The Bureau recalled that with the relocation of a refugee camp in 1994, the Kahuzi-Biega World Heritage site seemed to be less threatened in comparison with the situation at Virunga NationalPark, but still remains critical. The Centre informed the Bureau that a new visitor centre was built with funding from the German authorities and the GTZ. Furthermore, Kahuzi-Biega obtained funds from the European Cooperation. A progress report on the emergency assistance from the World Heritage Fund was also received. The site will celebrate its 25th anniversary in 1995.
The Bureau requested the ...
Sites: Kahuzi-Biega National Park
The Bureau recalled that the impact of tourism and the proposed dam at the site was discussed at several meetings of the Committee and the Bureau. IUCN informed the Bureau that CND $ 350,000 from the Canadian Development Agency (CIDA) were received by the IUCN office in Zimbabwe to carry out management planning and environmental impact studies for proper protection of the site. The Bureau asked the Centre to write a letter to CIDA commending them for their efforts to protect this World Heritage site.
At its eighteenth session, the Committee-requested the World Heritage Centre to send a ‘monitoring” mission to the World Heritage site (44 ha) to evaluate its state of conservation. A mission comprising two experts, Professor Spini (architect) and Ms Antongini (anthropologist) left Paris at the beginning of July for Abomey. These two experts, who have worked at the site, were designated by the Directorate of Heritage of Benin, which requested them to:
i) review the nomination dossier for the site and complete it in accordance with the new nomination format which will be ...
Sites: Royal Palaces of Abomey
The Secretariat reported that within the framework of assistance provided by the UNESCO Secretariat to the Cambodian authorities for the implementation of obligations following the inscription of Angkor on the List of World Heritage in Danger, in 1992, a legal expert was sent by UNESCO in March 1995, to finalize for adoption and application, the legislation with regard to the protection of cultural heritage.
As far as the establishment of a national organism for protection and the management of the site is concerned, the Cambodian authorities issued, on 19 February 1995, a decree ...
Sites: Angkor
The Bureau took note of the information provided by the Secretariat about the progress made in the setting up of a documentation centre and coordination unit for the restoration works in the Old City and the Secretariat's cooperation with the national and local authorities in training the necessary personnel and purchasing equipment for this unit. It requested the Secretariat to monitor the implementation of the assistance and to present a progress report to the World Heritage Committee at its nineteenth session. The Bureau recommended the Committee to retain this property on the List of ...
Sites: Old City of Dubrovnik
The Mali authorities have committed themselves to the launching of a pilot project to which the management committees and the masons responsible for the three mosques of Djingareiber, Sankoré and Sidi Yahia which are inscribed on the List of World Heritage in Danger, will be associated. Last June the authorities signed a contract with the World Heritage Centre for the first phase of the project, that is the gathering of information and preparations for the pilot work to be undertaken in 1996.
During the implementation of the second phase of the project, the Mali authorities will require ...
Sites: Timbuktu
After having taken note of the Secretariat’s report on the two expert missions organized with the cooperation of the national authorities, (December 1994 and May-June 1995), the Bureau thanked the Omani authorities for their active collaboration with UNESCO for the preservation of Bahia Fort. It particularly appreciated their willingness to follow the advice of the specialists in earth constructions, sent to the site. The Bureau was of the opinion that this was the only way by which the authenticity of the site would be respected and that great importance should continue to be given ...
Sites: Bahla Fort
The Bureau took note of the information provided by the Secretariat that the course on adobe conservation that was originally scheduled to take place at this site in 1995 had been postponed to 1996. It decided, therefore, to await the results of the assessment of the conservation policies and practices at the Chan Chan Archaeological Zone, that will be undertaken in the context of this course. The Bureau recommended the Committee to retain the site on the List of World Heritage in Danger.
The Bureau took note of the information provided by the Secretariat on the actions taken to implement the technical cooperation project that was approved by the World Heritage Committee at its eighteenth session. The Bureau requested the Secretariat to monitor the implementation of the technical assistance and the impact of the equipment on the conditions of this site and to keep the Committee informed of the results. The Bureau recommended the Committee to retain the site on the List of World Heritage in Danger until the results and a report of the impact of technical assistance on the ...
The Bureau recalled that World Heritage technical assistance was approved in 1994 in order to advise the national and local authorities on the conservation and rehabilitation policies for this city, particularly for the Rio San Francisco area. The Secretariat informed the Bureau that a high-level expert had undertaken a series of missions and that the final report will be available by the end of July. The Bureau requested the Secretariat to report on the results of this assistance to the its next session.
Sites: Historic Centre of Puebla
19 BUR VI.22
Historic Mosque City of Bagerhat and Ruins of the Buddhist Vihara at Paharpur (Bangladesh)
The Secretariat informed the Bureau that UNESCO's Division for Physical Heritage organized a project monitoring mission in December 1994 to these two cultural sites in Bangladesh inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1985. The mission reported on the progress of the two projects financed under the UNESCO/Japan Funds-in-Trust for Cultural Heritage within the International Safeguarding Campaign for Paharpur and Bagerhat. The mission, while noting with satisfaction, the progress made in the archaeological and architectural documentation, recommended inter alia that: (i) national norms and ...
After having noted the content of the mission report of the UNESCO experts invited by the Government of Egypt, from 1 to 6 April 1995, to assist in identifying measures to ensure the conservation of the World Heritage site of the Pyramid Fields from Giza to Dahshur, the Bureau congratulated and warmly thanked the Egyptian authorities for the decisions taken to date and the actions already undertaken:
1) the choice of a new route passing north of the World Heritage site for the highway link to the ring-road, which will follow, once the necessary ...
The Secretariat informed the Bureau that, as requested by the World Heritage Committee at its eighteenth session, the Greek authorities had presented information on the legal protection and the management arrangements for the City. The Bureau requested the Secretariat jointly with ICOMOS to examine the information provided and to report on it to its next session in December 1995.
Sites: Medieval City of Rhodes
The Secretariat informed the Bureau that the Third International Experts Meeting on Borobudur was held on site in January 1995 and that the Expert Group expressed satisfaction on the state of conservation of Borobudur, which has been the object of a UNESCO International Safeguarding Campaign launched in 1972, although the site was only inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1991. The Centre reported that the meeting made, inter alia, the following recommendations:
(i) avoid any future actions or activities that would unnecessarily disturb the traditional appearance of the site, e.g. ...
Sites: Borobudur Temple Compounds
The Centre reported that the UNESCO Physical Heritage Division undertook a mission to Iran in December 1994 which included a preliminary survey on the state of conservation of the World Heritage cultural property of Meidan Emam in Isfahan. Observations focused on the following:
(i) concern over the heavy traffic in the old town, particularly on the Meidan Emam place, which along with the surrounding monuments are in the protected zone. The proposed construction of an underground passage to alleviate the traffic congestion had been shelved due to the high water table preventing its ...
Sites: Meidan Emam, Esfahan
The Centre informed the Bureau that a joint Japan/UNESCO project identification mission to this World Heritage Site inscribed in 1979, took place in February 1995. It was observed that in spite of the application of a good traditional method of conservation, consisting of covering the exposed structures each year with "kargel" (mud and straw mixture) , the site has continued to deteriorate in the absence of a viable method for sustainable conservation of the mud-brick structures which are annually exposed to heavy rainfall.
The mission also noted some movement of the supporting brick ...
Sites: Tchogha Zanbil
The Bureau, having been informed of looting of archaeological sites in Iraq, particularly at Hatra, recommended the States Parties to the World Heritage Convention to do their utmost to prevent the illicit traffic of archaeological objects and sculptures from this site.
Sites: Hatra
After having taken note of the Secretariat’s report, and additional information from ICOMOS, the Bureau thanked the Jordanian authorities for having undertaken the measures outlined by the Committee without delay and congratulated them on their desire to ensure long-term conservation of the site. In order to have available all the necessary elements for the evaluation of the proposed extension of the site, it requested the authorities to confirm by 1 October that no new hotel construction projects will be authorized at Wadi Musa and along the Taybeh road, that the Petra National ...
Sites: Petra
After having taken note of the Secretariat’s report, the Bureau expressed its regrets that the Maltese authorities had not responded to the requests of the Committee, and stressed the importance that the requested information be submitted to the Centre by 1 October 1995, so that the World Heritage Committee may evaluate the situation at its nineteenth session and take the measures it deems necessary.
Sites: Megalithic Temples of Malta
After having taken note of the Secretariat's report, the Bureau expressed its regrets that the Maltese authorities had not responded to the requests of the Committee, and stressed the importance that the requested information be submitted to the Centre by 1 October 1995, so that the World Heritage Committee may evaluate the situation at its nineteenth session and take the measures it deems necessary.
Following the presentation of the reports concerning these two sites, the Observer of Malta wished to thank the Centre for the work accomplished in close collaboration with the national ...
Sites: Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum