Decision: 44 COM 7A.7
The World Heritage Committee,
- Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7A,
- Recalling Decisions 43 COM 7A.19 and 43 COM 7A.21 adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
- Taking into account Decision 44 COM 7A.9, on the World Heritage properties of Iraq,
- Notes the State Party’s efforts to keep the World Heritage Centre informed about the situation on the ground, welcomes the submitted ‘Damage Assessment Report Status Study’, takes note of the documentation carried out, and urges the State Party to compile comprehensive information on the state of conservation of the property, particularly detailed assessment of the damage needed to facilitate the protection, repair, rehabilitation and reconstruction of the important monuments;
- Requests the State Party to submit all assessments it has undertaken, and to carry out a more detailed damage assessment, including systematic photographic surveys, drawings, graphics and quantitative data, as well as identification of potential risks to the property, prior to taking any action on the ground, and to submit this assessment for review by the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies;
- Reiterates its request that interventions be addressed within the framework of the overall assessment of damage and risks and a comprehensive conservation plan prepared in full consultation with the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies;
- Encourages the World Heritage Centre, the Advisory Bodies and the State Party to collaborate and to draw upon the Damage Assessment Report Status Study in order to progress the elaboration of a set of correctives measures and the Desired state of conservation for the removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger (DSOCR), as well as identification of means by which the state of conservation of the property can be verified;
- Also reiterates its request to the State Party to invite a joint World Heritage Centre/ICOMOS Reactive Monitoring mission, once security conditions permit, to assist in assessing damage at the property, and discuss with the State Party authorities the short-, medium- and long-term goals and actions required to protect the property, in order to implement corrective measures and achieve the DSOCR;
- Reiterates its appeal to all Member States of UNESCO to cooperate in the fight against the illicit trafficking of cultural heritage coming from Iraq as per the United Nations Security Council Resolutions 2199 of February 2015, 2253 of December 2015 and 2347 of March 2017;
- Calls again on all States Parties to support emergency safeguarding measures, including through the UNESCO Heritage Emergency Fund;
- Also requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2022, 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 45th session;
- Decides to retain Hatra (Iraq) on the List of World Heritage in Danger.