Round-table discussion on the implementation of the World Heritage Committee Decisions regarding the Thematic Initiative “Astronomy and World Heritage”.

As it was announced during the side-event held at the Pulkovo Observatory on 28 June 2012, a round-table discussion was organized on 4th July 2012 in presence of the Academician Mikhail Marov, Head of Department of the Vernadsky Institute, Chairperson of the Committee on Heritage of Ziolkovsky, Russian Academy of Sciences, co-initiator of the establishment of the International Space University, Chairperson of the first Working Group on Space Technological Heritage.

The main topics discussed:

• Establishment of a cooperation between the UNESCO World Heritage Centre, specialized agencies and relevant interdisciplinary scientific initiatives, as requested by the World Heritage Committee (Decision 36 COM 5D adopted on 25 June 2012);
• Establishment of a Working Group on Space Technological Heritage;
• Implementation Strategy towards the elaboration of a "Global Thematic Study on Heritage of Science and Technology, including studies and research on technological heritage connected with space exploration", requested by the World Heritage Committee (Decision 36 COM 5D adopted on 25 June 2012)