Accepts the presence of the following international governmental organizations (IGOs), international non-governmental organizations (INGOs) and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) at the session:

• Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organization (ALECSO)
• Bird Life International
• International Council of Museums (ICOM)
• Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO)
• Mihai Eminescu Trust
• Nordic World Heritage Foundation (NWHF)
• Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC)
• Organization of World Heritage Cities (OWHC)
• Simon Wiesenthal Centre
• United Nations Foundation (UNF)
• World Federation of UNESCO Clubs, Centres and Associations (FMACU)

Decides, with regret, not to open this item of the agenda in view of the time constraints.

1. To restrict the discussion on item 19 "Revision of the Rules of Procedure" on ways to proceed in order to facilitate decision making on this agenda item at its 27th session^[1];

2. To postpone the discussion on item 7 "Report of the Secretariat" until later in the week in order to allow delegations further time to examine the document^[2].

^[1] In accordance with decision 26 COM 27, this item is included in the agenda of the extraordinary session of the World Heritage Committee in March 2003.

^[2] In accordance with decision 26 COM 27, this item is included in the agenda of the 27th session of the World Heritage Committee in June/July 2003.

Establishes the following working method for the adoption of its Report (based on the procedures of the Executive Board of UNESCO):

1. The Report to be adopted by the Committee shall consist of a complete set of decisions taken at its session. The text of each decision shall be adopted when the item is discussed, to the extent possible;

1. The Report and the Summary Records shall be submitted simultaneously, in so far as possible, the first for adoption, and the latter for information;

2. The Report (compilation of decisions) adopted by the Committee during this session shall be published not later than one month after its close;

3. A completed draft text of the Summary Records shall be submitted to members of the Committee, observers and Advisory Bodies for correction of their own statements.  The revised text of the Summary Records shall be published not later than three months after the close of the session;

4. The above-mentioned procedure is to be applied for this session pending a full discussion on the revision of the Rules of Procedure and working methods.

Takes note of the Report of the Rapporteur of the 26th session of the Bureau.

2. Noting the provisions of the Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage (1972), the Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict (The Hague, 1954) and other relevant international legal instruments;

3. Taking note of the Executive Board decision taken at its 164th session (164EX/3.1.1);

4. Deplores the destruction and damage caused to the cultural heritage of Palestine;

6. Considers that, until the conditions for the inscription of this heritage on the World Heritage List are fulfilled, appropriate measures shall be taken to ensure its protection;

7. Invites the Director-General, in consultation with the Chairman of the Committee, to assist with the task of establishing an inventory of this cultural and natural heritage, assessing state of conservation and the measures for its preservation and rehabilitation;

8. Further decides to provide financial support for the implementation of this task and that part of this contribution should be used for training and capacity building of Palestinians specialists in the field of preservation and safeguarding of cultural and natural heritage;

9. Appeals to the concerned parties to co-operate with the Director-General in his efforts in the protection of the cultural and natural heritage in Palestine;

Requests the Director-General, as a consequence of decision 26 COM 6.1, to seek additional resources to complement the contribution from the World Heritage Fund, with a view to launching the first phase of the plan of action before the end of 2002, and to strengthen its operational phase in the following year.

 See also decision 26 COM 24.2.5.

Decides, in view of the time constraints to defer the discussion of this item until the next ordinary session of the World Heritage Committee in 2003.

2. Thanks the Italian Government for offering to host and participate in the funding of the Congress;

3. Authorizes the use of the World Heritage Emblem for the Congress;

2. Encourages States Parties to develop and implement activities to promote the Anniversary and to communicate the outcomes of these activities to the Centre for transmission to the Committee.

1. Takes note of the proposal to publish a work on 30 years of implementation of the World Heritage Convention;           

2. Encourages the World Heritage Centre to develop a work plan for this publication in collaboration with the Advisory Bodies;

3. Requests the World Heritage Centre to apply high-quality control standards for the preparation of the publication;

1. Noting that in 2002, United Nations Year for Cultural Heritage, the World Heritage Committee celebrates the 30th anniversary of the Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage adopted by the General Conference of UNESCO in 1972;

2. Considering that in 30 years, the Convention has proven to be a unique instrument of international co-operation in the protection of cultural and natural heritage of outstanding universal value;

3. Adopts the Budapest Declaration on World Heritage as follows:

BUDAPEST DECLARATION ON WORLD HERITAGE

1. We, the members of the World Heritage Committee, recognize the universality of the 1972 UNESCO World Heritage Convention and the consequent need to ensure that it applies to heritage in all its diversity, as an instrument for the sustainable development of all societies through dialogue and mutual understanding.
2. The properties on the World Heritage List are assets held in trust to pass on to generations of the future as their rightful inheritance.
3. In view of the increasing challenges to our shared heritage, we will:
   1. encourage countries that have not yet joined the Convention to do so at the earliest opportunity, as well as with other related international heritage protection instruments;
   2. invite States Parties to the Convention to identify and nominate cultural and natural heritage properties representing heritage in all its diversity, for inclusion on the World Heritage List;
   3. seek to ensure an appropriate and equitable balance between conservation, sustainability and development, so that World Heritage properties can be protected through appropriate activities contributing to the social and economic development and the quality of life of our communities;
   4. join to co-operate in the protection of heritage, recognizing that to harm such heritage is to harm, at the same time, the human spirit and the world's inheritance;
   5. promote World Heritage through communication, education, research, training and public awareness strategies;
   6. seek to ensure the active involvement of our local communities at all levels in the identification, protection and management of our World Heritage properties;
4. We, the World Heritage Committee, will co-operate and seek the assistance of all partners for the support of World Heritage. For this purpose, we invite all interested parties to co-operate and to promote the following objectives:
   1. strengthen the Credibility of the World Heritage List, as a representative and geographically balanced testimony of cultural and natural properties of outstanding universal value;
   2. ensure the effective Conservation of World Heritage properties;
   3. promote the development of effective Capacity-building measures, including assistance for preparing the nomination of properties to the World Heritage List, for the understanding and implementation of the World Heritage Convention and related instruments;
   4. increase public awareness, involvement and support for World Heritage through communication.
5. We will evaluate, at our 31st session in 2007, the achievements made in the pursuit of the above mentioned objectives and in support of this commitment.

Budapest, 28 June 2002

1. Takes note of document WHC-02/CONF.202/7 to be amended as requested by the Committee before it is given public access;

2. Recalls the decision of the 164th session of the Executive Board on the establishment of a working group to explore and examine ways and means of creating necessary conditions for prevention of the intentional destruction of culturally important monuments and sites (164 EX/48 and 164 EX/51);

3. tes the Director-General to consider the role of the World Heritage Convention with regard to initiatives being developed to explore and examine ways and means of creating necessary conditions for the prevention of intentional destruction of culturally important monuments and sites;

4. Further invites the Director-General to inform the World Heritage Committee at its 27th session (June/July 2003) on the developments concerning these initiatives and to provide the Committee at each of its sessions with a comparative table of state of ratification to all UNESCO cultural heritage conventions.

Decides, in view of the time constraints, to defer the decision on this item until its extraordinary session in March 2003 [4].

[4] See also decision 26 COM 26.

2. Emphasizes that the main objective is to facilitate the tasks of the States Parties to identify properties of potential outstanding universal value, prepare tentative lists and nominations;

3. Invites ICOMOS to:

2) identify the gaps and underrepresented categories based on this approach;

3) enlarge the composition of the Steering Committee and involve more experts with a broader interdisciplinary background;

4) complete the bibliography (Annex IV of document WHC-02/CONF.202/9) including references to reports on meetings and studies in conformity with the proposal by the 26th session of the Bureau (WHC-02/CONF.202/2, para. VII.7);

4. Invites IUCN to:

1) give greater emphasis to the analysis of biodiversity both in terms of qualitative and quantitative richness and endemism;

2) continue with the development of a methodology which allows to evaluate objectivity realms, biomes and biogeographical regions and which takes into account global studies on specific features (e.g. geological/fossil sites) as well as other variables;

3) define categories within each biogeographical unit towards a classification system;

5. Encourages ICOMOS and IUCN to:

1) take into account the comments provided by the Committee on Phase I of the analysis, and in particular to move from a quantitative to a qualitative analysis in Phase II;

2) look for common denominators in particular with regard to mixed properties and cultural landscapes;

6. Recommends a close collaboration between the Advisory Bodies and the Centre in the development of the analysis;

7. Invites States Parties to undertake in-depth analysis of their tentative lists on the national level working towards a more inclusive identification of diverse heritage categories with special attention to, but not exclusively, underrepresented types of heritage;

8. Encourages States Parties to include natural heritage in their tentative lists;

9. Requests the Centre to co-ordinate the harmonization of tentative lists and thematic workshops with the States Parties and the Advisory Bodies, while addressing the particularity of each region;

10. Requests the Director-General to provide the detailed report on the analysis compiled by the Advisory Bodies in time for the 28th session of the Committee in 2004.

2. Accepts for examination at the 27th session of the Committee in June/July 2003, on an exceptional basis in view of the transitional period, the three nominations: Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka (India), Takht-e Soleyman (Iran), and Matobo Hills (Zimbabwe), which have been made complete following the deadline of 1 February 2002. (Consequently, the nomination of Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka, India, a site belonging to an underrepresented category, is by this action substituted for the nomination of Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park, India, in Table A). In total, 28 nominations will be examined in 2003;

3. Decides that, in the future, all nominations will be accepted only if they are "complete" - as defined in the Operational Guidelines - at the time of the deadline and abolishes hereafter the category of "almost complete";