“The natural and cultural heritage of the Pacific forms a unique treasure that should be valued and protected by the rest of the world,” said Edna Tait, member of the New Zealand National Commission for UNESCO.
“These inscriptions are a major achievement for the Pacific our region remains the most under-represented sub-region on the World Heritage List,” she said.
The domain of revered 17th Century Paramount Chief Roi Mata stretches across three islands and is the first World Heritage Listing for Vanuatu. To the north, the highlands of Kuk in Papua New Guinea features one of the world’s oldest continuous sites of agricultural practice that date back 7,000 years.
The third Pacific World Heritage site announced this year are the lagoons in the French Pacific archipelago of New Caledonia — a significant natural heritage site and one of the world’s most extensive reef systems.
