Our Mission & Values

World Monuments Fund (WMF) works with local communities around the world to safeguard irreplaceable cultural heritage. 

World Monuments Fund (WMF) is the leading independent organization devoted to safeguarding the world’s most treasured places to enrich people’s lives and build mutual understanding across cultures and communities. The organization is headquartered in New York City with offices and affiliates in Cambodia, France, India, Peru, Portugal, Spain and the UK. Since 1965, our global team of experts has preserved the world's diverse cultural heritage using the highest international standards at more than 700 sites in 112 countries. Partnering with local communities, funders, and governments, WMF draws on heritage to address some of today’s most pressing challenges: climate adaptation, inclusive heritage, balanced tourism, and post-crisis recovery. With a commitment to the people who bring places to life, WMF embraces the potential of the past to create a more resilient and inclusive society.

A Sense of Wonder

The extraordinary achievements of humankind fill us with awe and admiration. We celebrate the world’s remarkable built heritage, highlighting its diversity and amplifying the voices less often heard, while protecting it against the natural and human forces that threaten to destroy it.

A People-First Approach

The world’s irreplaceable and unique places were shaped by human hands and have sustained people for generations. The link between place and community is essential and collaboration is the foundation of our work. We embrace humility, listening, and learning as the basis to develop projects that support long-term social and economic benefits for local communities.

A Can-Do Attitude

We approach all we do with passion, an openness to challenges, and a readiness to intervene rapidly in the most demanding environments—all while employing the highest international standards in cultural heritage preservation and continuing to expand the field

Le World Monuments Fund (WMF) travaille partout dans le monde avec les acteurs de la société civile et des partenaires gouvernementaux pour sauvegarder le patrimoine de l’humanité.

Le World Monuments Fund (WMF) est la principale ONG internationale dédiée à la protection de lieux exceptionnels par leur architecture ou par leur histoire. Le WMF a son siège à New York et dispose de bureaux et filiales en France, au Cambodge, en Inde, au Pérou, au Portugal, en Espagne et au Royaume-Uni. Depuis 1965, notre équipe internationale d'experts a mené plus de 700 projets dans 112 pays, en partenariat avec des acteurs de la société civile, des bailleurs de fonds et gouvernements internationaux. A travers nos projets, nous cherchons à répondre à certains des défis les plus importants de notre époque : la résilience face au réchauffement climatique, l’élaboration de modèles de tourisme durable et la promotion d’une vision inclusive du patrimoine. Le WMF se mobilise également dans les situations de crises, qu’il s’agisse de catastrophes naturelles ou de conflits. Déterminés à placer les communautés locales au centre de notre action, nous sommes convaincus que la protection du patrimoine peut contribuer à l’avènement de sociétés plus résilientes et inclusives et à une meilleure compréhension mutuelle entre les cultures.

A World Monuments Fund (WMF) trabalha com comunidades e parceiros governamentais ao redor do mundo para salvaguardar heranças culturais insubstituíveis.

O World Monuments Fund (WMF) é a principal ONG internacional dedicada à proteção de lugares com arquitetura e história excepcionais. A WMF está sediada em Nova York e possui escritórios e unidades subsidiárias em Portugal, Espanha, França, Camboja, Índia, Peru e Reino Unido. Desde 1965, nossa equipe internacional de especialistas já realizou mais de 700 projetos em 112 países em parceria com membros da sociedade civil, doadores e governos internacionais. Através dos nossos projetos procuramos responder a alguns dos desafios mais importantes do nosso tempo: a necessidade de resiliência face ao aquecimento global, o desenvolvimento de modelos para turismo sustentável e a promoção de uma visão inclusiva do patrimônio cultural e comunidades. A WMF também atua em projetos ligados a situações de crise, sejam desastres naturais ou conflitos locais. Determinados a colocar as comunidades locais no centro da nossa ação, estamos convictos de que a proteção do património cultural pode contribuir para o advento de sociedades mais resilientes e inclusivas e para um melhor entendimento mútuo entre culturas.