WHC/2/Revised 27 March 1992 UNITED NATIONS EDUCATIONAL, SCIENTIFIC AND CULTURAL ORGANIZATION INTERGOVERNMENTAL COMMITTEE FOR THE PROTECTION OF THE WORLD CULTURAL AND NATURAL HERITAGE Operational Guidelines for the Implementation of the World Heritage Convention TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION I. ESTABLISHMENT OF THE WORLD HERITAGE LIST A. General Principles B. Indications to States Parties concerning nominations to the List C. Criteria for the inclusion of cultural properties in the World Heritage List D. Criteria for the inclusion of natural properties in the World Heritage List E. Procedure for the eventual deletion of properties from the World Heritage List F. Guidelines for the evaluation and examination of nominations G. Format and content of nominations H. Procedure and timetable for the processing of nominations II. ESTABLISHMENT OF THE LIST OF WORLD HERITAGE IN DANGER A. Guidelines for the inclusion of properties in the List of World Heritage in Danger B. Criteria for the inclusion of properties in the List of World Heritage in Danger C. Procedure for the inclusion of properties in the List of World Heritage in Danger III. INTERNATIONAL ASSISTANCE A. Different forms of assistance available under the World Heritage Fund (i) Preparatory assistance (ii) Emergency assistance (iii) Training (iv) Technical co-operation (v) Assistance for promotional activities B. Order of priorities for the granting of international assistance C. Agreement to be concluded with States receiving international assistance D. Implementation of projects E. Conditions for the granting of international assistance IV. WORLD HERITAGE FUND V. BALANCE BETWEEN THE CULTURAL AND THE NATURAL HERITAGE IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CONVENTION VI. OTHER MATTERS A. Use of the World Heritage Emblem and the name, symbol or depiction of World Heritage sites B. Production of plaques to commemorate the inclusion of properties in the World Heritage List C. Rules of Procedure of the Committee D. Meetings of the World Heritage Committee E. Meetings of the Bureau of the World Heritage Committee F. Participation of experts from least developed countries (LDCs) G. Publication of the World Heritage List H. Action at the national level to promote a greater awareness of the activities undertaken under the Convention [Footnotes, designated here within square brackets, have been relocated as endnotes to the end of the document.] ----------------------------------- INTRODUCTION 1. The cultural heritage and the natural heritage are among the priceless and irreplaceable possessions, not only of each nation, but of mankind as a whole. The loss, through deterioration or disappearance, of any of these most prized possessions constitutes an impoverishment of the heritage of all the peoples in the world. Parts of that heritage because of their exceptional qualities, can be considered to be of outstanding universal value and as such worthy of special protection against the dangers which increasingly threaten them. 2. In an attempt to remedy this perilous situation and to ensure, as far as possible, the proper identification, protection, conservation and presentation of the world's irreplaceable heritage, the Member States of UNESCO adopted in 1972 the Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, hereinafter referred to as "the Convention". The Convention complements heritage conservation programmes at the national level and provides for the establishment of a "World Heritage Committee" and a "World Heritage Fund". Both the Committee and the Fund have been in operation since 1976. 3. The World Heritage Committee, hereinafter referred to as "the Committee", has three essential functions: (i) to identify, on the basis of nominations submitted by States Parties, cultural and natural properties of outstanding universal value which are to be protected under the Convention and to list those properties on the "World Heritage List"; (ii) to decide which properties included in the World Heritage List are to be inscribed on the "List of World Heritage in Danger" (only properties which require for their conservation major operations and for which assistance has been requested under the Convention can be considered); (iii) to determine in what way and under what conditions the resources in the World Heritage Fund can most advantageously be used to assist States Parties, as far as possible, in the Protection of their properties of outstanding universal value. 4. The operational Guidelines which are set out below have been prepared for the purpose of informing States Parties to the Convention of the principles which guide the work of the Committee in establishing the World Heritage List and the List of World Heritage in Danger and in granting international assistance under the World Heritage Fund. These Guidelines also provide details on other questions, mainly of a procedural nature, which relate to the implementation of the Convention. 5. The Committee is fully aware that its decisions must be based on considerations which are as objective and scientific as possible, and that any appraisal made on its behalf must be thoroughly and responsibly carried out. It recognizes that objective and well considered decisions depend upon: - carefully prepared criteria, - thorough procedures, - evaluation by qualified experts and the use of expert referees. The operational Guidelines have been prepared with these objectives in mind. I. ESTABLISHMENT OF THE WORLD HERITAGE LIST A. General Principles 6. The Committee agreed that the following general principles would guide its work in establishing the World Heritage List: (i) The Convention provides for the protection of those cultural and natural properties [1] deemed to be of outstanding universal value. It is not intended to provide for the protection of all properties of great interest, importance or value, but only for a select list of the most outstanding of these from an international viewpoint. The outstanding universal value of cultural and natural properties is defined by Articles 1 and 2 of the Convention. These definitions are interpreted by the Committee by using two sets of criteria: one set for cultural property and another set for natural property. The criteria and the conditions of authenticity or integrity adopted by the Committee for this purpose are set out in paragraphs 24 and 36 below. (ii) The criteria for the inclusion of properties in the World Heritage List have been elaborated to enable the Committee to act with full independence in evaluating the intrinsic merit of property, without regard to any other consideration (including the need for technical co-operation support). (iii) Efforts will be made to maintain a reasonable balance between the numbers of cultural heritage and the natural heritage properties entered on the List. (iv) Cultural and natural properties are included in the World Heritage List according to a gradual process and no formal limit is imposed either on the total number of properties included in the List or on the number of properties any individual State can submit at successive stages for inclusion therein. In view of the difficulty in handling the large numbers of cultural nominations now being received, however, the Committee invites States Parties to consider whether their cultural heritage is already well represented on the List and if so to slow down voluntarily their rate of submission of further nominations. This would help in making it possible for the List to become more universally representative. By the same token, the Committee calls on States Parties whose cultural heritage is not yet adequately represented on the List and who might need assistance in preparing nominations of cultural properties to seek such assistance from the Committee. (v) When a property has deteriorated to the extent that it has lost those characteristics which determined its inclusion in the World Heritage List, the procedure concerning the possible deletion from the List will be applied. This procedure is set out in paragraphs 37 to 45 below. B. Indications to States Parties concerning nominations to the List 7. The Committee requests each State Party to submit to it a tentative list of properties which it intends to nominate for inscription to the World Heritage List during the following five to ten years. This tentative list will constitute the "inventory" (provided for in Article 11 of the Convention) of the cultural and natural properties situated within the territory of each State Party and which it considers suitable for inclusion in the World Heritage List. The purpose of these tentative lists is to enable the Committee to evaluate within the widest possible context the "outstanding universal value" of each property nominated to the List. The Committee hopes that States Parties that have not yet submitted a tentative list will do so as early as possible. States Parties are reminded of the Committee's earlier decision not to consider cultural nominations unless such a list of cultural properties has been submitted. 8. In order to facilitate the work of all concerned, the Committee requests States Parties to submit their tentative lists in a standard format (see Annex 1) which provides for information under the following headings: - the name of the property; - the geographical location of the property; - a brief description of the property; - a justification of the "outstanding universal value" of the property in accordance with the criteria and conditions of authenticity or integrity set out in paragraphs 24 and 36 below, taking account of similar properties both inside and outside the boundaries of the State concerned. Natural properties should be grouped according to biogeographical provinces and cultural properties should be grouped according to cultural periods or areas. The order in which the properties listed would be presented for inscription should also be indicated, if possible. 9. The fundamental principle stipulated in the Convention is that properties nominated must be of outstanding universal value and the properties nominated therefore should be carefully selected. The criteria and conditions of authenticity or integrity against which the Committee will evaluate properties are set out in paragraphs 24 and 36 below. Within a given geo-cultural region, it may be desirable for States Parties to make comparative assessments for the harmonization of tentative lists and nominations of cultural properties. Support for the organization of meetings for this purpose may be requested under the World Heritage Fund. 10. Each nomination should be presented in the form of a well-argued case. It should be submitted on the appropriate form (see paragraph 54 below) and should provide all the information to demonstrate that the property nominated is truly of "outstanding universal value". Each nomination should be supported by all the necessary documentation, including suitable slides and maps and other material. With regard to cultural properties, States Parties are invited to attach to the nomination forms a brief analysis of references in world literature (e.g. reference works such as general or specialized encyclopaedias, histories of art or architecture, records of voyages and explorations, scientific reports, guidebooks, etc.) along with a comprehensive bibliography. With regard to newly-discovered properties, evidence of the attention which the discovery has received internationally would be equally helpful. 11. Under the "Juridical data" section of the nomination form States Parties should provide, in addition to the legal texts protecting the property being nominated, an explanation of the way in which these laws actually operate. Such an analysis is preferable to a mere enumeration or compilation of the legal texts themselves. 12. When nominating properties belonging to certain well-represented categories of cultural property the nominating State Party should provide a comparative evaluation of the property in relation to other properties of a similar type, as already required in paragraph 7 with regard to the tentative lists. 13. In certain cases it may be necessary for States Parties to consult the Secretariat and the specialized NGO concerned informally before submitting nomination forms. The Committee reminds States Parties that assistance for the purpose of preparing comprehensive and sound nominations is available to them at their request under the World Heritage Fund. 14. In all cases, so as to maintain the objectivity of the evaluation process and to avoid possible embarrassment to those concerned, States Parties should refrain from giving undue publicity to the fact that a property has been nominated for inscription pending the final decision of the Committee on the nomination in question. 15. In nominating properties to the List, States Parties are invited to keep in mind the desirability of achieving a reasonable balance between the numbers of cultural heritage and natural heritage properties included in the World Heritage List. 16. In cases where a cultural and/or natural property which fulfils the criteria adopted by the Committee extends beyond national borders the States Parties concerned are encouraged to submit a joint nomination. 17. Whenever necessary for the proper conservation of a cultural or natural property nominated, an adequate "buffer zone" around a property should be provided and should be afforded the necessary protection. A buffer zone can be defined as an area surrounding the property which has restrictions placed on its use to give an added layer of protection; the area constituting the buffer zone should be determined in each case through technical studies. Details on the size, characteristics and authorized uses of a buffer zone, as well as a map indicating its precise boundaries, should be provided in the nomination file relating to the property in question. 18. In keeping with the spirit of the Convention, States Parties should as far as possible endeavour to include in their submissions properties which derive their outstanding universal value from a particularly significant combination of cultural and natural features. 19. States Parties may propose in a single nomination a series of cultural or natural properties in different geographical locations, provided that they are related because they belong to: (i) the same historico-cultural group or (ii) the same type of property which is characteristic of the geographical zone (iii) the same geomorphological formation, the same biogeographic province, or the same ecosystem type and provided that it is the series as such, and not its components taken individually, which is of outstanding universal value. 20. When a series of cultural or natural properties, as defined in paragraph 19 above, consists of properties situated in the territory of more than one State Party to the Convention, the States Parties concerned are encouraged to jointly submit a single nomination. 21. States Parties are encouraged to prepare plans for the management of each natural site nominated and for the safeguarding of each cultural property nominated. All information concerning these plans should be made available when technical co-operation is requested. 22. Where the intrinsic qualities of a property nominated are threatened by action of man and yet meet the criteria and the conditions of authenticity or integrity set out in paragraphs 24 and 36, an action plan outlining the corrective measures required should be submitted with the nomination file. Should the corrective measures submitted by the nominating State not be taken within the time proposed by the State, the property will be considered by the Committee for delisting in accordance with the procedure adopted by the Committee. C. Criteria for the inclusion of cultural properties in the World Heritage List 23. The criteria for the inclusion of cultural properties in the World Heritage List should always be seen in relation to one another and should be considered in the context of the definition set out in Article 1 of the Convention which is reproduced below: "monuments: architectural works, works of monumental sculpture and painting, elements or structures of an archaeological nature, inscriptions, cave dwellings and combinations of features, which are of outstanding universal value from the point of view of history, art or science; groups of buildings: groups of separate or connected buildings which, because of their architecture, their homogeneity or their place in the landscape, are of outstanding universal value from the point of view of history, art or science; sites: works of man or the combined works of nature and of man, and areas including archaeological sites which are of outstanding universal value from the historical, aesthetic, ethnological or anthropological points of view." 24. A monument, group of buildings or site - as defined above - which is nominated for inclusion in the World Heritage List will be considered to be of outstanding universal value for the purposes of the Convention when the Committee finds that it meets one or more of the following criteria and the test of authenticity. Each property nominated should therefore: (a) (i) represent a unique artistic achievement, a masterpiece of the creative genius; or (ii) have exerted great influence, over a span of time or within a cultural area of the world, on developments in architecture, monumental arts or townplanning and landscaping; or (iii) bear a unique or at least exceptional testimony to a civilization which has disappeared; or (iv) be an outstanding example of a type of building or architectural ensemble which illustrates a significant stage in history; or (v) be an outstanding example of a traditional human settlement which is representative of a culture and which has become vulnerable under the impact of irreversible change; or (vi) be directly or tangibly associated with events or with ideas or beliefs of outstanding universal significance (the Committee considers that this criterion should justify inclusion in the List only in exceptional circumstances or in conjunction with other criteria); and (b) (i) meet the test of authenticity in design, materials, workmanship or setting (the Committee stressed that reconstruction is only acceptable if it is carried out on the basis of complete and detailed documentation on the original and to no extent on conjecture). (ii) have adequate legal protection and management mechanisms to ensure the conservation of the nominated cultural property. The existence of protective legislation at the national, provincial or municipal level is therefore essential and must be stated clearly on the nomination form. Assurances of the effective implementation of these laws are also expected. Furthermore, in order to preserve the integrity of cultural sites, particularly those open to large numbers of visitors, the State Party concerned should be able to provide evidence of suitable administrative arrangements to cover the management of the property, its conservation and its accessibility to the public. 25. Nominations of immovable property which are likely to become movable will not be considered. 26. With respect to groups of urban buildings, the Committee has furthermore adopted the following Guidelines concerning their inclusion in the World Heritage List. 27. Groups of urban buildings eligible for inclusion in the World Heritage List fall into three main categories, namely: (i) towns which are no longer inhabited but which provide unchanged archaeological evidence of the past; these generally satisfy the criterion of authenticity and their state of conservation can be relatively easily controlled; (ii) historic towns which are still inhabited and which, by their very nature, have developed and will continue to develop under the influence of socio-economic and cultural change, a situation that renders the assessment of their authenticity more difficult and any conservation policy more problematical; (iii) new towns of the twentieth century which paradoxically have something in common with both the aforementioned categories: while their original urban organization is clearly recognizable and their authenticity is undeniable, their future is unclear because their development is largely uncontrollable. 28. The evaluation of towns that are no longer inhabited does not raise any special difficulties other than those related to archaeological sites in general: the criteria which call for uniqueness or exemplary character have led to the choice of groups of buildings noteworthy for their purity of style, for the concentrations of monuments they contain and sometimes for their important historical associations. It is important for urban archaeological sites to be listed as integral units. A cluster of monuments or a small group of buildings is not adequate to suggest the multiple and complex functions of a city which has disappeared; remains of such a city should be preserved in their entirety together with their natural surroundings whenever possible. 29. In the case of inhabited historic towns the difficulties are numerous, largely owing to the fragility of their urban fabric (which has in many cases been seriously disrupted since the advent of the industrial era) and the runaway speed with which their surroundings have been urbanized. To qualify for inclusion, towns should compel recognition because of their architectural interest and should not be considered only on the intellectual grounds of the role they may have played in the past or their value as historical symbols under criterion (vi) for the inclusion of cultural properties in the World Heritage List (see paragraph 24 above). To be eligible for inclusion in the List, the spatial organization, structure, materials, forms and, where possible, functions of a group of buildings should essentially reflect the civilization or succession of civilizations which have prompted the nomination of the property. Four categories can be distinguished: (i) Towns which are typical of a specific period or culture, which have been almost wholly preserved and which have remained largely unaffected by subsequent developments. Here the property to be listed is the entire town together with its surroundings, which must also be protected; (ii) Towns that have evolved along characteristic lines and have preserved, sometimes in the midst of exceptional natural surroundings, spatial arrangements and structures that are typical of the successive stages in their history. Here the clearly defined historic part takes precedence over the contemporary environment; (iii) "Historic centres" that cover exactly the same area as ancient towns and are now enclosed within modern cities. Here it is necessary to determine the precise limits of the property in its widest historical dimensions and to make appropriate provision for its immediate surroundings; (iv) Sectors, areas or isolated units which, even in the residual state in which they have survived, provide coherent evidence of the character of a historic town which has disappeared. In such cases surviving areas and buildings should bear sufficient testimony to the former whole. 30. Historic centres and historic areas should be listed only where they contain a large number of ancient buildings of monumental importance which provide a direct indication of the characteristic features of a town of exceptional interest. Nominations of several isolated and unrelated buildings which allegedly represent, in themselves, a town whose urban fabric has ceased to be discernible, should not be encouraged. 31. However, nominations could be made regarding properties that occupy a limited space but have had a major influence on the history of town planning. In such cases, the nomination should make it clear that it is the monumental group that is to be listed and that the town is mentioned only incidentally as the place where the property is located. Similarly, if a building of clearly universal significance is located in severely degraded or insufficiently representative urban surroundings, it should, of course, be listed without any special reference to the town. 32. It is difficult to assess the quality of new towns of the twentieth century. History alone will tell which of them will best serve as examples of contemporary town planning. The examination of the files on these towns should be deferred, save under exceptional circumstances. 33. Under present conditions, preference should be given to the inclusion in the World Heritage List of small or medium-sized urban areas which are in a position to manage any potential growth, rather than the great metropolises, on which sufficiently complete information and documentation cannot readily be provided that would serve as a satisfactory basis for their inclusion in their entirety. In view of the effects which the entry of a town in the World Heritage List could have on its future, such entries should be exceptional. Inclusion in the List implies that legislative and administrative measures have already been taken to ensure the protection of the group of buildings and its environment. Informed awareness on the part of the population concerned, without whose active participation any conservation scheme would be impractical, is also essential. 34. With respect to rural landscapes, traditional villages and contemporary architecture, the Committee has recommended further study so as to help develop Guidelines for determining which properties in these categories may be considered of "outstanding universal value". D. Criteria for the inclusion of natural properties in the World Heritage List 35. In accordance with Article 2 of the Convention, the following is considered as "natural heritage": "natural features consisting of physical and biological formations or groups of such formations, which are of outstanding universal value from the aesthetic or scientific point of view; geological and physiographical formations and precisely delineated areas which constitute the habitat of threatened species of animals and plants of outstanding universal value from the point of view of science or conservation; natural sites or precisely delineated natural areas of outstanding universal value from the point of view of science, conservation or natural beauty." 36. A natural heritage property - as defined above - which is submitted for inclusion in the World Heritage List will be considered to be of outstanding universal value for the purposes of the Convention when the Committee finds that it meets one or more of the following criteria and fulfils the conditions of integrity set out below. Sites nominated should therefore: (a) (i) be outstanding examples representing the major stages of the earth's evolutionary history; or (ii) be outstanding examples representing significant ongoing geological processes biological evolution and man's interaction with his natural environment; as distinct from the periods of the earth's development, this focuses upon ongoing processes in the development of communities of plants and animals, landforms and marine areas and fresh water bodies; or (iii) contain superlative natural phenomena. formations or features, for instance, outstanding examples of the most important ecosystems, areas of exceptional natural beauty or exceptional combinations of natural and cultural elements; or (iv) contain the most important and significant natural habitats where threatened species of animals or plants of outstanding universal value from the point of view of science or conservation still survive; and (b) also fulfil the following conditions of integrity: (i) The sites described in 36 (a) (i) should contain all or most of the key interrelated and interdependent elements in their natural relationships; for example, an "ice age" area would be expected to include the snow field, the glacier itself and samples of cutting patterns, deposition and colonization (striations, moraines, pioneer stages of plant succession, etc.). (ii) The sites described in 36 (a) (ii) should have sufficient size and contain the necessary elements to demonstrate the key aspects of the process and to be self-perpetuating. For example, an area of tropical rain forest may be expected to include some variation in elevation above sea level, changes in topography and soil types, river banks or oxbow lakes, to demonstrate the diversity and complexity of the system. (iii) The sites described in 36 (a) (iii) should contain those ecosystem components required for the continuity of the species or of the other natural elements or processes to be conserved. This will vary according to individual cases; for example, the protected area of a waterfall would include all, or as much as possible, of the supporting catchment area; or a coral reef area would include the zone necessary to control siltation or pollution through the stream flow or ocean currents which provide its nutrients. (iv) The area containing threatened species as described in 36 (a) (iv) should be of sufficient size and contain necessary habitat requirements for the survival of the species. (v) In the case of migratory species, seasonable sites necessary for their survival, wherever they are located, should be adequately protected. Agreements made in this connection, either through adherence to international conventions or in the form of other multilateral or bilateral arrangements would provide this assurance. (vi) The sites described in paragraph 36 (a) should have adequate long-term legislative, regulatory or institutional protection. They may coincide with or constitute part of existing or proposed protected areas such as national parks. If not already available, a management plan should be prepared and implemented to ensure the integrity of the natural values of the site in accordance with the Convention. E. Procedure for the eventual deletion of properties from the World Heritage List 37. The Committee adopted the following procedure for the deletion of properties from the World Heritage List in cases: (a) where the property has deteriorated to the extent that it has lost those characteristics which determined its inclusion in the World Heritage List; and (b) where the intrinsic qualities of a world heritage site were already threatened at the time of its nomination by action of man and where the necessary corrective measures as outlined by the State Party at the time, have not been taken within the time proposed. 38. When a property inscribed on the World Heritage List has seriously deteriorated, or when the necessary corrective measures have not been taken within the time proposed, the State Party on whose territory the property is situated should so inform the Secretariat of the Committee. 39. When the Secretariat receives such information from a source other than the State Party concerned, it will, as far as possible, verify the source and the contents of the information in consultation with the State Party concerned and request its comments. The Secretariat will inform the Chairman of the Committee of the results of its investigations and the Chairman will decide whether the information is to be acted upon. If the Chairman decides that the information is not to be acted upon, no action will be taken. 40. In all cases except those on which the Chairman decided that no further action should be taken, the Secretariat will request the competent advisory organization(s) (ICOMOS, IUCN or ICCROM) to forward comments on the information received. 41. The information received, together with the comments of the State Party and the advisory organization(s), will be brought to the attention of the Bureau of the Committee. The Bureau may take one of the following steps: (a) it may decide that the property has not seriously deteriorated and that no further action should be taken; (b) when the Bureau considers that the property has seriously deteriorated, but not to the extent that its restoration is impossible, it may recommend to the Committee that the property be maintained on the List, provided that the State Party takes the necessary measures to restore the property within a reasonable period of time. The Bureau may also recommend that technical co-operation be provided under the World Heritage Fund for work connected with the restoration of the property, if the State Party so requests; (c) when there is evidence that the property has deteriorated to the point where it has irretrievably lost those characteristics which determined its inclusion in the List, the Bureau may recommend that the Committee delete the property from the List; before any such recommendation is submitted to the Committee, the Secretariat will inform the State Party concerned of the Bureau's recommendation; any comments which the State Party may make with respect to the recommendation of the Bureau will be brought to the attention of the Committee, together with the Bureau's recommendation; (d) when the information available is not sufficient to enable the Bureau to take one of the measures described in (a), (b) or (c) above, the Bureau may recommend to the Committee that the Secretariat be authorized to take the necessary action to ascertain, in consultation with the State Party concerned, the present condition of the property, the dangers to the property and the feasibility of adequately restoring the property, and to report to the Bureau on the results of its action; such measures may include the sending of a factfinding mission or the consultation of specialists. In cases where emergency action is required, the Bureau may itself authorize the financing from the World Heritage Fund of the emergency assistance that is required. 42. The Committee will examine the recommendation of the Bureau and all the information available and will take a decision. Any such decision shall, in accordance with Article 13 (8) of the Convention, be taken by a majority of two-thirds of its members present and voting. The Committee shall not decide to delete any property unless the State Party has been consulted on the question. 43. The State Party will be informed of the Committee's decision. 44. If the Committee's decision entails any modification to the World Heritage List, this modification will be reflected in the next updated list that is published. 45. In adopting the above procedure, the Committee was particularly concerned that all possible measures should be taken to prevent the deletion of any property from the List and was ready to offer technical co-operation as far as possible to States Parties in this connection. Furthermore, the Committee wishes to draw the attention of States Parties to the stipulations of Article 4 of the Convention which reads as follows: "Each State Party to this Convention recognizes that the duty of ensuring the identification, protection, conservation, presentation and transmission to future generations of the cultural and natural heritage referred to in Articles 1 and 2 and situated on its territory, belongs primarily to that State...". 46. In this connection, the Committee recommends that States Parties co-operate with IUCN which has been asked by the Committee to continue monitoring on its behalf the progress of work undertaken for the preservation of natural heritage properties inscribed on the World Heritage List. 47. The World Heritage Committee invites the States Parties to the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage to inform the Committee, through the UNESCO Secretariat, of their intention to undertake or to authorize in an area protected under the Convention major restorations or new constructions which may affect the World Heritage value of the property. Notice should be given as soon as possible (for instance, before drafting basic documents for specific projects) and before making any decisions that would be difficult to reverse, so that the Committee may assist in seeking appropriate solutions to ensure that the world heritage value of the site is fully preserved. F. Guidelines for the evaluation and examination of nominations 48. The World Heritage List should be as representative as possible of all cultural and natural properties which meet the Convention's requirement of outstanding universal value and the cultural and natural criteria and the conditions of authenticity or integrity adopted by the Committee (see paragraphs 24 to 36 above). 49. Each cultural property, including its state of preservation, should be evaluated relatively, that is, it should be compared with that of other property of the same type dating from the same period, both inside and outside the State Party's borders. 50. Each natural site should be evaluated relatively, that is, it should be compared with other sites of the same type, both inside and outside the State Party's borders, within a biogeographic province or migratory pattern. 51. Furthermore ICOMOS and IUCN should pay particular attention to the following points which relate to the evaluation and examination of nominations: (a) both NGOs are encouraged to be as strict as possible in their evaluations; (b) the manner of the professional evaluation carried out by ICOMOS and IUCN should be fully described when each nomination is presented; (c) ICOMOS is requested to make comparative evaluations of properties belonging to the same type of cultural property; (d) IUCN is requested to make comments and recommendations on the integrity and future management of each property recommended by the Bureau, during its presentation to the Committee; (e) the NGO concerned is encouraged to present slides on the properties recommended for the World Heritage List during the preliminary discussions which take place prior to the examination of individual proposals for inscription on the List. 52. Representatives of a State Party, whether or not a member of the Committee, should not speak to advocate the inclusion in the List of a property nominated by that State, but only to deal with a point of information in answer to a question. 53. The criteria for which a specific property is included in the World Heritage List will be set out by the Committee in its reports. G. Format and content of nominations 54. The same printed form approved by the Committee is used for the submission of nominations of cultural and natural properties. The following information and documentation is to be provided: (For the nominations of groups of buildings or sites the specific documentation to be provided is listed in sub-paragraph (f) below.) (a) Specific location Country State, province or region Name of property Maps and plans with indications of location of property and of geographical co-ordinates (b) Juridical data Owner Legal status: * category of ownership (public or private) * details of legal and administrative provisions for the protection of the property. The nature of the legal texts as well as their conditions of implementation should be clearly specified * state of occupancy and accessibility to the general public Responsible administration * details should be given of the mechanism or body already set up or intended to be established in order to ensure the proper management of the property (c) Identification Description and inventory Photographic and cinematographic documentation History Bibliography (d) State of preservation/conservation Diagnosis Agent responsible for preservation/conservation History of preservation/conservation Measures for preservation/conservation (including management plans or proposals for such plans) Development plans for the region (e) Justification for inclusion in the World Heritage List Information should be provided under three separate headings as follows: (i) the reasons for which the property is considered to meet one or more of the criteria set out under paragraphs 24 and 36 above; (ii) an evaluation of the property's present state of preservation as compared with similar properties elsewhere; (iii) indications as to the authenticity of the property. (f) Specific documentation to be provided with nominations of groups of buildings or sites If the nomination concerns a group of buildings or site as described in paragraph 23 above [2] specific documentation and juridical data are to be provided: (i) Maps and plans Three maps are to be provided: - one map which shows the exact location of the property and its immediate natural and built environment (with, if necessary in annex, a series of topographical plans). Scale: between 1/50.000 and 1/100.000 Date of publication: not more than one year prior to presentation of the nomination - one map which precisely delimits the perimeter of the nominated area and which clearly indicates the location of each monument listed in the nomination. The nominated property can be one uninterrupted area or composed of several separate areas. In the latter case, the perimeter of each of these areas must be indicated and the nature of protection of the intermediate zones must also be described. Scale: between 1/5,000 and 1/25,000 - one map indicating the zones of different degrees of legal protection which might exist: - inside the perimeter of the nominated property - outside the perimeter of the nominated property Scale: between 1/5,000 and 1/25,000. This map should be of a size that lends itself to easy reproduction. (ii) Photographic documentation [3] This documentation should include: - an aerial view - views of the monuments listed in the nomination (interior and exterior) - panoramic views taken in different directions from outside the proposed perimeter (skyline) - views taken inside the proposed perimeter which give an exact idea of the urban landscape (townscape) - a selection of original colour slides preferably Kodachrome film for which the non-exclusive reproduction rights are granted to UNESCO on the form provided for this purpose. It should be noted that colour slides are absolutely necessary for the presentation of the property to the Bureau and to the Committee. Audio-visual documents, where applicable. (iii) Supplementary documentation Information on institutions or associations concerned with the study or safeguard of the site - within the country - abroad (iv) Legal information - laws or decrees which govern the protection of monuments and sites (date and text) - decrees or orders which protect the nominated property (date and text) - master plan for historic preservation land-use plan, urban development plan, regional development plan or other infrastructure projects - town planning regulations and orders issued in application of these plans. Indications should be given as to whether these various juridical provisions prevent: - uncontrolled exploitation of the ground below the property - the demolition and reconstruction of buildings situated within the protected zones - the raising of the height of buildings - the transformation of the urban fabric What are the penalties foreseen in case of a contravention of these juridical provisions ? What, if any, juridical or other measures exist which encourage the revitalization of the property concerned in full respect of its historic authenticity and its social diversity ? (v) Administrative framework Responsible administration: - at the national or federal level - at the level of federated States or provinces - at the regional level - at the local level H. Procedure and timetable for the processing of nominations 55. The annual schedule set out below has been fixed for the receipt and processing of nominations to the World Heritage List. It should be emphasized, however, that the process of nominating properties to the World Heritage List is an ongoing one. Nominations to the List can be submitted at any time during the year. Those received by 1 October of a given year will be considered during the following year. Those received after 1 October of a given year can only be considered in the second subsequent year. Despite the inconvenience it may cause certain States Parties, the Committee has decided to bring forward the deadline for submission of nominations in order to ensure that all working documents can be made available to the Bureau as well as States members of the Committee no later than 6 weeks before the start of the sessions of the Bureau and the Committee. This will also enable the Committee at its annual December session to be made aware of the number and nature of nominations to be examined at its next session the following year. 1 October Deadline for receipt by the Secretariat of nominations to be considered by the Committee the following year. By 1 November The Secretariat: (1) registers each nomination and thoroughly verifies its contents and accompanying documentation. In the case of incomplete nominations, the Secretariat must immediately request the missing information from States Parties. (2) transmits nominations, provided they are complete, to the appropriate international non-governmental organization (ICOMOS, IUCN or both), which: (3) immediately examines each nomination to ascertain those cases in which additional information is required and takes the necessary steps, in co-operation with the Secretariat, to obtain the complementary data. By 1 April The appropriate non-governmental organization undertakes a professional evaluation of each nomination according to the criteria adopted by the Committee. It transmits these evaluations to the Secretariat under three categories: (a) properties which are recommended for inscription without reservation; (b) properties which are not recommended for inscription; (c) properties whose eligibility for inscription is not considered absolutely clear. During April The Secretariat checks the evaluations of the non-governmental organizations and ensures that States members of the Bureau receive them by 1 May. June The Bureau examines the nominations and makes its recommendations thereon to the Committee under the following four categories: (a) properties which it recommends for inscription without reservation; (b) properties which it does not recommend for inscription; (c) properties that need to be referred back to the nominating State for further information/documentation; (d) properties whose examination should be deferred on the ground that a more indepth assessment or study is needed. July-November The report of the Bureau is transmitted by the Secretariat as soon as possible to all States Parties. The Secretariat endeavours to obtain from the States Parties concerned the additional information requested on properties under category (c) above and transmits this information to ICOMOS, IUCN and States members of the Committee. December The Committee examines the nominations on the basis of the Bureau's recommendations, together with any additional information provided by the States Parties concerned as well as the comments thereon of ICOMOS and IUCN. It classifies its decisions on nominated properties in the following three categories: (a) properties which it inscribes on the World Heritage List; (b) properties which it decides not to inscribe on the List. (c) properties whose consideration is deferred. January The Secretariat forwards the report of the December session of the World Heritage Committee, which contains all the decisions taken by the Committee, to all States Parties. 56. In the event that a State Party wishes to nominate an extension to a property already inscribed on the World Heritage List, the same documentation should be provided and the same procedure shall apply as for new nominations, set out in paragraph 54 above. This provision will not apply for extensions which are simple modifications of these limits of the property in question: in this case, the request for modification of these limits is submitted directly to the Bureau which will examine in particular the relevant maps and plans. The Bureau can approve such modifications, or it may consider that the change is sufficiently important to constitute an extension of the property, in which case the procedure for new nominations will apply. 57. The normal deadlines for the submission and processing of nominations will not apply in the case of properties which, in the opinion of the Bureau, after consultation with the competent international non-governmental organization, would unquestionably meet the criteria for inclusion in the World Heritage List and which have suffered damage from disaster caused by natural events or by human activities. Such nominations will be processed on an emergency basis. II. ESTABLISHMENT OF THE LIST OF WORLD HERITAGE IN DANGER A. Guidelines for the inclusion of properties in the List of World Heritage in Danger 58. In accordance with Article 11, paragraph 4, of the Convention, the Committee may include a property in the List of World Heritage in Danger when the following requirements are met: (i) the property under consideration is on the World Heritage List; (ii) the property is threatened by serious and specific danger; (iii) major operations are necessary for the conservation of the property; (iv) assistance under the Convention has been requested for the property; (v) an estimate of the cost of such operations has been submitted. B. Criteria for the inclusion of properties in the List of World Heritage in Danger 59. A World Heritage property - as defined in Articles 1 and 2 of the Convention - can be entered on the List of World Heritage in Danger by the Committee when it finds that the condition of the property corresponds to at least one of the criteria in either of the two cases described below. 60. In the case of cultural properties: (i) ASCERTAINED DANGER - The property is faced with specific and proven imminent danger, such as: (a) serious deterioration of materials; (b) serious deterioration of structure and/or ornamental features; (c) serious deterioration of architectural or town-planning coherence; (d) serious deterioration of urban or rural space, or the natural environment; (e) significant loss of historical authenticity; (f) important loss of cultural significance. (ii) POTENTIAL DANGER - The property is faced with threats which could have deleterious effects on its inherent characteristics. Such threats are, for example: (a) modification of juridical status of the property diminishing the degree of its protection; (b) lack of conservation policy; (c) threatening effects of regional planning projects; (d) threatening effects of town planning; (e) outbreak or threat of armed conflict; (f) gradual changes due to geological, climatic or other environmental factors. 61. In the case of natural properties: (i) ASCERTAINED DANGER - The property is faced with specific and proven imminent danger, such as: (a) A serious decline in the population of the endangered species or the other species of outstanding universal value which the property was legally established to protect, either by natural factors such as disease or by manmade factors such as poaching. (b) Severe deterioration of the natural beauty or scientific value of the property, as by human settlement, construction of reservoirs which flood important parts of the property, industrial and agricultural development including use of pesticides and fertilizers, major public works, mining, pollution, logging, firewood collection, etc. (c) Human encroachment on boundaries or in upstream areas which threaten the integrity of the property. (ii) POTENTIAL DANGER - The property is faced with major threats which could have deleterious effects on its inherent characteristics. Such threats are, for example: (a) a modification of the legal protective status of the area; (b) planned resettlement or development projects within the property or so situated that the impacts threaten the property; (c) outbreak or threat of armed conflict; (d) the management plan is lacking or inadequate, or not fully implemented. 62. In addition, the factor or factors which are threatening the integrity of the property must be those which are amenable to correction by human action. In the case of cultural properties, both natural factors and man-made factors may be threatening, while in the case of natural properties, most threats will be man-made and only very rarely with a natural factor (such as an epidemic disease) be threatening to the integrity of the property. In some cases, the factors threatening the integrity of a property may be corrected by administrative or legislative action, such as the cancelling of a major public works project or the improvement of legal status. 63. The Committee may wish to bear in mind the following supplementary factors when considering the inclusion of a cultural or natural property in the List of World Heritage in Danger: (a) Decisions which affect World Heritage properties are taken by Governments after balancing all factors. The advice of the World Heritage Committee can often be decisive if it can be given before the property becomes threatened. (b) Particularly in the case of ascertained danger, the physical or cultural deteriorations to which a property has been subjected should be judged according to the intensity of its effects and analyzed case by case. (c) Above all in the case of potential danger to a property, one should consider that: - the threat should be appraised according to the normal evolution of the social and economic framework in which the property is situated; - it is often impossible to assess certain threats - such as the threat of armed conflict - as to their effect on cultural or natural properties; - some threats are not imminent in nature, but can only be anticipated, such as demographic growth. (d) Finally, in its appraisal the Committee should take into account any cause of unknown or unexpected origin which endangers a cultural or natural property. C. Procedure for the inclusion of properties in the List of World Heritage in Danger 64. When considering the inclusion of a property in the List of World Heritage in Danger, the Committee shall develop, and adopt in consultation with the State Party concerned, a programme for corrective measures. 65. In order to develop the programme referred to in the previous paragraph, the Committee shall request the Secretariat to ascertain, in cooperation with the State Party concerned, the present condition of the property, the dangers to the property and the feasibility of undertaking corrective measures. The Committee may further decide to send a mission of qualified observers from IUCN, ICOMOS, ICCROM or other organizations to visit the property, evaluate the nature and extent of the threats and propose the measures to be taken. 66. The information received, together with the comments of the State Party and the advisory organization(s) shall be brought to the attention of the Committee by the Secretariat. 67. The Committee shall examine the information available and take a decision. Any such decision shall be taken by a majority of two-thirds of the Committee members present and voting. 68. The State Party concerned shall be informed of the Committee's decision. 69. The Committee shall allocate a specific, significant portion of the World Heritage Fund to meeting funding requests for assistance to World Heritage properties inscribed on the List of World Heritage in Danger. 70. The Committee shall review at regular intervals the state of property on the List of World Heritage in Danger. This review shall include such monitoring procedures and expert missions as might be determined necessary by the Committee. 71. On the basis of these regular reviews, the Committee shall decide, in consultation with the State Party concerned whether: (i) additional measures are required to conserve the property; (ii) to delete the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger if the property is no longer under threat; (iii) to consider the deletion of the property from both the List of World Heritage in Danger and the World Heritage List if the property has deteriorated to the extent that it has lost those characteristics which determined its inclusion in the World Heritage List, in accordance with the procedure set out in paragraphs 37 to 45 above. III. INTERNATIONAL ASSISTANCE A. Different forms of assistance available under the World Heritage Fund (i) Preparatory assistance 72. Assistance is available to States Parties for the purpose of: (a) preparing tentative lists of cultural and/or natural properties suitable for inclusion in the World Heritage List; (b) organizing meetings for the harmonization of tentative lists within the same geo-cultural area; (c) preparing nominations of cultural and natural properties to the World Heritage List; and (d) preparing requests for technical co-operation, including requests relating to the organization of training courses. This type of assistance, known as "preparatory assistance", can take the form of consultant services, equipment or, in exceptional cases, financial grants. The budgetary ceiling for each preparatory assistance project is fixed at $ 15,000. 73. Requests for preparatory assistance should be forwarded to the Secretariat which will transmit them to the Chairman, who will decide on the assistance to be granted. Request forms (reference WHC/S) can be obtained from the Secretariat. (ii) Emergency assistance 74. States Parties may request emergency assistance for work in connection with cultural and natural properties included or suitable for inclusion in the World Heritage List and which have suffered severe damage due to sudden, unexpected phenomena (such as sudden land subsidence, serious fires or explosions, flooding) or are in imminent danger of severe damage caused by these phenomena. Emergency assistance does not concern cases of damage or deterioration that has been caused by gradual processes such as decay, pollution, erosion, etc. Such assistance may be made available for the following purposes: (a) to prepare urgent nominations of properties for the World Heritage List in conformity with paragraph 54 of these Guidelines; (b) to draw up an emergency plan to safeguard properties inscribed on or nominated to the World Heritage List; (c) to undertake emergency measures for the safeguarding of a property inscribed on or nominated to the World Heritage List. 75. Requests for emergency assistance may be sent to the Secretariat, at any time in the year, using form WHC/S. The Secretariat shall submit these requests to the Chairman to approve amounts up to $ 20,000. For requests above $ 20,000, the Chairman should consult the other members of the Bureau by telex/telegram before taking a decision. (iii) Training 76. States Parties may request support for the training of specialised staff at all levels in the field of identification, protection, conservation, presentation and rehabilitation of the cultural and natural heritage. The training must be related to the implementation of the World Heritage Convention. 77. Priority in training activities will be given to group training at the local or regional levels, particularly at national or regional centres in accordance with article 23 of the Convention. The training of individual persons will be essentially limited to short term refresher programmes and exchanges of experience. 78. Requests for the training of specialised staff at the national or regional level should contain the following information: (i) details on the training course concerned (courses offered, level of instruction, teaching staff, number of students and country of origin, date, place and duration, etc.); (ii) type of assistance requested (financial contribution to costs of training, provision of specialised teaching staff, provision of equipment, books and educational materials for training courses); (iii) approximate cost of support requested, including as appropriate tuition fees, daily subsistence allowance, allocation for purchase of educational material, travel costs to and from training centre, etc. (iv) other contributions: national financing, received or anticipated multilateral or bilateral contributions. 79. Requests for support for individual training courses should be submitted on the standard "Application for Fellowship" form used for all fellowships administered by UNESCO and which can be obtained from UNESCO National Commissions, UNESCO offices and the offices of the United Nations Development Programme in Member States, as well as from the Secretariat. Each request should be accompanied by a statement indicating the relationship of the proposed study plan to the implementation of the World Heritage Convention within the State Party submitting the request. 80. All requests for support for training activities should be transmitted to the Secretariat which will ensure that the information is complete and forward these requests along with an estimation of the costs to the Chairman for his approval. In this regard the Chairman can approve amounts up to $20,000. Requests for sums above this amount follow the same procedure for approval as for requests for technical cooperation set out in paragraphs 82 to 87. (iv) Technical co-operation 81. States Parties can request technical co-operation for work foreseen in safeguarding projects for properties included in the World Heritage List. This assistance can take the forms outlined in paragraph 22 of the Convention for World Heritage properties. 82. In order to make best use of the limited resources of the World Heritage Fund and because of the increasing number of cultural sites to be assisted, the Committee, while recognizing the importance of archaeological objects coming from sites inscribed on the World Heritage List, has decided not to accept requests which may be submitted for equipment for archaeological site museums whose function is the preservation of movables. 83. The following information should be provided in requests for technical co-operation: (i) Details of property - date of inscription in the World Heritage List, - description of property and of dangers to property, - legal status of property; (ii) Details of request - scientific and technical information on the work to be undertaken, - detailed description of equipment requested (notably make, type, voltage, etc.) and of required personnel (specialists and workmen), etc., - if appropriate, details on the "training" component of the project, - schedule indicating when the project activities will take place; (iii) Cost of proposed activities - paid nationally, - requested under the Convention, - other multilateral or bilateral contributions received or expected, indicating how each contribution will be used; (iv) National body responsible for the project and details of project administration. (v) Concerning cultural properties and sites, the Committee, wishing to establish a link between the monitoring of their state of conservation and the granting of international assistance, invites States submitting requests for technical cooperation to accompany the request by an analysis of the property or site concerned. Analysis will be a major factor in the evaluation of the request. 84. The Secretariat, if necessary, will request the State Party concerned to provide further information. The Secretariat can also ask for expert advice from the appropriate organization (ICOMOS, IUCN, ICCROM). 85. Large-scale technical cooperation requests (that is those exceeding $ 30,000) should be submitted to the Secretariat as early as possible each year. Those received before 31 August will be dealt with by the Committee the same year. Those received after 31 August will be processed by the Secretariat in the order in which they are received and will be considered by the Committee the same year if it has been possible to complete their processing in time. All large-scale requests will be considered by the Bureau which will make recommendations on them to the Committee. 86. The Bureau will consider the requests which are presented at its meetings and will make recommendations thereon to the Committee. The Secretariat will forward the Bureau's recommendation to all the States members of the Committee. 87. If the recommendation is positive, the Secretariat will proceed with all the preparatory work necessary for implementing the technical co-operation immediately after the Committee has decided to approve the project. 88. At the Committee meeting, the Committee will make a decision on each request for technical co-operation taking account of the Bureau's recommendation. The Committee's decisions will be forwarded to the States Parties and the Secretariat will proceed to implement the project. 89. The above schedule does not apply, however, to projects the cost of which does not exceed a ceiling of $ 30,000 for which the following simplified procedure will be applied. In the case of requests not exceeding $ 20,000 the Secretariat after examining the dossier and receiving the advice of ICCROM, ICOMOS or IUCN, as appropriate, will forward the request accompanied by all other relevant documents directly to the Chairman, who is authorized to take decisions on the financing of such projects up to the total amount set aside for this purpose in the annual allocation from the World Heritage Fund; the Chairman is not authorized to approve requests submitted by his own country. The Bureau is authorized to approve requests up to a maximum of $ 30,000 except for requests from States members of the Bureau; in such cases, the Bureau can only make recommendations to the Committee. (v) Assistance for promotional activities 90. (a) at the regional and international levels: The Committee has agreed to support the holding of meetings which could: - help to create interest in the Convention within the countries of a given region; - create a greater awareness of the different issues related to the implementation of the Convention to promote more active involvement in its application; - be a means of exchanging experiences; - stimulate joint promotional activities. (b) at the national level: The Committee felt that requests concerning national activities for promoting the Convention could be considered only when they concern: - meetings specifically organised to make the Convention better known or for the creation of national World Heritage associations, in accordance with Article 17 of the Convention; - preparation of information material for the general promotion of the Convention and not for the promotion of a particular site; The World Heritage Fund shall provide only small contributions towards national promotional activities on a selective basis and for a maximum amount of $5,000. However, requests for sums above this amount could exceptionally be approved for projects which are of special interest: the Chairman's agreement would be required and the maximum amount approved would be $10,000. B. Order of priorities for the granting of international assistance 91. Without prejudicing the provisions of the Convention, which shall always prevail, the Committee agreed on the following order of priorities with respect to the type of activities to be assisted under the Convention: - emergency measures to save property included, or nominated for inclusion, in the World Heritage List (see paragraph 74 above); - preparatory assistance for drawing up tentative lists of cultural and/or natural properties suitable for inclusion in the World Heritage List as well as nominations of types of properties underrepresented on the list and requests for technical co-operation; - projects which are likely to have a multiplier effect ("seed money") because they: * stimulate general interest in conservation; * contribute to the advancement of scientific research; * contribute to the training of specialized personnel; * generate contributions from other sources. 92. The Committee also agreed that the following factors would in principle govern its decisions in granting assistance under the Convention: (i) the urgency of the work and of the protective measures to be taken; (ii) the legislative, administrative and financial commitment of the recipient State to protect and preserve the property; (iii) the cost of the project; (iv) the interest for, and exemplary value of, the project in respect of scientific research and the development of cost/effective conservation techniques; (v) the educational value both for the training of local experts and for the general public; (vi) the cultural and ecological benefits accruing from the project, and (vii) the social and economic consequences. 93. Properties included in the World Heritage List are considered to be equal in value. For this reason, the criteria proposed above make no reference to the relative value of the properties. A balance will be maintained between funds allocated to projects for the preservation of the cultural heritage on the one hand and projects for the conservation of the natural heritage on the other hand. C. Agreement to be concluded with States receiving international assistance 94. In accordance with Article 26 of the Convention, when technical co-operation on a large scale is granted to a State Party, an agreement will be concluded between the Committee and the State concerned in which will be set out: (a) the scope and nature of the technical co-operation granted; (b) the obligations of the Government; (c) the facilities, privileges and immunities to be applied by the Government to the Committee and/or UNESCO, to the property, funds and assets allocated to the project as well as to the officials and other persons performing services on behalf of the Committee and/or UNESCO in connection with the project. 95. The text of a standard agreement has been adopted by the Committee. 96. The Committee decided to delegate authority to the Chairman to sign such agreements on its behalf. In exceptional circumstances, or when necessary for practical purposes, the Chairman may delegate authority to a member of the Secretariat whom he will designate. D. Implementation of projects 97. In order to ensure the efficient implementation of a project for which technical cooperation has been granted under the World Heritage Fund, the Committee recommends that a single body - whether national, regional, local, public or private - should be entrusted with the responsibility of executing the project in the State Party concerned. E. Conditions for the granting of international assistance 98. The conditions for and types of international assistance are established by articles 19 to 26 of the World Heritage Convention. Establishing a parallel between the conditions of eligibility for the World Heritage Committee set out in Article 16 of the Convention, the Committee decided, at its thirteenth session (1989), that States who were in arrears of payment of their contributions to the World Heritage Fund would not be able to receive a grant of international assistance in the following calendar year, it being understood that this provision would not apply in case of emergency assistance and training as defined in these Guidelines. In making this decision, the Committee wished to emphasize the importance which it accorded to States Parties paying their entire contribution within the periods set out in Article 16 of the Convention. IV. WORLD HERITAGE FUND 99. The Committee decided that contributions offered to the World Heritage Fund for international assistance campaigns and other UNESCO projects for any property inscribed on the World Heritage List shall be accepted and used as international assistance pursuant to Section V of the Convention, and in conformity with the modalities established for carrying out the campaign or project. 100. States Parties to the Convention who anticipate making contributions towards international assistance campaigns or other UNESCO projects for any property inscribed on the List are encouraged to make their contributions through the World Heritage Fund. 101. The financial regulations for the Fund are set out in document WHC/7. 102. The Bureau shall function as the financial committee of the World Heritage Committee and shall make recommendations to the Committee on the budget for the following year. V. BALANCE BETWEEN THE CULTURAL AND THE NATURAL HERITAGE IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE CONVENTION 103. In order to improve the balance between the cultural and natural heritage in the implementation of the Convention, the Committee has recommended that the following measures be taken: (a) Preparatory assistance to States Parties should be granted on a priority basis for: (i) the establishment of tentative lists of cultural and natural properties situated in their territories and suitable for inclusion in the World Heritage List; (ii) the preparation of nominations of types of properties underrepresented in the World Heritage List. (b) States Parties to the Convention should provide the Secretariat with the name and address of the governmental organization(s) primarily responsible for cultural and natural properties, so that copies of all official correspondence and documents can be sent by the Secretariat to these focal points as appropriate. (c) States Parties to the Convention should convene at regular intervals at the national level a joint meeting of those persons responsible for natural and cultural heritage in order that they may discuss matters pertaining to the implementation of the Convention. This does not apply to States Parties where one single organization is dealing with both cultural and natural heritage. (d) The Committee, deeply concerned with maintaining a balance in the number of experts from the natural and cultural fields represented on the Bureau, urges that every effort be made in future elections in order to ensure that: (i) the chair is not held by persons with expertise in the same field, either cultural or natural, for more than two successive years; (ii) at least two "cultural" and at least two "natural" experts are present at Bureau meetings to ensure balance and credibility in reviewing nominations to the World Heritage List. (e) States Parties to the Convention should choose as their representatives persons qualified in the field of natural and cultural heritage, thus complying with Article 9, paragraph 3, of the Convention. VI. OTHER MATTERS A. Use of the World Heritage Emblem and the name, symbol or depiction of World Heritage sites 104. At its second session, the Committee adopted the World Heritage Emblem which had been designed by Mr. Michel Olyff. This emblem symbolizes the interdependence of cultural and natural properties: the central square is a form created by man and the circle represents nature, the two being intimately linked. The emblem is round, like the world, but at the same time it is a symbol of protection. The Committee decided that the two versions proposed by the artist (see Annex 2) could be used, in any colour, depending on the use, the technical possibilities and considerations of an artistic nature. In practice however, the second version is usually preferred by States Parties and has been used by the Secretariat for promotional activities. 105. Properties included in the World Heritage List should be marked with the emblem which should, however, be placed in such a way that it does not visually impair the property in question. 106. States Parties to the Convention should take all possible measures to prevent the use of the emblem of the Convention and the use of the name of the Committee and the Convention in their respective countries by any group or for any purpose not explicitly recognized and approved by the Committee. The World Heritage emblem should, in particular, not be used for any commercial purposes unless specific authorization is obtained from the Committee. 107. The name, symbol or depiction of a World Heritage site, or of any element thereof, should not be used for commercial purposes unless written authorization has been obtained from the State concerned on the principles of using the said name, symbol or depiction, and unless the exact text or display has been approved by that State and, as far as possible, by the national authority specifically concerned with the protection of the site. Any such utilization should be in conformity with the reasons for which the property has been placed on the World Heritage List. B. Production of plaques to commemorate the inclusion of properties in the World Heritage List 108. These plaques are designed to inform the public of the country concerned and foreign visitors, that the site visited has a particular value which has been recognized by the international community. In other words, the site is exceptional, of interest not only to one nation, but also to the whole world. However, these plaques have an additional function which is to inform the general public about the World Heritage Convention or at least about the World Heritage concept and the World Heritage List. 109. The Committee has adopted the following Guidelines for the production of these plaques: - the plaque should be so placed that it can easily be seen by visitors, without disfiguring the site; - the World Heritage symbol should appear on the plaque; - the text should mention the site's exceptional universal value; in this regard it might be useful to give a short description of the site' s outstanding characteristics. States may, if they wish, use the descriptions appearing in the various World Heritage publications or in the World Heritage exhibit, and which may be obtained from the Secretariat; - the text should make reference to the World Heritage Convention and particularly to the World Heritage List and to the international recognition conferred by inscription on this List (however, it is not necessary to mention at which session of the Committee the site was inscribed); - it may be appropriate to produce the text in several languages for sites which receive many foreign visitors. 110. The Committee proposed the following text as an example: "(Name of site) has been inscribed upon the World Heritage List of the Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage. Inscription on this List confirms the exceptional universal value of a cultural or natural site which deserves protection for the benefit of all humanity." This text could be then followed by a brief description of the site concerned. C. Rules of Procedure of the Committee 111. The Rules of Procedure of the Committee, adopted by the Committee at its first session and amended at its second and third sessions, are to be found in document WHC/1. D. Meetings of the World Heritage Committee 112. In years when the General Assembly of States Parties is held, the ordinary session of the World Heritage Committee will take place as soon as possible after the Assembly. E. Meetings of the Bureau of the World Heritage Committee 113. The Bureau shall meet twice a year, once in May/June and a second time during the Committee session. F. Participation of experts from least developed countries (LDCs) 114. In order to ensure a fair representation within the Committee of the various geographical and cultural areas, the Committee decided to include in its budget a sum intended to cover the cost of participation, in its sessions and sessions of its Bureau, of representatives of States members of the Committee which are on the list of least developed countries (LDCs) issued by the United Nations but only for persons who are experts in conservation of the cultural or natural heritage. G. Publication of the World Heritage List 115. An up-to-date version of the World Heritage List and the List of the World Heritage in Danger will be published every year. 116. The name of the States having nominated the properties inscribed on the World Heritage List will be presented in the published form of the List under the following heading: "Contracting State having submitted the nomination of the property in accordance with the Convention". H. Action at the national level to promote a greater awareness of the activities undertaken under the Convention 117. States Parties are reminded of Articles 17 and 27 of the Convention concerning the establishment of national, public and private foundations or associations whose purpose is to invite donations for the protection of the world heritage and the organization of educational and information programmes to strengthen appreciation and respect by their peoples of this heritage. ____________________________ [Footnotes] [1] cf. definitions of "cultural heritage" and "natural heritage" in articles 1 and 2 of the Convention set out in paragraphs 23 and 35 below. [2] For example: - a town centre, a village, a street, a square or other urban or rural architectural ensemble, or an archaeological site, or - a series of cultural properties which are geographically dispersed but are representative of a specific type of property as described in paragraph 19 above. [3] All photographs must be recent, i.e. taken not more than one year prior to presentation of the nomination file.