MEDIA RELEASE – VBASE Website
11th January 2006
The Christchurch Convention Centre will host its most culturally diverse event ever when 600-800 delegates from 176 countries come to the World Heritage Meeting for ten days in June 2007.
The United Nations’ Scientific, Educational and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) international World Heritage conventions are considered to be amongst the world's most prestigious conference events. They are run by the UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee for the Protection of World Cultural and Natural Heritage, based in Paris at the UNESCO World Heritage Centre, in conjunction with the host country.
The international delegates will be accompanied by their secretariats, interpreters, media and security.
The Christchurch Convention Centre worked closely with Christchurch & Canterbury Convention Bureau, Paramount Chief Tumu te Heuheu, head of New Zealand’s delegation for the World Heritage Committee’s 31st session in 2007, Ngai Tahu's Mark Solomon, Tata Lawton, General Manager Maori Issues, and Carla Wilson, World Heritage Manager, Department of Conservation.
The direct local economic impact will be in excess of $3 million, with immeasurable international media exposure for the host city and nation.
The Christchurch Convention Centre is now well established as a world-class venue, able to successfully cater for complex and significant meetings such as this. Vbase International Sales Executive Jo Robinson said the venue selection committee visited Christchurch in December to inspect conference facilities, accommodation, and the essential infrastructure needed for such an international meeting.
"There's no doubt that having a purpose-built convention centre with a history of hosting such complex events, such as the Antarctic Treaty Summit, Commonwealth and APEC meetings, and a large number of scientific, medical and corporate conventions, plus an international airport so close to the CBD, and in this case, easy access to the World Heritage Area of Te Wāhipounamu-South West New Zealand, gave us a leading edge over Wellington and Auckland," Jo said.
The official meeting dates for the convention are late June to early July 2007, with three days pack in and pack out while delegates undertake pre and post conference touring options.
New Zealand has three areas inscribed on the World Heritage List for natural values:
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