Decision 28 COM 15B.66

Lumbini, the Birthplace of the Lord Buddha (Nepal)

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Expresses its grave concern over the fact that the newly-constructed Maya Devi Temple affects the authenticity and integrity of the property;

2. Urges the State Party to review, in collaboration with UNESCO and the Advisory Bodies, the existing management protocols and elaborate a revised comprehensive conservation and management plan which ensures the longterm safeguarding of the authenticity and integrity of the property;

3. Expresses its great disappointment that the project plans were not submitted to the Committee before construction began;

4. Requests the State Party to determine, in collaboration with UNESCO and the Advisory Bodies, the best measures to reverse the negative impact of the structure affecting the World Heritage value of the property and the appropriate management mechanisms to prevent such situations in the future;

5. Requests the World Heritage Centre to investigate the procedure which allowed the authorization of the construction of such a building without the knowledge of the World Heritage Committee;

6. Further requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2005, a report on the measures proposed to be taken to reverse the threats posed to the property;

7. Decides to examine the state of conservation of this property at its 29th session in 2005.