Every two years since 1996 the World Monuments Fund has drawn up a Watch list from independently nominated heritage sites from around the world. A global call for action, the Watch has called international attention to rally support for sites facing a particular risk or need. Since the programme’s inception, the Watch has become a powerful touchpoint for understanding and responding to the major heritage challenges of our time. A proven tool for raising awareness about heritage sites in need of support, it has galvanized engagement and action for their preservation through projects that provide local solutions with lessons that can be shared globally.

This in-person event at the V&A South Kensington, convened by the museum’s Culture in Crisis Programme in partnership with World Monuments Fund Britain, will draw together speakers to discuss emergent risks to heritage and the announcement of the 2025 Watch. From the British Isles to North and Sub-Saharan Africa, we will explore case studies from Watch lists old and new, exploring successes, challenges and some of the changes seen over the past decades – and look ahead to the new cycle of work about to begin.