Decision 47 COM 15

Election of the Chairperson, Vice-Chairpersons and Rapporteur of the 48th session of the World Heritage Committee

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Decides that its 48th session will take place in Busan (Republic of Korea), from 19 to 29 July 2026;
2. 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;
3. Also recalls that, 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;
4. Recalling its Decision 46 COM 15, adopted at its 46th session (New Delhi, 2024), which elected its Bureau with a mandate until the end of its 47th session,
5. Decides to elect, in accordance with Rule 13.1 of the Rules of Procedure of the Committee, its Bureau with the following composition:

as Vice-Chairpersons of the World Heritage Committee, whose mandates will begin at the end of the 47th session of the Committee (UNESCO, 2025) until the end of the 48th session of the Committee,

1. Also decides to extend the mandate of the following members of the current Bureau:
   1. Chairperson: Nikolay Nenov (Bulgaria) until its 20th extraordinary session,
   2. Rapporteur: Joelle Bucyana (Rwanda) until its 20th extraordinary session;
2. Decides to hold its 20th extraordinary session in November 2025 at UNESCO Headquarters, in the margin of the 25th session of the General Assembly of States Parties to the World Heritage Convention, to finalize the election of the Bureau of the 48th session, with a mandate until the end of the 48th session of the Committee;
3. Decides that the Bureau of the 49th session will be elected at the end of the 48th session of the Committee in accordance with Rule 13.1 of the Rules of Procedure of the World Heritage Committee.