Property: Vodlozero National Park
Id. N°: 767
State Party: Russian Federation
The Committee noted that the site consists of boreal forest ecosystems of the Eurasian taiga and is an important bird breeding area. It is of European importance, but on its own, does not meet any natural World Heritage criteria. The Committee took note of the rich cultural heritage of the region and encouraged the State Party to consider nomination the area for cultural values.
The Committee decided not to inscribe the site on the World Heritage List. The Committee noted the possibility of Vodlozero ...
Property: Bashkirian Ural
Id. N°: 879
State Party: Russian Federation
The Committee noted that the site is of European importance for the study of the natural dynamics of broadleaf forests. However, the site does not possess outstanding universal value. The proposal that this site could be considered as a Biosphere Reserve was noted and it was agreed that the State Party would follow this up with IUCN and UNESCO.
The Committee decided not to inscribe the site on the World Heritage List.
Property: Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara
Id. N°: 870
State Party: Japan
Criteria: C(ii)(iii)(iv)(vi)
The Committee inscribed the property on the World Heritage List on the basis of criteria (ii), (iii) and (iv) and added criterion (vi):
Criterion (ii): The historic monuments of ancient Nara bear exceptional witness to the evolution of Japanese architecture and art as a result of cultural links with China and Korea which were to have a profound influence on future developments.
Criterion (iii): The flowering of Japanese culture during the period when Nara was the capital ...
22 COM X
Progress Report, Synthesis and Action Plan on the Global Strategy for a Representative and Credible World Heritage List
X.18 At the end of the debate, the Director of the Centre promised that the actions for the year 2000 would be reviewed in the light of the discussion. The Chairperson commended the regional approach that would redress the imbalances of the World Heritage List. The prioritized action plan prepared as a follow-up of the Consultative Body concerning the implementation of the Global Strategy was endorsed. The activities foreseen in the regional action plans for 1999 presented under Section VI of the Working Document, were approved, and in addition: US$ 15,000 for IUCN and US$ 23,000 for ...
Natural Heritage: Requests examined by the Committee
Paragraph No. as presented in WHC-98/CONF.203/14Rev.
Requesting State Party
Type of Assistance
Description
Amount Approved(US$)
Comments/ Observations/ Conditions
A.2.1.1
Cameroon
Training
Three training fellowships at the School for the Training of Wildlife Specialists, Garoua, Cameroon for the Academic Biennium 1999-2001
45,000
A.2.1.2
Oman
Training
Regional capacity building training workshop for the promotion of awareness in natural ...
TRAINING
Cameroon ( Three training fellowships at the School for the Training of Wildlife Specialists, Garoua, Cameroon for the Academic Biennium 1999-2001) - US$ 45,000
The outgoing Bureau recommended approval of US$ 45,000 by the Committee.
Oman (Regional capacity building training workshop for the promotion of awareness in natural heritage conservation) - US$ 40,000
The outgoing Bureau recommended the approval of US$ 40,000 by theCommittee, subject to the State Party submitting to the World Heritage Centre and IUCN, a revised proposal with well-focused and ...
TRAINING
Brazil (Specialized course on Integrated Territorial and Urban Conservation – Brazil programme ITUC 1999-2000) - US$ 49,900
The outgoing Bureau recommended the approval of US$ 49,000 by the Committee.
China (Training programme for site managers of World Heritage Cities in China – Consolidation of the International Conference for Mayors of Historic Cities in China and the European Union) - US$ 35,000
The outgoing Bureau recommended the approval of US$ 35,000 by the Committee. ICCROM announced its full support and availability to actively participate ...
Sites: Ancient City of Damascus Forts and Castles, Volta, Greater Accra, Central and Western Regions Historic Areas of Istanbul Historic Cairo Lines and Geoglyphs of Nasca and Palpa Rice Terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras San Pedro de la Roca Castle, Santiago de Cuba Sanctuary of Bom Jesus do Congonhas
The General Assembly,
Elects the following 9 States Parties: Egypt, Ethiopia, Mali, Nigeria, Oman, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, South Africa and Thailand as members of the World Heritage Committee.
The Bureau recalled that, at its last session (June 1998), while being concerned about the feasibility of the effective rehabilitation of Ichkeul, it had urged the State Party to take all necessary measures to ensure rapid and effective implementation of the rehabilitation programme for Ichkeul. The Bureau had also recommended an expert mission to the site. The mission was intended to give due consideration to the possibility for developing an improved rehabilitation programme for Ichkeul to retain its status as a World Heritage site and to allow the State Party sufficient time for the ...
Sites: Ichkeul National Park
The Bureau, having examined the state of conservation report of the site and upon considering the additional information provided by the Director of the World Heritage Centre, ICOMOS and members of the Bureau, commended the exemplary work being carried out by the Authority for the Protection of the Site and Development of the Region of Angkor (APSARA) and the International Co-ordination Committee for the Safeguarding and Development of the Historic Area of Angkor (ICC).
The Bureau noted that some one hundred on-going projects are being implemented by more than a dozen countries and ...
Sites: Angkor
The Committee when it inscribed «The Sundarbans» of Bangladesh in the World Heritage List (Naples, 1997) encouraged the authorities of Bangladesh and India to discuss the possibility of creating a trans-frontier site with the adjoining Sundarbans National Park and World Heritage site (India). The Ministry of Environment and Forests of Bangladesh with support from the Asian Development Bank, is undertaking a multi-million dollar project, entitled the "Sundarbans Biodiversity Conservation Project". The Sundarbans World Heritage site is considered to be one of the main components ...
At its twenty-second session, the Bureau was informed that a number of laws for the national protection of the Lake existed and that the Duma had adopted the Federal Law on «The Protection of the Baikal Lake» which was, however, vetoed by the President. The Federal Law had been tabled for a third reading in the Duma, taking into account comments made by the President’s intervention. The Russian authorities had not come to any conclusions regarding the re-profiling of the Baikal Pulp and Paper Mill at Baikalsk, one of the main polluters of the Lake. The Observer of the ...
Sites: Lake Baikal
The Bureau examined specific requests for international assistance and took the following decisions.
NATURAL HERITAGE
Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan - "Training for Nomination of Natural and Mixed Properties as World Heritage in Central Asia" (Training Assistance) - US$ 29,440 requested
The Bureau approved an amount of US$ 29,440 from the natural heritage training funds for this project, subject to the WWF Russia Programme (WWF-PRO) confirming, before 31 October 1999, that it has been successful in raising the balance of US$ 29,900 needed for the ...
Sites: Garamba National Park Kahuzi-Biega National Park Kilimanjaro National Park Okapi Wildlife Reserve Serengeti National Park Site of Palmyra Vilnius Historic Centre Virunga National Park
Property: Lorentz National Park
Id. N°: 955
State Party: Indonesia
Criteria: N (i) (ii) (iv)
The Committee recalled that the Bureau at its twenty-third session requested the Centre to inform the Indonesian authorities of a number of aspects suggested by IUCN dealing with the management of the site, and in particular: (a) the priority need to continue the process of management planning for the Park with full involvement of the local stakeholders; (b) encouragement for the proposed establishment of a Foundation which would assist in the management of the Park; (c) possible twinning ...
Sites: Lorentz National Park
Property: Western Caucasus
Id. N°: 900
State Party: Russian Federation
Criteria: N (ii) (iv)
The Western Caucasus has a remarkable diversity of geology, ecosystems and species. It is of global significance as a centre of plant diversity. Along with the Virgin Komi World Heritage site, it is the only large mountain area in Europe that has not experienced significant human impact, containing extensive tracts of undisturbed mountain forests unique on the European scale.
The twenty-third session of the Bureau could not study this nomination because the requested field mission was delayed ...
Sites: Western Caucasus
Property: The Historic Town of Vigan
Id. N°: 502Rev
State Party: Philippines
Criteria: C (ii) (iv)
The Committee inscribed the property on the World Heritage List on the basis of criteria (ii) and (iv):
Criterion (ii): Vigan represents a unique fusion of Asian building design and construction with European colonial architecture and planning.
Criterion (iv): Vigan is an exceptionally intact and wellpreserved example of a European trading town in East and South-East ...
Sites: Historic City of Vigan
Property: Hoi An Ancient Town
Id. N°: 948
State Party: Viet Nam
Criteria: C (ii) (v)
The Committee inscribed this property on the World Heritage List on the basis of criteria (ii) and (v):
Criterion (ii): Hoi An is an outstanding material manifestation of the fusion of cultures over time in an international commercial port.
Criterion (v): Hoi An is an exceptionally well-preserved example of a traditional Asian trading ...
Sites: Hoi An Ancient Town
Property: My Son Sanctuary
Id. N°: 949
State Party: Viet Nam
Criteria: C (ii) (iii)
The Committee inscribed this property on the World Heritage List on the basis of criteria (ii) and (iii):
Criterion (ii): The My Son Sanctuary is an exceptional example of cultural interchange, with an indigenous society adapting to external cultural influences, notably the Hindu art and architecture of the Indian sub-continent.
Criterion (iii): The Champa Kingdom was an important phenomenon in the political and cultural history of South-East Asia, vividly illustrated by the ruins of My Son.
The ...
Sites: My Son Sanctuary
X.15 Angkor (Cambodia)
The Secretariat reported on the results of the International Coordination Committee for the Safeguarding and Development of the Historic Area of Angkor (ICC) which convened its plenary session in June 1999. The Committee's attention was drawn to the decision taken by the Royal Government of Cambodia to grant to a private company the collection of entry fees to Angkor Park for a five-year period, and the allocation in 1999 of US$ 800,000 by this company to the Authority for the Protection of the Site and Development of the Region of Angkor (ASPARA) for conservation ...
Sites: Angkor
X.28 The Committee noted the decisions of the twenty-third extraordinary session of the Bureau as reflected in the Report of the Bureau session (Working Document WHC-99/CONF.209/6) included as Annex VIII to this report. Additional observations made during the Committee session are reflected below.
Shark Bay, Western Australia (Australia)
Wet Tropics of Queensland (Australia)
Heard and McDonald Islands (Australia)
The Delegate of Australia thanked IUCN for the consultative process started, which could be a model for other State Parties. He also informed the Committee that the area of ...
Sites: Białowieża Forest Bwindi Impenetrable National Park Canaima National Park Dja Faunal Reserve Galápagos Islands Gough and Inaccessible Islands Ha Long Bay - Cat Ba Archipelago Heard and McDonald Islands Huascarán National Park Kaziranga National Park Komodo National Park Lake Baikal Los Katíos National Park Morne Trois Pitons National Park Mosi-oa-Tunya / Victoria Falls Mount Kenya National Park/Natural Forest Ngorongoro Conservation Area Sagarmatha National Park Serengeti National Park Shark Bay, Western Australia Te Wahipounamu – South West New Zealand Wet Tropics of Queensland
23 COM XIV.1-12
Examination of the World Heritage Fund and Approval of the Budget for 2000 and Presentation of a Provisional Budget for 2001
XIV.1 The Chairperson presented the following documents concerning the agenda item 14:
WHC-99/CONF.209/18, which presents the World Heritage Fund, the income and forecasts, the work plan and the proposed budget. This document also presents the justification of the annual requirements of the advisory bodies as well as the accounts of the World Heritage Fund as at 31 December 1998, the detailed financial statement as at 31 December 1998 and the accounts and income of the World Heritage Fund as at 30 September 1999.
WHC-99/CONF.209/INF.18, which presents the activity reports of ICOMOS, ...
International Assistance for Natural Heritage
The Committee noted that the following three requests for a total amount of US$ 60,000 had been submitted for examination and approval by the Chairperson for Natural Heritage.
1.AFRICA(c).II GABON Training assistance
Workshop on implementation of the World Heritage Convention, preparation of Tentative List & Nomination of natural properties
US$ 20,000 requested US$ 20,000 recommended for approval
1.ASIA(d).II REGIONAL (NEPAL) Training assistance
Support for natural World Heritage site managers from Bangladesh, ...
The Committee took note that the Bureau had approved the following 11 requests for international assistance for cultural heritage for a total of US$ 287,000.
3.AFRICA(a).II GAMBIA Preparatory assistance
Follow-up actions to ICOMOS recommendations for James Island & Albreda Juffure Santo Domingo Historic Zone
US$ 30,000 requested US$ 30,000 approved
The Bureau approved US$ 30,000 for this activity, which is in line with the implementation of the Global Strategy and aims at the preparation of a nomination file in accordance with ICOMOS recommendations, subject to the State Party ...
Sites: Complex of Koguryo Tombs Forts and Castles, Volta, Greater Accra, Central and Western Regions Historic Centre of Riga Kondoa Rock-Art Sites Kunta Kinteh Island and Related Sites Old Havana and its Fortification System
The Bureau was informed that a four-person team representing IUCN, the Ramsar Convention and other international and regional organisations, visited the site from 28 February to 4 March 2000. The team reviewed the monitoring programmes currently in place and considered additional parameters and indicators that need to be included in an expanded programme to monitor the effectiveness of the rehabilitation measures currently being implemented by the State Party. The report of the mission team has been submitted to the State Party for comments.
The mission concluded that Ichkeul National ...
Sites: Ichkeul National Park
The Bureau invited the State Party to inform the Centre on the proposed road construction project, including any environmental impact studies that may be underway, before 15 September 2000.
Sites: Golden Mountains of Altai
The Centre informed the Bureau that no information had been received from the State Party despite a number of letters written concerning the site. The Director of the UNESCO Office in Moscow attended the last session of the Baikal Commission and had noted that progress is very slow.
IUCN fully supported the Baikal Law but highlighted concerns about the adequacy of its implementation, particularly in relation to discharge of waste into the Lake from the Baikalsk Pulp and Paper Mill. IUCN considered that there is a need to look for innovative mechanisms for dealing with this matter which ...
Sites: Lake Baikal
The Secretariat reported that the conservation and development plan of the Town of Luang Prabang developed under the Luang Prabang-Chinon Decentralized Cooperation Programme was presented to the National Interministerial Commission on Cultural, Historical and Natural Heritage in January 2000 and was approved in principle. However the plan has not yet been officially adopted, hence does not have legal enforcement power. The Secretariat also recalled that despite the repeated requests by the Bureau and the Committee for revision and subsequent enactment by the National Assembly of Laos of ...
Sites: Town of Luang Prabang
The Bureau took note of the information provided in the working document on the state of conservation of the following properties:
NATURAL HERITAGE
Comoe National Park (Côte d’Ivoire)
Caves of the Aggtelek and Slovak Karst (Hungary/Slovakia)
The Delegate of Morocco pointed out that the protection of surface water is important in karst systems.
Kaziranga National Park (India)
Lorentz National Park (Indonesia)
Kamchatka Volcanoes (Russian Federation)
Sinharaja Forest Reserve (Sri Lanka)
Bwindi Impenetrable Forest (Uganda)
CULTURAL HERITAGE
Rock-hewn Churches, Lalibela ...
Sites: Bwindi Impenetrable National Park Caves of Aggtelek Karst and Slovak Karst Chavin (Archaeological Site) City of Cuzco Comoé National Park Kaziranga National Park Lines and Geoglyphs of Nasca and Palpa Lorentz National Park Rock-Hewn Churches, Lalibela Sinharaja Forest Reserve Vilnius Historic Centre Volcanoes of Kamchatka
VIII.23 Whale Sanctuary of El Vizcaino (Mexico)
The Secretariat informed the Committee that, following the President of Mexico's statement of 2 March 2000, the proposed salt works at the World Heritage site of El Vizcaino would not proceed. The Committee noted that letters from the Chairperson of the Committee and the Director-General of UNESCO welcomed this decision and congratulated the President of Mexico for the actions taken to implement the World Heritage Convention. The UN Foundation had approved a US$ 2.5 million project entitled "Linking Conservation of Biodiversity and ...
VIII.26 Golden Mountains of Altai (Russian Federation)
The Observer of Russia informed the Committee that the proposed road and gas pipeline through the Ukok Plateau is supported at the highest political level. The project will be reviewed at a meeting on 15 and 16 December 2000 in the Altai Republic.
Sites: Golden Mountains of Altai
VIII.27 Volcanoes of Kamchatka (Russian Federation)
The Observer of Russia informed the Committee that the information provided in the Bureau report seemed to relate to the Kamchatka region and not the World Heritage site. He stated that in-depth information would be provided by September 2001.
Sites: Volcanoes of Kamchatka
State of conservation reports of natural properties noted by the Committee
Belovezhskaya Pushcha/Bialowieza Forest (Belarus/Poland)
Pirin National Park (Bulgaria)
Dja Faunal Reserve (Cameroon)
Gros Morne National Park (Canada)
Canadian Rocky Mountains Parks (Canada)
Comoe National Park (Côte d'Ivoire)
Galapagos Islands (Ecuador)
Komodo National Park (Indonesia)
Lorenz National Park (Indonesia)
Mount Kenya National Park/Natural Forest (Kenya)
Te Wahipounamu - South West New Zealand (New Zealand)
Arabian Oryx Sanctuary (Oman)
Huascarán National Park ...
Sites: Białowieża Forest Bwindi Impenetrable National Park Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks Comoé National Park Danube Delta Dja Faunal Reserve Doñana National Park Galápagos Islands Gough and Inaccessible Islands Gros Morne National Park Ha Long Bay - Cat Ba Archipelago Huascarán National Park Komodo National Park Lake Baikal Lorentz National Park Mosi-oa-Tunya / Victoria Falls Mount Kenya National Park/Natural Forest Ngorongoro Conservation Area Niokolo-Koba National Park Pirin National Park Sinharaja Forest Reserve Te Wahipounamu – South West New Zealand
24 COM IX.1-11
Progress Report on Regional Actions for the Implementation of the Global Strategy Action Plan
IX.1 The Secretariat introduced document WHC-2000/CONF.204/11 describing the progress report on the implementation of regional actions as described in the Global Strategy Action Plan adopted by the Committee at its twenty-second session (Kyoto, 1998). The Committee reviewed progress achieved in the year 2000, noting the regional Action Plans for 2001-2002 and approved specific activities to be executed during 2001.
IX.2 The Delegate of Benin noted the importance of implementing the Global Strategy and linking it to issues related to improving the representivity of the List. The Centre's ...
X.6 The Secretariat informed the Committee that the following sites have been withdrawn: National Park of Abruzzo (Italy) and Lena River Delta (Russian Federation).
X.7 The Committee noted that concerning the sites of Fernando de Noronha Marine National Park (Brazil), Ancient Pula with the Amphitheatre (Croatia) and The Cape Floristic Region - Phase 1: Cape Peninsula Protected Natural Environment (South Africa), the respective States Parties have requested ...
Property: The Walled City of Baku with the Shirvanshah's Palace and Maiden Tower
Id. N°: 958
State Party: Azerbaijan
Criteria: C (iv)
The Committee decided to inscribe this property on the World Heritage List on the basis of criterion (iv):
Criterion (iv): The Walled City of Baku represents an outstanding and rare example of a historic urban ensemble and architecture with influence from Zoroastrian, Sassanian, Arabic, Persian, Shirvani, Ottoman, and Russian cultures.
In response to several Delegates, expressing concern about the authenticity and coherence of the management ...
Property: Curonian Spit
Id. N°: 994
State Party: Lithuania/Russian Federation
Criteria: C (v)
The Committee inscribed the Curonian Spit as a cultural landscape on the World Heritage List on the basis of criterion (v):
Criterion (v) The Curonian Spit is an outstanding example of a landscape of sand dunes that is under constant threat from natural forces (wind and tide). After disastrous human interventions that menaced its survival the Spit was reclaimed by massive protection and stabilization works begun in the 19th century and still continuing to the present day.
Concerning ...
Sites: Curonian Spit
Property: The Frankincense Trail
Id. N°: 1010
State Party: Oman
Criteria: C (iii) (iv)
The Committee decided to inscribe this property on the World Heritage List on the basis of criteria (iii) and (iv).
Criterion (iii): The group of archaeological sites in Oman represent the production and distribution of frankincense, one of the most important luxury items of trade in the Old World in antiquity.
Criterion (iv): The Oasis of Shisr and the entrepots of Khor Rori and Al-Balid are outstanding examples of medieval fortified settlements in the Persian Gulf region.
At the initiative ...
Sites: Land of Frankincense
Property: The Historic and Architectural Complex of the Kazan Kremlin
Id. N°: 980
State Party: Russian Federation
Criteria: C (ii) (iii) (iv)
The Committee decided to inscribe this property on the World Heritage List on the basis of criteria (ii), (iii) and (iv):
Criterion (ii): The Kazan Kremlin complex represents exceptional testimony of historical continuity and cultural diversity over a long period of time, resulting in an important interchange of values generated by the different cultures.
Criterion (iii): The historic citadel represents an exceptional testimony of the ...
Property: The Ensemble of Ferrapontov Monastery
Id. N°: 982
State Party: Russian Federation
Criteria: C (i) (iv)
The Committee decided to inscribe this property on the World Heritage List on the basis of criteria (i) and (iv):
Criterion (i): The wall paintings of Dionisy in the Cathedral of the Nativity of the Virgin at Ferrapontov Monastery are the highest expression of Russian mural art in the 15th-16th centuries.
Criterion (iv): The complex of Ferrapontov Monastery is the purest and most complete example of an Orthodox monastic community from the 15th-17th centuries, a ...
Property: The Bolgar Historical and Architectural Complex
Id. N°: 981
State Party: Russian Federation
Criteria: C (iii)
The Committee decided that this nomination be deferred to allow the State Party to provide more detailed information about the reconstruction of the Great Minaret, confirmation that the industrial project has been definitively abandoned, and a more detailed comparative analysis, as requested by the twenty-fourth session of the Bureau.
XIV.2 Requests for International Assistance
The Bureau met during the twenty-fourth session of the Committee after the budget for Technical Assistance for year 2001 under Chapter III was approved, to take decisions or recommend decisions to the Committee concerning international assistance requests. The attention of the Committee and Bureau was drawn to document WHC-2000/CONF.204/17 and 6 requests for decision by the Committee and 14 requests for decision by the Bureau were examined and took the following decisions. All decisions taken by the Bureau and Committee concerning these ...
XIV.2 Requests for International Assistance
The Bureau met during the twenty-fourth session of the Committee after the budget for Technical Assistance for year 2001 under Chapter III was approved, to take decisions or recommend decisions to the Committee concerning international assistance requests. The attention of the Committee and Bureau was drawn to document WHC-2000/CONF.204/17 and 6 requests for decision by the Committee and 14 requests for decision by the Bureau were examined and took the following decisions. All decisions taken by the Bureau and Committee concerning these ...
V.51 The Bureau was informed that the total rainfall during the years 1999 and 2000 has been below average and insufficient to trigger the closing of the sluice gates at Oued Tinja, resulting in sea water flowing into the Lake. No release of water from other sources has been made in an effective manner during the years 2000 and 2001. Salinity of the Lake water has increased during this period, the composition of water birds has become dominated by salt tolerant species such as shelducks and shovelers.
V.52 At its ...
Sites: Ichkeul National Park
V.106 The Bureau recalled that at the twenty-fourth session of the World Heritage Bureau, the State Party was requested to submit a report on the grounding of a vessel in the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area on 9 November 2000. The State Party transmitted a report to the Centre via letter of 19 April 2001, which was sent to IUCN for review and comments.
V.107 The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA) noted that the vessel caused severe but localised damage to the Sudbury Reef. The ship ploughed a path through the reef, ...
Sites: Great Barrier Reef
V.158 The Bureau was informed that IUCN received a recent report, which again highlights the threats to the site, including lack of management, hunting and gold mining. Bystrinsky Nature Park, one of the five components of this site, continues to be the area most significantly threatened. The Park has no staff. Forest fires are reported to consume significant parts of the Park each year. The Park has been divided into 24 hunting leases, half of which are owned by large businesses outside of the region, and permitted by local authorities and not by the ...
Sites: Volcanoes of Kamchatka
V.163 The Bureau noted that no new information on the road proposal was received from the State Party. The Director of the UNESCO Office, Moscow, attended the meeting “The socio-economic development of the Altai Republic and the perspectives of the development of the transport system in the South of Siberia”, which was held on 15 to 16 December 2000 in Gorno Altaisk. He noted that awareness building must be raised among the decision-makers in the Altai Government with regard to the obligations under the World Heritage Convention. He furthermore pointed ...
Sites: Golden Mountains of Altai
V.279 The Bureau requested the Russian authorities to submit a report on the state of conservation of the site by 15 September 2001 to assess, at its twenty-fifth extraordinary session, the ways in which the Bureau may be able to collaborate with the Russian authorities to ensure proper conservation of the site.
Sites: Kizhi Pogost
V.281 The Bureau took note of information that the Secretariat had provided in the working document on the state of conservation of the following properties:
Noel Kempff Mercado National Park (Bolivia)
Morne Trois Pitons National Park (Dominica)
Huascaran National Park (Peru)
Lake Baikal (Russian Federation)
Hatra (Iraq)
Hiroshima Peace Memorial (Genbaku Dome) (Japan)
Joya de Ceren Archaeological Site (El Salvador)
Cultural Landscape of Sintra (Portugal)
VIII.89 The Committee noted that the State Party had invited a UNESCO-IUCN mission to this site following the recommendation of the twenty-fourth session of the Committee. The mission took place from 25 August to 3 September 2001. IUCN and the Director of the UNESCOMoscow Office, representing the World Heritage Centre, conducted the mission. The Committee was informed that the full report of this mission was presented to the twentyfifth extraordinary session of the Bureau and that it noted in particular the series of recurrent problems and new potential threats that, according to IUCN, ...
Sites: Lake Baikal
Reports on the state of conservation of natural properties inscribed on the World Heritage List noted by the Committee
Great Barrier Reef (Australia)
Fraser Island (Australia)
The Sundarbans (Bangladesh)
Belovezhskaya Pushcha/Bialowieza Forest (Belarus/Poland)
Gros Morne National Park (Canada)
Nahanni National Park (Canada)
Los Katios National Park (Colombia)
Caves of the Aggtelek Karst and Slovak Karst (Hungary/Slovakia)
The Committee noted that the issues raised concern only the Slovak part of this transboundary site.
Sundarbans National Park (India)
The Delegate of ...
Sites: Banc d'Arguin National Park Białowieża Forest Canaima National Park Caves of Aggtelek Karst and Slovak Karst Chitwan National Park Doñana National Park Giant's Causeway and Causeway Coast Golden Mountains of Altai Great Barrier Reef Great Smoky Mountains National Park Gros Morne National Park Gunung Mulu National Park Ha Long Bay - Cat Ba Archipelago Isole Eolie (Aeolian Islands) K’gari (Fraser Island) Kaziranga National Park Komodo National Park Lorentz National Park Los Katíos National Park Nahanni National Park Serengeti National Park Sian Ka'an Sinharaja Forest Reserve St Kilda Sundarbans National Park The Sundarbans
Australia Bangladesh Belarus Canada Colombia Hungary India Indonesia Italy Malaysia Mauritania Mexico Nepal Poland Russian Federation Slovakia Spain Sri Lanka United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland United Republic of Tanzania United States of America Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of) Viet Nam
VIII.86 The Committee welcomed the recommendations of IUCN, and called upon the State Party to take urgent action to halt illegal poaching in the Reserve, and requested a full report from the State Party on this situation by 1 February 2002. This report shall be submitted for consideration by the twenty-sixth session of the World Heritage Committee (June 2002), at which time it will decide on the need for a mission to the site. Furthermore, the Committee commended the chief executives of major European logging firms active in Central Africa, representatives from various conservation NGOs ...
Sites: Dja Faunal Reserve
VIII.95 The Committee noted with concern threats to the Bystrinsky Nature Park and noted conflicting reports relating to the gold mine operation and its relationship to the World Heritage boundary. The Committee requested the Centre to work in consultation with the State Party to prepare a mission to the site to review the state of conservation and to ascertain whether a case exists for inscribing this site on the List of World Heritage in Danger.
Sites: Volcanoes of Kamchatka
25 COM IX.4-19
IX. Progress Report on Regional Actions for the Implementation of the Global Strategy for a Representative and Balanced World Heritage List
IX.4 Several Committee members stressed the importance of the Resolution of the General Assembly concerning the Representivity of the World Heritage List and that the substantive work on the analysis of the current World Heritage List and the tentative lists must be given top priority. New thematic studies and meetings should be carried out only upon the completion of this global analysis, and on the basis of the priorities identified for each region. A number of delegates stated that since 1994, many regional and thematic meetings have been convened, and the results of these meetings ...
25 COM X.5-6
Examination of nominations of cultural, natural, and mixed properties to the World Heritage List
X.5 The Committee noted that the following two natural properties will be examined in 2002:
Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park (Viet Nam)
Natural System of "Wrangel Island" Sanctuary (Russian Federation)
X.6 The Committee was informed that the Guyanese authorities have withdrawn the nomination of Kaieteur National Park and that the Italian authorities requested that the proposed extension of Crespi d'Adda not be examined by the twenty-fifth session of the World Heritage Committee. ...
Property: Lamu Old Town
Id. N°: 1055
State Party: Kenya
Criteria: C (ii) (iv) (vi)
The Committee inscribed Lamu Old Town on the World Heritage List under criteria (ii), (iv), and (vi):
Criterion (ii): The architecture and urban structure of Lamu graphically demonstrate the cultural influences that have come together there over several hundred years from Europe, Arabia, and India, utilizing traditional Swahili techniques to produce a distinct culture.
Criterion (iv): The growth and decline of the seaports on the East African coast and interaction between the Bantu, Arabs, ...
Sites: Lamu Old Town
Property: Samarkand - Crossroads of Cultures
Id. N°: 603 Rev
State Party: Uzbekistan
Criteria: C (i) (ii) (iv)
The Committee inscribed the Samarkand - Crossroads of Cultures on the World Heritage List under criteria (i), (ii), and (iv).
Criterion (i): The architecture and townscape of Samarkand, situated at the crossroads of ancient cultures, are masterpieces of Islamic cultural creativity.
Criterion (ii): Ensembles in Samarkand such as the Bibi Khanum Mosque and Registan Square played a seminal role in the development of Islamic architecture over the entire region, from the ...
Property: Central Sikhote-Alin
Id. N°: 766 Rev
State Party: Russian Federation
Criteria: N (iv)
The Committee inscribed Central Sikhote-Alin on the World Heritage List under criterion (iv):
Criterion (iv): The nominated area is representative of one of the world's most distinctive natural regions. The combination of glacial history, climate and relief has allowed the development of the richest and most unusual temperate forests in the world. Compared to other temperate ecosystems, the level of endemic plants and invertebrates present in the region is extraordinarily high which ...
Sites: Central Sikhote-Alin
25 COM X.B
Volcanoes of Kamchatka [Extension to include Kluchevskoy Nature Park] (Russian Federation)
Property: Volcanoes of Kamchatka [Extension to include Kluchevskoy Nature Park ]
Id. N°: 765 Bis
State Party: Russian Federation
Criteria: N (i) (ii) (iii) (iv)
The Committee approved the extension of the Volcanoes of Kamchatka by the inclusion of the Kluchevskoy Nature Park as the sixth component. In addition to the 1996 inscription under criteria (i), (ii), and (iii), the Committee decided to inscribe the site also under criterion (iv).
Criterion (iv): The site contains an especially diverse range of palearctic flora, including a number of nationally threatened species and at ...
Sites: Volcanoes of Kamchatka
Property: The Bolgar Historical and Architectural Complex
Id. N°: 981
State Party: Russian Federation
The Committee discussed extensively the authenticity and materials used for reconstruction at the site. Several delegates questioned whether the type of early documentary evidence supplied from the 19th century would be sufficient to guarantee authenticity for the reconstruction of the Great Minaret.
A number of interventions focused on the importance of the site as historical evidence for a nomadic empire. The Committee encouraged the State Party to submit a revised nomination ...
Property: Polissian Swamps and Slovechno-Ovruch Ridge
Id. N°: 1048
State Party: Ukraine
The Committee did not inscribe the property on the World Heritage List.
XVIII.2.1 NATURAL Bahrain
Preparation of the nomination file of Hawar Islands: The Bureau approved US$30,000 for this activity, subject to the receipt of a detailed budget breakdown to be approved by the Chairperson. Furthermore, the Bureau requested the State Party to include within the activity a comparative study of the site with other coastal island protected areas in the Persian Gulf, Red Sea, and Arabian Sea. IUCN suggested that the professionals implementing this activity be encouraged to participate at the February 2002 expert workshop being organized in Vietnam within the ...
XII.23 Following the report of the joint UNESCO/IUCN Monitoring Mission to the site in 2001, presented to the 25th extraordinary session of the Bureau, and at the request of the 25th session of the Committee, the Permanent Delegation of the Russian Federation transmitted a report on the situation of Lake Baikal dated 1 February 2002.
XII.24 IUCN noted that progress has been achieved in the implementation of a number of measures towards the conservation of Lake Baikal. This was acknowledged in the UNESCO/IUCN report presented to the World Heritage ...
Sites: Lake Baikal
XII.30 Following the request by the 25th session of the Committee, the Permanent Delegation of Russia transmitted a report on the situation of the Volcanoes of Kamchatka, dated 1 February 2002. IUCN noted that the report from the State Party is consistent with IUCN information related to gold mining and the fact that no gas pipeline crosses the territory of the World Heritage site.
XII.31 The State Party reported that salmon poaching in the Kamchatka Peninsula is increasing. However, such activity is being held in check in the protected ...
Sites: Volcanoes of Kamchatka
XII.91 The Bureau examined the report on the state of conservation of this property presented in working document WHC-02/CONF.201/11 Rev.
The Bureau expressed great concern over:
(a) the rapid increase in illegal demolition of historic buildings, including those listed on the inventory of traditional wooden buildings;
(b) the illegal construction of buildings including those of public administrations, in the World Heritage protected area of Luang Prabang, which demonstrates non-respect for the building permit system;
(c) visual impairment and possible ...
Sites: Town of Luang Prabang
XII.103 The report provided by the Russian Federation on the status of the proposed oil extraction operation by a Russian enterprise in the Baltic Sea stated that the project documentation relating to the development and exploitation of the oil-field had not yet been received by the Russian Federation Natural Resource Ministry. Furthermore, the report stated that at present no oil was being produced and the oil-field did not have a negative impact on the heritage values of the site. The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) had not been carried out. It further stated that the buffer zone ...
Sites: Curonian Spit
The World Heritage Committee, 1. Welcomes the efforts of the State Party to regulate tourism development at Sian Ka'an, and invites it to monitor closely the development on private property;2. Notes that the State Party has submitted copies of the maps prepared for the Coastal Development Plan showing how it relates to the World Heritage site boundaries;3. Requests the State Party to report by 1 February 2003, on the impact on the site of the removal of the moratorium on construction for examination at its 27th session in June/July 2003;4. Invites the State Party to inform on the ...
Sites: Sian Ka'an
The World Heritage Committee, 1. Notes that there remain serious concerns relating to the state of conservation of this site, particularly with regard to pollution impacts, including from the Baikalsk Pulp and Paper Mill, the lack of progress with the Federal Law on the "Protection of Lake Baikal", the establishment of the Baikal Commission, and uncertainties about gas exploration and exploitation in the Selenga Delta;2. Requests the State Party to provide:a) Precise time-schedules for the implementation of the first stage of the Baikalsk Pulp and Paper Mill (BPPM) Programme in ...
Sites: Lake Baikal
The World Heritage Committee, Notes the state of conservation report and the decision by the Bureau contained in document WHC-02/CONF.202/2, paragraphs XII. 30-33.
Sites: Volcanoes of Kamchatka
The World Heritage Committee, 1. Upon examination of the findings of the UNESCO-ICOMOS reactive monitoring mission, expresses great concern over the ill-designed public works, particularly the road widening in the protected urban wetlands area and the riverbank consolidation along the Mekong financed under the Asian Development Bank loan which undermine the World Heritage value of the site, and the lack of compliance with the conservation plan (PSMV), despite its official adoption by the local and national authorities;2. Endorses the 8-point corrective measures proposed by the mission; 3. ...
Sites: Town of Luang Prabang
The World Heritage Committee, 1. Takes note of the information provided concerning the serious environmental risks of this project;2. Urges the State Party of the Russian Federation to provide by 1 October 2002 a report on the oil exploration project and to carry out the Environmental Impact Assessment in collaboration with Lithuanian experts; 3. Requests the two States Parties to cooperate closely to develop effective environmental protection measures; 4. Encourages furthermore the two States Parties to collaborate in undertaking comprehensive risk assessments and develop emergency ...
Sites: Curonian Spit
The Bureau of the World Heritage Committee approves the following International Assistance requests as amended with the comments of the Bureau:
TRAINING
27 BUR 1.2 CULTURAL (Russian Federation) Organization of an International Training Workshop for cultural heritage Specialists of the CIS and the Baltic States involved in the preparation of the Periodic Reporting
US$ 29,390 for funding in 2003.
The World Heritage Committee,1. In conformity with Rule 8 (Observers) of the Rules of Procedure of the Committee,2. Accepts the presence of the following international governmental organizations (IGOs), international non-governmental organizations (INGOs), non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and individuals, who have requested Observer participation at the session:Mr Julian Laird, Earthwatch Institute, Europe; Ms Maria Isabel Correa Kanan, IPHAN, Brazil; Ms Jessica Douglas-Home and Mr Georges Zouain, The Mihai Emisecu Trust, U.K.;Mr Haruhisa Furuta and Mrs Mami Furuta, The Setouchi ...
The World Heritage Committee [5],1. Expresses its serious concerns over the failure to carry out the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and the lack of consultations with the World Heritage Centre or IUCN in the design and implementation of the Kasra Bridge Project and the link road from Durbhagat to Bankatta, despite the protests of the national authority responsible for the property, namely the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation;2. Requests that the Director of the World Heritage Centre write to the highest officials of the concerned bi- and multilateral funding ...
Sites: Chitwan National Park
The World Heritage Committee,1. Recalls the recommendation of the report of the monitoring mission in 2001 to include the property on the List of World Heritage in Danger,2. Regrets that the Russian authorities did not provide the report requested by 1 February 2003 (26 COM 21 (b) 19) until 20 May 2003;3. Further regrets that the high-level meeting called for by the Committee (26 COM 21(b) 19) did not take place, and reiterates its request to the State Party to convene this meeting in consultation with the World Heritage Centre and IUCN and calls on it to do so as soon as possible;4. ...
Sites: Lake Baikal
The World Heritage Committee, 1. Welcomes the State Party's co-operation with United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)/Global Environment Facility (GEF) in an effort to conserve and protect the Volcanoes of Kamchatka World Heritage property; 2. Commends the State Party for beginning to implement Phase I of the project;3. Regrets that the Russian authorities did not provide the report requested by 1 February 2003 (26 COM 21 (b) 20) until 20 May 2003;4. Welcomes the invitation by the State Party for an IUCN and UNESCO mission to visit the property in spring 2004, to provide a report in ...
Sites: Volcanoes of Kamchatka
The World Heritage Committee [16],1. Noting that the State Party has removed the moratorium on construction within the property, and that this action is in accordance with the newly adopted management plan for the property, strictly limiting the total number of hotel rooms to be built in the reserve, 2. Invites the State Party to ensure strict adherence to the management plan and to carry out systematic environmental monitoring to detect and, if necessary, remedy any possible negative effects on the ecosystem of the property from the development;3. Requests the State Party to provide a ...
Sites: Sian Ka'an
The World Heritage Committee [32],1. Recalling Decision 26 COM 21 (b) 54 expressing concern over the growing incidents of violation of the conservation plan of Luang Prabang (PSMV), including public works being carried out by the Urban Development Administrative Authority (UDAA) under the Asian Development Bank for Secondary Cities, undermining the World Heritage value of the Town of Luang Prabang,;2. Reiterating the fragility of these values based on the relationship between the natural and built environment, the traditional urban morphology and the fusion of traditional Lao and French ...
Sites: Town of Luang Prabang
The World Heritage Committee,1. Recalling the decision taken at its 26th session in 2002 (26 COM 21 (b) 57) concerning the Curonian Spit,;2. Further recalling Article 6.3 of the World Heritage Convention, which states that "each State Party to this Convention undertakes not to take any deliberate measures which might damage directly or indirectly the cultural and natural heritage... situated on the territory of other States Parties of this Convention",;3. Urges both State Parties to work co-operatively on the project's Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), preparation of risk ...
Sites: Curonian Spit
The World Heritage Committee [43],1. Recalling its decisions taken at the 25th extraordinary session of the Bureau in 2001 (Helsinki),;2. Expresses its appreciation to the authorities of the State Party for their commitment to the preservation of the property;3. Takes note of the report and recommendations provided by the International Workshop with regard to the future conservation of this property under threat; 4. Encourages the State Party, the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies to continue to collaborate and to closely follow the future development of the conservation ...
Sites: Kizhi Pogost
The World Heritage Committee,
1. Takes note that the following States Parties had requested that their nominations not be examined at the 27th session of the Committee in 2003:
Extension to the Historic District of Québec (Canada)
Natural System of "Wrangel Island" Sanctuary (Russian Federation)
Franja Partisan Hospital (Slovenia)
Historic City of Mardin (Turkey)
Extension to Gough Island Wildlife Reserve (United Kingdom).
The World Heritage Committee,1. Inscribes the Three Parallel Rivers of Yunnan Protected Areas, China on the World Heritage List on the basis of natural criteria (i), (ii), (iii) and (iv):Criterion (i): The property is of outstanding value for displaying the geological history of the last 50 million years associated with the collision of the Indian Plate with the Eurasian Plate, the closure of the ancient Tethys Sea, and the uplifting of the Himalaya Range and the Tibetan Plateau. These were major geological events in the evolution of the land surface of Asia and they are on-going. The ...