The World Heritage Cities Programme is one of six thematic programmes formally adopted by the World Heritage Committee.1 It was set up after the 25th session of the World Heritage Committee in 2001 as part of a new multi-year programming approach by the Secretariat. It aimed at providing a framework that would facilitate States Parties to seek, and international donors to offer, technical and financial support in conformity with a set of defined needs following the strategic objectives of the World Heritage Committee. In order to avoid a dispersal of limited means over a multitude of urban heritage projects worldwide, the Cities Programme aims to address those issues or cases that appear before the World Heritage Committee and require urgent attention.