Call for Experts: Pacific Heritage Expert Pool

Deadline for applications: 12 November 2025, 23:59 (Apia time)

https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/call-experts-pacific-heritage-expert-pool

29 October 2025

Last update:30 October 2025

The UNESCO Regional Office for the Pacific States (Apia) is establishing a roster of experts to support Pacific Island countries in safeguarding and promoting their cultural and natural heritage – including tangible, intangible and mixed heritage – as key drivers of sustainable development, resilience and identity.

In line with the UNESCO Culture Programme and its Six Culture Conventions as well as the Pacific Culture Regional Strategy (2022–2032) and the outcomes of the Pacific Heritage Regional Workshop (Fiji, November 2023), UNESCO is establishing the Pacific Heritage Expert Pool to strengthen regional cooperation, capacity and mentorship in heritage safeguarding.

The Experts Pool will support Pacific Island countries and territories in addressing shared challenges and leveraging key opportunities to strengthen heritage resilience, governance, and community engagement and promote sustainable tourism and the creative economy – ensuring that culture and heritage remain at the heart of sustainable development.

This call invites expressions of interest from professionals and practitioners with demonstrated experience in heritage conservation, disaster and climate resilience and community-based approaches in the Pacific. Selected experts may be engaged by UNESCO for mentorship, advisory support or participation in training and capacity-building activities throughout 2025–2027.

UNESCO Culture Conventions

Selected experts will assist UNESCO in supporting its Member States in the ratification and effective implementation of the following Culture Conventions:

• 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict
• 1970 Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property
• 1972 Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage
• 2001 Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage
• 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage
• 2005 Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions

Thematic Priorities

Experts are invited to express interest in one or more of the following thematic priorities for the Pacific region:

1. World Heritage and Sustainable Management

• World Heritage tentative site identification, nomination, management and monitoring
• Climate adaptation and disaster risk reduction for heritage
• Inclusive, community-based and gender-responsive site management

2. Intangible Cultural Heritage and Indigenous Knowledge

• Safeguarding living heritage, languages and traditional practices
• Integration of Indigenous and traditional knowledge and nature-based solutions
• Integration of ICH in education, climate action and community resilience

3. Sustainable Cultural Tourism and Creative Economy

• Community-based cultural and creative industries
• Inclusive, sustainable cultural tourism models
• Heritage entrepreneurship and livelihood development

4. Policy, Data, and Digitalization

• Heritage legislation and policy development
• Data collection, indicators and monitoring systems
• Digital technologies and digitization of heritage assets and knowledge

Eligibility Criteria

1. Professional Experience

• Minimum of five (5) years of experience in heritage management, conservation, cultural policy, creative economy, sustainable tourism or related fields.
• Proven record of work in one or more of the thematic areas above.
• Availability for in-person or virtual engagements in 2025–2027.
• Previous collaboration with UNESCO or other UN agencies.

2. Regional Knowledge

• Demonstrated experience working in or with Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs).
• Understanding of traditional knowledge systems, governance structures and community dynamics in the Pacific.

3. Skills and Competencies

• Strong intercultural communication, facilitation and mentoring skills.
• Proven ability to work collaboratively with governments, communities and regional institutions.
• Excellent written and spoken English; knowledge of Pacific vernacular languages is an asset.

Selection and Engagement

Qualified experts will be included in the Pacific Heritage Expert Pool, managed by UNESCO.
Inclusion in the pool does not guarantee immediate engagement, but enables experts to be considered for future assignments, including:

• Mentoring or technical advisory missions
• Facilitation of workshops and training sessions
• Participation in regional knowledge exchange activities

Application Process

Interested candidates are invited to submit their applications through the following LINK

Deadline: 12 November 2025, 23:59 (Apia time / GMT+13)

For any further questions, please contact Ms Sara García de Ugarte at s.ugarte@unesco.org 

More information

Pacific Regional Culture Strategy (2022–2032)

UNESCO Culture Sector

UNESCO 1972 Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natu…

UNESCO’s 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Herita…