An induction into UNESCO’s World Heritage List can mean the golden touch for a cultural site’s tourism and environmental protection. Last week, as the organization’s World Heritage Committee convened in Brasilia for deliberations, 21 new sites were added into the prestigious list.

It’s been a long time coming for some of the new additions. Amsterdam’s canal belt and France’s historic town of Albi, for instance, are already well-visited international attractions. Most of the World Heritage Sites, though, reflected the changing times and addressed the need for further cultural diversity.

When people began harnessing nuclear energy in the early 20th century, it sparked a significant era in modern history. Bikini Atoll in Marshall Islands was added to the list because it symbolized “the dawn of the nuclear age.” In the 1950’s, the atoll was used as a detonation site for early nuclear devices.

There was also a concerted effort during the World Heritage Committee’s meeting to rectify the long-prevailing imbalance in the list, which has made cultural assets in Africa, Latin America, and part of Asia, not as well represented as those of Europe.

Some of the most notable additions to the World Heritage List from the developing world are: the historic monuments of Dengfeng in China, the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long-Hanoi in Vietnam, a shrine in Ardabil, Iran, the Jantar Mantar astronomical observation site in India, and the archaeological site Sarazm in Tajikistan.

To date there are 911 World Heritage Sites. With UNESCO’s seal, these areas are elevated to symbols of national pride and indispensible value. The government as well as the public is obliged to preserve the location’s original state. It is commendable that so many historical and cultural sites are gaining recognition. We need tangible reminders of our culture and heritage to keep us from forgetting our roots, and the values that come with them.