Monticello announces continued UNESCO status

The Thomas Jefferson Foundation announced that Monticello will remain a World Heritage site following President Donald Trump’s administration’s announcement Thursday that the United States will withdraw from the United Nations Scientific and Cultural Organization.

“This decision will have no impact on Monticello’s inscription on the World Heritage Site List, nor on our commitment to jointly hosting with UNESCO an international symposium on the interpretation of slavery, in Charlottesville, in 2018,” the foundation said in a statement. 

The foundation said it was “disappointed” in the decision to withdraw from the cultural organization. 

“UNESCO is a global steward of world culture that bridges, celebrates and protects the rich diversity of human creative genius,” the foundation said. 

The Trump administration cited UNESCO’s “anti-Israel bias” as the primary reason for the U.S. withdrawal from the organization. Israel has also stated its intention to leave UNESCO. 

Monticello shares its listing with the University, as it has since both were added to the listing in 1987. University Deputy Spokesperson Matt Charles said the University did not have any information as to how or if the withdrawal would affect its listing.