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The World Monuments Fund (WMF) is a New York-based private, non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of historic architecture and cultural heritage sites worldwide through fieldwork, advocacy, grantmaking, education, and training. Founded in 1965, WMF was originally called the International Fund for Monuments. Today, WMF has offices and affiliates in Britain, France, Portugal, and Spain. Through contributions and matching funds, WMF has worked with community and government partners worldwide to rescue more than 450 sites in over 90 countries including the temple of Preah Khan at Angkor and St. George's Church, Bloomsbury. In 2006, the World Monuments Fund launched Modernism at Risk, an advocacy and conservation program.

Contents 1 World Monuments Watch 2 The 2008 List includes 2.1 Sites Threatened by Global Climate Change 2.2 Sites Threatened by Conflict 2.3 Sites Threatened by Economic and Development Pressures 2.4 Historic Cities 2.5 Modern Architecture 2.6 Geographical Regions of Note 2.6.1 Africa and the Middle East 2.6.2 The Americas 3 External links

Beginning in 1996 with the support of American Express, WMF has published biennially the World Monuments Watch list of 100 Most Endangered Sites. This is different from the World Heritage List and List of World Heritage in Danger maintained by UNESCO, although the WMF Watch list often has sites from the broader UNESCO List. The World Monuments Watch list draws international attention to cultural heritage sites around the world threatened by neglect, vandalism, armed conflict, or natural disaster. Through the Watch, WMF fosters community support for the protection of endangered sites, and attracts technical and financial resources to aid the sites.

Watch sites are selected by an independent panel of experts from nominations submitted by governments, preservation professionals, NGOs, and others. Sites of all types and from all time periods—from ancient to modern—are eligible. “Monuments” can be archaeological sites; residential, civic, commercial, military, or religious architecture; cultural landscapes; and townscapes.

The 2008 World Monuments Watch List of 100 Most Endangered Sites was announced June 6, 2007 by Bonnie Burnham, president of the World Monuments Fund. This year’s list highlights three critical man-made threats: political conflict, unchecked urban and industrial development, and, for the first time, global climate change. The 2008 Watch List clearly shows that human activity has become the greatest threat of all to the world’s cultural heritage, causing irreparable harm to many of the important places in the world that provide unique access to shared human history.

"We have met the enemy and he is us" -- Walt Kelly, Cartoonist & Environmental Activist

• Herschel Island, Canada
• Scott's Hut, Antarctica
• Chinguetti Mosque, Mauritania
• Sonargaon-Panam City, Bangladesh
• Leh Old Town, Ladakh, India
• New Orleans, Louisiana, United States

• Cultural Heritage Sites of Iraq
• Bamiyan Buddhas, Afghanistan
• Church of the Holy Nativity, Bethlehem
• Famagusta Walled City, Cyprus
• Sarajevo City Hall, Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Srinigar Heritage Zone, India
• Freetown Historic Monuments, Sierra Leone

• Tara Hill, Ireland
• Rock art at Dampier, Australia (Murujuga), and Macusani-Corani, Peru
• Machu Picchu, Peru
• Saint Petersburg Skyline, Russia
• Old Damascus, Syria
• Hasankeyf, Turkey

• Srinigar Heritage Zone, India
• Lima Historic City Center, Peru
• Amber Town, India
• La Huaca Historic Neighborhood, Veracruz, Mexico
• Kandy, Sri Lanka

• Main Street Modern, United States
• Modern Shanghai, China
• Florida Southern University Historic Campus, United States
• St Peter's Seminary, Cardross, Scotland
• The Salk Institute, California, United States
• Montemar Institute of Marine Biology, Chile
• Joan Miró Foundation, Spain

• Ikom Monoliths of Cross River, Nigeria
• Historic Kilwa, Tanzania
• Wa Naa's Palace, Ghana
• Loropeni Ruins, Burkina Faso
• Medracen and el-Khroub Numidian Royal Mausolea, Algeria
• Shunet el-Zebib at Abydos, Egypt
• Al Azhar Mosque in Fez, Morocco
• The ancient baths of Qusayr 'Amra, Jordan
• Bumbusi National Monument, Zimbabwe

• Tutuveni Petroglyph Site, Hopi Tribal Land, Arizona
• Brener Synagogue, Moisés Ville, Argentina
• New York State Pavilion, Queens, New York
• Historic Route 66, United States
• Teuchitlán-Guachimontones Archaeological Zone, Mexico
• Capitanes Generales Palace, Guatemala

• World Monuments Fund Britain
• World Monuments Fund home page
• World Monuments Watch website

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