Decision 39 COM 10B.1

Follow-up of the second cycle of the Periodic Reporting exercise for the other regions and general reflection on Periodic Reporting

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC-15/39.COM/10B,
2. Recalling Decisions 36 COM 10A, 37 COM 10C.1 and 38 COM 10B.1 adopted at its 36th session (Saint Petersburg, 2012), 37th session (Phnom Penh, 2013) and 38th session (Doha, 2014) respectively;
3. Welcomes the progress made in the follow-up of the second cycle of Periodic Reporting in the Asia and the Pacific region;
4. Thanks the governments of Japan, Korea and the Netherlands for their contributions to supporting World Heritage follow-up activities on the second cycle of Periodic Reporting in the Asia and the Pacific region;
5. Also thanks the World Heritage Institute of Training and Research for the Asia and the Pacific Region (WHITR-AP), a category 2 centre under the auspices of UNESCO, for its contribution to the implementation of activities concluded in the Capacity-Building Strategy and Associated Programmes for Asia and the Pacific (CBSAP-AP) for the follow-up to the second cycle of Periodic Reporting; and the International Centre on Space Technologies for Natural and Cultural Heritage (HIST, China) for its initiative in promoting regional cooperation on World Heritage in Asia and the Pacific;
6. Takes note of the progress made on the Silk Roads nomination process, initiated by the Asian States Parties in collaboration with the World Heritage Centre, that includes fruitful cooperation between national institutions from various Asian States Parties resulting in an example of best practice for other serial transnational nominations, and developing a tool for international cooperation, shared approaches, better management and conservation practice, as well as sustainable tourism management of the Silk Road heritage corridors;
7. Reiterates its invitation to Asia and the Pacific States Parties to actively implement the respective sub-Regional Action Plans and also encourages them to intensify their contributions to the implementation of follow-up activities while working closely with the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies;
8. Requests the World Heritage Centre to present a progress report on the follow-up activities to the second cycle of Periodic Reporting at its 40th session in 2016.