Continued technical support for the elaboration of the Desired State of Conservation for properties in Libya

Following the first meeting held on 1 April 2021, the UNESCO World Heritage Centre organized an online technical meeting on 11 June to support the  process of drafting the Desired state of conservation for removal (DSCOR) of Leptis Magna from the List of World Heritage in Danger, and the needed corrective measures.

The online meeting brought together representatives of Libyan authorities, the site manager of the property, the Management Committee for the Implementation of the Strategy for the Protection and Conservation of Libyan World Heritage Sites, ICOMOS experts, and the UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Experts from the project entitled Managing Libya's Cultural Heritage (MaLiCH), which focuses in Leptis Magna, Ghadames and Sabratha, also actively participated.

During the meeting, the progress made by the State Party in drafting the DSOCR, and a programme for corrective measures with a timeframe for implementation was discussed, addressing the indirect and direct threats to the property, budgetary issues and conservation and protection needs.

Agreement on the way forward, in coordination with the World Heritage Centre and ICOMOS, was reached. Remote support will continue to be provided and further online meetings will be organized as necessary.

The online meeting was organized within the framework of the Netherlands Funds-in-Trust project “Strengthening national capacities for the elaboration of corrective measures for Libyan World Heritage Properties” and the World Heritage Fund.