Roundtable meeting to develop and launch the World Heritage Programme for the Pacific

As a logical follow-up to the Periodic Reporting exercise for Asia and the Pacific in 2003 a World Heritage Programme for the Pacific (World Heritage – Pacific 2009) was approved by the World Heritage Committee at its 27th session in Paris (29 June – 5 July 2003).

Under the umbrella of the Programme the efforts of UNESCO (Apia and WHC and some other units at HQ), IUCN, ICOMOS, ICCROM, SPREP (South Pacific Regional Environmental Programme), PIMA (Pacific Islands Museums Association) and other relevant organizations (including NGOs such as CI, WWF, TNC, regional universities etc) along with interested States Parties from the region, the donors (existing and new) and the beneficiary countries will be brought together in a more coordinated way. The Programme includes activities at the State Party level, preparation of Tentative Lists, nominations, transboundary and serial nominations and building capacity and awareness.

Aim

UNESCO in collaboration with UNESCO Apia Office in Samoa and the Department of Conservation in New Zealand will launch the programme “World Heritage – Pacific 2009” from 17 – 22 October 2004 at Tongariro National Park, New Zealand. A regional roundtable meeting with representatives from all the Pacific Island States Parties, non-signatories and other territories including inter-governmental and non-governmental organizations is proposed to be held in New Zealand. The roundtable meeting would provide a platform for cooperation among Pacific Island Countries regarding World Heritage Convention. Furthermore, the Roundtable Meeting will build an understanding about all aspects of implementation of the World Heritage Convention and its benefits in a broader context and develop a plan for World Heritage activities, an Action Plan, in the sub-region.

Objectives

• Launch the World Heritage - Pacific 2009 Programme
• Review progress to date in the implementation of the World Heritage Convention in the Pacific
• Discuss the needs and priorities for World Heritage conservation in the Pacific
• Develop an Action Plan for the implementation of the Programme for the next biennium
• Identify how each stakeholder can contribute to the Programme Action Plan and agree on how to build co-operation and co-ordination