The World Heritage Committee,
- Recalling its Decision 19 EXT.COM 3 adopted at its 19th extraordinary session (UNESCO, 2023), which elected its Bureau whose mandate will be until the end of its 46th session (New Delhi, 2024),
- Recalls that the hosting of a World Heritage Committee session by a Committee member is subject to the host country signing a host country agreement in conformity with UNESCO’s rules and regulations and that host country agreements for category II meetings must be signed eight months in advance of the meeting;
- Also recallsthat, pursuant to Rule 44.3 of the Rules of Procedure of the Committee, arrangements by the host country to provide interpretation in another language than the working language of the Committee (English and French), or another official working language recognized by the United Nations, should be in compliance with UNESCO’s rules, regulations and procedures;
- Decidesthat its 47th session will take place in Sofia (Bulgaria), from 6 to 16 July 2025;
- Also decidesto elect, in accordance with Rule 13.1 of the Rules of Procedure of the Committee, its Bureau with the following composition:
- Nikolay Nenov (Bulgaria) as Chairperson of the World Heritage Committee, whose mandate will begin at the end of the 46th session of the Committee (New Delhi, 2024) until the end of the 47th session of the Committee,
- Belgium
Mexico
Republic of Korea
Zambia and
Qatar
as Vice-Chairpersons of the World Heritage Committee, whose mandates will begin at the end of the 46th session of the Committee (New Delhi, 2024) until the end of the 47th session of the Committee,
c) Ms Joelle Bucyana (Rwanda) as the Rapporteur of the World Heritage Committee, whose mandate will begin at the end of the 46th session of the Committee (New Delhi, 2024) until the end of the 47th session of the Committee;
6. Further decides that the Bureau of the 48th session (2026) will be elected at the end of the 47th session of the Committee in accordance with Rule 13.1 of the Rules of Procedure of the Committee.