Flying Beyond Borders: Connecting People, Birds and Habitats in the Spirit of the Sixth ‘C' – Collaboration

The side event “Flying Beyond Boarders: Conserving the Yellow Sea Tidal Flats through Transboundary Cooperation on the East Asian–Australasian Flyway” was organized on 25 July 2026 during the 48th session of the World Heritage Committee in Busan, Republic of Korea. With the support of the Korea Heritage Service, the event was co-hosted by World Heritage Promotion Team of Korean Tidal Flats, World Coastal Forum (WCF), Yancheng Wetland and Natural World Heritage Conservation and Management Centre and UNESCO, in partnership with IUCN and the Secretariat of the East Asian–Australasian Flyway Partnership (EAAFP). The event brought together a wide range of stakeholders and partners, including representatives of national and local governments, site managers, experts, international and regional organisations, and fostered dialogue on strengthening transnational cooperation for the conservation of the Yellow Sea tidal flats and the East Asian–Australasian Flyway (EAAF) while contributing to peace-building, a core mandate of UNESCO.

The tidal flats of the Yellow Sea, shared by China, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), and Republic of Korea (ROK), have for countless generations provided a vital link in the migratory journey of millions of waterbirds along the EAAF from their Arctic breeding grounds to their winter homes in southern Asia, Australia and New Zealand, as well as supporting the livelihoods of communities living around these coastal wetlands. Yet, over the past 50 years, more than half of these critical ecosystems have been lost to rapid coastal development, making the conservation of remaining areas ever more vital.

The Yellow Sea is home to two World Heritage properties - ‘Migratory Bird Sanctuaries along the Coast of Yellow Sea-Bohai Gulf of China’ (China) and ‘Getbol, Korean Tidal Flats’ (ROK) - as well as ‘Coastal Wetlands in the West Sea of Korea of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’, recently added to the Tentative List of the DPRK. These areas are also recognized through other international and regional designations and frameworks, including the EAAFP Flyway Site Network and the Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar Sites). Together, they form an interconnected tidal flat ecosystem of global importance, providing indispensable habitats for migratory waterbirds along the EAAF while supporting the coexistence of people and nature.

The presentations during the side event underscored ongoing efforts and achievements across the Yellow Sea at the site, national and regional levels, while recognizing the need to strengthen synergies among different designations and initiatives, building on existing cooperation mechanisms such as EAAFP and WCF. The subsequent panel discussion further highlighted the importance of coordinated action and cooperation beyond national borders and explored practical ways forward to advance transnational technical cooperation, including by promoting exchanges among site managers, reinforcing long-term, science-based conservation efforts and encouraging broader stakeholder engagement.

© UNESCO

The side event was concluded with the announcement by Dr. Huh Min, Administrator of the Korea Heritage Service, of the ‘Busan Statement on Cooperation for the Conservation of the Tidal Flats and Coastal Wetlands of the Yellow Sea’. The Statement reiterates shared commitments to future cooperation and follow-up actions. It also reflects the spirit of the ‘Busan Declaration on World Heritage’, adopted by the World Heritage Committee at its 48th session, which recognizes “Collaboration” as the sixth ‘C’ or Strategic Objective for the implementation of the World Heritage Convention.

© UNESCO

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