Decision 42 COM 7B.11

Pyu Ancient Cities (Myanmar) (C 1444)

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/18/42.COM/7B,
2. Recalling Decision 40 COM 7B.40 adopted at its 40th session (Istanbul/UNESCO, 2016),
3. Acknowledges the efforts of the State Party to continue addressing conservation and management issues, and in particular the development of Risk Preparedness and Tourism Management Strategies and encourages the State Party to ensure their timely adoption and implementation;
4. Welcoming the studies undertaken to assess the rehabilitation and restoration of historic hydraulic systems as a means of supporting the agricultural landscape and improving the living standards of local communities, requests the State Party to carry out non-invasive investigations prior to any reclamation of canals or other water bodies and to document interventions through detailed studies of the history and layout of the overall hydraulic system and through records of the reclamation work undertaken; and also requests the State Party to submit this documentation to the World Heritage Centre for review by the Advisory Bodies;
5. Recommends that the State Party address the lack of adequately skilled human resources for the management and conservation of the property by:
   1. Increasing the technical capacity and human resources of the Department of Archaeology and Museums, currently restricted by National Civil Service regulations,
   2. Developing and adopting a national training strategy, which encompasses the upgrading of the National Field School of Archaeology to include training in management skills and conservation techniques;
6. Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 December 2019, an updated report on the state of conservation of the property and the implementation of the above, for review by the Advisory Bodies.