The World Heritage Advisory Forum (WHAF) met recently to review the research, management and conservation of the Gorham’s Cave Complex UNESCO World Heritage Site. WHAF is chaired by the minister with responsibility for heritage, Professor John Cortes, and includes stakeholders including the Gibraltar National Museum (who run the World Heritage Office, WHO), pertinent HM Government of Gibraltar departments, the UK Department of Culture, Media and Sport, Ministry of Defence, the International Research and Conservation Council, and the Gibraltar Heritage Trust.

WHAF was briefed on the ongoing research at the Gorham’s Cave Complex and of plans for excavations in the summer of 2025 as well as the outcome of recent research. This has included a major paper “A Neanderthal's specialised burning structure compatible with tar obtention” which was recently published in the journal Quaternary Science Reviews and which has been cited as one of the journal’s most downloaded papers since it was published. 

Matters related to the day-to-day management of the site were discussed and the state of conservation of the site, especially after a very wet winter, was reported in detail by the WHO. Overall, WHAF was very pleased with the way in which the site was being managed and noted how improvements, such as the new World Heritage Monument Site at Europa Advance Road and the Parson’s Lodge Natural History Museum, were contributing to the diversification of the interpretation of Gibraltar’s rich history and natural history, while acting as supports for the World Heritage Site.