The Latest Breaking News from UNESCO

Traditional foods, cosy lights and family fun make festive markets across Belgium, Germany, Poland and the Netherlands a surefire bet this winter

The zinc covering the roofs of central Paris has given the French capital's skyline its distinctive grey hue for almost two centuries.

The French culture ministry wants to etch the unique zinc-plated rooftops of Paris and their workers in the UNESCO list of Intangible Cultural Heritage. Though iconic, the roofs are often criticised for their inadaptability to hot temperatures brought on by climate change.

Dotting East Africa’s Swahili coast, Zanzibar, Lamu and Mombasa are synonymous with pristine waters and white sandy beaches. But many tourists are unaware that these UNESCO World Heritage Sites were the scene of a gruesome chapter in history. For centuries, the Swahili coast was central to the slave trade.