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Policy Compendium

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Themes1 - General Policies Regarding the World Heritage Conventionclose1.1 - Fundamental World Heritage policiesclose1.3 - Shared Responsibility and International Cooperationclose1.4 - Heritage policies at national levelclose1.5 - Relation between culture and natureclose1.1.1 - Generalclose1.1.2 - World Heritage Committeeclose1.1.3 - Fundingclose1.3.1 - Generalclose1.3.2 - International Assistanceclose1.3.3 - Regional cooperationclose
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1 - General Policies Regarding the World Heritage Convention
1.1 - Fundamental World Heritage policies
"Members of the World Heritage Committee may stand again for election after a gap of 6 years after the expiry of their mandate."
Theme: 1.1.2 - World Heritage Committee
Resolution: 1 EXT.GA 3
1 - General Policies Regarding the World Heritage Convention
1.1 - Fundamental World Heritage policies
14. "[The World Heritage Committee] recommends Committee members consider refraining from bringing forward new nominations that might be discussed during their term serving on the Committee, without prejudice to nomination files already submitted, deferred or referred during previous Committee sessions, or nominations from least represented States Parties (…)."
Theme: 1.1.2 - World Heritage Committee
Decision: 35 COM 12B
1 - General Policies Regarding the World Heritage Convention
1.1 - Fundamental World Heritage policies
14. "[The World Heritage Committee] Recognizes that the selection of the state of conservation reports to be discussed by the Committee during its sessions should be based on clear and objective criteria, including the level of threat to the property, rather than being based on representativity."
Theme: 1.1.2 - World Heritage Committee
Decision: 43 COM 7.1
1 - General Policies Regarding the World Heritage Convention
1.1 - Fundamental World Heritage policies
“[The General Assembly] Recalls (…) that the payment of assessed annual contributions to the World Heritage Fund is a legal obligation incumbent on all States Parties which have ratified the Convention."
Theme: 1.1.3 - Funding
Resolution: 23 GA 7
1 - General Policies Regarding the World Heritage Convention
1.1 - Fundamental World Heritage policies
7. Takes note of the options proposed for allocating unrestricted supplementary voluntary contributions to the World Heritage Fund and, in order to help towards the sustainability of the World Heritage Fund, recommends to States Parties willing to make these contributions to apply one of the following options:

  • Option 1: Increasing the standard percentage used in the calculation of the contributions to the World Heritage Fund from 1% to 2%.
Theme: 1.1.3 - Funding
Resolution: 19 GA 8
1 - General Policies Regarding the World Heritage Convention
1.1 - Fundamental World Heritage policies
4. “[The World Heritage Committee] encourages the World Heritage Centre to develop bilateral agreements with States Parties as well as partnerships with multilateral organisations, the private sector and other actors with a view to securing additional resources for the following priorities:

(i) Reinforcement of the staff of the World Heritage Centre,

(ii) Emergency International Assistance,

(iii) International Assistance to properties inscribed on the List of World Heritage in Danger,

(iv) Other International Assistance to States Parties, with priority to Preparatory Assistance,

(v) Funds to ensure that the Advisory Bodies have sufficient resources to enable them fulfill their obligations under the Convention”.
Theme: 1.1.3 - Funding
Decision: 27 COM 11.3
1 - General Policies Regarding the World Heritage Convention
1.1 - Fundamental World Heritage policies

6. Emphasizing the urgency of securing adequate financial resources to achieve the objectives of the 1972 Conventionto identify and, in particular, to conserve the world's cultural and natural heritage of Outstanding Universal Value, especially in light of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and unprecedented threats such as climate change, natural disasters, and deliberate attacks on cultural heritage in territories affected by armed conflicts and terrorism.

8. Underscoring that sustainability of the World Heritage Fund and overall funding for World Heritage are a strategic issue and a shared responsibility which concerns States Parties and relevant partners, affecting the overall credibility of the World Heritage Convention, including effectiveness and efficiency of World Heritage protection.

17. [The World Heritage Committee] underscores that the highest ethical standards and principles must be upheld in all measures to enhance fundraising to maintain and promote the integrity of the Convention.

Theme: 1.1.3 - Funding
Decision: 41 COM 14
1 - General Policies Regarding the World Heritage Convention
1.1 - Fundamental World Heritage policies
2. [The World Heritage Committee] highlight[s] the priority that should be given to conservation and management of World Heritage properties, takes note of the efforts made and progress achieved in this regard by increasing the proportion of the World Heritage Fund dedicated to conservation for the latest biennia and encourages further increase of this proportion, as appropriate; 

4. [The World Heritage Committee] recalls that the payment of compulsory and assessed voluntary contributions is, as per Article 16 of the World Heritage Convention, an obligation incumbent on all States Parties which have ratified the Convention (…).
Theme: 1.1.3 - Funding
Decision: 42 COM 14
1 - General Policies Regarding the World Heritage Convention
1.3 - Shared Responsibility and International Cooperation
"3. [The General Assembly recalls] that the “Declaration of principles to promote international solidarity and cooperation to preserve World Heritage” is not legally binding, but that stakeholders are called upon to honour its contents."

https://whc.unesco.org/archive/2021/whc21-23ga-13-en.pdf

https://whc.unesco.org/document/190279/p=code2021
Theme: 1.3.1 - General
Resolution: 23 GA 10
1 - General Policies Regarding the World Heritage Convention
1.3 - Shared Responsibility and International Cooperation
23. "[The World Heritage Committee] urges States Parties, in coordination with the World Heritage Centre, to give priority within international assistance in implementing emergency measures to mitigate significant damages resulting from natural disasters that are likely to affect the Outstanding Universal Value of World Heritage properties."
Theme: 1.3.2 - International Assistance
Decision: 42 COM 7
1 - General Policies Regarding the World Heritage Convention
8. "[The World Heritage Committee] calls upon States Parties to ensure that sustainable development principles are mainstreamed into their national processes related to World Heritage, in full respect of the Outstanding Universal Value of World Heritage properties."
Theme: 1.4 - Heritage policies at national level
Decision: 41 COM 5C
1 - General Policies Regarding the World Heritage Convention

4. "[The World Heritage Committee] (...) requests the States Parties to take a systematic and holistic approach to mainstreaming the WH-SDP [(Policy Document for the integration of a sustainable development perspective into the processes of the World Heritage Convention)] into their national and local policies, processes, and initiatives related to the implementation of the Convention and to development in and around World Heritage properties."

Theme: 1.4 - Heritage policies at national level
Decision: 43 COM 5C
1 - General Policies Regarding the World Heritage Convention
XIII.4 "[There is] (...) a draft unified set of criteria (...) to better reflect what has been described as the nature/culture continuum expressed at many World Heritage properties around the world".
Theme: 1.5 - Relation between culture and nature
Decision: 23 COM XIIIA.2-12
1 - General Policies Regarding the World Heritage Convention

37. "Recalling that the World Heritage Convention explicitly links the concepts of cultural and natural heritage, highlights the importance of promoting integrated approaches that strengthen holistic governance, improve conservation outcomes and contribute to sustainable development;

38. [The World Heritage Committee] notes with appreciation the growing interest and efforts by the States Parties and heritage practitioners to develop and apply integrated approaches to conservation of natural and cultural heritage, and encourages the States Parties, the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies, in cooperation with universities and other relevant actors, to continue and expand these efforts, in accordance with the Policy Document for the integration of a Sustainable Development Perspective into the Processes of the Convention (2015)."

Theme: 1.5 - Relation between culture and nature
Decision: 41 COM 7

The World Heritage Policy Compendium was elaborated thanks to the generous contribution of the Government of Australia.

The World Heritage Policy Compendium On-line tool was developed thanks to the generous contribution of the Government of Korea.


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