The Committee elected Mr. Francesco Francioni (Italy) as Chairperson of the World Heritage Committee and Mr. Noel Fattal (Lebanon) as Rapporteur. The Vice-Chairs elected were: Benin, Ecuador, Japan, Morocco and the United States of America.
The Chairperson drew the attention of the Committee to the two main documents of relevance to their deliberations. WHC-99/CONF.205/5 entitled "Report on the state of conservation of Kakadu National Park, Australia" provided a summary of information and deliberations concerning Kakadu up until the date of finalization of the document at the end of May. WHC-99/CONF.205/INF.4 included the record of the deliberations of the twenty-third session of the Bureau of the World Heritage Committee (5-10 July 1999).
Sites: Kakadu National Park
The Chairperson reminded Committee members that a mission was sent to Kakadu National Park in late 1998, at the request of the twenty-second session of the Bureau in June 1998. The mission was led by the former Chairperson of the World Heritage Committee, Professor Francioni of Italy. Professor Francioni reported on the mission at the twentysecond session of the Committee in Kyoto in 1998.
Sites: Kakadu National Park
The mission report (WHC-99/CONF.205/INF.3A) focused primarily on ascertained and potential dangers to the World Heritage values of Kakadu National Park posed by the Jabiluka mining proposal, and presented a total of 16 recommendations.
Sites: Kakadu National Park
3 EXT.COM XI.1
Decision of the Third Extraordinary Session of the World Heritage Committee concerning Kakadu National Park, Australia
The Committee,(a) Emphasizes the importance of Articles 4, 5, 6, 7 and 11 of the 1972 UNESCO World Heritage Convention. In particular the Committee emphasizes Article 6 (1) which states that:Whilst fully respecting the sovereignty of the States on whose territory the cultural and natural heritage (...) is situated, and without prejudice to property right provided by national legislation, the States Parties to this Convention recognize that such heritage constitutes a world heritage for whose protection it is the duty of the international community as a whole to cooperate.(b) Recalls that ...
Sites: Kakadu National Park
3 EXT.COM X1.2
Decision of the Third Extraordinary Session of the World Heritage Committee concerning Kakadu National Park, Australia
The Committee,(a) Recognizes, with appreciation, that the Australian Government, Australian Supervising Scientist, advisory bodies (IUCN, ICOMOS and ICCROM) and independent scientific panel (ISP) established by the International Council of Science (ICSU) have provided the reports requested by the twenty-second session of the Committee (Kyoto, 1998);(b) Acknowledges that there are indications that a new dialogue between the Mirrar Aboriginal people and the Australian Government has begun in relation to issues concerning the Jabiluka uranium mine and mill. The Committee considers this to be ...
Sites: Kakadu National Park
3 EXT.COM XI.3
Decision of the Third Extraordinary Session of the World Heritage Committee concerning Kakadu National Park, Australia
With consideration of 1 and 2 above, the Committee will remain vigilant in reviewing and assessing the progress made by the Australian Government. To this end the Committee requests that the Australian Government submit a progress report on the following issues by 15 April 2000 for examination by the twenty-fourth session of the Bureau of the World Heritage Committee:(a) progress made with cultural mapping of the Jabiluka Mineral Lease and the Boyweg-Almudj site and its boundaries and the completion of the cultural heritage management plan with the necessary co-operation of the Mirrar, ...
Sites: Kakadu National Park
3 EXT.COM XI.4
Decision of the Third Extraordinary Session of the World Heritage Committee concerning Kakadu National Park, Australia
To resolve the remaining scientific issues, such as those raised in the ISP report, the Committee asks ICSU to continue the work of the ISP (with the addition of any additional members) to assess, in co-operation with the supervising Scientist and IUCN, the Supervising Scientist's response to the ISP report. The report of the ISP's assessment should be submitted to the World Heritage Centre by 15 April 2000 for examination by the twenty-fourth session of the Bureau of the World Heritage Committee in 2000.
Sites: Kakadu National Park
The Committee elected Mr. Abdelaziz Touri (Morocco) as Chairperson of the World Heritage Committee and Ms. Anne Lammila (Finland) as Rapporteur. The Vice-Presidents elected were: Australia, Greece, Hungary, Mexico, and Zimbabwe.
4. The Committee elected Mr Henrik Lilius (Finland) as Chairperson of the World Heritage Committee and Mr Francisco Lopez Morales (Mexico) as Rapporteur. The Vice-Presidents elected were: Egypt, Greece, Hungary, South Africa and Thailand.
The 6th extraordinary session of the World Heritage Committee was opened by Mr Tamás Fejérdy, (Hungary) Chairperson on 17 March 2003 at UNESCO Headquarters. He welcomed Mr Koïchiro Matsuura the Director-General of UNESCO and the 21 members of the Committee: Argentina, Belgium, China, Colombia, Egypt, Finland, Greece, Hungary, India, Lebanon, Mexico, Nigeria, Oman, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Russian Federation, Saint Lucia, South Africa, Thailand, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Zimbabwe4.
73 States Parties to the World Heritage Convention who are not members of ...
The World Heritage Committee,
Noting the invitation it has received to attend the information meeting on the Draft Declaration concerning the Intentional Destruction of Cultural Heritage to be held on 18 March from 10 to 12 a.m;
Decides to cancel its session planned at the same time as the information meeting to allow those delegations who wish to participate in that meeting to do so;
Noting the linkages between agenda items 3, 4, 5 and 6 of its extraordinary session ;
Decides to work in plenary to the extent possible;
Adopts the Agenda and Timetable as presented in WHC-03/6 ...
The World Heritage Committee,
Adopts the Rules of Procedure as revised by the World Heritage Committee and included as Annex II to this document.
Decides that it enter immediately into effect, with the exception of Rule 13.1. and for which the following transition provisions will be used:
At the beginning of its 27th ordinary session (Suzhou, June/July 2003), the World Heritage Committee will elect a Bureau whose term will start at that session until the opening of the 28th ordinary session of the Committee (June 2004);
At the beginning of its 28th ordinary session (June/July ...
6 EXT.COM 4
Policy and legal issues concerning inscription of properties on the List of Lorld Leritage in Danger and the potential deletion of properties from the World Heritage List
The World Heritage Committee,
Decides to maintain in the revised Operational Guidelines existing text from the July 2002 Operational Guidelines concerning:
reactive monitoring (paragraph 68),
the development of a programme of corrective measures (paragraphs 22, 46b, 86, 87 and 89),
inscription on the List of World Heritage in Danger (paragraphs 80-93) and,
possible deletion from the World Heritage List (paragraphs 46-56).
Requests the World Heritage Centre to re-order the text in the revised Operational Guidelines to ensure a logical and consistent presentation of the ...
The World Heritage Committee,
Taking note of the proposal by the Belgian Delegation (presented in Figure 1 of document WHC-02/CONF.202/15) for the preparation of a compilation of World Heritage Basic Texts like the Basic Texts of UNESCO and of the positive comments on this proposal received from States Parties in responses to Circular Letter CL/WHC.12/02 concerning the revision of the Rules of Procedure;
Requests the World Heritage Centre, to prepare an outline and publication plan (including budget) for a compilation of World Heritage Basic Texts in English and French (to include the ...
The World Heritage Committee,
Taking into account the proposal made by the World Heritage Centre to prepare a handbook on the World Heritage Convention similar to the Handbook on the Convention of Biological Diversity presented during the 26th ordinary session of the Committee, Budapest, 2002 (document WHC-02/CONF.202/15, section VII, paragraphe 36);
Invites the World Heritage Centre, in consultation with interested States Parties and the Advisory Bodies, to develop an outline, publication plan (including budget and potential publisher) and a proposal for financing a Handbook on the ...
The World Heritage Committee,
Requests the World Heritage Centre to ensure that all future publications of the World Heritage List indicate the criteria according to which properties were inscribed on the List using the new numbering system for the combined criteria (i) to (x).
The World Heritage Committee,
Decides that the proposed World Heritage Visual Identity will not be included on the agenda for the 27th session of the World Heritage Committee (Suzhou, June/July 2003).
6 EXT.COM 5.1
Revision Operational Guidelines for the Implementation of the World Heritage Convention
The World Heritage Committee,
1. Thanking the Drafting Group and all other experts, representatives of States Parties to the World Heritage Convention, the Advisory Bodies and the World Heritage Centre for work accomplished to date on the revision of the Operational Guidelines for the Implementation of the World Heritage Convention;
2. Taking note of the Report of the March 2002 Drafting Group on the Revision of the Operational Guidelines presented as document WHC-03/6 EXT.COM/INF.5A;
3. Considering that the 3rd Draft Revised Operational Guidelines presented in document WHC-03/6 ...
The World Heritage Committee,
Welcomes the proposed structure which reflects the Strategic Objectives adopted by the Committee at its 26th ordinary session (Budapest, 2002) and that it is coherent with the structure of the budget proposed in the Draft Programme and Budget of UNESCO, 2004-2005 (32 C/5);
Thanks the Working group and the World Heritage Centre for their constructive and collaborative proposal for a new budget structure of the World Heritage Fund;
Adopts the revised Budget Structure consisting of Tables 1, 2 and 3 and Attachments 1 to 5, and included as Annex III to this ...
The World Heritage Committee,
Takes note of the list of all nominations received by the World Heritage Centre between 28 January 2002 and 1 February 2003 as presented in document WHC-03/6 EXT.COM/7 Rev;
Decides that the 32 new nominations determined by the World Heritage Centre to be complete by 1 February 2003 and four additional nominations for which the Centre had asked for guidance from the Committee be transmitted to the Advisory Bodies for evaluation.
Requests the World Heritage Centre to assist States Parties who have submitted incomplete nominations to make them complete for ...
6 EXT.COM 8.1
The World Heritage Committee,
Adopts the decisions presented in document WHC-03/6 EXT.COM/8, with amendments as agreed;
6 EXT.COM 8.2
The World Heritage Committee,
Takes note of the draft Summary Record of the 6th extraordinary session of the World Heritage Committee prepared as information document WHC-03/6 EXT.COM/INF.8 ;
Requests the participants to send corrections to their own statements in writing to the World Heritage Centre by Friday, 28 March ...
The 6th extraordinary session of the World Heritage Committee was closed on 22 March 2003 by the Chairperson, Mr Tamás Fejérdy (Hungary). He thanked the Committee for its work, all those who had participated, prepared and organised the session, underscoring the important outcomes. He also thanked the Spanish authorities for providing interpretation into Spanish.
Finally, the Chairperson made reference to the ongoing war in Iraq. Recalling the Committee's responsibilities to follow the situation closely, he assured the Committee that he and the World Heritage Centre would keep them ...
The World Heritage Committee,1. Having examined Document WHC-04/7 EXT.COM/2,2. Taking into consideration Rule 8 (Observers) of its Rules of Procedure,3. Notes the List of Participants listed in Annex I;4. Authorises the participation in its 7th extraordinary session as observers of the representatives of the international governmental Organizations (IGOs), international non-governmental Organizations (INGOs), nongovernmental Organizations (NGOs), permanent observer missions to UNESCO and non profit-making institutions having activities in the fields covered by the World Heritage ...
The World Heritage Committee,
1. Having examined Documents WHC-04/7 EXT.COM/3A.Rev and WHC-04/7 EXT.COM/INF.3A.Rev,
2. Adopts the agenda included in the first above-mentioned document.
The World Heritage Committee,
Having examined Document WHC-04/7 EXT.COM/3B.Rev,
Decides to discuss item 11 of the agenda between items 4 and 5, as recommended by the Bureau;
Adopts the timetable included in above-mentioned document, as amended.
The World Heritage Committee,
Having examined Documents WHC-04/7 EXT.COM/3C and WHC-04/7 EXT.COM/INF.3C and WHC-04/7 EXT.COM/INF.3C.Add
Takes note with satisfaction of the Report of the Rapporteur of its 28th session (Suzhou, 2004).
The World Heritage Committee,
Having examined Document WHC-04/7 EXT.COM/4 A,
Also noting the oral presentation by the Chairperson of its 27th session (UNESCO, 2003), I. TENTATIVE LISTS
Reminds the States Parties to the Convention about the need to continue submitting their Tentative Lists in accordance with Article 11.1 of the Convention and the corresponding provisions of the Operational Guidelines ;
Requests the Director of the World Heritage Centre, in consultation with the State Parties concerned, to continue updating its records on the basis of the Tentative Lists received – in ...
The World Heritage Committee,
1. Having examined Documents WHC-04/7 EXT.COM/4B and WHC-04/7 EXT.COM/4B.Add,
2. Recalling Decisions 28 COM 13.1 and 28 COM 14B.57, adopted at its 28th session (Suzhou, 2004),
3. Confirms that the two complete nominations per State Party referred to in paragraph 17 a) of Decision 28 COM 13.1 are inclusive of nominations deferred and referred by previous sessions of the Committee, extensions (except minor modifications of limits of the properties), transboundary nominations and serial nominations; 4. Recalls its decision at its 6th Extraordinary session ...
The World Heritage Committee:
1. Having examined Document WHC-04/7 EXT.COM/4B,
2. Recalling Decision 28 COM 13.1, adopted at its 28th session (Suzhou, 2004)
3. Decides that the Special Meeting of Experts referred to in paragraph 13 of Decision 28 COM 13.1 shall take place in Kazan, as offered by the Russian Federation and thanks the Russian authorities for their offer;
4. Decides that the Special Meeting mentioned above will take place from 6 to 9 April 2005;
5. Requests the World Heritage Centre to prepare a background paper collecting as much as possible relevant information ...
The World Heritage Committee,
Having examined Documents WHC-04/7 EXT.COM/4B .and WHC-04/7 EXT.COM/4B.Add,
Decides that the Working group on the methods of work of the Committee established at its 7th extraordinary session shall complete its mandate at its 29th session (Durban, 2005).
Having examined Documents WHC-04/7EXT.COM/5A, WHC-04/7 EXT.COM/5B, WHC-04/7 EXT.COM/5C, WHC-04/7 EXT.COM/5D, and WHC-04/7 EXT.COM/5E,
Aware of the need to:
study and reflect on the first cycle of Periodic Reporting;
develop strategic direction on the forms and the format of the Periodic Reports, training priorities and international cooperation priorities; and
to streamline the Committee's consideration of matters raised through Periodic Reporting relating to inscribed properties;
Decides to suspend for one year the commencement of the next cycle of Periodic ...
7 EXT.COM 5A.1
Progress report on the preparation of the Periodic Report for Europe and North America
The World Heritage Committee,
Having examined Document WHC-04/7 EXT.COM/5A,
Recalling its Decision 25 COM VII.25-27 at its 25th session (Helsinki, 2001) to examine at its 29th session (Durban, 2005), the Periodic Report for North America,
Notes the report on the progress of such Periodic Report.
The World Heritage Committee,
1. Having examined Document WHC-04/7 EXT.COM/5A,
2. Recalling its Decision 25 COM VII.25-27 at its 25th session (Helsinki, 2001) to examine Section I of the Periodic Report for Europe at its 29th session (Durban, 2005), and Section II at its 30th session (2006),
3. Notes the report on the progress of the Periodic Report for Europe.
The World Heritage Committee,
Having examined Document WHC-04/7 EXT.COM/5B,
Recalling its Decisions 24 COM VII.1-4 and 27 COM 20B.I, adopted at its 24th session (Cairns, 2000) and its 27th session (UNESCO, 2003), respectively,
Takes note of the progress made in the implementation of the Regional Programme for the Arab States and in responding to the priority needs identified in the Periodic Report for the Arab States;
Thanks the Dutch Government for supporting the publication of such Periodic Report;
Requests the Director of the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies to ...
The World Heritage Committee,
1. Having examined Documents WHC-04/7 EXT.COM/5C and WHC-04/7 EXT.COM/INF.11,
2. Recalling its Decision 26 COM 20, adopted at its 26th session (Budapest, 2002),
3. Notes with satisfaction the progress made in the implementation of the recommendations of the Periodic Report for Africa;
4. Thanks the Italian Government for its prompt and generous contribution to the implementation of the first session of Modules II & III of the Africa Regional Programme 2004-2007, as well as the governments and institutions detailed in the Annex for their contribution ...
The World Heritage Committee,
Having examined the technical cooperation assistance request made by India regarding an improved geographic information system (GIS) for Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR), as presented in Documents WHC-04/7EXT.COM/6 and WHC-04/7EXT.COM/6 Add,
Noting that, in accordance with Decision 28 COM 10A, four requests for technical cooperation will be submitted to the Chairperson/Committee in 2005, for a total amount of US$ 104,915,
Considering that only an amount of US$ 160,000 is available for cultural properties under technical cooperation assistance in the ...
Sites: Mountain Railways of India
The World Heritage Committee
1. Having examined Documents WHC-04/7EXT.COM/8 and WHC -
04/7EXT.COM/INF.8,
2. Takes note of the information included in such documents.
The World Heritage Committee,
Having examined Documents WHC-04/7 EXT COM/14, and WHC-04/7 EXT COM/14.Corr,
Recalling Decision 26 COM 15, adopted at its 26th session (Budapest, 2002),
Regrets that the World Heritage Emblem was not protected as had been requested;
Takes note of the Annual Report on the use of the World Heritage Emblem included in Document WHC-04/7 EXT COM/14;
Urges the Director of the World Heritage Centre, in consultation with the Office of Legal Affairs of UNESCO, to request the World Intellectual Property Organization to amend its initial communication under ...
7 GA
Determination of the amount of the contributions to the World Heritage Fund in accordance with the provisions of Article 16 of the World Heritage Convention
11. The General Assembly unanimously decided that mandatory contributions to the World Heritage Fund for the period 19901991 would be fixed in US dollars and that, in accordance with Article 16, paragraph 1, of the Convention, the amount would be maintained at 1 per cent of contributions made by States Parties to the regular programme of Unesco, as had been decided at the six previous General Assemblies.
The Seventh General Assembly of States Parties to the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage met in Paris, on 9 and 13 November 1989, during the twenty-fifth session of the General Conference.
Eighty-eight of the hundred and eleven States which were Parties to the Convention as at 30 October 1989 and which thus had the right to vote were represented at the meeting.
Representatives of thirteen States not Parties to the Convention participated in the General Assembly as observers. Representatives of four non-governmental organizations also ...
7. The General Assembly elected by acclamation His Excellency Mr. E. G. Whitlam (Australia) as Chairman. The General Assembly also unanimously elected the representatives of Italy, Mexico, Senegal and Tunisia as Vice-Chairmans, and Mr. Keoule Boundy (Mali) as Rapporteur.
8. The agenda of the session was unanimously adopted without amendment.
9. The General Assembly examined document CC-89/CONF.013/2 by which the accounts of the World Heritage Fund were submitted to the Assembly in accordance with the Financial Regulations of the Fund. The Assembly was informed of contributions received since 31 August 1989 from several States Parties. A detailed statement of these contributions is given below.
Etat partie
Somme
Années de contribution
(en dollars des Etats-Unis d'Amérique)
Costa Rica
696
1986 to 1988
Cyprus
958
1988-1989
German Democratic ...
7 GA 12
Means of ensuring an equitable representation of different regions and cultures of the world
12. Examination of item 7 of the agenda concerning the examination of the means of ensuring an equitable representation of different regions and cultures of the world gave rise to an intensive debate. At the opening of the debate, the Delegate of Sri Lanka, whose mandate on the Committee was about to be completed, explained that his country had withdrawn from standing for re-election for a further term in order to respond to the need of ensuring a rotation of members on the Committee. Most speakers were of the opinion that, a better rotation of members on the Committee was a necessary ...
13. Under item 8 of its agenda the General Assembly was called on to elect seven Members to the World Heritage Committee to replace the following seven Members who would have completed their term of office at the end of the twenty-fifth session of the General Conference: Algeria, Australia, Lebanon, Malawi, Norway, Sri Lanka and Turkey. The list of States Parties having submitted their candidature was read out to the Assembly. In accordance with Article 16, paragraph 5, of the Convention, the list of candidates was limited to those States Parties which had paid their contributions to the ...
20. Under item 9 of the agenda "Other business", the representative of Tunisia launched an appeal for assistance in favour of the site of Tipasa, inscribed on the World Heritage List, which has recently suffered from an earthquake. Several delegates gave their support and expressed the desire that the World Heritage Committee examine this question during its forthcoming meeting. The Secretariat then specified that a request by Algeria for emergency assistance could be submitted at any time and would be examined without delay. The delegate of Thailand, for his part, wished that the state ...
21. The Chairman said he was pleased that the meeting had allowed the drawing up of the main principles for an improved geographical distribution of members on the Committee and declared the seventh General Assembly of States Parties to the World Heritage Committee closed.
The Eighth General Assembly of States Parties to the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage met in Paris, on 2 November 1991, during the twenty-sixth session of the General Conference.
Eighty-one out of the hundred and seventeen States which were Parties to the Convention as at 31 October 1991 and which had the right to vote were represented at the meeting. A State having just ratified the Convention was also present.
Representatives of ten States not Parties to the Convention participated in the General Assembly as observers. Representatives of ...
7. The General Assembly elected by acclamation Mr Adul Wichiencharoen (Thailand) as Chairman. The General Assembly also unanimously elected the representatives of Brazil, Morocco, Pakistan, and Senegal as Vice-Chairmen, and Ms Catherine Delaporta (Greece) as Rapporteur.
8. The agenda of the session was unanimously adopted after inversion of items 7 and 8 of the provisional agenda.
12. When examining item 7 of the agenda concerning the means of ensuring an equitable representation of different regions and cultures of the world on the World Heritage Committee, the Assembly expressed the wish to be presented regularly with the charts prepared by the Secretariat: one presenting for each State Party the periods during which they have been members of the Committee, the other showing the distribution of Member States of the Committee according to the different regions. One delegate recalled that the seventh General Assembly had questioned the opportunity of increasing the ...
13. Under item 8 of its agenda the General Assembly was called on to elect seven Members to the World Heritage Committee to replace the following seven Members who would have completed their term of office at the end of the twenty-sixth session of the General Conference: Bulgaria, Canada, Greece, India, Mexico, United Republic of Tanzania, and Yemen. The list of States Parties having submitted their candidature was read out to the Assembly. In accordance with Article 16, paragraph 5, of the Convention, the list of candidates was limited to those States Parties which had paid their ...
18. Under item 9 of the agenda "Other business", the representative of Mauritania seconded by another delegate requested that the summary record of the debates mention his regret at the fact that the elections had not in the least improved the geographical distribution, which was recognized by everyone to be necessary. Indeed, no African State south of the Sahara had been elected, and this region was thus represented on the Committee by only one State.It was furthermore suggested that the Secretariat prepare for the next General Assembly a revised project of its Rules of Procedure with ...
19. The Chairman drew the attention of the delegates on a draft amendment, presented by 48 Member States of UNESCO, concerning the "Reinforcement of the Action of UNESCO for the Protection of the World Cultural Heritage" which was later submitted to the General Conference in plenary. He then said he was pleased with the positive attitude which had emerged during the debates and declared the eighth General Assembly of States Parties to the World Heritage Committee closed.
The Ninth General Assembly of States Parties to the Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage was held in Paris, at UNESCO Headquarters, on 29 and 30 October, during the twenty-seventh session of the General Conference.
One hundred and fifteen of the one hundred and thirty-six States Parties to the Convention were represented at this meeting.
The representatives of two intergovernmental organizations and two non-governmental organizations attended the meeting as observers.
The list of participants is given is Annex I of this document.
In ...
7. The General Assembly elected by acclamation Mr. C. Leventis (Cyprus) as Chairman. The General Assembly also elected unanimously the representatives of Burkina Faso, China and Tunisia as Vice-Chairmen, and Mr. H. Palma (Peru) as Rapporteur.
8. The draft agenda of the session was adopted.
9. In accordance with the recommendation of the World Heritage Committee at its sixteenth session, the Chairman of the Committee, Mr. R. Milne, (United States of America) presented to the General Assembly the report that the Committee was submitting to the General Conference of UNESCO. The text of Mr. Milne's presentation, as well as the Committee's report to the General Conference, is presented in Annex II to this document. The General Assembly took note of this report.
9 GA 10-12
Examination of the statement of accounts of the World Heritage Fund, including the status of the States Parties' contributions
10. The General Assembly examined documents WHC-93/CONF.003/3 presenting the accounts of the World Heritage Fund, in accordance with the Financial Regulations of the Fund, and WHC.93/CONF.003/3 add. presenting the contributions received up to 28 October 1993. The Assembly was also informed that the following contributions had been received since 28 October 1993:
State Party Amount (US $) Year of contribution
Ethiopia ...
13. Under item 8 of its agenda, the General Assembly was called upon to elect seven Members to the World Heritage Committee, to replace the following seven Members whose mandate would expire at the end of the twenty-seventh session of the General Conference: Brazil, Cuba, France, Italy, Pakistan, Tunisia, United States of America. The list of the thirty-one States Parties having submitted their candidature was read to the Assembly. Upon the proposal of the Representative of Niger, seconded by numerous delegations, the General Assembly suspended its work to consult among groups with a view ...
29. The General Assembly felt that these elections showed that the voting system as set out in the Rules of Procedure was no longer suitable to the present situation. On the one hand, the requirement of obtaining an absolute majority had necessitated nine ballots, and, on the other hand, the system did not guarantee an equitable representation of the different cultures and regions of the world. Consequently, the General Assembly recommended that the revision of this item of its Rules of Procedure should be inscribed on the agenda of its next session, and requested the Secretariat to ...
The World Heritage Committee,
Having examined Document WHC-11/10EXT.COM/2,
Adopts the Agenda included in the above-mentioned Document.
The World Heritage Committee,
Recalling its Decision 35 COM 18, adopted at its 35th session (UNESCO, 2011),
Elects Malaysia as Vice-Chairperson of the 36th session of the World Heritage Committee whose mandate will be until the end of the 36th session of the Committee (June/July 2012);
Elects Ms Beatriz Hernandez, Mexico, as Rapporteur of the 36th session of the World Heritage Committee, whose mandate will be until the end of the 36th session of the Committee (June/July ...
The Tenth General Assembly of States Parties to the Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural heritage was held in Paris at UNESCO Headquarters, on 2 and 3 November 1995, during the 28th session of the General Conference.
One hundred and nineteen States Parties to the Convention were represented at the meeting.
Representatives of two non-governmental organizations and the European Communities Commission attended the meeting as observers. Several other observers were also present.
In accordance with the Rules of Procedure of the General Assembly, the UNESCO ...
5. In his opening address, the Deputy Director-General, representing the Director-General, evoked the progress made in the implementation of the World Heritage Convention to which 143 States Parties now adhered; since the eighteenth session of the Committee, 440 properties situated in 100 States Parties were now inscribed on the World Heritage List.
He emphasized that the desire to preserve the diversity of cultural and natural heritage has made it possible to accomplish noteworthy actions and to strengthen the feeling of belonging to a world community working towards greater tolerance, ...
6. The General Assembly elected by acclamation Mr Kronfol (Lebanon) as President. The General Assembly also elected unanimously representatives of Brazil, Niger and Japan as Vice-Presidents, and Mr. J. Jelen (Hungary) as Rapporteur.
7. After having moved to item 9 of the draft agenda the examination of new monitoring activities and to item 10 elections to the World Heritage Committee, the General Assembly adopted its draft agenda. 8. Following a point of order on the part of Slovenia, which recalled a resolution of the UN Security Council and a decision of the UNESCO General Conference, and after having heard the advice of the Legal Advisor, the General Assembly decided that the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro) could not participate in this tenth session.
9. In accordance with the recommendation made by the World Heritage Committee at its eighteenth session, the Chairman of the Committee, Dr Adul Wichiencharoen (Thailand) presented to the General Assembly the report which the Committee was submitting to the UNESCO General Conference. The text of Dr. Wichiencharoen's presentation, as well as the Committee's Report to the General Conference, is presented in Annex I to this document. The General Assembly took note of this report.
10. The General Assembly examined the Document WHC-95/CONF.204/3 concerning the budgetary situation of the World Heritage Fund, in accordance with the Financial Regulations of the Fund. The situation concerning contributions up to 28 October 1995, replacing Document WHC-95/CONF.204/3 Add., was also distributed during the session. The Assembly was further informed that the following contributions had been received since 28 October 1995:
State Party
Amount (US $)
Year of contribution
Algeria
10,768
balance 1993, 1994 and ...
10 GA 12
Determination of the amount of the contributions to the World Heritage Fund in accordance with the provisions of Article 16 of the Convention
12. The General Assembly unanimously decided that the amount of mandatory contributions to the World Heritage Fund for the period 1996-1997, calculated in US dollars, would be maintained at 1 percent of contributions made by States Parties to the Regular Programme of UNESCO, in accordance with Article 16, paragraph 1, of the Convention, as had been decided by the nine previous General Assemblies.
10 GA 13-14
Proposed procedural changes for the election to the World Heritage Committee ¬Proposed amendment to the Rules of Procedure of the General Assembly
13. The President then explained for which reasons it was proposed to simplify the procedure in force for the election of members to the World Heritage Committee, in order to avoid an excessive number of ballots. This simplification, contained in the proposed amendments to Rules 13.8, 13.9 and 13.10 of the Rules of Procedure of the General Assembly (cf. Document WHC-95/CONF.204/5), would comprise four ballots with absolute majority and at the fifth ballot a simple majority, and in the event of two or more candidates obtaining the same number of votes, to proceed by drawing lots.14. The ...
15. This agenda item was introduced by the Chairman of the World Heritage Committee, Dr Adul Wichiencharoen (Thailand), who summarized the contents of his report on this subject as reflected in Working Document WHC-95/CONF.204/7 (see note [1] ) and the proposed resolution that had been prepared by him for this General Assembly (WHC95/CONF.204/DR.1). He recalled that the World Heritage Committee, after a long process of consultations, discussions and practical experiences in several States Parties and regions, particularly in Latin America and the Caribbean, decided, at its eighteenth ...
34. Under item 10 of its agenda, the General Assembly was called upon to elect seven members to the World Heritage Committee, to replace the following seven members whose mandate would expire at the end of the twenty-eighth session of the General Conference: Colombia, Indonesia, Oman, Peru, Senegal, Syrian Arab Republic and Thailand. Following the withdrawal of its candidature by Nigeria, as well as that of Colombia which withdrew in favour of Ecuador, the list of twenty-eight States Parties having submitted their candidature was read to the General Assembly: Algeria, Argentina, ...
43. The Representative of Germany informed the General Assembly that the nineteenth session of the World Heritage Committee would be held in his country, in Berlin, and invited all States Parties to attend.44. The Representative of Mexico and the Representative of Italy both proposed to host in their countries the twentieth session of the World Heritage Committee. The General Assembly thanked these two States for their generous invitations and decided that the question would be examined during the nineteenth session of the Committee.45. No other question having been raised under the item ...
11 EXT.COM 2
Adoption of the Agenda of the 11th extraordinary session of the World Heritage Committee
The World Heritage Committee,
Having examined Document WHC-15/11EXT.COM/2,
Adopts the Agenda included in the above-mentioned Document.
The World Heritage Committee,
Recalling its Decision 39 COM 17, adopted at its 39th session (Bonn, 2015),
Elects the United Republic of Tanzania as Vice-Chairperson of the World Heritage Committee whose mandate will be until the end of the 40th session of the Committee (July 2016).
No Decision.
The eleventh General Assembly of States Parties to the Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage was held in Paris at UNESCO Headquarters on 27 and 28 October 1997, during the twenty-ninth session of the General Conference.
One hundred and twenty-eight States Parties to the Convention were represented at this meeting.
The representatives of the three advisory bodies to the World Heritage Convention (ICCROM, ICOMOS and IUCN), the Council of Europe, three non-governmental organizations, as well as one State not party to the Convention attended the ...
5. In her opening address, the representative of the Director-General, Mrs Lourdes Arizpe, Assistant Director-General for Culture, spoke of the remarkable and visionary character of the Convention for the Protection of World Heritage, which was adopted exactly twenty-five years ago. The Convention is based on the by now well-accepted premises that there are natural and cultural properties of such importance that not only are they of national value, but also of universal value to all humankind. She welcomed the adhesion of new States Parties to the Convention and mentioned the most recent ...
9. The General Assembly elected by acclamation H.E. Mr Nouréini Tidjani-Serpos (Benin) as President of the General Assembly, the representatives of Australia, Morocco and the United States of America as Vice Presidents, and Mr Mauricio Montalvo (Ecuador) as Rapporteur.
10. The agenda was adopted without amendments.
11. The Chairperson, Mrs Teresa Franco, recalled the last sessions of the World Heritage Committee which were held in Berlin (Germany - nineteenth session) and Merida (Mexico - twentieth session). During these sessions, the World Heritage Committee decided to include 66 new properties on the World Heritage List, bringing the total to 506, with 380 cultural, 108 natural and 19 mixed properties.12. After a quarter of a century of implementation, it appears that the 1972 Convention is one of the most successful instruments in the field of heritage protection. The Chairperson recalled the ...
17. The General Assembly took note of the Document WHC-97/CONF.205/3A concerning the examination of the statement of accounts of the World Heritage Fund for the financial period 1994/1995, as well as the accounts audited by the Auditor General for 1996. The representative of the Bureau of the Comptroller proposed that the General Assembly accept the accounts for 1994, 1995 and 1996.18. The Delegate of Thailand wished to know why, according to the letter from the Auditor General of Canada, the accounts for the preceding years had not been audited, whereas all the financial statements ...
19. The representative of the Bureau of the Comptroller indicated that a large number of States Parties had paid their contributions and that other contributions were being made and would be accepted until midday. 20. The Delegate of China voiced his disappointment that the amount of US$ 20,000 contributed by his country was not indicated as a voluntary contribution in the document. The representative of the Bureau of the Comptroller said that he would verify this information and that the necessary corrections would be made.
11 GA 21
Determination of the amount of the contributions to the World Heritage Fund in accordance with the provisions of Article 16 of the Convention
21. In accordance with item 7 of the agenda, the General Assembly unanimously decided that the amount of mandatory contributions to the World Heritage Fund for the period 1998-1999, calculated in US dollars, would be maintained at 1 percent of contributions made by States Parties to the Regular Programme of UNESCO, in accordance with Article 16, paragraph 1 of the Convention, as had been decided by previous General Assemblies.
22. The Director of the World Heritage Centre recalled that the Tenth General Assembly examined the monitoring and reporting on the state of conservation of World Heritage properties and that it decided the following (paragraph 31 of the Summary Record of the Tenth General Assembly):
'As a conclusion, the General Assembly decided to continue the debate on the systematic monitoring and reporting on the state of conservation of World Heritage properties at the Eleventh General Assembly of States Parties that will be held in 1997. The General Assembly requested the World Heritage Committee ...
26. Under item 9 of the agenda, the General Assembly was called upon to elect seven members of the World Heritage Committee, to replace the following seven members whose mandate would expire at the end of the 29th session of the General Conference: China, Cyprus, Egypt, Germany, Mexico, Philippines and Spain. The list of candidates was read out to the General Assembly: Angola, Armenia, Bulgaria, China, Costa Rica, Croatia, Czech Republic, Egypt, Finland, Ghana, Greece, Guatemala, Guinea, Hungary, Malawi, Mali, Mexico, Mozambique, Pakistan, Panama, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Korea, ...
33. The Delegate of Panama informed of his wish to associate States not yet party to the Convention with the 152 States Parties, in a reflection on the protection of the World Heritage, and he suggested that the number of members of the World Heritage Committee be increased to enable greater participation in the work of the Committee. The Delegate of Italy wished to go back to item 6 of the agenda in Document WHC-97/CONF.205/3A concerning the approbation of the utilization of the World Heritage Fund, item 12 of page 21. She indicated that contrary to what was mentioned in the report, it ...
35. After having thanked the Secretariat, the tellers and the interpreters for their efficient work, the President declared the session closed.
The World Heritage Committee,1. Having examined Document WHC/17/12EXT.COM/2,2. Adopts the Agenda included in the above-mentioned Document.
The World Heritage Committee,1. Recalling its Decision 41 COM 16, adopted at its 41st session (Krakow, 2017),2. Elects in accordance with Rule 13.1 of the Rules of Procedure, its Bureau with the following composition:
Chairperson: H.E. Sheikha Haya Rashed Al-Khalifa (Bahrein)
Vice-Chairpersons: Azerbaijan, Brazil, China, Spain, Zimbabwe
Rapporteur: Ms Anna Zeichner (Hungary)
whose mandates will begin at the end of the 12th Extraordinary session of the Committee (UNESCO, 2017) until the end of the 42nd session of the Committee (2018);3. Decides that the Bureau of the 43rd session ...
The World Heritage Committee,
Having examined Document WHC/17/12EXT.COM/4,
Decides to approve the International Assistance request from Palau entitled “Responding to the threat of feral cat introduction to the Rock Island Southern Lagoon World Heritage area”, for an amount of US$ 139,505 under the Emergency Assistance budget.
Sites: Rock Islands Southern Lagoon
The twelfth session of the General Assembly of States Parties to the Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage was held in Paris, at UNESCO Headquarters on 28 and 29 October 1999 during the thirtieth session of the General Conference.
One hundred and thirty-eight States Parties to the Convention were represented at this meeting.
The representatives of the three advisory bodies to the World Heritage Convention (ICCROM, ICOMOS, IUCN) also participated in the twelfth General Assembly of States Parties.
In accordance with the Rules of Procedure of the ...
5. In his opening address, the representative of the Director-General, Mr Crespo-Toral, Assistant Director-General for Culture, spoke of the incontestable success of the Convention which has been ratified by 157 States, and the World Heritage List which now includes 582 cultural and natural properties. He stressed the fact that the List does not yet include all the categories of properties, notably living traditions and modes of land-use – which determine the material and spiritual life of human groups and their relationships with their environment. He also evoked the categories of ...
9. The General Assembly elected by acclamation H.E. Mr L.J. Hanrath (The Netherlands) as President of the General Assembly, the representatives of Grenada, India and Yemen as Vice Presidents, and Mr I. Monsi (Benin) as Rapporteur. 10. In his speech, the President of the General Assembly promised that he will do his very best to make the twelfth General Assembly a success which would be paramount to the prestige of the Convention. He recalled that it is the most visible activity of UNESCO. He referred to the problems which could jeopardise its success mainly: the growing number of ...
The agenda was adopted without amendments.
14. The President welcomed Israel as the 158th State Party. He asked if the Committee, composed of only 21 members, could continue to orient the implementation of the Convention in the name of the growing number of States Parties. He expressed his personal opinion that the time had come to study the possibility of increasing the number of representatives of States Parties within the Committee.
15. He referred to the fundamental issue of the representativity of the List and to the ongoing discussions (since 1992) to improve the existing imbalances in the framework of the Global Strategy. ...
24. The representative of the Bureau of the Comptroller presented Document WHC-99/CONF.206/3a concerning the statement of accounts of the World Heritage Fund for the financial period 1996-1997, certified by the Auditor General, as well as the accounts of the Fund for the year 1998 approved by the Comptroller, and the tables included in this document. The General Assembly approved the accounts for 1996-1997 and took note of the 1998 accounts.
The Delegate of Thailand asked for an explication on the amount of the expenditure mentioned in Table 1.1 entitled “Table of funds engaged and ...
25. The representative of the Bureau of the Comptroller presented document WHC-99/CONF.206/3b.rev giving the state of mandatory and voluntary contributions to the World Heritage Fund as at 22 October 1999. He then informed the General Assembly of all the other voluntary contributions and funds in trust received in 1999 by the World Heritage Centre. The Deputy Director of the Centre then announced the list of the other contributions expected, including the financing of the posts in the framework of the programme of associate experts.
26. The representative of the Bureau of the ...
12 GA 29
Determination of an amount of the contributions to the World Heritage Fund in accordance with the provisions of Article 16 of the Convention
29. In accordance with item 7 of the agenda, the General Assembly unanimously decided that the amount of mandatory contributions to the World Heritage Fund for the period 2000-2001 would be maintained at 1 percent of contributions made by States Parties of the Regular Programme of UNESCO, according to article 16, paragraph 1 of the Convention, as had been decided by previous General Assemblies.
30. Before introducing this point, the President referred to the notes sent to UNESCO delegations by France and Italy and wished to give the floor to the heads of the delegations of these countries so they could present their position. The Delegate of Lebanon, referring to Article 11 of the Rules of Procedure, raised a point of procedure relating to Resolutions and Amendments. The President then tabled working document WHC-99/CONF.206/5.
31. He recalled that at its twenty-second session, the World Heritage Committee inscribed this item on the provisional agenda of the twenty-third ...
49. Under item 9 of the agenda, the General Assembly was called upon to elect seven members of the World Heritage Committee, to replace the following seven members whose mandate would expire at the end of the thirtieth session of the General Conference: Brazil, France, Italy, Japan, Lebanon, Niger, United States of America. The list of candidates was read out to the General Assembly: Algeria, Argentina, Armenia, Austria, Belgium, Cameroon, China, Colombia, Egypt, Guatemala, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Lebanon, Mongolia, Portugal, Slovakia, South Africa, Tunisia, Uganda, United Kingdom, ...
54. The Director of the Centre tabled document WHC-99/CONF.206/INF.7, and referred to the decision of the twenty-third session of the Bureau to submit the following draft resolution concerning the Centre’s needs and resources to the twelfth General Assembly for it to take note.
55. The General Assembly took note of the draft resolution addressed to the Director-General.
«The Bureau of the World Heritage Committee
Noting that the true nature of the functioning of the Convention concerning the protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage implies a regular growth in the annual ...
56. The President thanked the Secretariat, the tellers and the interpreters for their efficient work. He noted that the States had adopted a resolution of historical importance concerning the ways and means to ensure a representative World Heritage List, the implementation of which would be determinant for the future of the Convention. He requested the States Parties to take into account at a national level the commitments they had just made. He then declared that this twelfth General Assembly had been a success, and closed the session.
The Bureau was glad to learn that, thanks in part to support provided under the World Heritage Fund, the situation of this site had greatly improved. The Bureau re-considered this matter under the agenda item concerning nominations/exclusion from the List of World Heritage in Danger (see paragraph XI.28.C.).
Sites: Ngorongoro Conservation Area
2) Garamba National Park (Zaire)
The joint project to rehabilitate this Park run by the Frankfurt Zoological Society/WWF/World Heritage Fund met with considerable success since no more rhinoceros have been poached in the last 5 years, the rhinoceros population has increased by 50% and a better management regime has been established. The Park recently celebrated the 50th anniversary since its foundation. The Bureau noted this situation with satisfaction and recommended that the property be re-examined in 1990: if the situation continued to show improvement, steps should be taken to ...
Sites: Garamba National Park
The Bureau recalled that IUCN had reported on the deteriorating situation of this site on several occasions and that the Committee had requested the Ivoirian authorities to propose its inscription on the List of World Heritage in Danger. It noted that the Secretariat had contacted the Ivoirian authorities, but that only recently a response had been obtained in the form of a request for preparatory assistance in order to prepare a technical cooperation request for an integrated project addressing the need for increased protection of the natural values of this Park and also the ...
Sites: Taï National Park
The Bureau was informed of the project to construct a major highway across the Park, which would be financed by a number of Development Banks. Several impact studies - some contradictory in their conclusions - had been made: the Bureau expressed its preference for the alternative route outside of the Park to the North, which in addition to preserving the natural values of Niokolo-Koba, would serve to link up isolated villages. The Bureau requested the Secretariat to prepare a letter to the highest authority in Senegal recalling this State Party's obligation to protect the natural values ...
Sites: Niokolo-Koba National Park
The Bureau wished firstly to commend the Zimbabwean authorities for their efforts to protect the remaining rhinoceros and elephant populations. The Bureau expressed great concern however over the proposed oil exploration programme, particularly in the light of a very negative report submitted to the Secretariat by the Zimbabwe National Commission for Unesco. The Bureau therefore requested the Secretariat to convey its concern to the highest government authorities of Zimbabwe, as well as to the Director of Mobil Oil Company.
The Bureau learnt of several threats to this site, including a proposal to excise a large section of land for settlement. The Bureau requested the Secretariat to contact the Ecuadorian authorities to express its concern over the proposed excision and to encourage them to draw up a request for technical cooperation to support the elaboration of a revised management plan addressing many of the conflicting issues in the Park. The Bureau hoped that the request for technical cooperation could be submitted in time for examination by the Committee in December 1989.
Sites: Sangay National Park
The Bureau noted with satisfaction that the two States Parties had recently undertaken measures to coordinate the management and protection of these contiguous parks containing the famous waterfalls. In response to the suggestion of the IUCN representative to encourage the States Parties' acceptance to list these waterfalls under one name on the World Heritage List, the representative of Brazil stated that his government had not changed its position on this matter and that the two sites should continue to be indicated separately on the World Heritage List.
The Bureau noted that the preparatory assistance mission to this site in November 1988 had resulted in the elaboration of a two-year Unesco/UNDP project on evaluating the impact of iron-ore extraction on the natural values of the site and elaborating an integrated management plan which would improve protective measures and encourage socio-economic development of the transition zone. The Bureau nevertheless wished to express its concern about further damage to this site and suggested that this concern be communicated to the World Bank.
Following a request of the Committee on 21 April 1989, the American authorities submitted a report on the fire management policy review and the recovery plan following the 1988 wildfires. The Bureau wished to thank the American authorities for this report and for their offer to make it available for other States Parties.
Sites: Yellowstone National Park
The Bureau noted that this site had recently been invaded by several hundreds of local people which had caused great damage to the park and the loss of several lives. The Indian authorities had sent in the police to halt further destruction, but the problem of illegal encroachment was still not resolved. The Bureau requested the Secretariat to contact the Indian authorities to express its concern over this situation and encourage taking appropriate measures to restore the site.
Sites: Manas Wildlife Sanctuary
The Bureau was informed by the representative of the Government of Australia of proceedings instituted against it before the Federal Court by the Government of Queensland with respect to the protection of the site of the Wet Tropics of Queensland inscribed on the World Heritage List in December 1988. The judge of the Federal Court is called upon to examine the question whether the ban decided by the Federal Government on commercial forestry operations in the site can reasonably be regarded as appropriate and adapted to the objectives of protecting, conserving, enhancing and rehabilitating ...
Sites: Wet Tropics of Queensland
The IUCN representative also gave reports on the conservation status of Rio Platano (Honduras), Manu National Park (Peru), Ichkeul National Park (Tunisia), Sagarmatha (Nepal), Wood Buffalo National Park (Canada).
14. The Bureau approved the following requests for international assistance for conducting regional training workshops in the field of natural heritage conservation and protected area management:
A. Qatar (for the Arab region), 7-20 October 1989 - US$30,000
B. College of African Wildlife Management, Mweka, United Republic of Tanzania (for anglophone African countries), in February 1990 - US$30,000
C. The Ministry of Nature Protection and the Department of National Parks, Senegal (for francophone African countries), in Dakar and Saint Louis, 30 October to 17 November 1989 - ...
15. The Bureau reviewed another request from Tanzania, for the purchase of equipment for protecting the archaeological and palaeontological site of Olduvai Gorge in the Ngorongoro Conservation Area of the United Republic of Tanzania.
The Bureau, however, deferred its recommendations on this request, since the site had been inscribed on the World Heritage List under natural criteria. The Bureau, though, suggested that ICOMOS and the Secretariat provide further information on the relevance of cultural values for the inscription of this site on the World Heritage List at the forthcoming ...
Sites: Ngorongoro Conservation Area
16. The Bureau heard details of an application for technical assistance amounting to about US$320,000 submitted by the Syrian Arab Republic for a conservation programme for the Old City of Aleppo. The Bureau agreed to grant the Syrian authorities preparatory assistance to enable them to draw up a large-scale project for submission to funding sources other than the World Heritage Fund, the resources of which were too limited to take on such a project.
Sites: Ancient City of Aleppo
26. The Bureau considered that, if the Government of Mali so wished, a preparatory assistance mission could be organized with a view to helping the authorities concerned to work out an appropriate nomination file on Timbuktu (mosques, cemeteries and mausoleums) to the List of World Heritage in Danger. This nomination file could be presented to one of the next sessions of the Bureau.
Sites: Timbuktu
5. The Committee adopted the draft agenda of the session with the inclusion of two agenda items: invitation to additional observers and the date and place of the fourteenth ordinary session of the Committee.
6. Mr. Azedine Beschaouch (Tunisia) was elected Chairman of the Committee by acclamation. Ms. Christina S. Cameron (Canada) was elected as the Rapporteur, and Bulgaria, Colombia, Greece, Senegal and Thailand were elected Vice-Chairmen.
7. The Secretary for the natural part of the Convention, Mr. Bernd von Droste, reported on the activities undertaken since the twelfth session of the Committee, held during 5-9 December 1988 in Brasilia (Brazil).
8. Mr. von Droste stated that three States Parties had ratified the Convention during 1989 and expressed the wish that further efforts be made to encourage the adherence of new States Parties. The Committee noted the work that the Secretariat had undertaken to coordinate efforts to conserve the world's natural heritage with those of other international funds and conventions, ...
11. While examining agenda item 4, the Committee took note of the conclusions of the 7th General Assembly of States Parties to the Convention on this question. The Committee welcomed the content of the resolution adopted by the General Assembly which reflected its wish to ensure both a better turnover of Committee members and equitable representation of the different regions and cultures of the world.
12. In accordance with the conclusions of the Bureau at its 13th session and taking account of the above-mentioned resolution, the Committee decided to allocate under the 1990 budget a sum ...
13 COM VIII
Monitoring of the State of Conservation of the World Heritage Natural Properties: Directory
15. IUCN presented a copy of a draft directory of natural World Heritage sites inscribed to the end of 1988 prepared by the Protected Areas Data Unit (PADU) of the World Conservation Monitoring Centre (WCMC). This directory provided the most up-to-date data available for these sites. In June 1989, States Parties with sites inscribed before 1986 had been asked by IUCN to update the data sheets, but responses had to date been received from only 7 of the 28 countries concerned, covering 19 out of 63 sites. The Committee requested IUCN to follow-up with the States Parties whose responses were ...
Tai National Park (Cote d'Ivoire)
The Committee noted an earlier request that the Ivoirian authorities agree to this site's inscription on the List of World Heritage in Danger had brought no response. However, the Committee noted that only recently had the Secretariat received a response in the form of a request for preparatory assistance. This preparatory assistance could take the form of a workshop to evaluate the situation and revise a draft of an integrated project to safeguard this site, to be financed jointly by the World Heritage Fund (technical cooperation) and extra-budgetary ...
Sites: Taï National Park
Rio Platano Biosphere Reserve (Honduras)
The Committee noted IUCN's concerns about the integrity of this site and asked that IUCN provide further information when the report from the national conservation authority is received.
Niokolo-Koba National Park (Senegal)
The Committee recalled that there was a project to construct a major highway across the Park which would greatly jeopardize its natural values, and that the Bureau had expressed its preference for an alternative route outside the Park. On 1 August 1989, in accordance with the Bureau's recommendation, the Director-General of Unesco had written to the President of Senegal, His Excellency A. Diouf, informing him of the Bureau's preference for the alternative route. The Secretariat indicated to the Committee that, at a meeting held in Dakar on 14 November ...
Sites: Niokolo-Koba National Park
Mana Pools, Sapi and Chewore Reserves (Zimbabwe)
The Committee noted with satisfaction the incorporation of environmental safeguards into the agreement signed on 4 December 1989 between the Government of Zimbabwe and Mobil Oil relating to oil exploration in this site. The Committee decided to commend Zimbabwe on the action taken and to urge that it monitor the effects of the exploration closely. The Committee requested the Zimbabwean authorities to inform the Secretariat in the event that oil extraction might proceed later as this could significantly affect the site's ...
Ichkeul National Park (Tunisia)
The Committee decided to encourage Tunisia in its efforts to seek financial resources to undertake activities such as the building of the Tindja sluice and two other drainage canals to ensure maintenance of the integrity of the wetlands critical to the values of this site. At the same time, the Committee agreed that the Tunisian authorities should be congratulated on improvements to the site's management consequent on completion of the visitors' centre, institution of controls on cattle grazing and additional ...
Sites: Ichkeul National Park
Sangay National Park (Ecuador)
The Committee noted that the Bureau had requested the Secretariat to contact the Ecuadorian authorities over possible excision of land from the park and to propose a request for technical cooperation to support a revised management plan. The Committee decided to ask the Secretariat to continue its efforts in these directions.
Sites: Sangay National Park
Manu National Park (Peru)
The Committee noted that the possibility still existed for future oil and gas exploration which could prejudice the integrity of this site.
Sites: Manú National Park
Mount Nimba (Côte d'Ivoire/Guinea)
The Committee noted the decision of the World Bank not to provide funds to Guinea for proposed iron-ore mining which would prejudice this site. It noted that this decision was made on economic grounds. The Committee requested the Secretariat to contact the authorities of the Cdte d'Ivoire and Guinea on this matter to encourage them to take the concerns of the Committee into consideration and preserve the integrity of the site.
Manas Wildlife Sanctuary (India)
IUCN reported on the invasion of this site in February 1989 by the Bodo tribespeople. IUCN reported that it had been consulting with the Indian authorities, and it had been informed that measures were being taken to resolve this problem. The Committee decided to ask the Secretariat to follow up the situation with the Indian authorities.
Sites: Manas Wildlife Sanctuary
Yellowstone National Park (USA)
The Committee noted with appreciation the availability to other States Parties of the fire management review and the fire recovery plan obtainable from the Director of the U.S. National Park Service.
Sites: Yellowstone National Park
Wood Buffalo National Park (Canada)
The Committee noted the report of IUCN and the clarification made by the Canadian delegation on the environmental assessment now proceeding into disease in the park's hybrid buffalo herd and the external threat which may result from proposed industrial development upstream from the park. The Committee noted the commitment of the Canadian delegation to maintain the site's integrity and asked that IUCN continue to contact the Canadian authorities and report back to the Bureau at its next ...
Sites: Wood Buffalo National Park
Fiordland National Park (New Zealand)
The Committee noted developments in relation to possible ownership changes to the hydro-electric scheme existing in this site when it was inscribed. The Committee decided to commend New Zealand on its initiative to give statutory authority to the independent "Guardians" group in its efforts to ensure that any changes in ownership of electricity generation in the park will not threaten its integrity as a World Heritage site.
Everglades National Park (USA)
The representative of IUCN informed the Committee of a law suit that had been brought to bear against offenders to the integrity of this site. In addition, the representative of the U.S. informed the Committee of additional efforts to protect this site, notably the allocation by the U.S. Government of US$32 million to purchase over 43,000 ha of wetlands next to the Park which would help mitigate some of the problems related to the quality and quantity of freshwater entering the park. The Committee wished to commend the U.S. authorities for this initiative ...
Sites: Everglades National Park
17. As concerns the Wet Tropics of Queensland (Australia), the representative of IUCN informed the Committee that the Director-General of IUCN, after hearing the Bureau's concern regarding the participation of an IUCN expert as a witness in a national legal proceeding involving the conservation of a World Heritage site, had informed the Australian authorities that it would not be appropriate for IUCN to appear in the proceedings of a court case in a State Party. The observer of Australia then informed the Committee that following the recent elections in Queensland and the change in the ...
Sites: Wet Tropics of Queensland
13 COM IX.18
Monitoring of the State of Conservation of the World Heritage Cultural Properties: General Issues
18. At its 12th session, the Committee had decided that the results of the second phase of the system of monitoring the state of conservation of cultural properties would be presented at its 14th session in 1990. The Committee at its present session, however, took note of the very low number of replies to the questionnaires reported by the Secretariat. It considered that the system underway was both cumbersome and not fully satisfactory, especially in comparison to the system for monitoring natural sites, and that the system did not enable the Committee to assume this important function ...
19. The Committee noted that following an earthquake at Tipasa in Algeria, a preliminary mission by a member of the Secretariat had been completed which reported that some damage had occurred. An emergency assistance request had been submitted to the Secretariat which is continuing to cooperate with the managers of the property.
Sites: Tipasa
20. The Committee was also informed of the collapse of the roof of one of the temples in Patan in the Valley of Kathmandu. Emergency assistance had been immediately granted to the Nepalese authorities concerned.
Sites: Kathmandu Valley
21. The delegate from Canada informed the Committee of his concern in learning of the tree felling which had taken place last winter in the Park of Versailles, which, together with the Chateau, is inscribed on the World Heritage List. He drew the Committee's attention to the danger of separating the responsibilities for cultural and natural resource management in the case of a property where a balance between architecture and the surrounding landscapes is essential. ICOMOS shared these concerns and considered that a tree regeneration plan inappropriate to a protected historical park ...
22. The same delegate informed the Committee of his concern over the announcement of a universal exhibition in Venice. The fragile structures and the limited space of this town, inscribed together with its lagoon on the World Heritage List in 1987, made Venice extremely vulnerable to the effects of mass events. The Secretariat informed the Committee that the Director-General had already written to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Italy requesting more details on this project. The Committee decided to launch the following appeal:
The World Heritage Committee, meeting for its 13th ...
Sites: Venice and its Lagoon
23. The Committee recalled that the revised versions of forms for nominating sites for inscription on the World Heritage List and for requesting international assistance from the World Heritage Fund had been prepared in accordance with the Operational Guidelines and had been already examined by the Bureau at its 13th session. The Bureau members had since then provided comments which were incorporated in the documents submitted to the Committee. The Committee adopted these revised documents in principle, requesting the Committee members to send any additional suggestions they may have to ...
24. The Committee congratulated the Secretariat on the several activities undertaken in 1989 presented in document SC/89/CONF.004/6 which, in particular, concentrated on the production and diffusion of general information material and the preparation of photographic exhibits, films and publications. As regards activities related to tourism, it was recalled that over-visitation by tourists could endanger certain sites and that adequate information was needed to minimize this risk.
25. The Committee approved the proposals presented by the Secretariat for 1990. In respect of the production ...
33. The Committee examined document SC-89/CONF.004/8 presenting the status of contributions to the World Heritage Fund for the years 1981-83, 1984-85, 1986-87 and 1988-89, the status of implementation of international assistance projects approved in 1988 and 1989, as well as a statement on the use of the budget approved by the Committee at its 12th session for 1989.
34. The Committee noted that there continued to be certain delays in the payment of obligatory and voluntary contributions and encouraged the Secretariat to continue its efforts to obtain the outstanding payments, which ...
38. The Committee noted that the Bureau had examined in detail the requests for international assistance presented in document SC-89/CONF.004/7. The Committee also took into consideration that the Bureau had incorporated additional information received by the Secretariat since the preparation of this document into its evaluation.
39. In accordance with the procedures for granting international assistance set out in the Operational Guidelines adopted by the Committee in December 1988, the Committee approved the following requests:
A. Technical Cooperation
1. Galapagos National Park ...
38. The Committee noted that the Bureau had examined in detail the requests for international assistance presented in document SC-89/CONF.004/7. The Committee also took into consideration that the Bureau had incorporated additional information received by the Secretariat since the preparation of this document into its evaluations.
39. In accordance with the procedures for granting international assistance set out in the Operational Guidelines adopted by the Committee in December 1988, the Committee approved the following requests:
B. Training
France/Benin: US$30,000Sub-regional ...
38. The Committee noted that the Bureau had examined in detail the requests for international assistance presented in document SC-89/CONF.004/7. The Committee also took into consideration that the Bureau had incorporated additional information received by the Secretariat since the preparation of this document into its evaluations.
39. In accordance with the procedures for granting international assistance set out in the Operational Guidelines adopted by the Committee in December 1988, the Committee approved the following requests:
C. The Committee deferred the following requests for ...
40. The Committee welcomed the proposals of ICOMOS and the Secretariat concerning the global study. In presenting his proposal, the representative of ICOMOS emphasized in particular the need to highlight the changes which had occurred in the world and in approaches to culture in the last twenty years. New tendencies were appearing, especially as concerns the relationships of man to his environment, and new themes were emerging such as anthropised landscapes or vernacular architecture. It was noted that the proposals made by the Secretariat should also be taken into account in elaborating ...
13 COM XV.44-46
Nominations to the World Heritage List and to the List of World Heritage in Danger: Overview
44. The Committee examined 18 nominations of cultural and natural properties to the World Heritage List. It decided to inscribe seven properties and extend one property (Section A), to defer the examination of two properties (Section B), and not to inscribe eight properties (Section C). In addition, the Committee inscribed one property on the List of World Heritage in Danger and withdrew another property from this List (Section D).
45. The Committee was informed by the Secretariat that by a letter dated 6 November 1989, the Federal Republic of Germany had withdrawn the nomination of the ...
Sites: Wadden Sea
47. The Committee noted the intention of the Greek authorities to organize as soon as possible in Greece an international colloquium of experts to examine the conservation projects for the monuments in Mystras and that they would not undertake any restoration work on the site until the publication of the proceedings of the colloquium.
Tasmanian Wilderness
Australia
N(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)
The Committee approved the nomination of the extension to the Western Tasmanian Wilderness National Parks World Heritage site which corresponded to an additional area of 604,645 ha, i.e., a 78% increase, thereby serving to consolidate and greatly enhance the existing World Heritage site. The Committee noted that there were some small enclaves of publicly-owned land with World Heritage values currently excluded from the nomination and expressed the hope that these could be added in the future. The Committee noted with satisfaction the ...
Sites: Tasmanian Wilderness
Archaeological site of Olvmpia
Greece
C(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(vi)
The Committee requested the Greek authorities to continue to carefully protect the site and its environment from the impact of increased tourism.
Mystras
Greece
C(ii)(iii)(iv)
Aware of the incontestable outstanding universal value of Mystras, and taking into account the strong assurance received from the Greek authorities that they will not take any action which might compromise the integrity and authenticity of the site, the Committee decided to inscribe Mystras on the World Heritage List.
Buddhist Monuments at Sanchi
India
C(i)(ii)(iii)(iv)(vi)
Sites: Buddhist Monuments at Sanchi
Cliff of Bandiagara (Land of the Dogons)
Mali
C(v) N(iii)
The Committee took note of the IUCN evaluation of the natural values of this property, which met natural criterion (iii) concerning "exceptional combinations of natural and cultural elements". The Committee nevertheless expressed concern that the condition for integrity of this property was not fully met and recommended that the Secretariat contact the Malian authorities to develop a technical cooperation project aiming at avoiding the adverse impact of tourism on the cultural and natural values and at ameliorating living ...
Banc d'Arguin National Park
Mauritania
N(ii)(iv)
The Committee decided that this property should be inscribed excluding the Cap Blanc Satellite Reserve which could only be considered once the boundary question was resolved and the Côte des Phoques parts could be included. The Committee recommended that the Mauritanian authorities adopt the recommendations of the 1989 FAO report on the protective legislation of the Park, and that a technical co-operation request be elaborated for an integrated development project for the local people dependent on the ocean ...
Sites: Banc d'Arguin National Park
Monastery of Alcobaca
Portugal
C(i)(iv)
Sites: Monastery of Alcobaça
Victoria Falls/Mosi-oa-Tunva
Zambia/Zimbabwe
N(ii)(iii)
The Committee commended the Governments of Zambia and Zimbabwe for demonstrating their commitment to co-operate in management of the site through the joint nomination. The Committee agreed to the joint inscription of the property on the basis that both Zambia and Zimbabwe had already agreed to reduce the limits of the nominated property to include only the Victoria Falls National Park, the northern half of Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park and a small portion of the riverine strip of Zambezi National Park in order to better concentrate ...
Monastery of Poblet
Spain
The Committee decided to defer its decision on this property while awaiting the assurance that the protective boundaries be enlarged to encompass the outer wall of the monastery and that all of the nominated area be given adequate protection.
The Committee took note of the intervention of the Spanish delegate informing it that the Catalan authorities were currently preparing a decree aiming to enlarge the protective boundaries of this property and that, in liaison with the Ministry of Culture of Spain, they were going to follow a conservation policy which ...
Sites: Poblet Monastery
Tongariro National Park
New Zealand
The Committee recalled that the inscription of this property had been deferred by the Bureau until a revised management plan was available. The Committee was informed by the representative of IUCN that the new management plan for this park had recently been completed and was awaiting approval. The Committee expressed the wish that this nomination could be examined again in 1990.
Sites: Tongariro National Park
Gerona
Monastery of Sant Pere de Rodes,
Collegiate Church of Sant Vicenc de Cardona,
Ubeda and Baezl Town of Taal Town of Vigan
Historic Centre of Manila Intramuros
Town of Taal
Town of Vigan
Historic Centre of Manila Intramuros
The Committee suggested that the Philippine authorities contact ICOMOS and the Secretariat so as to study the possibility of elaborating a new nomination made up of particularly significant elements of the very special heritage of the Philippines.
Sites: Historic City of Vigan
Navan Fort (United Kingdom)
13 COM XV.D
Removal from the List of World Heritage in Danger: Ngoronaoro Conservation Area (Tanzania)
Ngoronaoro Conservation Area (Tanzania)
The Committee was glad to learn of improvements in the management and protection of this site, due in part to the support from the World Heritage Fund, since it was inscribed on the List of World Heritage in Danger in 1983. The Committee decided to comply with the request from the Tanzanian authorities to remove this property from the List of World Heritage in Danger.
Sites: Ngorongoro Conservation Area
Wieliczka Salt Mine (Poland)
In accordance with the wishes of the Polish authorities, the Committee decided to inscribe the Salt Mine of Wieliczka on the List of World Heritage in Danger.
Garamba National Park (Zaire)
The representative of Zaire thanked the Committee for its continued support for improving the protection and management of this site, which was inscribed on the List of World Heritage in Danger in 1984 due to the alarming reduction in the northern white rhinoceros population. The joint project by the Frankfurt Zoological Society, WWF and the World Heritage Committee had resulted in a promising recovery of these animals. The Committee accordingly recommended that the Zairois authorities should formally request the removal of this site from the List of World ...
Sites: Garamba National Park
13 COM XVI.48
Other Business: International Colloquium on the Theme "Restoration Methods for Ruins and Archaeological Ensembles"
48. The Committee welcomed the intention of ICCROM and ICOMOS to jointly organize in 1990 an international colloquium on the theme "Restoration methods for ruins and archaeological ensembles".
49. The Committee was informed that the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) had requested that it be invited to attend the sessions of the Committee as an observer in accordance with Article 8.2 of the Rules of Procedure of the Committee. The Secretariat indicated that it was working in close collaboration with WWF, which each year contributed between $1.5 and $2 million to the conservation of natural World Heritage properties. The Committee decided that WWF would henceforth be invited as an observer to the Committee sessions.
13 COM XVIII.50-51
Date and Place of the Fourteenth Session of the Bureau and the World Heritage Committee
50. The Committee was informed that by letter dated 7 November 1989, the Canadian authorities had formally invited the Committee to hold its 14th session in Banff National Park in the Canadian Rocky Mountains Parks and World Heritage site. The representative of Canada reiterated this invitation and gave a slide presentation on Banff National Park. The Committee gratefully accepted this invitation and decided that it would meet for its 14th session from 26 to 30 November 1990.
51. The Committee also decided that the Bureau should meet for its 14th session at Unesco Headquarters from 11 to ...
The World Heritage Committee,1. Having examined Document WHC/19/13EXT.COM/2,2. Adopts the Agenda included in the above-mentioned Document.
The World Heritage Committee,1. Recalling its Decision 43 COM 16, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),2. Elects Guatemala as Vice-Chairperson of the 44th session of the World Heritage Committee whose mandate will begin at the end of its 13th extraordinary session (UNESCO, 2019) and will continue until the end of its 44th session (Fuzhou, 2020).
5. In his opening address, the representative of the Director-General, Mr Mounir Bouchenaki, Assistant Director-General for Culture, spoke of the incontestable success of the World Heritage Convention. He welcomed the Kingdom of Bhutan, Samoa and Eritrea as new signatories to the Convention. The Convention would have 167 States Parties by the end of 2001. He stated that this achievement of near universality proved that the world attached special importance to the conservation of natural and cultural heritage. 6. Mr Bouchenaki advised the General Assembly that Mr Peter King (Australia) had ...
14. The General Assembly elected by acclamation H.E Ambassador Samuel Fernandéz Illanes (Chile) as Chairperson of the General Assembly.
15. The Chairperson thanked the General Assembly for his election and commented on the tremendous importance of the World Heritage Convention.
16. The Delegate of Algeria congratulated the Chairperson on his election and welcomed the three new States Parties to the Convention. He then asked that the representative of Palestine be accepted as an observer to the 13th General Assembly. The Delegates of Cuba, the Republic of Dominica, Egypt, the Republic of ...
19. The Delegate of France questioned the procedures used to elect the Chairperson of the General Assembly whereby there was no consultation prior to the session. He proposed that this issue and Rule 3 of the Rules of Procedure be discussed under Item 11: Other business. He also suggested that candidates for Chairperson, Vice Chairperson and Rapporteur could be called for in advance and that all States Parties be informed.
20. The Delegate of the United States of America agreed with the proposal made by the Delegate of France and also commented that in future the General Assembly needed ...
24. The Chairperson invited the General Assembly to choose three Vice-Chairpersons and a Rapporteur. Mr Boubaker Ben Fraj, Director General of the National Institute for Heritage of Tunisia and Ms Sandra Kalniete, Ambassador of Latvia to UNESCO were appointed as Vice-Chairpersons by acclamation. A third Vice-Chairperson was not appointed. Mrs Deanna Ongpin-Recto (Philippines) was appointed as Rapporteur by acclamation.
25. The Chairperson of the General Assembly referred to document 31C/REP.15 Report by the Intergovernmental Committee for the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage on its Activities (2000-2001). He explained that the World Heritage Committee, at its sixteenth session held in December 1992 in Santa Fe, United States of America, recommended that the report which the Committee addressed to the General Conference also be presented to the General Assembly of States Parties.
26. Dr Christina Cameron (Canada), Chairperson of the World Heritage Committee presented the report of ...
13 GA 44-47
Examination of the statement of accounts of the World Heritage Fund, including the status of the States Parties' contributions
44. In conformity with the Financial Rules of the World Heritage Fund, the representative of the Comptroller presented for examination by the General Assembly, document WHC-2001/CONF.206/3a which contained:
the accounts of the World Heritage Fund for the financial period 1998-1999, certified by the auditors within the framework of the UNESCO General Audit; and
the Fund accounts for the year 2000 approved by the Comptroller and which will be part of the external audit for the financial period 2000-2001.
45. He explained each one of the financial statements and tables contained in ...
48. The representative of the Bureau of the Comptroller presented the documents WHC-2001/CONF.206/3b and WHC-2001/CONF.206/3b.Add, containing the compulsory and voluntary contributions to the World Heritage Fund as at 30 September and revised as at 22 October 2001. He indicated that the state of compulsory and voluntary contributions would be updated for the next session of the Committee in Helsinki in December 2001.
49. The Delegate of Thailand referred to the last page of document WHC-2001/CONF.206/3b, State of contributions as at 31 August 2001, and requested clarification regarding ...
13 GA 52
Determination of the amount of the contributions to the World Heritage Fund in accordance with the provisions of Article 16 of the World Heritage Convention
52. The Chairperson presented the document WHC-2001/CONF.206/4 to the General Assembly for a decision as to whether the level of compulsory contributions to the World Heritage Fund should be maintained at 1% of the amount of contributions of States Parties to the Regular Budget of UNESCO, in accordance with Article 16, paragraph 1 of the Convention, inline with the decision of previous General Assemblies. The General Assembly took note of the document and unanimously approved this proposal.
13 GA 53-73
Representivity of the World Heritage List (follow-up to the Resolution adopted by the twelfth General Assembly of States Parties)
53. The Chairperson referred to document WHC-2001/CONF.206/5 and requested the General Assembly to take note of the decision of the World Heritage Committee at its twenty-fourth session in Cairns 2000.
54. The Director of the World Heritage Centre recalled that a Resolution had been adopted by the 12th General Assembly concerning the protection of the world cultural and natural heritage. Furthermore, he acknowledged the work of the Working Group that was chaired by H.E. Ambassador Yai (Benin) in 2000 whose mandate was to make recommendations, based on the Resolution, towards improving ...