Experts will propose how to inscribe the spa triangle into UNESCO

Karlovy Vary - Experts on heritage protection and spa tourism will debate in Karlovy Vary at the end of May about how to inscribe the towns of the West Bohemian spa triangle - Františkovy Lázně, Karlovy Vary, Mariánské Lázně - on the UNESCO World Heritage List. They want to resolve whether it will be a closed group or an open community that could later include other European spa towns. This was announced today by the deputy governor Petr Navrátil (ČSSD).
The Karlovy Vary meeting, which will be organized by the Karlovy Vary Region, is intended to be another step towards inscribing the spa towns from the region on the UNESCO list. According to Navrátil, numerous procedural questions will be addressed, and there will certainly be evaluations of Czech and foreign spas interested in being inscribed on the UNESCO list together with Czech spas. "The meeting regarding UNESCO is very important and can again bring our plans closer to the final goal. We expect the participation of a number of experts from both the Czech Republic and abroad," Navrátil added.
The mayor of Karlovy Vary, Petr Kulhánek (KOA), also considers the upcoming meeting in Karlovy Vary to be a significant step towards the final inscription of the spa towns from the Karlovy Vary Region on the UNESCO list. He is clear on how to proceed with the inscription. He stated that Karlovy Vary aims to include the West Bohemian spa triangle on the UNESCO World Heritage List alongside other significant European spa towns. These include Baden-Baden in Germany, Vichy in France, and Spa in Belgium.
This joint initiative arose during negotiations of representatives from Karlovy Vary in Baden-Baden, which is their partner city. According to Kulhánek, Baden-Baden has already received an offer for a joint approach to the UNESCO inscription from Vichy. He agreed to it on the condition that the West Bohemian spas would also be addressed. "The inscription should take place with the understanding that it will not be a closed group to which no one else can join. We do not want to create some kind of elite spa club," Kulhánek stated.
According to Kulhánek, the first group that should be inscribed on the UNESCO list would be the best-prepared Czech towns, namely Mariánské Lázně, Františkovy Lázně, and Karlovy Vary, together with Baden-Baden, Vichy, Spa, and possibly the Italian Monte Catini. A subsequent group would include cities where preparations for inscription have not yet advanced as far. "There is definitely no danger here that interested parties in a possible next wave would have easier entry. The strict criteria for inscription are clearly defined and must be met by everyone," Kulhánek added.