Press Release

Three ABMC World War I sites recognized by UNESCO World Heritage Status

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Press release

Three ABMC World War I sites recognized by UNESCO World Heritage Status

Aisne-Marne American Cemetery, Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery and St. Mihiel American Cemetery entered the list.

Arlington, Virginia. (Sept. 22, 2023) — The American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) is honored that three of its World War I cemeteries were awarded UNESCO World Heritage Status Sept. 20, 2023.

The three ABMC sites receiving UNESCO World Heritage Status are: Aisne-Marne American Cemetery, Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery and St. Mihiel American Cemetery. They are all located in France.

“ABMC is honored to have this distinction for three of its World War I sites,” said Karen Wurzburger, ABMC’s Director of Visitor Services and Interpretation. “This recognition highlights ABMC’s sites as important places of memory and furthers our efforts to commemorate and tell the important stories of those who served and those who were lost in World War I, to as wide an audience as possible, to ensure their legacy is never forgotten.”

ABMC is an independent U.S. federal agency that is authorized and funded by the U.S. Congress to maintain 26 cemeteries and 31 memorials throughout the world to the highest standard, in close partnership with our host nations.

Per the UNESCO World Heritage Council the inscription was made as part of a wider initiative to inscribe Funeral & Memorial Sites of The First World War (Western Front) with UNESCO World Heritage Status.

For more information about ABMC please visit our social media platforms: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

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Media Contact:

Hélène Chaulin (France)                                                                                  

 +33 (0)6 38 13 56 25

chaulinh@abmc.gov

About American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC):

The American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) operates and maintains 26 cemeteries and 31 federal memorials, monuments, and commemorative plaques in 17 countries throughout the world, including the United States. The four memorials in the United States are: the World War I Memorial in Washington, D.C.; the Honolulu memorial located within the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu, Hawaii; the West Coast Memorial located within the Presidio in San Francisco, Calif; and the East Coast Memorial located within Battery Park in New York, N.Y. Since March 4, 1923, ABMC’s sacred mission remains to honor the service, achievements, and sacrifice of more than 200,000 U.S. service members buried and memorialized at our sites. For more information about ABMC, visit abmc.gov.

About Aisne-Marne American Cemetery:

Aisne-Marne American Cemetery | American Battle Monuments Commission (abmc.gov)

About Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery:

Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery | American Battle Monuments Commission (abmc.gov)

About St. Mihiel American Cemetery:

St. Mihiel American Cemetery | American Battle Monuments Commission (abmc.gov)