Decision 47 COM 7B.174

Baalbek (Lebanon)

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/25/47.COM/7B.Add.2,
2. Takes note of the provisional inscription of the property on the International List of Cultural Property under Enhanced Protection, under the mechanism established by the 1999 Second Protocol to the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict (Decision 4 EXT.COM 4.5);
3. Takes note with appreciation of the March 2025 UNESCO mission to Lebanon to conduct a rapid damage assessment of several sites, including Baalbek;
4. Expresses concern about the damage incurred at, and in the vicinity, of the property resulting from hostilities, and encourages the State Party to address any urgently needed repair work when possible, relaunch the monitoring programme at the temple complex, particularly for the Temple of Jupiter, and conduct in-depth structural damage assessments as needed;
5. Commends the efforts made by the State Party in continuing research, site enhancement and maintenance work, and also encourages the State Party to further pursue these actions to the extent possible;
6. Welcomes the initiation of works to enhance visitor accessibility and experience at the property, recommends that these activities and efforts are implemented within an overall visitor management plan, to be provided in the framework of an overall Management Plan for the property, and further encourages the State Party to initiate the preparation of a Management Plan as soon as possible;
7. Encourages furthermore the State Party to submit a boundary clarification for the property, based on consultations with the World Heritage Centre;
8. Recalls the need to submit details of planned projects at the property, in accordance with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines, comprising Heritage Impact Assessments to be conducted in accordance with the Guidance and Toolkit for Impact Assessments in a World Heritage Context;
9. Encourages moreover the State Party to submit an International Assistance request to support its efforts in ensuring adequate management of the property;
10. Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 December 2026, 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 49th session.