The political vision defined by the mayors sets out the medium- and long-term prospects and general ambitions that the member cities of the OWHC have set themselves. Placed in the context of the specific situations faced by the participating cities, it defines the main issues at stake that the Roadmap will address. These issues will be reframed as the process unfolds and as contributions are received from participating cities. The following version has been validated by the Mayors' Panel on October 13, 2023, whose Manifesto can also be found below.

 

OWHC member cities are under considerable pressure from a combination of crises, the effects of which are accentuated in particular by the climate crisis. These will lead to profound changes in the future, and consequently raise important issues at stake identified by the mayors at the 16th World Congress of the OWHC.

 

•    Adapting cities to climate change and reducing its impact     
•    Capitalizing on the ability of historic districts to reinvent themselves 
•    Enhancing the features that make the livability of the heritage city 
•    Promoting heritage as an essential resource for sustainable development

 

The adaptability of OWHC member cities, proven over the centuries, is effectively based on their heritage. They constitute a privileged and irreplaceable resource that gives the historic city its characteristics in terms of habitability and, as such, are the bearers of a strong identity and source of the city's quality of life, vitality, and development.

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The Québec Roadmap, launched on November 1, 2022, helps OWHC member world heritage cities to meet these challenges. They cover only part of the major global urban challenges, but they already outline the original contribution that OWHC cities can make to the work in progress.