Decision 47 COM 7A.51

Ancient villages of Northern Syria (Syrian Arab Republic)

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/25/47.COM/7A,
2. Recalling Decision 46 COM 7A.30, adopted at its 46th session (New Delhi, 2024),
3. Takes note of the information provided on the state of conservation of the property, including reported extensive damage during the period of conflict, and expresses its concern about the current situation of several components of the property, where previously reported damage appears to have worsened;
4. Requests the State Party to carry out a detailed and systematic condition assessment of the property in order to identify emergency measures and priority actions to be undertaken to prevent further damage and loss, and encourages the State Party to carry out awareness raising activities for communities, living in or in the vicinity of the property, about the need to preserve and protect it;
5. Calls upon the international community to support efforts aimed at the conservation of the property, and reiterates its appeal to all State Parties to cooperate in the fight against the illicit trafficking of cultural heritage coming from Syria as per the United Nations Security Council Resolution 2347 of 2017;
6. Taking note of the invitation by the State Party that a joint World Heritage Centre/ICOMOS Reactive Monitoring mission takes place in order to assess the state of conservation of the property and identify measures needed to ensure its conservation and protection, requests that detailed condition assessments be initiated as far as possible before scheduling such a Reactive Monitoring mission, and following an initial mission to other Syrian World Heritage properties;
7. Also encourages the State Party, in consultation with the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies, to initiate the elaboration of the Desired state of conservation for the removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger (DSOCR) with a set of corrective measures and timeframe for their implementation;
8. Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2026, an updated report on the state of conservation of the property and the implementation of the above, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 48th session;
9. Decides to retain Ancient Villages of Northern Syria (Syrian Arab Republic) on the List of World Heritage in Danger.