Decision 44 COM 7B.131

Ouadi Qadisha (the Holy Valley) and the Forest of the Cedars of God (Horsh Arz el-Rab) (Lebanon) (C 850)

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
2. Recalling Decision 43 COM 7B.49, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
3. Welcomes the information provided on the Management Committee and its activities;
4. Notes that a revision of the property and buffer zone boundaries has been temporarily halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and requests the State Party to pursue its finalization in close consultation with the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies as soon as the situation allows, and to submit it as a Minor Boundary Modification, in line with Paragraph 164 of the Operational Guidelines;
5. Also notes that the “Rehabilitation and Valorization of Ouadi Qadisha” project has completed its first phase and that a second phase has been validated to be implemented in 2021, and encourages the State Party to propose more awareness-raising activities and sustainable solutions within the framework of this project;
6. Reiterates its request to the State Party to ensure the implementation of the Action Plan for the World Heritage property in a holistic manner, ensuring the integration of sustainable development components, and to inform the World Heritage Centre on the progress;
7. Also welcomes the actions taken to avoid new projects affecting the authenticity of the property, and also reiterates its request to the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, for evaluation by the Advisory Bodies, detailed information and a Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) for any project that may have an impact on the Outstanding Universal Value, authenticity and integrity of the World Heritage property, before making any decisions that would be difficult to reverse, in conformity with Paragraphs 118bis and 172 of the Operational Guidelines;
8. Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 December 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 46th session.