With its unique history and heritage Jerusalem is the Israeli city that traditionally grabs the world's attention, while Tel Aviv, the metropolis that is the center of the country's cultural and business life, often gets overlooked.

But this year, Tel Aviv has stolen the spotlight. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) recently announced its intention to declare Tel Aviv a World Heritage Site for its treasure of Bauhaus architecture.

Tel Aviv's White City is home to more buildings in the Bauhaus -- or Modern Movement -- style than anywhere in the world.

The city will be inaugurated as a World Heritage Site next month, with a series of festive events over the course of three days to mark the declaration and to celebrate Bauhaus culture. International dignitaries and leading architects from around the world will be in attendance, and efforts are being made to bring special international guests including Mohammed Sagid, the mayor of Casablanca, Morocco, and Great Britain's Prince Charles, who is a well-known advocate for architectural preservation.

The declaration is a cause for celebration: it is a unique honor afforded to only a handful of sites in the world, including the Egyptian pyramids, and it has never been given to an entire neighborhood as is the case for Tel Aviv.

As part of the World Heritage Convention treaty adopted by UNESCO in 1972, the organization works to protect and preserve cultural and natural sites around the world that are considered to be of outstanding value to humanity. More than 170 countries to date have adhered to the Convention, making it one of the most universal, international legal instruments for the protection of cultural and natural heritage.

"In these challenging times, receiving this extraordinary honor from UNESCO not only helps preserve our rich architectural heritage, but also reaffirms Tel Aviv's place on the map as a choice cultural destination," said Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai.

The White City of Tel Aviv includes 4,000 buildings representative of the Modern Movement -- a synthesis of architectural styles popular in Europe during the early 20th century, heavily influenced by the Bauhaus School of Art and Design.

These buildings, built between 1931-1956, were designed by immigrant architects trained in Europe who adapted the Modern style to suit Tel Aviv's culture and climate. Arieh Sharon, Dov Carmi, Zeev Rechter, Pinchas Hueth, Josef Neufeld, Genia Averbuch, Richard Kauffmann and Erich Mendelsohn are just some of the architects who contributed to the abundance of local Bauhaus architecture.

The City of Tel Aviv was founded in 1909, with Jaffa joining the municipality in 1949. The White City was constructed based on an urban plan by Sir Patrick Geddes. Tel Aviv-Jaffa is home to 400,000 residents, spread over an area of 33 square miles.

According to UNESCO, "the White City of Tel Aviv is a synthesis of outstanding significance of the various trends of the Modern Movement in architecture and town planning in the early part of the 20th century. Such influences were adapted to the cultural and climatic conditions of the place, as well as being integrated with local traditions."

The centerpiece of the upcoming events will be the official Declaration of World Heritage Site by Marco Barbosa, UNESCO Deputy Director General, and the Official ceremony and unveiling of Tel Aviv's World Heritage Site plaque at Tel Aviv City Hall on June 7, in front of the mayor of Tel Aviv, UNESCO officials and visiting foreign dignitaries.

But the special events will cover an entire week. The first day of celebrations will be called 'Schoolchildren in White,' in which elementary school students throughout Tel Aviv will wear white and will spend the school day learning about their city's architectural heritage.

A special lighting installation will be erected along Rothschild Boulevard, the heart of the White City, showcasing the city's Modern architecture. An outdoor photography exhibit of the Bauhaus renovation process, showing buildings then and now, will be hung from trees along Hen Boulevard.

The first in a series of sidewalk markers along the perimeter of the White City will be unveiled.

During the week, an exhibit on urban planning and the evolution of Tel Aviv's architectural style will be held, along with an Architectural Conference with leading global architects which will take place at the Tel Aviv Museum of Art.

Finally, 'The White Regatta' will be held: a boat race from Jaffa to Herzliya for sailboats and yachts.

ISRAEL21c is a nonpolitical, nonprofit organization that informs Americans about 21st century Israel, its people, its institutions and its contributions to global society.