The annual meeting of the UK World Heritage Site Chairs was held on Thursday 13th November 2025. The meeting, which was held virtually, was attended by Professor Clive Finlayson who is Chair of the Gorham’s Cave Complex UNESCO World Heritage Site.
One of the items discussed was the contribution which the UK Lottery Fund makes towards the UK World Heritage Sites. It was revealed that £134 m had been awarded to UK World Heritage Sites in the last five years, the largest individual site having received £25 m. It was also reported that the Royal Observatory at Greenwich had just received £9.7 m in funding. All the UK World Heritage Sites except one have received UK Lottery funding at some stage. Professor Finlayson highlighted the ineligibility of British Overseas Territories to apply for lottery funding. In order for this to be possible a change in the United Kingdom legislation would be required and Professor Finlayson requested the meeting to lobby on behalf of the overseas territories and to find ways in which such funding might be made available.
Reporting on the work at the Gorham’s Cave Complex, Professor Finlayson highlighted the visit of Mr James Bridge, CEO of the UK National Commission for UNESCO, earlier in the year. He highlighted how impressed he had been with the site and how it could act as a prime example in the Commission’s “local to global” programme by highlighting the site’s tangible examples of past climate change. Professor Finlayson drew attention to a number of unique aspects of the management structure for the site. These included the regular meetings of the World Heritage Advisory Forum, chaired by the Minister for Heritage himself, and a programme of annual excavations conducted under the umbrella of an international research and conservation committee.
Looking forward, Professor Finlayson highlighted 2026 as a very significant year for the site and for Gibraltar. It would mark the 100th anniversary of the discovery of the Neanderthal child’s skull from Devil’s Tower Cave in 1926 and it also mark the 10th anniversary of the inscription of the Gorham’s Cave Complex as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. He remarked that a few events were planned for the year, including a major Calpe Conference to be held during the first week of September.
Minister for Heritage John Cortes said, “Once again the Gibraltar National Museum, through its management of the Gorham’s Cave Complex, has been prominent in a major meeting of experts and has contributed significantly to important discussions which could help in improving and promoting of all of the UK’s World Heritage Sites, including Gibraltar’s”
