The World Heritage Committee,
Having examined Document WHC/18/42.COM/7B,
Recalling Decisions 40 COM 8B.21 and 41 COM 8B.49 adopted at its 40th (Istanbul/UNESCO, 2016) and 41st (Krakow, 2017) sessions respectively,
Urges the State Party to include, as a matter of priority, sections on strategic risk management and sustainable tourism management in the integrated management system, with clear objectives related to the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property, notably its authenticity and integrity, and relevant monitoring indicators;
Reiterates its recommendations to the ...
Sites: The Persian Qanat
The World Heritage Committee,
Having examined Document WHC/18/42.COM/7B,
Recalling Decision 40 COM 7B.53, adopted at its 40th session (Istanbul, 2016),
Welcomes the two States Parties’ efforts in addressing the property’s current conservation issues;
Taking note of the commitment of the State Party of Lithuania concerning the completion the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for the deepening of the navigation canal and a reconstruction of Klaipèda Port by the end of 2018;
Reminding the State Party of Lithuania that the Reactive Monitoring mission of January 2015 concluded ...
Sites: Curonian Spit
The World Heritage Committee,
Having examined Document WHC/18/42.COM/7B.Add,
Recalling Decision 40 COM 7B.58, adopted at its 40th session (Istanbul/UNESCO, 2016),
Acknowledges the considerable progress made with the the restoration of fabric and interior of the Church of the Transfiguration, the high quality of workmanship and the satisfactory implementation of previous recommendations;
Welcomes the revisions made to the entrance zone project;
Takes note of the recommendations of the ICOMOS Advisory mission to the property made in relation to the restoration works of the Church ...
Sites: Kizhi Pogost
The World Heritage Committee,
Having examined Document WHC/18/42.COM/7B.Add2,
Recalling Decision 41 COM 7B.49, adopted at its 41st session (Krakow, 2017),
Acknowledges the information provided by the State Party concerning the progress made with the development of the Master Plan and Management Plan;
Notes that the report of the joint World Heritage Centre/ICOMOS Reactive Monitoring mission will be examined at the 43rd session of the Committee in 2019;
Also notes that the mission supported the revised plans for re-shaping the partly constructed existing museum building; and that ...
The World Heritage Committee,
Having examined Document WHC/18/42.COM/7B,
Recalling Decision 41 COM 7B.5, adopted at its 41st session (Krakow, 2017),
Regrets that the State Party report provides little information on the progress made in the implementation of the recommendations of the 2012 mission and that most of the information provided is related to one component of the property only, the Katunsky State Nature Reserve;
Urges the State Party to implement all the recommendations of the 2012 mission, as adopted in Decision 36 COM 7B.25, across all components of the property and to ...
Sites: Golden Mountains of Altai
The World Heritage Committee,
Having examined Document WHC/18/42.COM/7B,
Recalling Decision 41 COM 7B.6, adopted at its 41st session (Krakow, 2017),
Noting with serious concern the resolution extending the use of increased limits on the fluctuation between the maximum and minimum water levels of Lake Baikal for 2018-2020, urges the State Party to stop introducing further changes of the limits on fluctuation until the impacts of all existing water use and management regulations on the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property are fully understood through a complete and ...
Sites: Lake Baikal
The World Heritage Committee,
Having examined Document WHC/18/42.COM/7B,
Recalling Decisions 39 COM 7B.25, 40 COM 7B.98, and 41 COM 7B.7, adopted at its 39th (Bonn, 2015), 40th (Istanbul/UNESCO, 2016) and 41st (Krakow, 2017) sessions respectively,
Taking note of the conclusions of the 2017 joint World Heritage Centre/IUCN Reactive Monitoring mission, expresses its serious concern on the reported threats to the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property, and requests the State Party to fully implement all the recommendations of the mission;
Welcomes the continued efforts ...
The World Heritage Committee,
Having examined Document WHC/18/42.COM/7B,
Recalling Decision 40 COM 7B.99, adopted at its 40th session (Istanbul/UNESCO, 2016),
Regrets that the State Party report only includes information on one component of the property, Yugid Va National Park (YVNP) but that no information on the Pechoro-Ilychskiy Nature Reserve component is provided;
Welcomes enhanced capacity for the prevention of forest fires and protection of permafrost in YVNP as well as the development of the property’s Integrated Management Plan for the 2017-2031 period, and requests the ...
Sites: Virgin Komi Forests
The World Heritage Committee,
Having examined Document WHC/18/42.COM/7B,
Recalling Decision 40 COM 7B.100 adopted at its 40th session (Istanbul/UNESCO, 2016),
Notes the clarifications provided by the State Party regarding the total area of the nature parks components of the property and the discrepancies with previously reported figures and requests the State Party to submit the information on the boundaries of all components to the World Heritage Centre in order to formally clarify them by submitting high-resolution maps and shapefiles for each of the property’s ...
Sites: Volcanoes of Kamchatka
The World Heritage Committee,
Having examined Document WHC/18/42.COM/7B.Add,
Recalling Decision 41COM 7B.8, adopted at its 41st session (Krakow, 2017),
Welcomes the State Party’s statement that the recent legislative changes do not impact on the obligations of the State Party under the Convention to preserve and transfer the heritage object to future generations in an unchanged state, but regrets that no detailed information about these changes has been provided and therefore reiterates its request to the State Party to provide detailed information about all recently adopted ...
Sites: Western Caucasus
The World Heritage Committee,
Having examined Document WHC/18/42.COM/7B.Add,
Takes note with satisfaction of the measures taken by the States Parties concerned to address its previous requests to mitigate the threats on the Outstanding Universal Value of the following World Heritage properties:
The Grand Canal (China) (C 1443bis)
Carolingian Westwork and Civitas Corvey (Germany) (C 1447)
Historic Centre of the City of Yaroslavl (Russian Federation) (C 1170)
Encourages the States Parties concerned to pursue their efforts to ensure the conservation of World Heritage ...
The World Heritage Committee,
Having examined Documents WHC/18/42.COM/8B and WHC/18/42.COM/INF.8B2,
Defers the examination of the nomination of Arasbaran Protected Area, Islamic Republic of Iran, to the World Heritage List in order to allow the State Party to:
Provide clear technical justification for Outstanding Universal Value and integrity,
Provide sufficient information concerning the process of relocation of farmlands within the boundaries of the nominated property,
Provide information with regards to the occurrence of the Persian leopard population and other threatened ...
The World Heritage Committee,
Having examined Documents WHC/18/42.COM/8B and WHC/18/42.COM/INF.8B2,
Approves the significant boundary modification of Central Sikhote-Alin, Russian Federation, to include Bikin River Valley, on the World Heritage List on the basis of criterion (x);
Takes note of the following provisional Statement of Outstanding Universal Value:
Brief Synthesis
The extension extends from 200 to 1900 masl and is the most important intact and effectively protected forest on the western slope of the Sikhote-Alin, which is distinct from the slopes exposed to the Sea of ...
Sites: Central Sikhote-Alin
The World Heritage Committee,
Having examined Documents WHC/18/42.COM/8B and WHC/18/42.COM/INF.8B1,
Inscribes the Ancient City of Qalhat, Oman, on the World Heritage List on the basis of criteria (ii) and (iii);
Takes note of the following provisional Statement of Outstanding Universal Value:
Brief Synthesis
The Ancient City of Qalhat is located on the eastern coast of the Sultanate of Oman, approximately 20 kilometres north of the city of Sur. The property includes the entire Ancient City of Qalhat, demarcated by its inner and outer walls, which extends over 35 hectares, as well ...
Sites: Ancient City of Qalhat
The World Heritage Committee,
Having examined Documents WHC/18/42.COM/8B and WHC/18/42.COM/INF.8B1,
Inscribes the Al-Ahsa Oasis, an Evolving Cultural Landscape, Saudi Arabia, on the World Heritage List on the basis of criteria (iii), (iv) and (v);
Takes note of the following provisional Statement of Outstanding Universal Value:
Brief synthesis
Al-Ahsa Oasis is located in the eastern part of the Arabian Peninsula, bordered on the North by Abqaiq province, on the east by the Persian Gulf, on the west by the desert of Ad-Dahna and on the south by the desert of Ar-Rub' Al-Khali (the ...
The World Heritage Committee,
Having examined Document WHC/19/43.COM/7B,
Recalling Decisions 39 COM 7B.13 and 41 COM 7B.30, adopted at its 39th (Bonn, 2015) and 41st (Krakow, 2017) sessions respectively,
Welcomes the joint surveys undertaken by the States Parties of Japan and the Russian Federation concerning the Western Steller Sea Lion rookeries in Russia and their plans to develop a population dynamic model of this subspecies to inform management, and requests the States Parties to submit the findings to the World Heritage Centre once they are available;
Noting the reported ...
Sites: Shiretoko
The World Heritage Committee,
Having examined Document WHC/19/43.COM/7B,
Recalling Decision 41 COM 7B.33, adopted at its 41st session (Krakow, 2017),
Notes with appreciation the efforts undertaken by the State Party to address the management and conservation challenges faced by the property;
Welcomes that the State Party has no intention to build a cable car to the Son Doong and Hang En caves or any other similar project within the property and requests the State Party to take the necessary measures to avoid a further increase in the number of visitors to caves located within the ...
The World Heritage Committee,
Having examined Document WHC/19/43.COM/7B,
Recalling Decision 42 COM 7B.75, adopted at its 42nd session (Manama, 2018),
Warmly welcomes the confirmation by the State Party that the route of the proposed Altai gas pipeline (Power of Siberia-2) would pass around the property, but reiterates its position that any decision to route the Altai gas pipeline through the property would constitute a clear case for inscription of the property on the List of World Heritage in Danger and requests the State Party to provide to the World Heritage Centre the relevant ...
Sites: Golden Mountains of Altai
The World Heritage Committee,
Having examined Document WHC/19/43.COM/7B,
Recalling Decision 42 COM 7B.77, adopted at its 42nd session (Manama, 2018),
Welcomes the reported monitoring activities and encourages the State Party to continue monitoring the conservation status of the polar bear subpopulation and to systematically assess and monitor the impacts of climate change on the property’s ecosystems;
Also welcomes the fact that tourism remains limited and the confirmation that no further upgrades of tourism facilities are planned;
Notes the progressive removal of garbage from ...
The World Heritage Committee,
Having examined Document WHC/19/43.COM/7B,
Recalling Decisions 32 COM 7B.25, 41 COM 7B.8 and 42 COM 7B.80, adopted at its 32nd (Quebec City, 2008), 41st (Krakow, 2017) and 42nd (Manama, 2018) sessions, respectively,
Welcomes the confirmation provided by the State Party that no plans exist for development of the property for recreational, sport or tourism purposes or for construction of large-scale tourism facilities in protected areas adjacent to the property;
Also recalling that the Committee has on several occasions reiterated its position that the ...
Sites: Western Caucasus
The World Heritage Committee,
Having examined Document WHC/19/43.COM/7B.Add,
Recalling Decision 42 COM 7B.60, adopted at its 42nd session (Manama, 2018),
Welcomes the information provided by the State Party and commends it for the efforts made so far by national, regional and local authorities to address the difficulties and for better protection and enhancement of the property;
Underlines with satisfaction the prompt welcome and successful conduct of the joint World Heritage Centre/ICOMOS Advisory mission organized at the request of the World Heritage Centre, which took place from ...
The World Heritage Committee,
Having examined Document WHC/19/43.COM/7B,
Recalling Decision 42 COM 7B.29, adopted at its 42nd session (Manama, 2018),
Welcomes the specialist research work now being undertaken to define the spiritual, historical, cultural and natural values of the property, and that this work will encompass the morphology of the landscape, its vegetation, and the history of the civilian settlements, as well as the precise details of the historic roads and the engineering of the water management system that feeds the Sacred Lake and provides essential drinking ...
The World Heritage Committee,
Having examined Document WHC/19/43.COM/7B,
Recalling Decision 42 COM 7B.28, adopted at its 42nd session (Manama, 2018),
Acknowledges the considerable and continued progress made on the restoration of the Church of the Transfiguration, as well as on the development of appropriate monitoring programmes to assess and adjust the already-reconstructed portions of the Church of the Transfiguration;
Also acknowledges the State Party’s continued commitment to the improvement of the state of conservation of the property as well as the development of management ...
Sites: Kizhi Pogost
43 COM 8B.3
Migratory Bird Sanctuaries along the Coast of Yellow Sea-Bohai Gulf of China (Phase I) (China)
The World Heritage Committee,
Having examined Documents WHC/19/43.COM/8B and WHC/19/43.COM/INF.8B2,
Inscribes the Migratory Bird Sanctuaries along the Coast of Yellow Sea-Bohai Gulf of China (Phase I), China, on the World Heritage List on the basis of criterion (x);
Takes note of the following provisional Statement of Outstanding Universal Value:
Brief Synthesis
The Migratory Bird Sanctuaries along the Coast of the Yellow Sea-Bohai Gulf of China (Phase I) is situated in the largest intertidal wetland system in the world and one of the most biologically diverse. The property is an ...
The World Heritage Committee,
Having examined Documents WHC/19/43.COM/8B and WHC/19/43.COM/INF.8B2,
Recalling Decision 30 COM 8B.24 adopted at its 30th session (Vilnius, 2006),
Inscribes the Hyrcanian Forests, Islamic Republic of Iran, on the World Heritage List on the basis of criterion (ix);
Adopts the following Statement of Outstanding Universal Value:
Brief synthesis
The Hyrcanian Forests form a green arc of forest, separated from the Caucasus to the west and from semi-desert areas to the east: a unique forested massif that extends from south-eastern Azerbaijan eastwards to ...
Sites: Hyrcanian Forests
The World Heritage Committee,
Having examined Documents WHC/19/43.COM/8B and WHC/19/43.COM/INF.8B1,
Inscribes the Mozu-Furuichi Kofun Group: Mounded Tombs of Ancient Japan, Japan, on the World Heritage List on the basis of criteria (iii) and (iv);
Adopts the following Statement of Outstanding Universal Value:
Brief synthesis
Located on a plateau above the Osaka Plain, the Mozu-Furuichi Kofun Group is a serial property of 45 components which contains 49 kofun (‘old mound’), a large and distinctive type of burial mound. The selected kofun are found in two major clusters, and are the ...
The World Heritage Committee,
Having examined Documents WHC/19/43.COM/8B and WHC/19/43.COM/INF.8B1,
Inscribes the Megalithic Jar Sites in Xiengkhuang – Plain of Jars, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, on the World Heritage List on the basis of criterion (iii);
Adopts the following Statement of Outstanding Universal Value:
Brief synthesis
More than 2100 tubular-shaped megalithic stone jars used for funerary practices in the Iron Age give the Plain of Jars its name. This serial property of 15 components contains 1325 of these large carved stone jars, stone discs (possibly lids for ...
The World Heritage Committee,
Having examined Documents WHC/19/43.COM/8B and WHC/19/43.COM/INF.8B1,
Inscribes the Churches of the Pskov School of Architecture, Russian Federation, namely 10 of the 18 nominated serial components: 2.2 “Cathedral of Ioann Predtecha (John the Precursor) of the Ivanovsky Monastery”; 2.3 “Ensemble of the Spaso-Mirozhsky Monastery: the Transfiguration Cathedral”; 2.4 “Ensemble of the Snetogorsky Monastery: the Cathedral of the Nativity of the Mother of God”; 2.5 “Church of the Archangel Michael with a bell tower”; 2.6 “Church of Pokrova (Intercession) ot ...
The World Heritage Committee,
Having examined Documents WHC/19/43.COM/8B.Add and WHC/19/43.COM/INF.8B1.Add,
Recalling Decision 41 COM 8B.20 adopted at its 41st session (Krakow, 2017),
Inscribes the Historic centre of Sheki with the Khan’s Palace, Azerbaijan, on the World Heritage List on the basis of criteria (ii) and (v);
Takes note of the provisional Statement of Outstanding Universal Value;
Brief synthesis
The historic town of Sheki, located in the northern part of modern Azerbaijan, has ancient origins as part of the Caucasian Albania, dating from the 6th century BCE. The ...
The World Heritage Committee,
Having examined Document WHC/19/43.COM/8D,
Recalling Decision 42 COM 8D, adopted at its 42nd session (Manama, 2018),
Acknowledges the excellent work accomplished by States Parties in the clarification of the boundaries of their World Heritage properties and commends them for their efforts to improve the credibility of the World Heritage List;
Recalls that the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies are not able to examine proposals for minor or significant modifications to boundaries of World Heritage properties whenever the delimitations of such ...
43 COM 10A.1
Progress report on the follow-up to the second cycle of the Periodic Reporting (Asia and the Pacific)
The World Heritage Committee,
Having examined Document WHC/19/43.COM/10A,
Recalling Decision 40 COM 10B.1 adopted at its 40th session (Istanbul/UNESCO, 2016),
Welcomes the progress made in the follow-up of the Second Cycle of Periodic Reporting in the region of Asia and the Pacific;
Thanks the Governments of Japan, Malaysia, the Netherlands, the Republic of Korea and the United States of America for their contributions towards supporting follow-up activities to the Second Cycle of Periodic Reporting in the region of Asia and the Pacific;
Takes note of the progress made on the Silk ...
The World Heritage Committee,
Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7A,
Recalling Decisions 43 COM 7A.36 and 43 COM 7A.37, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
Taking into account Decision 44 COM 7A.24, on the World Heritage properties of the Syrian Arab Republic,
Expresses its concern that extensive illegal excavation took place at the site and calls upon the international community to collaborate for the sharing of inventories and documentation that could facilitate the return of looted objects;
Also expresses its concern that monuments at the property remain at serious ...
Sites: Site of Palmyra
44 COM 7B.22
Silk Roads: the Routes Network of Chang’an – Tian-shan Corridor (China/Kazakhstan/Kyrgyzstan) (C 1442)
The World Heritage Committee,
Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decisions 40 COM 7B.34, 41 COM 7B.88 and 42 COM 7B.5 adopted at its 40th (Istanbul, 2016), 41st (Krakow, 2017) and its 42nd (Manama, 2018) sessions respectively,
Notes that progress has been made with research, interpretation, stakeholder involvement and monitoring along the property, including public outreach activities, and that the States Parties jointly contribute to the development of laws and regulations and to the preparation and improvement of Management Plans, encourages all three States ...
The World Heritage Committee,
Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decisions 40 COM 8B.21, 41 COM 8B.49 and 42 COM 7B.9, adopted at its 40th (Istanbul/UNESCO, 2016), 41st (Krakow, 2017) and 42nd (Manama, 2018) sessions respectively,
Requests the State Party to include, as a matter of priority, a section on sustainable tourism management in the integrated management system, with clear objectives related to the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property, notably its authenticity and integrity, along with relevant monitoring indicators, and to develop measures to ...
Sites: The Persian Qanat
44 COM 7B.53
Tarnowskie Góry Lead-Silver-Zinc Mine and its Underground Water Management System (Poland) (C 1539)
The World Heritage Committee,
Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decision 41 COM 8B.25, adopted at its 41st session (Krakow, 2017),
Takes note of the progress made by the State Party in implementing its recommendations;
Welcomes the proposal for an inventory of the underground heritage elements of the property and invites the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre a plan and a timeframe for such an inventory;
Requests the State Party to finalize and implement the legal protection at the national level of all above-ground structures within the ...
The World Heritage Committee,
Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B.Add,
Recalling Decision 43 COM 7B.14, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
Notes with satisfaction that forest management activities in the property, including logging, have remained at a very low scale, and only limited to the active management zone, as recommended by the 2018 Reactive Monitoring mission;
Notes the confirmation by the State Party of Poland that the recently approved amendments to the Forest Management Plans (FMPs) for the Bialowieza and Browsk Forest Districts are in line with the ...
Sites: Białowieża Forest
The World Heritage Committee,
Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decision 42 COM 7B.84, adopted at its 42nd session (Manama, 2018)
Welcomes the submission of an Integrated Management Plan (IMP) for the property, but considers that management of the components of the property will need to be further consolidated and therefore requests the State Party to establish a Coordinative Council for integrated management of all component parts, as foreseen in the IMP, as a matter of priority, and to complete the tasks listed in the Joint Action Plan of the IMP;
Also welcomes ...
Sites: Central Sikhote-Alin
The World Heritage Committee,
Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decision 43 COM 7B.26, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
Regretting that the State Party did not provide sufficiently elaborated information on the different points raised by the Committee in its previous Decision,
Welcomes the restated confirmation by the State Party that the Altai gas pipeline would pass around the property, however reiterates its request to the State Party to provide additional information on the exact alternative route of the pipeline, and to continue to update the World ...
Sites: Golden Mountains of Altai
The World Heritage Committee,
Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decisions 39 COM 7B.22, 40 COM 7B.97, 41 COM 7B.6 and 42 COM 7B.76, adopted at its 39th (Bonn, 2015), 40th (Istanbul/UNESCO, 2016), 41st (Krakow, 2017) and 42nd (Manama, 2018) sessions respectively,
Notes with utmost concern several proposed amendments to existing legislation and new laws, which would significantly weaken the existing regulatory framework in terms of requirements for impact assessments and allowable levels of pollutants, and considers that the scale of this weakening of the ...
Sites: Lake Baikal
The World Heritage Committee,
Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decision 42 COM 7B.78, adopted at its 42nd session (Manama, 2018),
Welcomes the efforts made by the State Party to enforce visitor management in the Pechoro-Ilychskiy Nature Reserve component of the property and requests the State Party to develop a sustainable tourism management strategy for the entire property to ensure that tourism is effectively managed across all components;
While noting the suspension of the mining license granted to the ZAO ‘Gold Minerals’ company for exploration and extraction ...
Sites: Virgin Komi Forests
The World Heritage Committee,
Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B.Add,
Recalling Decisions 40 COM 7B.100 and 42 COM 7B.79, adopted respectively at its 40th (Istanbul/UNESCO, 2016) and 42nd (Manama, 2018) sessions,
Notes with concern the conclusions of the 2019 Reactive Monitoring mission that the threats and management issues to the property, which were identified by the 2007 monitoring mission, have not diminished and that little progress has been achieved in implementing previous recommendations and considers that urgent measures are therefore needed to avoid impacts on the ...
Sites: Volcanoes of Kamchatka
The World Heritage Committee,
Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B.Add,
Recalling Decisions 32 COM 7B.25, 42 COM 7B.80 and 43 COM 7B.18, adopted at its 32nd (Quebec City, 2008), 42nd (Manama, 2018) and 43rd (Baku, 2019) sessions respectively,
Welcomes the confirmation that plans to build large ski facilities in the property in the basins of the Mzymta, Urushten and Malaya Laba rivers have been rejected but notes with concern that the construction of a “mountain resort” at Lagonaki Plateau is being considered and requests the State Party to provide more details on the planned ...
Sites: Western Caucasus
The World Heritage Committee,
Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decision 43 COM 7B.88, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
Welcomes the on-going development of the Master Plan for the property, as well as its focus on detailed considerations of the key attributes of the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) and on the needs of the religious, secular and pilgrim/visitor communities;
Notes that the Plan will ultimately encompass the whole Archipelago, with the first phase being concentrated on the main monastic complex and adjacent Solovetsky settlement, and that ...
The World Heritage Committee,
Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decision 43 COM 7B.89, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
Congratulates the State Party on the completion of the exemplary restoration of the Church of the Transfiguration and on the implementation of a continued monitoring programme of the structures within the boundaries of the property;
Commends the State Party for:
The establishment of the All-Russian Centre for Wooden Architecture Conservation at the Kizhi Open Air Museum, funded by the State Party,
The legal protection of the ...
Sites: Kizhi Pogost
The World Heritage Committee,
Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decisions 35 COM 8B.6, 39 COM 7B.5, 41 COM 7B.21 and 43 COM 7B.33, adopted at its 35th (UNESCO, 2011), 39th (Bonn, 2015), 41st (Krakow, 2017) and 43rd (Baku, 2019) sessions respectively,
Notes with concern the impacts of the unusually high water levels in all components of the property, which is attributed to heavy rainfall, potentially as a result of climate change and exacerbated by the increasing deforestation, sewage loads and degradation of the catchments, and requests the State Party to monitor ...
The World Heritage Committee,
Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decisions 41 COM 7B.30 and 43 COM 7B.10, adopted at its 41st (Krakow, 2017) and 43rd (Baku, 2019) sessions respectively,
Welcomes the national focus on climate change adaptation through the enactment of the 2018 Climate Change Adaptation Act, which will facilitate the development of an adaptive management strategy for the property, and requests the State Party to submit the final strategy to the World Heritage Centre for review by IUCN and to ensure that full support is provided for its ...
Sites: Shiretoko
The World Heritage Committee,
Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B.Add,
Recalling Decision 41 COM 8B.6, adopted at its 41st session (Krakow, 2017),
Notes with utmost concern that the construction of the Onon-Ulz dam on the Ulz River, upstream of the property in Mongolia, has commenced without prior notification to the World Heritage Committee, despite the provisions of Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines, and could impact the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property by modifying the natural flow regimes of the river and lake levels;
Urgently requests the State ...
Sites: Landscapes of Dauria
The World Heritage Committee,
Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decision 43 COM 7B.12, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
Welcomes the efforts of the State Party to implement the recommendations of the 2018 Reactive Monitoring mission, including a new Directive by the Quang Bing Provincial People’s Committee, which requires all provincial authorities to strengthen conservation and promotion of World Heritage values, the elaboration of a sustainable forest management plan (2021-2030), a Biodiversity Conservation Plan (vision 2040) and a plan for conservation ...
44 COM 8B.5
Amami-Oshima Island, Tokunoshima Island, Northern part of Okinawa Island, and Iriomote Island (Japan)
The World Heritage Committee,
Having examined Documents WHC/21/44.COM/8B and WHC/21/44.COM/INF.8B2,
Taking note of the Note Verbale dated 9 June 2021 issued in Paris by the State Party and the supplemental information in the form of a non-paper dated 15 July 2021 provided by the State Party to all the State members of the World Heritage Committee and the UNESCO Secretariat on the submission made by Japan for inscription on the World Heritage List under the name of property “Amami-Oshima Island, Tokunoshima Island, Northern part of Okinawa Island, and Iriomote Island”;
Inscribes ...
The World Heritage Committee,
Having examined Documents WHC/21/44.COM/8B and WHC/21/44.COM/INF.8B2,
Inscribes Getbol, Korean Tidal Flats, Republic of Korea, on the World Heritage List on the basis of criterion (x);
Takes note of the following provisional Statement of Outstanding Universal Value:
Brief synthesis
The “Getbol” is a natural serial property, comprising four components in the first phase, located on the eastern shoreline of the Yellow Sea on the southwestern coast of the Korean Peninsula. The Yellow Sea, lying between the Korean Peninsula and China, hosts one of the ...
Sites: Getbol, Korean Tidal Flats
The World Heritage Committee,
Having examined Documents WHC/21/44.COM/8B.Add and WHC/21/44.COM/INF.8B2.Add,
Recalling Decisions 39 COM 8B.5, 40 COM 8B.11 and 43 COM 8B.5 adopted at its 39th (Bonn, 2015), 40th (Istanbul/UNESCO Headquarters, 2016) and 43rd (Baku, 2019) sessions respectively,
Inscribes Kaeng Krachan Forest Complex, Thailand, on the World Heritage List on the basis of criterion (x);
Takes note of the following provisional Statement of Outstanding Universal Value:
Brief synthesis
The Kaeng Krachan Forest Complex (KKFC) lies in the Tenasserim Range near the border area ...
Sites: Kaeng Krachan Forest Complex
The World Heritage Committee,
Having examined Documents WHC/21/44.COM/8B and WHC/21/44.COM/INF.8B1,
Inscribes the Trans-Iranian Railway, Islamic Republic of Iran, on the World Heritage List on the basis of criteria (ii) and (iv);
Takes note of the following provisional Statement of Outstanding Universal Value:
Brief synthesis
The 1394-km-long Trans-Iranian Railway, TIR, connects the Caspian Sea in the north to the southern shores of Iran. Opened fully in 1938, the railway is a busy main line of standard track gauge 1435 mm.
The TIR exhibits exceptional scale as a major mountain ...
Sites: Trans-Iranian Railway
The World Heritage Committee,
Having examined Documents WHC/21/44.COM/8B and WHC/21/44.COM/INF.8B1,
Inscribes Mathildenhöhe Darmstadt, Germany, on the World Heritage List on the basis of criteria (ii) and (iv);
Takes note of the following provisional Statement of Outstanding Universal Value:
Brief synthesis
Mathildenhöhe Darmstadt is an outstanding early-twentieth century ensemble of experimental buildings and designed landscapes that represents a prototype of Modernism. The place of residence and exhibition grounds of an artists’ colony – a forerunner of permanent international ...
Sites: Mathildenhöhe Darmstadt
The World Heritage Committee,
Having examined Documents WHC/21/44.COM/8B and WHC/21/44.COM/INF.8B1,
Inscribes Petroglyphs of Lake Onega and the White Sea, Russian Federation, on the World Heritage List on the basis of criterion (iii);
Takes note of the following provisional Statement of Outstanding Universal Value:
Brief synthesis
The Petroglyphs of Lake Onega and the White Sea are located in the north-west of Russia in the Republic of Karelia and include two component parts located 300 km from each other: the petroglyphs of Lake Onega in the south-east part of the Republic of ...
The minor boundary modification request Volcanoes of Kamchatka, Russian Federation, was withdrawn at the request of the State Party.
Sites: Volcanoes of Kamchatka
44 COM 8B.67
Statements of Outstanding Universal Value of properties inscribed at previous sessions and not adopted by the World Heritage Committee
The World Heritage Committee,
Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/8B.Add,
Adopts the Statements of Outstanding Universal Value for the following World Heritage properties inscribed at previous sessions of the World Heritage Committee:
Azerbaijan, Historic Centre of Sheki with the Khan’s Palace;
Cambodia, Temple Zone of Sambor Prei Kuk, Archaeological Site of Ancient Ishanapura;
China, Migratory Bird Sanctuaries along the Coast of Yellow Sea-Bohai Gulf of China (Phase I);
Czechia, Landscape for Breeding and Training of Ceremonial Carriage Horses at Kladruby nad ...
Sites: Barberton Makhonjwa Mountains Central Sikhote-Alin Historic Centre of Sheki with the Khan’s Palace Jaipur City, Rajasthan Krzemionki Prehistoric Striped Flint Mining Region Landscape for Breeding and Training of Ceremonial Carriage Horses at Kladruby nad Labem Migratory Bird Sanctuaries along the Coast of Yellow Sea-Bohai Gulf of China Royal Building of Mafra – Palace, Basilica, Convent, Cerco Garden and Hunting Park (Tapada) Sanctuary of Bom Jesus do Monte in Braga Temple Zone of Sambor Prei Kuk, Archaeological Site of Ancient Ishanapura
44 COM 10C.1
Progress report on the implementation of the Action Plans for the Second Cycle of Periodic Reporting in all regions (Asia and the Pacific)
The World Heritage Committee,
Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/10C,
Recalling Decision 43 COM 10A.1 adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
Welcomes the progress made in the follow-up of the Second Cycle of Periodic Reporting in the region of Asia and the Pacific;
Thanks the Governments of China, Japan, the Netherlands and the Republic of Korea as well as the European Union for their contributions towards supporting follow-up activities to the Second Cycle of Periodic Reporting in the region of Asia and the Pacific;
Takes note of the progress made on the Silk Roads ...
44 COM 16
Election of the Chairperson, Vice-Chairpersons and Rapporteur of the 45th session of the World Heritage Committee
The World Heritage Committee,
Recalling its Decision 43 COM 16, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019), which elected its Bureau whose mandate will be until the end of its 44th session (Fuzhou/Online, 2021),
Recalls that the hosting of a World Heritage Committee session by a Committee member is subject to the host country signing a host country agreement in conformity with UNESCO’s rules and regulations and that host country agreements for category II meetings must be signed eight months in advance of the meeting;
Also recalls that, pursuant to Rule 44.3 of the Rules of Procedure ...
The World Heritage Committee,
Having examined Document WHC/23/45.COM/7B,
Recalling Decisions 39 COM 7B.5, 41 COM 7B.21, 43 COM 7B.33 and 44 COM 7B.175 adopted at its 39th (Bonn, 2015), 41st (Krakow, 2017), 43rd (Baku, 2019) and extended 44th (Fuzhou/online, 2021) sessions respectively,
Expresses its utmost concern about the impacts of the continuous water level rise in all the lakes of the property, causing changes in the boundaries, pH and salinity of the lakes and resulting in adverse impacts on biodiversity, in particular the alarming decline of Lesser Flamingo population, a key ...
The World Heritage Committee,
Having examined Document WHC/23/45.COM/7B.Add,
Recalling Decisions 41 COM 8B.6 and 44 COM 7B.187 adopted at its 41st (Krakow, 2017) and extended 44th (Fuzhou/online, 2021) sessions respectively,
Regrets that the reports on the state of conservation of the property were submitted separately by each State Party, recalls that, for transboundary properties, States Parties should submit a joint report rather than individual reports on their national components, and requests the States Parties of Mongolia and the Russian Federation to submit a joint report ...
Sites: Landscapes of Dauria
The World Heritage Committee,
Having examined Document WHC/23/45.COM/7B.Add.2,
Recalling Decisions 41 COM 7B.32 and 44 COM 7B.97 adopted at its 41st (Krakow, 2017) and extended 44th (Fuzhou/online, 2021) sessions respectively,
Appreciates the continued commitment of the State Party to lead international cooperation and carry out activities within the property to address illegal logging and trade of Siamese Rosewood and other precious wood species, and strongly encourages the State Party to further strengthen this cooperation with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) ...
The World Heritage Committee,
Having examined Document WHC/23/45.COM/7B.Add.2,
Recalling Decisions 43 COM 7B.14 and 44 COM 7B.100 adopted at its 43rd (Baku, 2019) and extended 44th (Fuzhou/online, 2021) sessions respectively,
Expresses its utmost concern regarding the construction by the State Party of Poland, without prior submission to the World Heritage Centre of an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) of the potential impacts on the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV), of a border barrier between the Belarusian and Polish parts of the transboundary property, crossing some of the ...
Sites: Białowieża Forest
The World Heritage Committee,
Having examined Document WHC/23/45.COM/7B.Add.2,
Recalling Decisions 40 COM 7B.97 and 44 COM 7B.107 adopted at its 40th (Istanbul/UNESCO, 2016) and extended 44th (Fuzhou/online, 2021) sessions respectively,
Urges again the State Party to refrain from renewing legislative amendments which allow extending the water level variation beyond one metre due to potential negative impact on the property and its Outstanding Universal Value (OUV), until the impacts of all existing water use and management regulations on the OUV are fully assessed and the ...
Sites: Lake Baikal
The World Heritage Committee,
Having examined Document WHC/23/45.COM/7B,
Recalling Decision 44 COM 7B.31 adopted at its extended 44th session (Fuzhou/online, 2021),
Welcomes the continued monitoring of the Mausoleum by the State Party’s advisors, and requests that the recommendations of the February 2022 report by the International Institute of Central Asian Studies (IICAS) be implemented;
Also requests that the State Party provide an update report on the functioning and effect of the Scientific-Methodological Council constituted in 2019;
Also welcomes the extensive presentation, ...
The World Heritage Committee,
Having examined Document WHC/23/45.COM/7B,
Recalling Decision 44 COM 7B.32 adopted at its extended 44th session (Fuzhou/online, 2021),
Acknowledges the State Party’s efforts to implement activities for preservation, education and monitoring, but reiterates its request to the State Party to submit the Infrastructure Development Plan for review by the Advisory Bodies prior to its final approval and implementation;
Acknowledges the findings and recommendations of the 2022 joint World Heritage Centre/ICOMOS Reactive Monitoring mission to the property, ...
Sites: Town of Luang Prabang
The World Heritage Committee,
Having examined Document WHC/23/45.COM/7B.Add,
Recalling Decision 44 COM 7B.189 adopted at its extended 44th session (Fuzhou/online, 2021),
Welcomes the continued efforts of the State Party to implement the recommendations of the 2018 joint World Heritage Centre/IUCN Reactive Monitoring mission;
Notes with appreciation ongoing measures to address invasive alien species (IAS) including a proposed project to assess the invasive plant Merremia boisiana, and reiterates its request to develop a clear strategy and action plan informed by the results of the ...
The World Heritage Committee,
Having examined Document WHC/23/45.COM/7B.Add,
Recalling Decision 44 COM 7B.105 adopted at its extended 44th session (Fuzhou/online, 2021),
Welcomes the establishment of a Coordinating Council for the integrated management of the property and encourages the State Party to ensure that the Council implements tasks proposed in the Joint Action Plan of the Integrated Management Plan that will enhance integrated management of the property, and to ensure representation from all component parts of the property;
Recalling previous concerns around the limited ...
Sites: Central Sikhote-Alin
The World Heritage Committee,
Having examined Document WHC/23/45.COM/7B.Add,
Recalling Decisions 42 COM 7B.75, 43 COM 7B.16 and 44 COM 7B.106 adopted at its 42nd (Manama, 2018), 43rd (Baku, 2019) and extended 44th (Fuzhou/online, 2021) sessions respectively,
Regrets again that the State Party did not provide sufficiently elaborated information on the different points raised by the Committee in its previous decisions;
Urges the State Party to provide detailed information on:
The exact alternative route of the proposed Altai gas pipeline and the current status of the pipeline ...
Sites: Golden Mountains of Altai
The World Heritage Committee,
Having examined Document WHC/23/45.COM/7B.Add,
Recalling Decisions 40 COM 7B.99, 42 COM 7B.78 and 44 COM 7B.108 adopted at its 40th (Istanbul/UNESCO, 2016), 42nd (Manama, 2018) and extended 44th (Fuzhou/online, 2021) sessions respectively,
Regrets the insufficient information provided to address previous requests of the Committee;
Reiterates its established position that mining exploration and exploitation are incompatible with World Heritage status and again urges the State Party to:
Unequivocally revoke the mining exploration and exploitation ...
Sites: Virgin Komi Forests
45 COM 7B.156
Silk Roads: the Routes Network of Chang’an – Tian-shan Corridor (China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan) (C 1442)
The World Heritage Committee,
Having examined Document WHC/23/45.COM/7B.Add,
Recalling Decisions 40 COM 7B.34, 41 COM 7B.88, 42 COM 7B.5 and 44 COM 7B.22 adopted at its 40th (Istanbul, 2016), 41st (Krakow, 2017), 42nd (Manama, 2018) and extended 44th session (Fuzhou/online, 2021) sessions respectively,
Notes the important coordinating role of the Secretariat based at the ICOMOS International Conservation Centre-Xi’an (IICC-X) in ongoing research, interpretation, stakeholder involvement and monitoring, and the progress with management plans for some components of the property, but ...
The World Heritage Committee,
Having examined Document WHC/23/45.COM/7B.Add,
Recalling Decision 44 COM 7B.159 adopted at its extended 44th session (Fuzhou/online, 2021),
Welcomes progress towards the designation of the property as a religious-historical site, to reinforce conservation of the archipelago as a living, sacred, cultural landscape with intertwined culture, nature, people and process and strong intangible associations; and requests the State Party to clarify that this designation will protect all the attributes of Outstanding Universal Value (OUV);
Appreciates concerns ...
The World Heritage Committee,
Having examined Document WHC/23/45.COM/7B.Add.2,
Recalling Decision 44 COM 7B.160 adopted at its extended 44th session (Fuzhou/online, 2021),
Welcomes the completion of the the ‘Plan for conservation of the Outstanding Universal Value of the World Heritage Site “Kizhi Pogost” and development of the Kizhi Island territory’ and ‘The Sustainable Development Plan for the Buffer Zone of the WHS “Kizhi Pogost” (2022-2032)’;
Notes the continuous monitoring of the structural stability of the built structures of the Kizhi Pogost and the continuous research ...
Sites: Kizhi Pogost
The World Heritage Committee,
Having examined Document WHC/23/45.COM/7B.Add,
Recalling Decision 44 COM 8B.44 adopted at its extended 44th session (Fuzhou/online, 2021),
Takes note of the progress accomplished by the State Party and requests as a matter of priority that it:
Confirm that the entirety of the two components of the property have been afforded the highest legal protection by being included in the State Code of Especially Valuable Properties of Cultural Heritage of the Peoples of the Russian Federation,
Provide detailed information on the archaeological sites that have ...
The World Heritage Committee,
Having examined Documents WHC/23/45.COM/8B and WHC/23/45.COM/INF.8B2,
Recalling Decisions 18 COM XI, 24 COM XA.2 and 44 COM 7B.98 adopted at its 18th (Phuket, 1994), 24th (Cairns, 2000) and the extended 44th (Fuzhou/online, 2021) sessions respectively,
Approves the significant boundary modification of Ha Long Bay, Viet Nam, to include the Cat Ba Archipelago to become Ha Long Bay – Cat Ba Archipelago, Viet Nam, on the basis of criteria (vii) and (viii);
Takes note of the following provisional Statement of Outstanding Universal Value:
Brief ...
The World Heritage Committee,
Having examined Documents WHC/23/45.COM/8B and WHC/23/45.COM/INF.8B2,
Recalling Decisions 30 COM 8B.24 and 43 COM 8B.4 adopted at its 30th (Vilnius, 2006) and 43rd (Baku, 2019) sessions respectively,
Approves the significant boundary modification of the Hyrcanian Forests, Islamic Republic of Iran, by including the “Dangyaband” and “İstisuchay Valley” component parts, Azerbaijan, to become the Hyrcanian Forests, Azerbaijan, Islamic Republic of Iran, on the World Heritage List, on the basis of criterion (ix);
Adoptsthe following Statement of Outstanding ...
Sites: Hyrcanian Forests
The World Heritage Committee,
Having examined Documents WHC/23/45.COM/8B and WHC/23/45.COM/INF.8B1,
Inscribes Koh Ker: Archaeological Site of Ancient Lingapura or Chok Gargyar, Cambodia, on the World Heritage List on the basis of criteria (ii) and (iv);
Adopts the following Statement of Outstanding Universal Value:
Brief synthesis
Koh Ker: Archaeological Site of Ancient Lingapura or Chok Gargyar was a capital of the Khmer Empire between 921 and 944 CE. Partially hidden in a dense broad-leaf forest between the Dangrek and Kulen mountain ranges on a gently sloping hill some eighty ...
The World Heritage Committee,
Having examined Documents WHC/23/45.COM/8B and WHC/23/45.COM/INF.8B1,
Inscribes Santiniketan, India, on the World Heritage List on the basis of criteria (iv) and (vi);
Adopts the following Statement of Outstanding Universal Value:
Brief synthesis
Established in rural West Bengal in 1901 by the renowned poet and philosopher, Rabindranath Tagore, Santiniketan was a residential school and centre for art based on ancient Indian traditions and on a vision of the unity of humanity transcending religious and cultural boundaries. Santiniketan is an embodiment ...
Sites: Santiniketan
The World Heritage Committee,
Having examined Documents WHC/23/45.COM/8B and WHC/23/45.COM/INF.8B1,
Inscribes The Persian Caravanserai, Islamic Republic of Iran, excluding the component parts Yām and Mādar Shāh, on the World Heritage List on the basis of criteria (ii) and (iii);
Takes note of the following provisional Statement of Outstanding Universal Value:
Brief synthesis
The Persian caravanserai is a collection of 54 caravansaries selected among numerous historical caravanserais based on typology, climate zones the ancient network of roads, which is an outstanding evidence ...
Sites: The Persian Caravanserai
The World Heritage Committee,
Having examined Documents WHC/23/45.COM/8B and WHC/23/45.COM/INF.8B1,
Inscribes the Gaya Tumuli, Republic of Korea, on the World Heritage List on the basis of criterion (iii);
Adopts the following Statement of Outstanding Universal Value:
Brief synthesis
The Gaya Tumuli are a serial property consisting of seven cemeteries created by members of the Gaya Confederacy, an ancient collection of several polities that persisted from the 1st through the mid-6th centuries CE in the southern section of the Korean Peninsula. The seven cemeteries are the ...
Sites: Gaya Tumuli
The World Heritage Committee,
Having examined Documents WHC/23/45.COM/8B and WHC/23/45.COM/INF.8B1,
Inscribes the Silk Roads: Zarafshan-Karakum Corridor, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan, on the World Heritage List on the basis of criteria (ii), (iii) and (v);
Adopts the following Statement of Outstanding Universal Value:
Brief synthesis
The Zarafshan-Karakum Corridor is one of the key sections of the Silk Roads in Central Asia that connects other corridors from all directions. Comprising thirty-four component parts located in rugged mountains, fertile river valleys, and ...
The World Heritage Committee,
Having examined Documents WHC/23/45.COM/8B and WHC/23/45.COM/INF.8B1,
Inscribes the Deer Stone Monuments and Related Sites of Bronze Age, Mongolia, on the World Heritage List on the basis of criteria (i) and (iii);
Adopts the following Statement of Outstanding Universal Value:
Brief synthesis
The Deer Stone Monuments and Related Sites are significant and striking examples associated with the Late Bronze Age culture of Eurasian nomadic peoples. Deer stone monuments dated from approximately 1200 to 600 BCE. They are almost always located within complexes ...