1. Having examined Document WHC/21/15EXT.COM/2,
2. Adopts the Agenda included in the above-mentioned Document, and decides to add an item 4 concerning the dates and place of its 45th session.

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/15.EXT.COM/3,
2. Recalling the extreme exceptional circumstances that prevailed in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic worldwide and that still prevail in 2021,
3. Also recalling Decision 14 EXT.COM 4 by which it decided to hold an extended 44th session in June/July 2021 in Fuzhou (China),
4. Decides that the extended 44th session will be held from 16 to 31 July 2021[1];
5. Also decides that the extended 44th session will be held according to Format B, as described in Document WHC/21/15.EXT.COM/3, section III.B (“online session”), and adopts the corresponding timetable contained in Annex 3 of the above-mentioned document;
6. Also adopts the Methods of work for the extended 44th session of the World Heritage Committee, as described in Annex 4 of the above-mentioned document;
7. Strongly encourages the convening of informal meetings and negotiations as appropriate on draft decisions and amendments before the session of the Committee and further reiterates the importance of respecting the 24 hours’ time limit of Rule 23.3 of the Rules of Procedure;
8. Requests the Secretariat to propose practical arrangements for casting of the vote, should it become necessary to hold a secret ballot during an online session, to be sent to the Committee members for consultation and approbation by correspondence before the extended 44th session, and also requests the Secretariat to prepare a document clarifying the protocols of an online meeting.

[1] Keeping in mind that 20 July 2021 shall not be a working day.

1. Decides to suspend Rule 4.1 of its Rules of Procedure;
2. Also decides that its 45th session will take place in Kazan, Russian Federation, in June/July 2022;
3. Underlines that the decision of the place for the 45th session is made during the 15th extraordinary session of the Committee due to the exceptional situation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and should not create a precedent to Rule 4.1 of the Rules of the Procedure.

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/16EXT.COM/2,
2. Adopts the Agenda included in the above-mentioned Document.

1. Recalling Decision 44 COM 16, adopted at its extended 44th session (Fuzhou/Online, 2021),
2. Elects Italy as Vice-Chairperson of the 45th session of the World Heritage Committee, whose mandate will begin at the end of the 16th extraordinary session of the Committee (UNESCO, 2021) and will continue until the end of the 45th session of the Committee (Kazan, 2022);
3. Elects Argentina as Vice-Chairperson of the 45th session of the World Heritage Committee, whose mandate will begin at the end of the 16th extraordinary session of the Committee (UNESCO, 2021) and will continue until the end of the 45th session of the Committee (Kazan, 2022);
4. Elects Shikha Jain (India) as Rapporteur of the 45th session of the World Heritage Committee, whose mandate will begin at the end of the 16th extraordinary session of the Committee (UNESCO, 2021) and will continue until the end of the 45th session of the Committee (Kazan, 2022).

1. Elects E. Mr Tebogo Seokolo (South Africa) as Chairperson of the 23rd session of the General Assembly;
2. Elects Mr Gytis Marcinkevičius (Lithuania) as Rapporteur of the 23rd session of the General Assembly;
3. Elects Germany, Honduras, Islamic Republic of Iran and Syrian Arab Republic as Vice-Chairpersons of the 23rd session of the General Assembly.

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/23.GA/2A,
2. Adopts the Agenda of the 23rd session as amended.

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/23.GA/2B,
2. Adopts the timetable of the 23rd session, included in the above-mentioned Document.

1. Takes note of the report of the Rapporteur of the 22nd session of the General Assembly (UNESCO, 2019).

1. Takes note of the report of the Chairperson of the World Heritage Committee on the activities of the World Heritage Committee.

1. Elects the following 12 States Parties: Argentina, Belgium, Bulgaria, Greece, India, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Qatar, Rwanda, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Zambia as members of the World Heritage Committee.

1. Having examined Documents WHC/21/23.GA/6 and WHC/21/23.GA/INF.6,
2. Having also examined the accounts of the World Heritage Fund for the financial period ended 31December 2019,
3. Approves the accounts of the World Heritage Fund for the financial period ended 31 December 2019;
4. Takes note of the financial statements relating to the World Heritage Fund for the period 1January 2020 to 30 June 2021.

1. Having examined Documents WHC/21/23.GA/7, WHC/21/23.GA/7.Corr and WHC/21/23.GA/INF.7,
2. Recalling Article 16 of the World Heritage Convention,
3. Decides to set the percentage for the calculation of the amount of the contributions to be paid to the World Heritage Fund by States Parties for the financial period 2022-2023 at 1% of their contributions to the regular budget of UNESCO;
4. Emphasizing the urgency of securing adequate financial resources to achieve the objectives of the World Heritage Convention to identify and conserve the world’s cultural and natural heritage of Outstanding Universal Value, in particular in light of the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development and the unprecedented threats such as climate change, natural disasters, and deliberate attacks on cultural heritage in territories affected by armed conflicts and terrorism,
5. Notes the status of compulsory and voluntary contributions to the World Heritage Fund as presented in Document WHC/21/23.GA/INF.7;
6. Recalls, in this regard, 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;
7. Reiterates the plea of the World Heritage Committee to States Parties to the Convention to pay their annual contributions by 31 January wherever possible in order to facilitate the timely implementation of the activities financed by the World Heritage Fund;
8. Takes note of Decision 44 COM 14 of the World Heritage Committee on the sustainability of the World Heritage Fund;
9. Invites States Parties to provide supplementary voluntary contributions to the various sub-accounts of the World Heritage Fund.

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/23.GA/8,
2. Recalling Resolutions 20 GA 8 and 22 GA 7 adopted at its 20th (UNESCO, 2015) and 22nd (UNESCO, 2019) sessions respectively,
3. Noting with concern the financial difficulties that the World Heritage Fund is facing,
4. Recalls that the payment of annual contributions to the World Heritage Fund is a legal obligation incumbent on all States Parties which have ratified the Convention, as per Article 16 of the World Heritage Convention, and strongly urges all States Parties, which have not yet paid the totality of their assessed contributions, including voluntary contributions in accordance with Article 16.2 of the Convention, to ensure that their contributions are paid as soon as possible;
5. Also recalls that the sustainability of the World Heritage Fund and overall funding for World Heritage are strategic issues and a shared responsibility which concern States Parties and all relevant partners, affecting the overall credibility of the World Heritage Convention, including effectiveness and efficiency of World Heritage protection;
6. Recommends States Parties, when putting forward World Heritage List nominations, to contribute to financially sustain the system of evaluation of nominations by the Advisory Bodies through the mechanism for making voluntary contributions to a dedicated sub-account of the World Heritage Fund established by Decision 43 COM 14, with no prejudice to the payment of annual contributions;
7. Takes note of the possible measures concerning arrears contained in document WHC/21/23.GA/8 and the possible ways for their implementation, including their difficulties therein;
8. Requests the Secretariat to follow up under the appropriate items.

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/23.GA/9,
2. Recalling Resolutions 17 GA 9, 18 GA 11, 19 GA 10, 20 GA 12, 21 GA 9 and 22 GA 9 adopted during the 17th (UNESCO, 2009), 18th (UNESCO, 2011),19th (UNESCO, 2013), 20th (UNESCO, 2015), 21st (UNESCO, 2017) and 22nd (UNESCO, 2019) sessions of the General Assembly of States Parties respectively, concerning the adoption of the Strategic Action Plan and Vision and the monitoring of the implementation of the Strategic Action Plan,
3. Recalling Decision 44 COM 14 adopted by the World Heritage Committee at its extended 44th session (Fuzhou/online, 2021),
4. Welcomes with satisfaction the continuous progress in the performance of the implementation of the Strategic Action Plan;
5. Takes note of the reflection undertaken on the Global Strategy using the opportunity of the 50th Anniversary of the World Heritage Convention in 2022;
6. Takes note of the status of preparation of the celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the World Heritage Convention and invites States Parties to mark this anniversary in collaboration with UNESCO and use this opportunity to enhance the implementation of the World Heritage Convention and the protection of the world’s cultural and natural heritage recognizing its enduring and irreplaceable value for furthering sustainable development and for biological and cultural diversity worldwide;
7. Acknowledges with thanks the invitation of the government of Italy and the City of Florence to host a celebration for the 50th Anniversary in November 2022 in partnership with UNESCO;
8. Recognizes the importance of undertaking a reflection on how to strengthen the involvement and contribution of local communities and NGOs, taking into consideration the diversity of the expertise views, transparency and dialogue with the Advisory Bodies, to ensure an appropriate and equitable balance between conservation, sustainability and development in line with the Policy Document on Sustainable Development adopted in 2015, and encourages all stakeholders to undertake a reflection on these points;
9. Concludes that the Strategic Action Plan has led to positive outcomes and encourages the World Heritage Centre, with the support of the States Parties and the Advisory Bodies, to continue, within the available resources, activities that were launched as a result of the Strategic Action Plan.

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/23.GA/10 and WHC/21/23.GA/INF.10,
2. Recalling Decisions 42 COM 12A and 43 COM 12 adopted respectively at the 42nd (Manama, 2018) and 43rd (Baku, 2019) sessions of the World Heritage Committee, as well as Resolution 22 GA 10 adopted by the General Assembly at its 22nd session (UNESCO, 2019),
3. Also recalling 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,
4. Thanks the States Parties of Austria, Azerbaijan, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia for their generous financial support to the Open-ended Working Group of States Parties to the Convention;
5. Further thanks the Chairperson, E. Mr Ghazi Gherairi (Tunisia), the Vice-Chairperson H.E. Mr Christian Ter Stepanian (Armenia) and the Rapporteur Mr Ole Søe Eriksen (Norway), for their able leadership, as well as the World Heritage Centre;
6. Expresses its appreciation to the Open-ended Working Group of States Parties to the Convention for its work and takes note of the discussions held during its meetings;
7. Endorses the “Declaration of principles to promote international solidarity and cooperation to preserve World Heritage” contained in Document WHC/21/23.GA/INF.10.

1. Having examined Documents WHC/21/23.GA/11 and WHC/21/23.GA/INF.11,
2. Recalling Decisions 40 COM 7, 41 COM 7, 42 COM 7, 43 COM 7.2 and 44 COM 7C, adopted respectively at the 40th (Istanbul/UNESCO, 2016), 41st (Krakow, 2017), 42nd (Manama, 2018), 43rd (Baku, 2019) and extended 44th (Fuzhou/online, 2021) sessions of the World Heritage Committee,
3. Thanking the State Party of the Netherlands for having funded the project to update the 2007 Policy Document on the impacts of Climate Change on World Heritage properties, and expressing its gratitude to all stakeholders of the World Heritage Convention who contributed to this process,
4. Noting the debate on this item that took place during the extended 44th session of the World Heritage Committee (Fuzhou/online, 2021), as well as the comments expressed by the Committee members on this draft through a written consultation process,
5. Noting that the World Heritage Committee has endorsed the draft "Policy Document on Climate Action for World Heritage”, as presented in Annex 1 of Document WHC/21/44.COM/7C, at its extended 44th session (Fuzhou/online, 2021), and recommended its review in line with the principles mentioned in paragraph 7 of Decision 44 COM 7C,
6. Takes note of the “Policy Document on Climate Action for World Heritage”, as endorsed by the extended 44th session of the World Heritage Committee, and decides to establish an open-ended working group assisted by the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies, with the mandate to review and develop its final version taking into account Decision 44 COM 7C, as well as proposals for its effective implementation, for consideration by the 24th session of the General Assembly of States Parties;
7. Recommends that the panel of experts as agreed in Decision 44 COM 7C, be convened before March 2022, with a mandate to:
   1. consider revisions to the Policy Document and its unresolved policy matters, and
   2. report to the open-ended working group established in paragraph 6, to inform its consideration of the Policy Document and proposals to implement it;
8. Encourages States Parties to provide extra-budgetary funding for the open-ended working group.

1. Taking into consideration Rule 8 (Observers) of the Rules of Procedure of the Committee,
2. Authorizes the participation in the extended 44th session, as observers, of the representatives of the international governmental organizations (IGOs), international non-governmental organizations (INGOs), non- governmental organizations (NGOs), permanent observer missions to UNESCO and non-profit-making institutions in the fields covered by the Convention, listed in Part I of the present document.

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/3A,
2. Adopts the Agenda contained in the above-mentioned document.

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/3B,
2. Recalling Decision 15 EXT.COM 3, adopted at its 15th extraordinary session (online, 2021),
3. Adopts the timetable contained in the above-mentioned document.