Decision 27 COM 1

Opening Session

The World Heritage Committee,

1. In conformity with Rule 8 (Observers) of the Rules of Procedure of the Committee,

2. Accepts the presence of the following international governmental organizations (IGOs), international non-governmental organizations (INGOs), non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and individuals, who have requested Observer participation at the session:

Mr Julian Laird, Earthwatch Institute, Europe;

Ms Maria Isabel Correa Kanan, IPHAN, Brazil;

Ms Jessica Douglas-Home and Mr Georges Zouain, The Mihai Emisecu Trust, U.K.;

Mr Haruhisa Furuta and Mrs Mami Furuta, The Setouchi Research Institute, Japan;

Mr Masanori Nagaoka, National Federation of UNESCO Associations in Japan (NFUAJ), Japan;

Mr Daniel Slater, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia;

Mr S. Jacob Scherr, Natural Resources Defense Council, United States of America;

Mr Abdel Kader Bangoura, CEGEN, Conakry, Guinée;

Dr Mzalendo Kibunjia, National Museums of Kenya, Kenya;

Mr Stefan Benediktsson, Environmental Agency of Iceland, Iceland;

Mr Tilman Zulch, International Society for Threatened Peoples, Germany;

Mme Dominique Sewane (Independent expert), France;

Mr Sergey Tsyplenkov, Mr Joost van Marrewijk and Mr Roman Pukalov, Greenpeace International, Russian Federation;

Arch. Carla Maurano, International Centre for Mediterranean Cultural Landscapes, Italy; 

Mr John O'Sullivan, BirdLife International, United Kingdom;

Mr Jon Catton, Greater Yellowstone Coalition, United States of America;

Ms Pamela de Maigret, The World Film Group, Canada;

Ms Naoko Yokote, Tokyo Broadcasting System, Inc (TBS), Japan;

Mr Naguib-Michel Sidhom and Ms Émiko Iinuma, Institut d'Orient, France;

Mr Shuichi Koi, Society for Preserving the Nara Palace Site, Japan.

3. Approves the presence of all those invited by the Director-General of UNESCO in accordance with Rule 8.4 of the Rules of Procedure and as listed in Document WHC-03/27.COM/1, as well as Ms Melinda Kimble and Mr Ray Wanner, United Nations Foundation (invited by the Director, UNESCO World Heritage Centre).

The List of Participants is included as Annex I to this document.