UNESCO is an organization that consists of the initials of the words United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization and is translated into our language as 'United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization'.

To ensure that the whole world recognizes the cultural and natural assets with universal values, which are considered the common heritage of all humanity, to help societies gain the awareness of protecting and transferring the universal heritage to future generations, "Convention on the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage" was adopted on 16 November 1972. Within the scope of the 17th General Conference that came together in Paris on 17 October – 21 November 1972 to carry out cooperation around the world to preserve cultural and natural values. The convention, which Turkey accepted to join with the law numbered 2658 dated 14.04.1982, was approved by the Council of Ministers Decision dated 23.05.1982 and numbered 8/4788 and was published in the Resmi Gazete dated 14.02.1983 and numbered 17959. 

In this context, natural formations, historical artifacts, sites and monuments that are valuable in the world and need to be protected are accepted as 'World Heritage'. As a result of the studies carried out under the General Directorate of Cultural Heritage and Museums in Turkey, 19 of our assets have been included in the UNESCO World Heritage List so far. Xanthos-Letoon in Antalya was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1988. Our nine assets in our city are also on Turkey's UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List.