Tyre

• Need for an international safeguarding campaign
• Construction of a tourist complex (land fill) (issue resolved)
• Construction project of a large fish market
• Construction project of a coastal motorway

The International Campaign for the Safeguarding of Tyre was officially launched by the Director-General of UNESCO on 3 March 1998.  On this occasion, the Director-General declared the creation of the special fund for the safeguarding of Tyre. As a first urgent measure, a sum of $100,000 will be used to finance conservation works, $75,000 of which coming from the Regular Programme of UNESCO and $25,000 from the World Monuments Fund.  The declaration is expected to stimulate co-operation for the safeguarding of Tyre.  The following actions are expected to be carried out rapidly in the framework of the Campaign:

• the Minister of Culture will create a superior scientific council;
• a mission of a town-planner architect will be undertaken to set up an  overall plan for the city of Tyre;
• the first meeting of the council will be organized to establish a detailed action plan.

However, the Centre was informed through an NGO that new infrastructure road works were threatening the underwater archaeological remains at the northern entrance of the city. It requested the Directorate General of Antiquities to submit urgently a report on this matter and the Centre to investigate as well.

22nd extraordinary session of the Bureau in 1998:

 In September 1998, the Minister of Public Works of Lebanon asked for a meeting with the Secretariat and with the President of the International Association for the Safeguarding of Tyre. At this meeting which was also attended by a UNESCO consultant working on the Master Plan of Tyre, the Minister presented the work undertaken and planned by his Ministry and requested UNESCO to provide assistance to secure the proper integration of archaeology in the Master Plan and in his Ministry’s works. The Division of Cultural Heritage of UNESCO, in charge of the international campaign launched in March 1998, will send the consultant on a monthly basis to Beirut to meet the request of the Ministry of Public Works.

Decision required:
The Bureau may wish to adopt the following text and transmit it to the Committee for noting:
«After having taken note of the report of the Secretariat, the Bureau welcomed the request of the Ministry of Public Works and recommended UNESCO to reinforce its co-operation with the Lebanese authorities in preparing the master plan of Tyre. The Bureau also requested UNESCO to look into the possibility of a permanent presence of specialists in Tyre for the duration of the Campaign.»

In September 1998, the Minister of Public Works of Lebanon was invited to meeting with the Secretariat and with the President of the International Association for the Safeguarding of Tyre. At this meeting, which was also attended by a UNESCO consultant working on the Master Plan of Tyre, the Minister presented the work undertaken and planned by his Ministry and requested UNESCO to provide assistance to secure the proper integration of archaeology in the Master Plan and in his Ministry’s works. The Division of Cultural Heritage of UNESCO, in charge of the international campaign launched in March 1998, had already started this technical support by sending an expert in urban planning in July 1998, whose report has now been transmitted to the Lebanese authorities.

After having taken note of the report of the Secretariat, the Bureau welcomed the request of the Ministry of Public Works to be advised by UNESCO and recommended that the co-operation between the Lebanese authorities and UNESCO in preparing the Master Plan of Tyre be reinforced. The Bureau also requested

• that the safeguarding of the archaeological and historical areas of Tyre be considered by the Lebanese authorities as a top priority in the preparation of this Master Plan and
• that any infrastructural work within the site be suspended until the adoption of this Master Plan.