The Bureau recalled that the Committee, at its last session, drew the attention of the Romanian authorities to the fact that they were yet to complete the final steps to establish a legislative framework for this site, despite the assurances of the Representative of Romania to the fifteenth session of the Committee in December 1991, when the Delta Danube was inscribed on the World Heritage List. The Bureau was informed that the Ministry.of Waters, Forests and Environmental Protection of Romania has prepared the draft of the law concerning the establishment of the Danube Delta Biosphere ...
Sites: Danube Delta
The Bureau recalled that at its last session in July 1992 it had requested IUCN to provide a report on the progress in the implementation of measures to mitigate environmental impacts of a road construction protect in this Park. The Representative of IUCN informed the Bureau that the University of Dakar, Senegal, had undertaken an independent assessment of the implementation of mitigation measures and that the findings of this study had been validated by the Regional Representative of IUCN for West Africa. The Bureau was pleased to note that the study had found the implementation of ...
Sites: Niokolo-Koba National Park
The Bureau recalled that this site was removed from the List of World Heritage in Danger in 1988, and was deeply concerned to learn that the Prime Minister of Tanzania had announced that the residents of the area will be allowed to grow crops inside this World Heritage site, in contradiction to the Ngorongoro Conservation Area Law. The Representative of IUCN noted that although allowing small areas of maize cultivation may help to ease conflicts between local people and site-staff, the announcement appears to have encouraged people to clear vegetation over extensive areas, including many ...
Sites: Ngorongoro Conservation Area
The Bureau recalled that the Committee, at its last session, was informed of the damage caused by Hurricane Andrew which affected extensive areas of this World Heritage site on 24 August 1992. The Bureau noted that the damage caused by Hurricane Andrew has had a wide range of impacts on the ecology of Everglades and that the site has been entered on the "Montreux Record", the equivalent of a 'danger list' under the Ramsar Convention. The Representative of IUCN informed the Bureau that conservation problems of the Everglades have been covered extensively in the literature and that a ...
Sites: Everglades National Park
The Bureau was deeply concerned to learn that due to recent political uncertainties in the country all donors, except WWF, have withdrawn their support to this Park. This has resulted in destruction of vegetation, poaching, agricultural encroachment and over-exploitation of fish populations in Lake Idi Amin. Since November 1992, the Park staff has not received salaries, and funds for operations and maintenance are not available. Several new settlements have appeared in the Park, particularly around Lake Idi Amin, and some gold mining and livestock grazing have also been reported.
The ...
Sites: Virunga National Park
The Bureau recalled that the Committee, at its last session, noted that the authorities responsible for the management of this site are of the view that the proposed construction of a hydroelectric dam on the Tara River and the pollution of the River by an asphalt dam situated upstream had minimal impacts on the conservation of Durmitor National Park. The Bureau acknowledged the fact that the Montenegro authorities had invited a UNESCO/IUCN mission to the site and that this mission should be undertaken as early as possible in order to ensure the conservation of this World Heritage site. ...
Sites: Durmitor National Park
The Committee, at its sixteenth session, inscribed the Angkor site, together with its monuments and archaeological zones, as described in the "Perimeter de Protection" accompanying the ICOMOS report, on the World Heritage List. The Committee, however, noted that Cambodia had been placed under the temporary administration of the United Nations, in accordance with the Paris Accords, since July 1991. In order to deal quickly and effectively with the urgent problems of conservation facing this site, the Committee decided to include Angkor in the List of World Heritage in Danger and requested ...
Sites: Angkor
At its fifteenth session held in Carthage in December 1991, the Committee inscribed the Old City of Dubrovnik on the List of World Heritage in Danger. At the sixteenth session of the Bureau in July 1992, it was recommended that the Croatian authorities create a buffer zone in order to ensure the protection of the ancient fortress and the surrounding areas.
Since the last session of the Committee, two brochures on Dubrovnik have been published in order to publicize the plan to safeguard the Fortress and the Old City, damaged by bombardment, and also with the aim of raising funds. Specific ...
Sites: Old City of Dubrovnik
The Bureau took note of the report on the poor state of conservation of the Kefren Pyramid and endorsed the Centre's recommendation that the Egyptian Antiquities Organization be approached with a view to convening a meeting of specialists in stone conservation in cooperation with ICRROM to examine the state of conservation of this and other pyramids at this World Heritage site.
The Bureau expressed its concern about the deteriorating situation of the monuments of Islamic Cairo and took note of UNDP's disposition to launch a technical assistance project to be executed by UNESCO, and supported the World Heritage Centre's participation in this project.
Sites: Historic Cairo
The Delegate of Germany reported on the situation in the old city of Lubeck, and more particularly on the demolition of certain monuments situated in the protected zone and the discovery of mural paintings which are presently being restored. At the invitation of the Mayor of Lübeck, ICOMOS will visit the city and make an evaluation of the situation and present a detailed report to the next session of the World Heritage Committee at Carthagena.
Sites: Hanseatic City of Lübeck
The Bureau learned of the possible threat to this site through the construction of an olive-packing unit. A formal request for additional information has been forwarded to the Greek authorities who replied that permission would not begranted until all prerequisite conditions had been satisfied. The Greek Observer confirmed that the Greek authorities had already been alerted and assured the Bureau that the Committee will be informed on all further decisions taken by them. ICOMOS expressed concern about the construction of the plant that could have a negative impact.
The Bureau was informed that a road construction project, in the immediate vicinity of the Acropolis of Samos, in front of the Tunnel of Eupalinos, was submitted to the Ministry of Culture. The Greek authorities reported that the project is directly under the supervision of the Ministry of Culture, which is of the view that the project will not endanger the site or theTunnel. The Greek Observer pointed out that the road construction is still in the project stage and that the final decision has not yet been taken.
The Rapporteur stressed that, for an archaeological site of such ...
The Director of the World Heritage Centre informed the Bureau on a joint mission with ICCROM to the site damaged in the historic centre of Florence by a terrorist bomb which exploded on 27 May 1993.
The explosion caused extensive damage to the "Galleria degli Uffizi" and the "Accademia dei Georgofili". Due to the blast, the building "Torre delle Pulci" collapsed, four people were killed and a fifth victim died in the fire that subsequently broke out The Accademia dei Georgofili, housed in the 16th century Torre delle Pulci, is the oldest Agricultural Society in the world and has the ...
Sites: Historic Centre of Florence
The World Heritage Committee, it its sixteenth session, was informed of the alarming state of conservation of historic buildings and monuments in the Kathmandu Valley. UNESCO and ICOMOS were requested to undertake a global review of the Kathmandu Valley and of the activities undertaken over the past 20 years from the standpoint of safeguarding the cultural heritage of Kathmandu. The objectives of the review were: to draw up broad guidelines for the preservation of the whole valley and to re-examine the boundaries of the protected zone under the Convention.
The UNESCO Division of Physical ...
Sites: Kathmandu Valley
ICOMOS reported on the state of conservation of the site which, despite one million visitors every year, is maintaining an excellent general appearance. However, urgent attention to the oldest trees is envisaged and a systematic management and development plan should be set up to protect the vegetation.
The buildings within the boundary walls of the "Gardens" were reported to be in a good state of repair and well maintained. However, the perimeter brick walls are in poor condition due, in many cases, to improper use of the binder in the repair work, and in others to the substitution of ...
ICOMOS reported on its continuous involvement in the conservation efforts for this site. As a follow-up to the decision of the World Heritage Committee at its sixteenth session, to support the coordination effort undertaken by ICOMOS, a technical study programme has been set up for 1993, including a 5-6 week mission of 5 or 6 experts. These experts will be supported by their respective governments so tilt no professional fees will be paid from the Fund. The results of the mission will be presented by ICOMOS to the World Heritage Committee at its seventeenth session in December 1993.
The ...
Sites: Kizhi Pogost
ICOMOS reported on various factors of a financial and socio-economic nature that threaten the site and hinder its proper conservation. : COMOS reported however, that there is little need to send individual experts or groups of experts on urban heritage, given the comprehensive and carefully reasoned analysis and diagnosis on the conservation problems prepared by the local authorities and group of professionals.
ICOMOS suggested, given the analysis and diagnosis that is already available in Saint Petersburg and other cities in the world, to organize a symposium on heritage conservation in ...
ICOMOS reported on the extremely negative visual impact of a new sports hall built on the western slope of the hill that is crowned by the Cathedral and that affects in particular the view of the Cathedral from the Alameda.
The Representative of ICOMOS informed the Bureau that only a few days ago, agreement had been reached between the local and the regional authorities to lower the already constructed building by 1.5 meters and to apply materials more suitable to the surroundings. Several delegates emphasized that Operational Guideline 47 invites the States Parties to inform the ...
The Bureau recalled the Committee's request at its sixteenth session that the Centre undertake a mission to review the state of conservation of the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus following the information received on reconstruction works being undertaken at the main entrance of the Mosque. It expressed its regret that certain factors had precluded this mission from taking place and requested that ICOMOS undertake a general monitoring mission to Syria to review not only progress made in the works at the Mosque, but also the state of conservation of the Old City of Damascus.
Sites: Ancient City of Damascus