mbaru Niang, a village of traditional houses in Flores Island, East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia was honoured with the Award of Excellence in the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation.