World Heritage	26 COM	

Distribution limited	
WHC-02/CONF.202/INF.13
Budapest, 23 June 2002
Original : English/French	

UNITED NATIONS EDUCATIONAL, SCIENTIFIC AND CULTURAL 
ORGANIZATION

CONVENTION CONCERNING THE PROTECTION OF THE WORLD
CULTURAL AND NATURAL HERITAGE

1972-2002
30th Anniversary

WORLD HERITAGE COMMITTEE

Twenty-sixth session

Budapest, Hungary
24 - 29 June 2002

Information Document: Cooperation agreement between UNESCO and the Organization of Islamic Capitals and Cities (OICC)

The Committee is requested to take note of the draft cooperation agreement between UNESCO and the Organization of Islamic Capitals and Cities (OICC) which was discussed during the 164th session of the Executive Board.

According to its Final Decision on Item 7.3 (Relations with non-governmental organizations, foundations and similar institutions), the 164th session of the Executive Board welcomed the draft cooperation agreement with the Organization of Islamic Capitals and Cities (OICC) set out in Annex VII to document 164 EX/40 (attached) and invited the Director-General to sign it.

ANNEXE VII/ANNEX VII

PROJET D’ACCORD DE COOPERATION
DRAFT COOPERATION AGREEMENT

ORGANISATION DES CAPITALES ET VILLES ISLAMIQUES [OICC]
ORGANIZATION OF ISLAMIC CAPITALS AND CITIES [OICC]

DRAFT COOPERATION AGREEMENT BETWEEN UNESCO AND THE ORGANIZATION OF ISLAMIC CAPITALS AND CITIES (OICC)

Preamble
WHEREAS, the Director-General of UNESCO has established the World Heritage Centre in 1992 to serve as the Secretariat of the World Heritage Convention and to direct and coordinate the activities of the Organization in the implementation of the Convention, advice and guidance to the World Heritage Committee and the States Parties to the Convention, mobilize the international cooperation for the identification, protection, preservation and presentation of cultural and natural properties of outstanding universal values; and administer the Fund as authorized by the Committee,
WHEREAS, the Organization of Islamic Capitals and Cities (OICC) is an international Islamic non-governmental and non-profit organization founded in 1980 (1400 H). Its membership includes the capitals of the Islamic countries and cities worldwide. It has no political involvement and does not interfere in the affairs of any State. Its activities are focused on preserving the identity of Islamic capitals and cities and to achieve the sustainable development of the human settlements of these cities and its objectives are focused on the preservation of the identity and heritage of Islamic capitals and cities as well as supporting, coordinating and expanding the cooperation among the Islamic capitals and cities.
WHEREAS, the two parties are involved in the protection of the heritage and have common interest in the protection and preservation of Islamic cities characterized by the unique architectural and urban heritage and inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage List within the framework of the “Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage” (hereinafter called the Convention);
WHEREAS, the two parties wish to initiate and develop cooperation notably through promoting activities of mutual concern and joint efforts in mobilising financial and technical resources;
Agree hereby to cooperate in strengthening international solidarity related to the Islamic cities inscribed on the World Heritage List by complementary actions as stated below:
ARTICLE 1
Objective
1.1.	To support activities concerning the preservation of architectural and urban heritage within the framework of the World Heritage Convention adopted by UNESCO as a global tool for preservation in the safeguarding and sustainable development of cities marking the history of humanity;
1.2.	To develop, within both Organizations, suitable tools for responsible management of urban World Heritage Sites respecting, on the one hand the vital links between these sites and their environment and on the other hand the symbolic value of each of these sites for their region, country and for the world;
1.3.	To communicate to the World Heritage cities of the OICC members, any expertise developed locally to enhance the collective knowledge of urban management of heritage sites, especially with regard to management plans elaborated with the participation of the local communities, techniques for fighting pollution, monitoring the effects of mass tourism and preventing damage caused by natural disasters, terrorist attacks or armed conflicts;
1.4.	To support operational activities aimed at encouraging the exchange of know-how and information among Islamic cities characterized by its architectural and urban heritage especially through exchange programmes involving specialists in urban heritage management;
1.5.	To cooperate with a view of joint actions and dissemination of joint projects and research reports and documents.
1.6.	To cooperate whenever possible to safeguard the Islamic heritage anywhere in the world.
1.7.	To cooperate to support the existing “Islamic Capitals and Cities Cooperation Fund” as one of OICC’s organs acting to safeguard, preserve and develop the World Heritage cities of the OICC members.
ARTICLE 2
Scope and Cooperation
2.1 	OICC and UNESCO/WHC agree to cooperate with a view to:
(i)	Providing each other easy and rapid access to documentation and facilitate communication concerning the agreed projects to be implemented by the two parties, and access to the sites of these projects, through the formal authorities of OICC member Islamic capitals and cities;
(ii)	Developing jointly an annual plan of cooperation based on the reports on the state of conservation of the World Heritage cities of the OICC members available at the World Heritage Centre;
(iii)	Coordinating and implementing joint projects in area of architectural and urban heritage preservation in the Islamic capitals and cities of OICC;
(iv)	Establishing partnerships with local authorities, foundations, associations and appropriate entities of the private sector aimed to support heritage preservation, notably through Cooperation and Technical Assistance Programmes, Documentation and Inventory Programmes, Professional Training Programmes and other operational projects;
2.2 	UNESCO/WHC shall:
(i)	Cooperate closely with OICC in relevant activities related to the World Heritage cities of the OICC members;
(ii)	Involve OICC in reflections to develop conservation doctrine as well as knowledge and techniques relevant to the conservation of heritage;
(iii)	Use its network of professionals and experts to assist the World Heritage cities of the OICC members in developing appropriate management tools for the conservation of their heritage;
(iv)	Propose projects within the framework of the plan of action to be developed jointly by the two parties.
(v)	Cooperate with OICC to obtain funding from international organizations and funding agencies to implement the common projects to be identified through the action plan of OICC and UNESCO/WHC.
2.3 	OICC shall:
(i)	Inform UNESCO/WHC of activities to be conducted in the World Heritage cities of the OICC members;
(ii)	Promote in close collaboration with UNESCO/WHC, the application of the “Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage” in the OICC member cities and encourage the ratification of the Convention by concerned authorities of the Islamic world which has not yet done so;
(iii)	Seek necessary funding for joint projects to be identified in the OICC and UNESCO/WHC plan of action;
ARTICLE 3
Organization
3.1	The activities to be undertaken within the framework of this Memorandum of Understanding will be based on a work programme to be determined by a joint OICC and UNESCO/WHC Working Group to be established;
3.2	Each party shall designate a focal point person in charge of maintaining regular contacts, at least once every six months to prepare an annual meeting at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris and a biennial plan of action.
3.3	Upon the signature of this Memorandum, the two parties shall, within a period of three months, meet at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris to develop the first joint plan of action based on a common strategy and programme framework with defined target and time span of action. This programme and plan of action shall be comprised of specific projects to be submitted to International and Islamic donors or financing bodies.
ARTICLE 4
Communication and Visibility
4.1	To ensure that OICC receives due credit and recognition for the support provided to the activities carried out under this Memorandum, UNESCO/WHC shall create a link to a website on the OICC-UNESCO/WHC cooperation to be established and updated as one of the activities to be undertaken.
4.2. 	All reports, publications, CD-ROMs and ancillary products resulting from the activities to be carried out under this Memorandum of Cooperation will carry the emblems of OICC and UNESCO/WHC, clearly defining the financial contributions provided by the partners to each activity.
ARTICLE 5
Suspension and Termination
A party shall be entitled by notice to the other to suspend in whole or in part, or to terminate this Memorandum, subject that this decision is not prejudicial to the other party.
ARTICLE 6
Settlements of Disputes
6.1 	In the event of a dispute, the Parties shall make a good faith effort to settle amicably. In the event an amicable settlement cannot be reached, any dispute arising out of, or relating to the present Memorandum, shall be settled by binding arbitration by a sole arbitrator appointed by mutual agreement between the two parties.
6.2 	The Memorandum has been signed in six original copies, two in English, two in Arabic and two in French, and each party received an original copy of each language. 

For the United Nations Educational,                 For the Organization of Islamic Scientific and Cultural Organization                            Capitals and Cities