37. The Secretariat informed the Committee of two activities being carried out since the sixth session concerning the management of cultural properties inscribed on the World Heritage List. One concerned the preparation of a "Handbook on Managing World Heritage" which deals with the preservation of these properties, ranging from general principles and legal considerations to practical means for carrying out a management programme. The outline was elaborated by an international group of experts during a meeting organised by ICCROM and ICOMOS in 1983 at the suggestion of the Secretariat.
38. The Secretariat and ICOMOS have furthermore started to prepare new World Heritage nomination forms which would facilitate the protection and management of cultural sites once inscribed on the World Heritage List. There will be several types of these forms. It is foreseen to use different forms for individual monuments and for groups of monuments. For each of these categories there will be first of all a basic form or simplified nomination dossier, which will allow an appreciation of the value of the property and to decide whether it is justified to proceed with further study. There will also be a detailed form providing a comprehensive description of the property which is an indispensable pre-requisite for its nomination to the World Heritage List. This form will provide information on the condition of the property, the threats which it faces and the protection afforded. It will be possible to update this information and thereby follow any changes in the conservation status of the property. The Committee expressed its agreement with these two initiatives.