The issue of the protection and management of properties of religious interest is increasingly prominent in contemporary conservation debates.
In today’s interconnected world grappling with serious socio-economic difficulties, ensuring constructive dialogue between the world’s cultures and religions ranks as one of the most pressing challenges on the international agenda.
World Heritage properties such as living religious and sacred sites, constitute, to this day, one of the largest thematic categories on the World Heritage List. In 2011, the World Heritage Committee requested the World Heritage Centre, in collaboration with the Advisory Bodies, to elaborate a thematic paper proposing to State Parties general guidance regarding the management of their cultural and natural heritage of religious interest, and in compliance with the national specificities (Decision 35 COM 5A).
This project aims to develop the thematic paper requested by the World Heritage Committee. It will also provide a platform for establishing cross-cutting approach for enhancing mutual respect, knowledge and understanding between communities that is in line with the UNESCO mandate for peace and dialogue.
The Initiative on Heritage of Religious Interest is managed by a Steering Group composed of officially designated representatives from the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies. The main international and regional institutions having the professional competency to contribute to the activities’ implementation are also involved.
The Steering Group is focusing on capacity-building activities and a case-study approach to identify the main challenges in the management of World Heritage cultural and natural sites of religious interest, as well as to collect inputs and relevant information necessary for the thematic paper. The Steering Group has developed a research programme, including data collection, case study analysis and survey activities, as well as a module for regional thematic consultations. Moreover, a module for Capacity-Building workshops for the representatives of religious communities and site managers in charge of World Heritage properties of religious interest, developed by ICCROM, was tested in Greece and the Russian Federation.
In February 2016, a cycle of Regional Thematic Consultations towards the elaboration of the above-mentioned thematic paper was launched at UNESCO Headquarters with the first meeting focused on South-Eastern and Mediterranean Europe. In May 2017, the International consultative workshop on conservation and management of World Heritage of religious interest focused on Asia-Pacific was held in Bangkok and Nakhon Phnom Province of Thailand. The World Heritage Committee, at its 40th session (Istanbul, 2016), reiterated its invitation to States Parties and other stakeholders to continue to support this Initiative.
The overall objective is to elaborate a thematic paper proposing to the States Parties general guidance regarding management of cultural and natural heritage of religious interest.
More specifically, this activity aims:
As the only intergovernmental organization with an explicit mandate in the field of culture, UNESCO strives to safeguard heritage in the broadest sense of the term, encompassing not only monuments and sites, but also traditions, lifestyles, values and belief systems.
By launching the Initiative on Heritage of Religious Interest, UNESCO plays a leading role in helping integrate a number of guiding principles into cultural policies at the local, national, regional and international levels so as to contribute to the rapprochement of cultures and harmonious relations among peoples.
The project could be scheduled for a period of three years.
Phase I “Regional Thematic consultations”Reinforce a network of partners, including renowned researchers and experts, to seek views of spiritual traditions from elders and indigenous traditions, custodians, religious authorities, local spiritual communities and other relevant stakeholders that retain a close association with world natural and cultural heritage of religious interest; data collection and survey activities; organise thematic (national/regional) consultation workshops.
Phase II “Research, global thematic survey and data analysis”Collect and analyse data; carry out stakeholders consultation using case-study questionnaire; identify properties for in-depths research on a national, regional, global and transboundary basis, and consult the relevant national authorities and related religious or indigenous communities; define preliminary scope and content of the thematic paper and clarify key terminologies used.
Phase III “Consultation/production of thematic paper”Draft the text of the general guidance; consult with key stakeholders and World Heritage Committee members; collate and analyse responses to the consultation on the draft and incorporate them into the general guidance; select a sample of representative case studies - testing of general guidance; review and analyse results; conclusions: adjustments to be included; finalize the general guidance; establish a network to share experiences and implement the guidance; submit the thematic paper to the attention of the World Heritage Committee, in compliance with its decision.
Outcomes
States Parties are provided with a general guidance in the form of a publication regarding the management of cultural and natural heritage of religious interest. Their capacities are reinforced in view of the management and preservation of this specific heritage.
Beneficiaries
An estimated extra-budgetary funding of US$ 750,000 (all phases) or US$ 250,000 (for each phase) is foreseen for the implementation of this project.
The support could be provided for the whole activity devised in three phases, or separately by phase. The World Heritage Centre reports to the World Heritage Committee on progress made.
A communication & visibility plan will be developed in consultation with the donor(s) and will include (but not limited to) the options below:
|
Visibility material |
Placement / Event |
Outreach |
Audience |
|
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Article on the World Heritage Centre’s website Homepage |
Logo |
WHC website: whc.unesco.org |
Public |
Statistics for 2016: 13,340,000 visits 9,735,000 unique visitors 41,650,000 pageviews |
|
Reports to the World Heritage Committee |
Logo |
World Heritage Committee session |
WH Committee members, Observers, NGOs, site-managers, press |
Approx. 2,000 participants from 193 countries |
|
Side-event |
Logo + speech |
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Article in the World Heritage Review |
Logo |
“World Heritage Review” Magazine and “World Heritage Information” |
Public |
Approx. 20,000 targeted subscribers |
Anna Sidorenko
Coordinator
Thematic Initiative on Heritage of Religious Interest
World Heritage Centre
a.sidorenko@unesco.org
Le Comité du patrimoine mondial,
1. Ayant examiné les documents WHC-11/35.COM/5A et WHC-11/35.COM/INF.5A,
2. Rappelant la décision 34 COM 5A adoptée à sa 34e session (Brasilia, 2010),
3. Prend note des activités entreprises et des partenariats établis par le Centre du patrimoine mondial;
4. Prend également note avec satisfaction des contributions concrètes des États parties et à tous les partenaires qui par un soutien technique et/ou financier ont contribué aux efforts de mise en œuvre de la Convention présentées dans le document WHC-11/35.COM/5A;
5. Rappelle au Centre du patrimoine mondial la nécessité d'élaborer à chaque session du Comité du patrimoine mondial un rapport sur les partenariats envisagés et conclus, et demande de le compléter en procédant à l'évaluation de ces partenariats à partir d'outils adéquats, en particulier sur l'utilisation du logo et sur les contreparties reçues, afin de s'assurer du strict respect des principes et objectifs de la Convention;
6. Demande également au Centre du patrimoine mondial de poursuivre à faire évoluer son rapport en ajoutant, notamment à la lecture des rapports périodiques:
a) un commentaire général sur les progrès réalisés et les lacunes constatées aux niveaux global et régional, au niveau thématique, au niveau des différentes sources de financements et au niveau des partenariats financiers ou de coopération avec les États parties, les autres Conventions, la société civile et le secteur privé,
b) un inventaire exhaustif des décisions en suspens et des dates prévues pour leur mise en œuvre,
c) un projet de plan d'activités prioritaires pour l'année suivante comprenant la formulation d'objectifs et de résultats escomptés, ainsi que des indications sur les ressources afférentes (humaines et financières);
7. Prend note des recommandations du Séminaire international sur le rôle des communautés religieuses dans la gestion des biens du patrimoine mondial, organisé à Kiev, Ukraine, en novembre 2010, et demande en outre au Centre du patrimoine mondial, en collaboration avec les Organisations consultatives, d'élaborer une publication thématique proposant aux États parties des lignes directrices générales quant à la gestion de leur patrimoine culturel et naturel d'intérêt religieux, dans le respect des spécificités nationales, invitant les États parties à apporter des contributions volontaires à cette fin ;
8. Demande par ailleurs au Directeur du Centre du patrimoine mondial de continuer à l'informer, sur une base annuelle :
a) des autorisations d'utilisation de l'emblème du patrimoine mondial par le Centre du patrimoine mondial,
b) des partenariats envisagés et conclus, avec des indications sur les modalités et les conditions de tels accords ;
et invite le Directeur à lui soumettre le projet de nouvelle stratégie de l'initiative PACTe en prenant en compte les résultats de l'évaluation de l'auditeur extérieur de l'initiative PACTe pour examen à sa prochaine session, dont l'un des objectifs majeurs doit viser l'augmentation des ressources du Fonds du patrimoine mondial au profit de l'assistance internationale.
En savoir plus sur la décision