ICOMOS SDGWG MAPPING HERITAGE FORM
ICOMOS Sustainable Development Goals Working Group

Mapping Heritage:
A Contribution to the SDGs

Fillable template for Documenting Heritage-Based Contributions

Editor: Dr Andris Kairiss. Digital Design Development: Dr Farnaz Faraji. Version 1.0

Introduction

Measuring how heritage-based actions1 contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is necessary to make these contributions visible, credible, and comparable across contexts. Without systematic documentation, heritage's social, environmental, and economic impacts often remain implicit or undervalued in development and policy discussions.

Clear measurement helps demonstrate how heritage practice supports specific SDGs and targets, strengthens evidence-based advocacy, and enables learning and exchange among practitioners. It also facilitates dialogue with society, particularly local inhabitants and communities, by making goals, actions, and outcomes more transparent, while supporting accountability, improving project design over time, and enabling constructive engagement with public authorities, donors, and international organizations through a shared development language.

This template is designed to map that contribution in a simple, practical, and comparable way. In addition, the structured information generated through the template can support culture-related contributions to Voluntary National Reviews and Voluntary Local Reviews — national and local reports presented within the UN framework to demonstrate progress on SDG implementation — by providing concrete, evidence-based examples of heritage actions, their SDG alignment, and their measurable outputs and outcomes for use in reporting processes.

The template may also be used by heritage actors and professionals beyond ICOMOS membership, provided that appropriate reference is included.

Please note the following guidance when completing the template:

The ICOMOS Sustainable Development Goals Working Group developed and reviewed the template. It was accepted by the ICOMOS SDGWG on May 9, 2026. Its concept, content, and technical development were led by Dr Andris Kairiss, Coordinator of SDGWG Task Team 3 (National Liaisons & SDGs Localising), with consultation from Dr Naima Benkari, SDGWG Focal Point, and Olga Partina, Coordinator of SDGWG Task Team 2 (UN HLPF & Culture 2030 Goal). Within SDGWG Task Team 3, Marianne Knutsen, Angela Lopez Sabater, Prof. Tarek Nazel, and Deirdre McDermott tested the template and contributed amendments, while Dr Bayan Faouri Zain, Dr Jana Das Chaudhuri, and Shinjini Saha provided feedback during its development. Support for the template's visual design and popularisation was provided by Dr Farnaz Faraji and Dr Linda Shetabi of SDGWG Task Team 9 (Communications). Representatives of ICOMOS Spain, Ireland, and Latvia additionally tested the template.

1 A heritage action may consist of a single intervention (e.g., a restoration project), a series of similar actions (e.g., a cycle of workshops), or a set of related actions carried out to achieve one clear objective. It does not include broad or umbrella heritage programmes (e.g., an annual municipal cultural heritage programme, a national heritage strategy, or a regional multi-sector cultural plan), which should be divided into separate heritage actions for mapping purposes.

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A

A. Basic Information

1Please indicate the type of heritage actor completing this template
Please mark only one option
2Please indicate the name of the ICOMOS National/ International Committee, Working Group or other heritage actor completing the template
A heritage actor may refer to any entity beyond ICOMOS
3Please provide the name, role, and contact information of the contact person representing the heritage actor completing this template
Contact information may include, for example, an email address
B

B. Heritage Action Overview

4Title of heritage action
Please provide the official title of the action. If no official title exists, please indicate a descriptive title characterizing the action (e.g. "Revitalization of Traditional Stone Masonry Skills")
5Please specify the location to which the heritage action relates
The location may refer to a country, territory, region, city, site, or similar. If the action involves several countries, please indicate "International" and specify the countries concerned. If the action has no physical location, please indicate "Virtual" and provide a brief explanation.
6Please specify the period during which the heritage action took place
Please indicate the period as "start year – end year" or "start year – ongoing" (e.g., 2024; 2024–2025; 2025–ongoing)
7Please provide any additional sources of information about this heritage action
Please indicate a website, social media page, or publication. If no additional information is available, please indicate "No additional sources"
C

C. Heritage Context

8Please specify heritage resources involved
Please mark all that apply and/or add other heritage resources
9Please provide a brief description of the heritage context
Please provide 2–3 sentences explaining what heritage is involved and why it matters locally
D

D. Description of the Heritage Action

10Please describe the heritage action
Please briefly explain what was done (e.g., training interventions, workshops, reuse of buildings)
11Please indicate the main stakeholders involved
Please indicate the key actors who were directly involved in the heritage action, at any stage of its design, funding, implementation, or follow-up, e.g. local community, artisans, municipality, NGOs
12Please indicate the role of the heritage actor completing this template
Please mark all that apply and/or add other roles
E

E. Results Achieved, and Indicators Used

Output indicators measure what was directly produced or delivered by an action. They capture the immediate, tangible results of an action, not a change (e.g. number of trained persons, workshops, renovated buildings, etc.)
Outcome indicators measure what changed as a result of an action. They capture the short- to medium-term effects of what was done, rather than the action itself (e.g. increased community participation in heritage actions, improved income opportunities linked to heritage-related actions, etc.).
Equity indicators measure who benefits and who participates, and whether heritage actions contribute to fairness, inclusion, and equal access. They focus on how benefits, opportunities, and decision-making are distributed across different groups (e.g. inclusion of women, youth, Indigenous peoples, or marginalized groups in heritage actions).
13Please describe immediate results – outputs
Please indicate what occurred directly as a result of the action (e.g., number of people trained, workshops organized, heritage spaces activated, or other measurable outputs, including their values). Immediate = approximately 0–6 months after the completion of a specific action or action phase
14Please describe short- to medium-term results – outcomes
Please indicate what changed for people or communities (e.g., increased income opportunities, more stable employment, revived traditional skills, or other positive changes reported by participants). Where available, please provide qualitative evidence of social, economic, or environmental benefits resulting from the action. Short- to medium-term = approximately 7–24 months after the completion of a specific action or action phase
15Please indicate the percentage of women and youth among participants in the heritage action
Youth refers to persons aged 15–24, inclusive. Please mark only one checkbox per each row.
% Women participants Youth participants Note
0%No women or youth participated
1–5%
6–10%
11–20%
21–30%
31–40%
41–50%
51–75%
More than 75%
Does not applyThis indicator does not apply to the heritage action
16Did the heritage action involve participants from disadvantaged groups?
If yes, please provide a brief explanation and indicate the relevant numbers. If not, please indicate "No"
17Are there any other equity indicators related to the heritage action?
If yes, please provide a brief explanation and indicate the relevant numbers. If not, please indicate "No"
F

F. SDG Contribution Mapping

In this section, you will be asked to rate the SDGs according to the extent of the heritage action's contribution to each of them. You will then be asked to select up to five SDGs that received the highest ratings. For each selected SDG, you will be asked to identify up to two focus areas and provide a brief description of the contribution. For your convenience, explanations of the SDGs' main focus areas are provided in the Annex.
18Please rate the SDGs according to the extent of the heritage action's contribution to each of them 0 / 17 rated
Rating scale: 0 = no contribution; 10 = very strong contribution. Please mark only one checkbox per row. All 17 rows must be rated before submitting.
SDG 012345678910
19For up to five highest-rated SDGs(see previous question), pleaseselect up to two focus areas per SDG and provide a short description of the heritage action's contribution
The five highest-scoring SDGs from Q18 are shown automatically below and update live as you change your ratings above.
Showing top 5:
Rate all SDGs above to see your top 5 here

Your top 5 highest-rated SDGs will appear here once you have rated all 17 rows in Question 18 above.

G

G. Data Sources

20Please indicate the source(s) of the data used to describe the heritage action
Please mark all that apply
21Please briefly describe the data collection methods used
e.g. questionnaire, registration lists, partner feedback
H

H. Challenges and Lessons Learned (Optional)

Optional
22Please briefly describe the main challenges encountered when mapping the heritage action's contribution to the SDGs
The description may relate to any stage of the process (e.g. data collection, processing, analysis)
23What key lessons or recommendations could help make the mapping of the heritage action's contribution to the SDGs more effective?
Please provide a brief reflection to support peer learning
I

I. Scalability and Transferability (Optional)

Optional
24Could the described heritage action be scaled up or replicated elsewhere?
Please mark only one option
25Please briefly explain why the described heritage action could or could not be scaled up or replicated elsewhere
J

J. Additional Information/ Comments

Optional
Please share any additional information or comments
If you wish to share the results of your completed form with the ICOMOS SDG Working Group and ICOMOS, you are invited to email it to icomos.sdg@gmail.com

Please note that sharing your information is entirely voluntary. Any contributions will be used in an ethical and responsible manner to support learning, improve the template, and inform future heritage practices.

Thank you!

Your heritage mapping submission has been received. The ICOMOS SDG Working Group will review your contribution.

You may also email a copy to icomos.sdg@gmail.com

Annex: Explanation of SDG Main Focus Areas

This annex explains the focus areas listed in Section F. They are not technical SDG terms, but practical entry points for heritage-related work.2

1No Poverty
  • Income: Heritage actions generate or supplement income (e.g. crafts, services, tourism)
  • Livelihoods: Heritage supports sustainable ways of making a living
  • Resilience: Heritage reduces vulnerability to economic or social shocks
2Zero Hunger
  • Traditional food: Heritage related to food production, processing, or diets
  • Rural livelihoods: Heritage supporting farming, pastoralism, or rural economies
  • Knowledge: Traditional knowledge linked to food security or land use
3Good Health and Well-being
  • Well-being: Heritage actions contributing to mental, social, or cultural well-being
  • Healthy environments: Heritage supporting healthier living environments
  • Practices: Traditional practices linked to health or care
4Quality Education
  • Skills: Practical or vocational skills linked to heritage
  • Knowledge transmission: Passing knowledge between generations or groups
  • Lifelong learning: Non-formal or community-based learning opportunities
5Gender Equality
  • Women's participation: Active involvement of women in heritage actions
  • Empowerment: Strengthening women's roles, visibility, or decision-making
  • Equity: Reducing gender-based barriers or inequalities
6Clean Water and Sanitation
  • Traditional water systems: Heritage-based water management systems
  • Stewardship: Care, maintenance, or protection of water resources
7Affordable and Clean Energy
  • Traditional solutions: Heritage-related low-energy or passive systems
  • Energy efficiency: Reduced energy use through traditional building techniques
8Decent Work and Economic Growth
  • Jobs: Creation or support of employment opportunities
  • Crafts: Sustaining or reviving heritage-related professions
  • Local economy: Strengthening local or community-based economies
9Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure
  • Traditional knowledge: Heritage knowledge inspiring innovation
  • Adaptive techniques: Combining traditional and modern approaches
  • Digital heritage: Digital archives as a modern infrastructure for cultural survival
10Reduced Inequalities
  • Inclusion: Involving marginalised or under-represented groups
  • Marginalised groups: Targeted support for vulnerable communities
11Sustainable Cities and Communities
  • Heritage protection: Safeguarding cultural heritage
  • Reuse: Adaptive reuse of historic buildings or spaces
  • Community: Strengthening community use or ownership of heritage
  • Urban resilience: Using heritage to strengthen resilience to over-urbanization
12Responsible Consumption and Production
  • Local materials: Use of locally sourced materials
  • Traditional practices: Sustainable production or consumption patterns
  • Circular economy: Reviving traditional practices that reduce waste
13Climate Action
  • Adaptation: Heritage knowledge helping communities adapt to climate change
  • Risk reduction: Reducing vulnerability to climate-related hazards
  • Knowledge: Traditional knowledge related to climate resilience
14Life Below Water
  • Coastal heritage: Maritime or coastal cultural heritage
  • Traditional practices: Sustainable fishing or marine practices
15Life on Land
  • Cultural landscapes: Landscapes shaped by human–nature interaction
  • Biodiversity: Heritage practices supporting ecosystems or species
16Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
  • Dialogue: Heritage fostering intercultural or social dialogue
  • Governance: Participation in decision-making or heritage governance
  • Social cohesion: Strengthening trust, inclusion, or community relations
17Partnerships for the Goals
  • Cooperation: Joint actions across sectors or organizations
  • Networks: Knowledge-sharing or professional networks
  • Capacity: Strengthening institutional or human capacity

2 The main focus areas associated with each SDG were determined by SDGWG Task Team 3 on the basis of a comparative analysis of selected international reference documents addressing the interrelations between heritage, culture, and sustainable development. Primary sources include: Labadi et al., Heritage and the Sustainable Development Goals: Policy Guidance for Heritage and Development Actors (ICOMOS, 2021); UNESCO, Thematic Indicators for Culture in the 2030 Agenda (2019); UNESCO World Heritage Centre, Policy Document for the Integration of a Sustainable Development Perspective into the Processes of the World Heritage Convention (2015).