Decision 45 COM 7B.140

Baptism Site “Bethany Beyond the Jordan” (Al-Maghtas) (Jordan) (C 1446)

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/23/45.COM/7B.Add.2,
2. Recalling Decisions 39 COM 8B.10, 40 COM 8B.50, 41 COM 7B.79, 43 COM 7B.46 and 44 COM 7B.128 adopted at its 39th (Bonn, 2015), 40th (Istanbul, 2016), 41st (Krakow, 2017), 43rd (Baku, 2019), and extended 44th (Fuzhou/online, 2021) sessions respectively,
3. Commends the State Party on the development of the updated Earthquake Response Preparation Plan, and Guidance of Flash Flood Response Plan;
4. Welcomes the State Party’s efforts to update the Management Plan to reflect the adopted Statement of Outstanding Universal Value (OUV), as well as other matters that have changed since the plan was first developed, and awaits submission of the revised draft, integrating the updated Earthquake Response Preparation Plan, and Guidance of Flash Flood Response Plan;
5. Takes notes of the ongoing revision of the Design and Construction Guidelines for New Churches in the Buffer Zone, and requests the State Party to consider strengthening measurable standards for new design and sensitive integration into the ‘wilderness’ environment of the property, and to submit the revised guidelines to the World Heritage Centre for review by the Advisory Bodies;
6. Also welcomes the State Party’s efforts to define the boundaries for the Baptism Site Nature Reserve, however, reiterates the need to consider undertaking a visual landscape analysis of the potential impacts on the Jordan River landscape area (the nature reserve) of various development options for the new churches, and accordingly to clarify the integration of the ‘wilderness’ environment in the revision of the Design and Construction Guidelines for New Churches;
7. Also takes note of the ongoing revision of the Master Plan, and also requests the State Party to submit the Master Plan for the whole buffer zone when completed, to the World Heritage Centre for review by the Advisory Bodies;
8. Further requests the State Party to clarify how the master planning process will relate to the planning of the Baptism Development Zone (BDZ), including the establishment of a pilgrimage village complex adjacent to the property boundary and within the buffer zone, and how the objectives of the BDZ satisfy the purpose of the buffer zone in protecting the OUV of the property;
9. Further welcomes the State Party’s efforts to progress in the development of the revised Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) for completed and new buildings in the buffer zone, in line with the Guidance and Toolkit for Impact Assessments in a World Heritage Context, and urges the State Party to apply the revised HIA to the planning and proposed developments within the BDZ, and to submit the HIA to the World Heritage Centre for review by the Advisory Bodies, as a critical step before any development proceeds;
10. Welcomes furthermore the State Party’s action on the conservation of a range of attributes, rehabilitation of visitor facilities, development of documentation concerning management and tour guides, and capacity building, demonstrating ongoing improvement in the protection of OUV and the management of the property;
11. Welcomes again the State Party’s efforts to report on developments across the Jordan River, beyond the property boundaries, and reiterates the need to ensure the preservation of important vistas and views by all concerned parties;
12. Requests furthermore the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 December 2024, 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 47th session.