Chile’s special territory Rapa Nui has officially inaugurated the Rapa Nui Heritage Summit 2025, a high-level international gathering held from November 24-26, 2025. It is co-organized by the Ma’u Henua Indigenous Community, which manages Rapa Nui National Park, and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

The summit brings together over 300 local residents alongside global delegations from Chile, the Pacific, Europe, and Latin America. It unites Indigenous leaders, government officials, heritage specialists, academics, and tourism executives to advance global discussions on conservation, Indigenous self-governance, and sustainable development.

Rapa Nui Heritage Summit 2025

The 2025 Summit coincides with a series of significant anniversaries celebrating Rapa Nui’s cultural and conservation legacy:

• 90 Years since the establishment of Rapa Nui National Park and its designation as a Historic Monument.
• 65 Years since the landmark restoration of Ahu Akivi.
• 30 Years since the park was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
• 10 Years since the transition to Indigenous management under the Ma’u Henua community.
• 80th Anniversary of UNESCO.

Inauguration, ceremonial plaque

The summit opened at 9:00 a.m. at Rano Raraku, the historic volcanic quarry where the island’s iconic moai were carved. Esther Kuisch Laroche, UNESCO Regional Director in Santiago, joined Ariki Tepano, President of the Ma’u Henua Indigenous Community, to lead the opening ceremony and unveil a commemorative plaque celebrating 30 years of World Heritage status.

“Rapa Nui is a living testament to a unique cultural tradition. This heritage has been protected and passed down by the Rapa Nui community, which today continues to exercise crucial leadership for its conservation.”

— Esther Kuisch Laroche, UNESCO Regional Director

“Through the experience of the Ma’u Henua Indigenous Community in managing Rapa Nui National Park, our people have shown that it is possible to combine cultural and environmental protection with the exercise of self-determination… We are gathered here to tell the world that we are alive and that our heritage is alive as well.”

— Ariki Tepano, President of Ma’u Henua

3-day program overview

• Days 1 & 2 (Cultural Transmission & Governance): Sessions focus on living heritage, historical memory, and scientific breakthroughs in archaeology and restoration—particularly in addressing climate change. Panels also explore Indigenous governance models and strategies for sustainable, culturally respectful land-use and tourism.
• Day 3 (Environmental Stewardship & Thanksgiving): Attendees will participate in a cultural tour of sacred sites, followed by a community coastal clean-up at Anakena beach. The summit concludes with the traditional Umu Hatu—an ancestral rite of thanksgiving honoring a successful gathering.

UNESCO

On November 16, 2025, the UNESCO celebrated its 80th anniversary. Months before this, the agency expanded its global leadership on technology governance, implementing its landmark Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence. It also intensified climate action, prioritizing vulnerable ecosystems and small island developing states through ocean science initiatives under the ongoing UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development.

In heritage preservation, UNESCO placed special emphasis on Indigenous co-governance, community leadership, and sustainable tourism models alongside traditional conservation. Media freedom and education remained central priorities, with renewed campaigns to close the digital divide and safeguard journalists globally. Entering its ninth decade of operations, the agency continues to adapt its founding ideal of international cooperation to address the complex challenges of the 21st century.