World War II’s D-Day landing beaches in northern France and the iconic Mount Olympus in Greece were among the sites added to the World Heritage List on Sunday. The additions were made during a United Nations committee meeting in South Korea, where dozens of nominations were reviewed.
The UNESCO committee, meeting in Busan, also inscribed the ancient Japanese capitals of Asuka and Fujiwara, and South Sudan’s Boma-Badingilo Migratory Landscape. This marks South Sudan’s first addition to the World Heritage List.
The designation for the French sites covers the five Normandy landing beaches—Omaha, Utah, Sword, Gold, and Juno—where more than 150,000 Allied troops landed on June 6, 1944. The Pointe du Hoc assault site was also included. These locations were central to the campaign to liberate Western Europe from Nazi occupation.
The International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS), which evaluates nominations, noted the sites contain remnants such as German fortifications, bomb-scarred landscapes, Allied harbor structures, and sunken vessels. ICOMOS stated the sites mark an event that "enabled the return of freedom and heralded a lasting peace on the European continent."
ICOMOS also called for enhanced monitoring and preservation efforts, citing potential threats from tourism, climate change, rising sea levels, and the development of wind farms near the areas. Historian David Edgerton described the Normandy landings to The Associated Press as "probably the greatest amphibious landing there’s ever been."
Mount Olympus, known in mythology as the home of the 12 Olympian gods, was recognized as a mixed cultural and natural heritage site following a 12-year effort by Greece. The mountain, Greece’s tallest, rises 2,918 meters (9,573 feet) and was considered the throne of Zeus. It also harbors rich biodiversity.
Evangelos Geroliolios, mayor of Dion-Olympus, a municipality at the mountain’s foot, told The Associated Press that the World Heritage inscription "places greater obligations on our part to protect this environment," particularly due to increased tourism. Georgios Koumoutsakos, Greece’s delegate to UNESCO, reaffirmed the country’s commitment to safeguarding Mount Olympus for future generations.
The Japanese sites in Nara prefecture encompass 19 archaeological locations from the 6th- to 8th-century capitals of Asuka and Fujiwara. These capitals represent Japan's first centralized state, established with systems modeled after China. The sites preserve buried remains of royal palaces, government offices, Buddhist temples, and tombs that influenced later capitals like Nara and Kyoto.
Japanese Culture Minister Kobayashi Shigeki expressed gratitude for the inscription and affirmed Japan's commitment to transmitting the sites to future generations. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi stated on X that she hopes the designation will boost tourism. Archaeology professor Yoshiyuki Aihara of Nara University told the AP that the sites are significant for illustrating how Japan’s ancient state was formed through influences from China and the Korean Peninsula.
South Sudan’s Boma-Badingilo site features extensive wetlands, floodplains, and savannas. It supports one of the world's largest land mammal migrations, with an estimated 6 million white-eared kob, tiang, and Mongalla gazelles. The area also provides habitat for elephants, lions, and cheetahs, and supports ethnic communities that rely on herding, farming, and fishing.