After having noted the report of the Secretariat on Petra and the report of the Director of the Department of Antiquities dated December 1996, the Bureau thanked the Jordanian authorities for their efforts to protect the site, but again insisted that preservation measures be urgently undertaken and that the coordination of on-site activities be reinforced with the support of UNESCO. Amongst these measures, it would be appropriate to provide the Petra Regional Council and the Coordination Group of the Ministry of Antiquities and Tourism with the means to function; to urgently regulate and ...
Sites: Petra
After having taken note of the report of the Secretariat on the site of Quseir Amra, the Bureau thanked the Jordanian authorities for their efforts, jointly with UNESCO and the Cultural Service of the French Embassy, to protect the site from flooding and to restore the manège and the cistern of the Omayyades Baths. The Bureau recommended that the Jordanian authorities improve visitor control mechanisms to ensure a better protection of the wall paintings.
Sites: Quseir Amra
After having taken note of the report of the Secretariat on the site of Tyr and the remarks of the Observer of Lebanon, the Bureau decided to defer the examination of the state of conservation of the site until its twenty-first extraordinary session in November, so as to take into consideration the mission reports of the experts sent to the site by UNESCO in the framework of the International Safeguarding Campaign and the observations of the Lebanese authorities.
Sites: Tyre
After having taken note of the report made by World Heritage Centre consultant, the Bureau commended the State Party and the cooperating governments, institutions and agencies for their joint effort to conserve and rehabilitate the Vilnius Historic Centre, and requested to be kept informed on the progress made. The Bureau also recommended to the State Party to accelerate the operationalization of the Agency for the Revitalization of Old Vilnius (OTRA) as a key element for the revitalization of the Historic Centre. It called upon international and bilateral donors to further discussions ...
Sites: Vilnius Historic Centre
The Bureau took note of the results of an expert mission to the Pre-Hispanic City of Teotihuacan and commended the National Institute for Anthropology and History (INAH) for the exemplary management and conservation of the site. The Bureau requested the national authorities to examine the consultant's report with great attention and to transmit its views on, and follow-up actions foreseen in response to the conclusions and recommendations contained in it to the Secretariat by 15 September 1997 for examination by the Bureau at its next session.
The Bureau took note of the information provided by the Moroccan authorities according to which the road construction projects through the Medina had been abandoned and congratulated them for the measures undertaken to preserve the site.
Sites: Medina of Fez
The Bureau took note of the state of conservation report provided by His Majesty’s Government of Nepal and expressed its appreciation for the progress made towards fulfilling the sixteen-point recommendation of the UNESCO-ICOMOS mission of 1993. In expressing its regret over the further delay in the integration of the Development Control Unit (DCU) as a permanent unit of the Department of Archaeology (DOA), the Bureau recalled that international assistance under the World Heritage Fund for the establishment of the DCU was not to provide salary support but for the training of the DCU ...
Sites: Kathmandu Valley
The Bureau took note of the report presented by the Peruvian National Institute for Culture on Cusco and reiterated the need for appropriate planning mechanisms for the historical City of Cusco. The Bureau welcomed the proposal to establish a Master Plan but emphasized that in the process of its preparation and application arrangements should be made for the adequate coordination and collaboration between all institutions and authorities involved, particularly the National Institute for Culture and the municipality of the City.
Sites: City of Cuzco
The Bureau commended the Polish authorities for the adoption of the 'Strategic Government Programme (Oswiecim Program)' which foresees activities for the years 1997-2001 aiming at a long-term and comprehensive development and management of the site while fully recognizing the need to protect and preserve the physical integrity and dignity of the site and abstaining from any commercial development which could compromise the site's symbolic values. The Bureau fully supported the 'Declaration Concerning Principles for Implementation of Program Oswiecimski' and commended the signatories of ...
The Bureau took note of the initiation of the UNESCO/Japan Funds-in-Trust project 'International Support for the Restoration and Preservation of the Probota Monastery' which is the first large-scale UNESCO cultural heritage project funded by the Japanese authorities outside Asia. It commended the authorities of Romania and Japan as well as UNESCO for their joint collaboration in this respect.
Sites: Churches of Moldavia
After having taken note of the report of the Secretariat regarding the situation of the Albayzin and the construction of a festivities hall at the Place del Rey Chico, the Bureau:
1) expressed satisfaction that the global revitalization programme of the Albayzin quarter was being elaborated in association with all sectors concerned;
2) strongly requested the competent authorities to undertake all efforts to ensure that the revitalization of the Albayzin quarter is implemented in accordance with the World Heritage Convention and other international conventions and ...
Having taken note of the information provided by the Secretariat on the state of conservation of the site and inappropriate management of traffic in its vicinity, the Bureau requested the national authorities to provide a report on the measures taken and the plans adopted for the protection of the Old Town of Segovia and its Aqueduct. The Bureau requested ICOMOS to examine the state of conservation of the World Heritage Site of Segovia and to present a report to the twenty-first extraordinary session of the Bureau.
The Bureau expressed its concerns regarding the damages caused by a fire to five of the historic buildings in the Old City of Berne. It commended the Swiss authorities for the immediate actions taken for their safeguarding and restoration.
Sites: Old City of Berne
a) Mosque of the Omayyades
After having taken note of the report of the Secretariat on the Mosque of the Omayyades in the Ancient City of Damascus, the Bureau thanked the Syrian authorities for having halted the work which was threatening the authenticity of the monument and renewed the invitation which had been made by the Committee at its twentieth session to provide all possible advice of national and international experts to decide upon future action to be undertaken
b) Tekiya Souleymaniah
After having taken note of the report of the Secretariat on the situation ...
Sites: Ancient City of Damascus
After having taken note of the report of the Secretariat on the Ancient City of Bosra, the Bureau thanked the Syrian authorities for their efforts in the conservation of the restoration of the southern Baths, and invited them to continue collaboration with the French Mission to continue the restoration of these monuments with all necessary precautions and with the most competent enterprises.
Sites: Ancient City of Bosra
After having taken note of the report of the Secretariat on Palmyra, the Bureau warmly encouraged the Syrian authorities to proceed with the deviation of the busy road which crossed the World Heritage site and to initiate, without delay, the study on a global plan for its conservation. It recalled that the Centre was always available to provide expert assistance for such projects.
Sites: Site of Palmyra
At the time of inscription the site was not defined by mapped boundaries. In response to increasing threats through tourism, development etc., English Heritage together with the authorities and landowners devised a management plan for the site.
The Representative of ICOMOS underlined the exemplary nature of the management plan which ensures cooperation between all partners, a strategy for tourism management and provides a clear definition of the boundaries of the site. An extensive buffer zone has been identified along Hadrian's Wall and its associated sites. The plan further foresees ...
In connection with discussions on the state of conservation of several World Heritage sites, the Bureau emphasized the need for the recognition of the World Heritage values in the integral planning at World Heritage sites, as well as the need for the establishment of adequate buffer zones. It also concluded that communications between all levels of government and the World Heritage Committee and its Secretariat should be improved so as to avoid that the World Heritage Committee be alerted too late in the process about inappropriate interventions and constructions in or close to World ...
In this context it was recalled that paragraph 56 of the Operational Guidelines invites the States Parties to inform the Committee, through the UNESCO Secretariat, of their intention to undertake or to authorize in the area protected under the Convention major restorations or new constructions which may affect the World Heritage value of the property, and that notice should be given as soon as possible and before making any decision that would be difficult to reverse, so that the Committee may assist in seeking appropriate solutions to ensure that the world heritage value of the site is ...
Following discussions of the looting of the site museum at Butrinti, Albania, the Secretariat recalled that illicit traffic was a severe problem at a number of World Heritage sites (Angkor, Baalbek, Petra, Kathmandu Valley, Saqqara, etc.) and that support could be provided by UNESCO in training, contact with other international networks such as INTERPOL and ICOM, and recovery (UNESCO press releases and Notices of Stolen Cultural Property). It also could support states to implement the UNESCO Convention on Illicit Traffic (1970) and the UNIDROIT Convention on Stolen or Illegally Exported ...