XII. The Bureau at its twentieth extraordinary session noted that several requests for international assistance were related to state of conservation reports on the same properties and suggested the Committee to consider if these should be examined together. The Committee approved the recommendation of the Bureau. Furthermore, the Delegate of Germany proposed that all training requests submitted for World Heritage funding on a yearly basis be studied together so as to provide information on the level of funds obligated on a regular basis. The Delegate of Canada insisted that these training programmes be evaluated, as it has been done within the training strategy for natural heritage. The Committee requested the Secretariat "to call upon the advice of the experts of the appropriate bodies (ICOMOS, IUCN and ICCROM)", according to paragraph 102 of the Operational Guidelines. Australia requested that in presenting requests to the Committee for international assistance, the Centre states, when appropriate, if the competent advisory body has been consulted. The Committee requested the advisory bodies to inform the World Heritage Centre of all their activities concerning World Heritage sites. In order to facilitate the consultations with the advisory bodies, the Committee decided to modify in paragraph 108 of the Operational Guidelines the deadline for the submission of international assistance requests, which will now be 1 September.
A. NATURAL HERITAGE
A.1 Technical Cooperation
A.I.1 Technical Workshop on the Conservation of Simen National Park (Ethiopia) (US$ 46,000 requested)
The Committee approved the request for a reduced amount of US$ 30,000 and requested the State Party in consultation with the Secretariat and IUCN, to better define the programme of the workshop, the expected outputs and to revise the budget.
A.2 Training
A.2.1 Nineteenth Protected Area Course CATIE, (Costa Rica) (US$ 48,000 requested)
The Committee approved a sum of US$ 30,000 for participants to attend the Nineteenth International Protected Area Course, CATIE, Costa Rica.
A.2.2 Individual Scholarships for the School for the Training of Wildlife Specialists, Garoua, (Cameroon) (US$ 45,000 requested)
The Committee approved an amount of US$ 45,000 for three scholarships for three students from State Parties of francophone African countries for a two-year period (1997/98 and 1998/99).
B. CULTURAL HERITAGE
B.1 Technical Cooperation
B.1.1 Historic Centre of the Town of Olinda (Brazil) (US$ 33,000 requested)
Considering the potential inclusion of Olinda in a major programme for the development of tourism in the north-east of Brazil with subsequent funding possibilities for the rehabilitation and restoration of Olinda, the Committee approved the amount of US$ 33,000 for this technical cooperation to support the municipality authorities in the creation of a project office in Olinda for a feasibility study on urban rehabilitation and restoration.
B.1.2 Conservation of Traditional Houses in Luang Prabang (Laos) (US$ 49,900 requested)
The Committee approved an amount of US$ 39,900 to meet the above request (with a reduction of input for the purchase of building material from US$ 20,000 to US$ 10,000) to co-finance a project to impart skills for the conservation of traditional wooden houses; to ameliorate the quality of locally produced bricks and roof tiles and to distribute traditional building material (roof tiles and wood) to renovate ten houses owned by poor families.
B.1. 3 Serra da Capivara National Park (Brazil) (US$ 35,000 requested)
The Committee approved an amount of US$ 35,000 for technical cooperation for the documentation, inventory and observation of the conditions of the rock paintings at Serra da Capivara National Park.
B.1.4 Joya de Ceren Archaeological Site (El Salvador) (US$ 10,000 requested in addition to US$ 25,000 already approved in 1994)
Considering the fragility of the site and the complexity of its conservation and management and the need to continue the process started in 1994, the Committee approved the additional amount of US$ 10,000 for an international seminar on the conservation and management of Joya de Ceren and its surroundings that will be held in 1997.
B.1.5 The Third General Assembly of the Organization of World Heritage Cities and the 4th Symposium of World Heritage (Evora, Portugal) (US$ 50,000 requested)
The Committee, in examining this request recalled the decision of the Committee at its eighteenth session that the World Heritage Fund should not finance statutory meetings nor subsidies for other organizations. The Committee noted that US$ 15,000 financial input from the 1997 UNESCO Regular Programme budget to this General Assembly of O.W.H.C. was proposed in the 1997 budget under the Promotional and Educational Activities. The Committee decided to approve a contribution of US$ 30,000 to the Municipality of Evora on an exceptional basis, for the Symposium on Tourism and World Heritage Cities. This grant from the Fund is to finance the participation of mayors of World Heritage Cities in developing countries.
B.2 Training
B.2.1 Regional Training Course on Conservation and Protection of Monuments and Sites for Architects of the Maghreb Region in Tunis (2nd session, November 1996 - July 1998) (Tunisia) (US$ 36,000 requested)
The Committee approved US$ 36,000 for three fellowships for three non-Tunisian students for the second session of the two-year in a regional training activity of the course, which would result greatest importance.
B.2.2 Latin America and the Caribbean: Regional Graduate Training Course on 'Integrated Urban and Territorial Conservation' (ITUC/BR) (request submitted by Brazil) (US$ 42,600 requested)
The course responds to the training strategy for cultural heritage and the needs identified through a great number of state of conservation reports. Considering that the course is the first one of its kind in the region, that twenty-three World Heritage sites in the region are historical cities or urban areas representing fifty percent of the cultural sites, the Committee approved an amount of US$ 40,000, providing that fellowships be awarded to participants with a responsibility for properties inscribed on the World Heritage List.
B.2.3 Pilot Project on Conservation Programme James Island (Gambia) (US$ 40,000 requested)
The Committee approved the amount of US$ 40,000 in the light of the recommendation for the training strategy south of the Sahara, and requested ICCROM/GAIA to implement this project which is an illustration of their strategic approach. The project will cover on-site training in James Island to enable the Museums and Monuments Department to prepare conservation plans not only for James Island but for other sites as well.
B.2.4 Training Course for an Integrated Approach to Urban Conservation (ICCROM) (US$ 40,000 requested)
Given that the advisory bodies are being requested, within the overall strategy described in Document WHC-96/CONF.201/12, to develop thematic courses at the international level and adapt them at the regional level, the Committee approved the amount of US$ 30,000 to co-finance an international training workshop for World Heritage City managers to be organized at ICCROM with participants responsible for the conservation management of historic cities or areas, and teachers.
B.2.5 Conservation of Immovable Property in Sub-Sahara, Africa (ICCROM) (US$ 50,000 requested)
Given that the pilot project for Africa is part of the overall training strategy for cultural properties as described in Document WHC-96/CONF.201/12, the Committee approved the amount of US$ 50,000. This amount will co-finance the implementation of the first phase of the project, to organize a seminar in Africa with African partners, and identify scientific partners for thematic approaches for the preservation of stone, brick and wood and timber conservation and archaeological sites.