Decision 42 COM 7B.28

Kizhi Pogost (Russian Federation) (C 544)

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/18/42.COM/7B.Add,
2. Recalling Decision 40 COM 7B.58, adopted at its 40th session (Istanbul/UNESCO, 2016),
3. Acknowledges the considerable progress made with the the restoration of fabric and interior of the Church of the Transfiguration, the high quality of workmanship and the satisfactory implementation of previous recommendations;
4. Welcomes the revisions made to the entrance zone project;
5. Takes note of the recommendations of the ICOMOS Advisory mission to the property made in relation to the restoration works of the Church of the Transfiguration and requests the State Party to implement them;
6. Notes that the restoration of the Church of the Intercession is being planned and recommends that the same principles for restoration should apply to this project as has been applicable for the project of the Church of the Transfiguration; further notes that the timber of the Church of the Intercession is in a very bad condition and that a robust methodology should be developed to minimize new interventions and also requests that details of alternative proposals should be submitted to the World Heritage Centre for review by the Advisory Bodies before a decision is taken on the way forward;
7. Notes that the State Party has proceeded with a new Museum entrance project and, in order that acceptable accommodation be provided on the island, has planned a number of other developments such as the restoration and storage complex, the reconstruction of the warehouse building and the architectural and ethnographic sector “Northern Vepsians”, for which Heritage Impact Assessments have been submitted to the World Heritage Centre for review by the Advisory Body ICOMOS;
8. Further requests the State Party not to permit any further new constructions in the future since the development plans for zones A and B of the new Museum entrance project will reach the maximum permissible level of development of administrative and other service buildings on the island;
9. Reiterates its request to the State Party to focus on the establishment of sufficient protection measures both within and outside the buffer zone, including land-use and non-constructive zones legislation, as well as to strictly apply fluvial regulation in order to prevent any impact on the Outstanding Universal Value of the property;
10. Notes with satisfaction the efforts made by the State Party to revise the Management Plan (2018-2026) and submit it for approval to the Coordination Council for the World Heritage property “Kizhi Pogost” management, stakeholders and the Regional Government of the Republic of Karelia and requests furthermore the State Party, and the Museum as managing administration of the property, to ensure that the provision of tourist services be combined with the development of traditional economy activities such as cultivation of land, development of traditional handicrafts, , in view to create the conditions for the long-term settlement of the inhabitants;
11. Further requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2019, an updated report on the state of conservation of the property and the implementation of the above, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 43rd session in 2019.