The Unesco Doha office launched yesterday a training workshop on world heritage natural sites and Man Biosphere Reserve concepts and process of inscription.The workshop, concluding tomorrow, is organised by Unesco in co-operation with the Ministry of Environment (MoE) General Directorate of Natural Reserve (GDNR). The workshop is based on the recognition that sustainable development and nature conservation in Qatar is at the core of the national plans, including Qatar National Vision 2030. Further, it is a follow up of the recommendation of the previous two preparatory Qatari stakeholders meetings held by Unesco Doha office in co-operation with MoE/ GDNR last year.The main objectives of the workshop include presenting the process of inscription of natural areas as Unesco world heritage (WH) natural site or as Man and the Biosphere Programme (MAB) reserve, introducing the concepts of MAB and WH sites nomination, presenting the most successful examples of WH natural sites and MAB sites, and providing the government entities with the technical support needed to start any nomination process.The World Heritage Convention concerning the protection of world cultural and natural heritage was adopted by the General Conference of Unesco on November 16, 1972. The number of world heritage sites continued to grow reaching after the 38th session of the World Heritage Committee in June 2014 in Doha, the 1007 site. Among those 197 are natural sites and 31 of mixed cultural and natural value. The WH sites inscribed on the WH list are sites of Outstanding Universal Value which are fully maintaining their integrity.