Summary and Follow-up of the Director General’s meeting on “The World Heritage Convention: Thinking Ahead” (UNESCO HQs, 2-3 October 2012)

WHC-13/37.COM/5C

On 2 and 3 October 2012, the Director-General convened a meeting entitled “The World Heritage Convention: Thinking Ahead” to give the opportunity to the Advisory Bodies, the States Parties and the Secretariat to collectively review some of the main challenges and opportunities facing the Convention. During the 36th session of the World Heritage Committee, many States Parties also welcomed this idea and felt that an open dialogue between them, the Advisory Bodies and the Secretariat would be useful in improving the implementation modalities of the Convention. This reflection was initiated in the framework of the celebration of the 40th anniversary of the World Heritage Convention, which provided an opportunity to celebrate its success but also to address the overall functioning of the Convention. At the end of the meeting, the Director-General proposed to bring this issue to the 37th session of the Committee.  

A summary of this meeting, as well as a description of follow-up actions undertaken, are included in the present document.