The United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation

The Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage (the World Heritage Convention) was adopted by the General Conference of UNESCO (the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation) in 1972. 

To date, more than 170 countries have adhered to the Convention, making it one of the most universal international legal instruments for the protection of the cultural and natural heritage.

You can download the complete text of the World Heritage Convention at http://whc.unesco.org/en/conventiontext/.