United Nations officials are meeting in Brazil from Sunday to discuss expanding the Unesco world heritage list by 24 new sites, including Amsterdam’s historic 17th century canal ring.

Five city centres – Salzburg, Rome, Jerusalem, Dubrovnick and Carcassonne – are already on the list.
Opponents say a listing will hinder Amsterdam’s development and turn the city centre into a museum rather than a thriving, creative metropolis.
If Amsterdam is accepted, it will be the 10th Dutch item on the world heritage programme.