Butrint
Factors affecting the property in 1997*
- Financial resources
- Other Threats:
Need for monitoring of the situation at the site
Factors* affecting the property identified in previous reports
- Difficult financial situation
- Need for monitoring of the situation at the site
International Assistance: requests for the property until 1997
Total amount approved : 106,000 USD
| 1997 | Butrint (Approved) | 100,000 USD |
| 1996 | Technical assistance for the restoration of Butrint (Approved) | 6,000 USD |
Missions to the property until 1997**
Information presented to the Bureau of the World Heritage Committee in 1997
The Secretariat took note of a press report from Agence France Presse (AFP) dated 28 March 1997 according to which the site of Butrinti and its museum were looted during the civil disturbances in Albania. This information was confirmed by the Butrint Foundation and in a meeting with the Ambassador and Permanent Delegate of Albania to UNESCO on 16 April 1997.
At this meeting, which was also attended by the Bureau for External Relations (BRX/EUR- PROCEED) and the Sector for Culture of UNESCO as well as by ICOMOS, it was agreed that the World Heritage Centre would make the necessary arrangements for a UNESCO-ICOMOS-Butrint Foundation rapid assessment mission to Butrinti, and, if possible to the four properties included in the Tentative List of Albania, as soon as the security situation in the country permits.
The Secretariat will provide an updated report to the Bureau during its session.
Action Required
The Bureau, based on additional information that will be available at the time of the twenty-first session of the Bureau may recommend appropriate actions to the Secretariat, the State Party and the Committee, including the possible inscription of Butrinti on the List of World Heritage in Danger.
21st extraordinary session of the Bureau in 1997:
The Bureau examined the report of the UNESCO-ICOMOS-Butrint Foundation assessment mission to the World Heritage site of Butrinti, Albania (Information Document WHC-97/CONF.207/INF.5). It took note of the letter of the Minister of Culture of Albania, dated 20 November 1997, in which she fully endorses the report and requests the Committee to inscribe the site on the List of World Heritage in Danger.
The Bureau decided to recommend the Committee to inscribe the site on the List of World Heritage in Danger.
The Bureau recommended the Committee to adopt the following:
"The Committee takes note of the report of the UNESCO-ICOMOS-Butrint Foundation assessment mission to the World Heritage site of Butrinti, Albania. It expresses its serious concern about the damages caused to the World Heritage site and about its conditions in terms of protection, management and conservation.
The Committee notes that the Minister of Culture of Albania, by letter dated 20 November, fully endorsed the report and requested the World Heritage Committee to inscribe Butrinti on the List of World Heritage in Danger. The Committee welcomes the Minister's assurance that the Albanian Government is deeply concerned and committed to the preservation of the site.
The Committee, considering that the criteria that are stipulated in paragraph 78 of the Operational Guidelines are met, decides to inscribe Butrinti on the List of World Heritage in Danger.
The Committee requests the Secretariat to collaborate with the Albanian Government in the development of a programme of corrective action and to undertake the necessary co-ordination with the Government of Albania, other international organizations and agencies such as the World Bank and the European Union and nongovernmental organizations, particularly the Butrint Foundation, for its implementation.
The Committee allocates an amount of US$ 100,000 as emergency assistance of which an amount of US$ 47,000 for the implementation of the immediate actions proposed in the mission report. The remaining funds are to be allocated, in consultation with the Chairperson of the Committee, for the development and implementation of the programme of corrective action.
The Committee requests the Secretariat to submit a progress report on the actions taken to the twenty-second session of the Bureau of the World Heritage Committee."
Conservation issues presented to the World Heritage Committee in 1997
The Secretariat and ICOMOS will report on the assessment mission to Butrinti during the session.
Analysis and Conclusion by World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies in 1997
The Bureau may wish to examine information that will be provided at the time of its session and consider whether this property should be included on the List of World Heritage in Danger.
Summary of the interventions
Decisions adopted by the Committee in 1997
21 BUR IV.B.37
Butrinti (Albania)
The Secretariat informed the Bureau of press reports according to which the site of Butrinti and its museum were looted during the civil disturbances in Albania. This information was confirmed by the Butrint Foundation and in a meeting with the Ambassador and Permanent Delegate of Albania to UNESCO on 16 April 1997 at which it was agreed that a joint UNESCO-ICOMOS-Butrint Foundation mission would be undertaken to the site. Due to the security situation in the country, this mission could not be undertaken before this session of the Bureau.
The Bureau expressed its great concern about the damages caused to the World Heritage site of Butrinti and the actual conditions of the site in terms of protection, management and conservation. The Bureau requested the Secretariat to undertake a mission to the site as soon as the security situation in Albania permits and to submit a report to the World Heritage Committee at its twenty-first session. This report should include an assessment of the damages to the site and the actual state of conservation, a recommendation whether the Committee should consider the inscription of the site on the List of World Heritage in Danger, as well as proposals for future actions in the framework of the World Heritage Convention and the resolution adopted by the Executive Board of UNESCO at its hundred and fifty-first session which "urges the Director-General, in close co-operation with the competent authorities of the Republic of Albania and in close co-ordination with the other international organizations concerned, to draw up a plan of action for the rehabilitation of educational, cultural and scientific institutions and the restoration of the cultural and architectural heritage in Albania".
21 BUR IV.B.63
State of conservation
Following discussions of the looting of the site museum at Butrinti, Albania, the Secretariat recalled that illicit traffic was a severe problem at a number of World Heritage sites (Angkor, Baalbek, Petra, Kathmandu Valley, Saqqara, etc.) and that support could be provided by UNESCO in training, contact with other international networks such as INTERPOL and ICOM, and recovery (UNESCO press releases and Notices of Stolen Cultural Property). It also could support states to implement the UNESCO Convention on Illicit Traffic (1970) and the UNIDROIT Convention on Stolen or Illegally Exported Cultural Property (1995). There are 150 States Parties to the World Heritage Convention but only 86 to the 1970 Convention. Further information about participation of States in these conventions was requested and a table with information was circulated.
21 COM VII.C.44
SOC: Butrinti (Albania)
VII.44 Butrinti (Albania)
The Committee took note of the report of the UNESCO-ICOMOS-Butrint Foundation assessment mission to the World Heritage site of Butrinti, Albania. It expressed its serious concern about the damages caused to the World Heritage site and about its conditions in terms of protection, management and conservation. The Committee noted that the Minister of Culture of Albania, by letter dated 20 November, fully endorsed the report and requested the World Heritage Committee to inscribe Butrinti on the List of World Heritage in Danger. The Committee welcomed the Minister's assurance that the Albanian Government is deeply concerned and committed to the preservation of the site.
The Committee, considering that the criteria that are stipulated in paragraph 78 of the Operational Guidelines were met, decided to inscribe Butrinti on the List of World Heritage in Danger.
The Committee requested the Secretariat to collaborate with the Albanian Government in the development of a programme of corrective action and to undertake the necessary coordination with the Government of Albania, other international organizations and agencies such as the World Bank and the European Union and non-governmental organizations, particularly the Butrint Foundation, for its implementation.
The Committee allocated an amount of US$ 100,000 as emergency assistance, of which an amount of US$ 47,000 to be used for the implementation of the immediate actions proposed in the mission report. The remaining funds are to be allocated, in consultation with the Chairperson of the Committee, for the development and implementation of the programme of corrective action.
The Committee requested the Secretariat to submit a progress report on the actions taken to the twenty-second session of the Bureau of the World Heritage Committee.
21 COM VIII.C
Cultural Property Included on the List of World Heritage in Danger
The Committee examined the state of conservation reports contained in Working Document WHC-97/CONF.208/8BRev and decided to include the following cultural property on the List of World Heritage in Danger:
- Butrinti (Albania)
21 COM X.1-2
Requests for International Assistance
X.1 The Committee examined International Assistance requests submitted by States Parties and advisory bodies presented in Working Document WHC-97/CONF.208/12Rev. In accordance with paragraphs 91-117 of the Operational Guidelines, the Committee took decisions concerning International Assistance requests for natural and cultural heritage above US$ 30,000.
X.2 The Committee's decisions and comments concerning International Assistance requests for natural and cultural heritage have been summarized in the following tables.
NATURAL HERITAGE
|
1. Training | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
India |
Meeting of Regional Training Centres and Selected Academic/ Training Institutions for Curricula and Training Materials Development, Wildlife Institute of India |
41,000. |
30,000. |
The Committee requested the State Party to consider bearing the costs of the participation of Indian natural World Heritage site managers and specialists. |
|
Sub-total: Training |
41,000. |
30,000. |
||
| 2. Technical Co-operation | ||||
|
India |
Strengthening Protection of the Kaziranga National Park |
50,000. |
50,000. |
The Committee approved an amount of US$ 50,000. for this project for 1998 to enable the construction of 10 guard camps (US$ 25,000.) 5 highland wildlife shelters (US$ 21,000.) and audio-visual equipment for the Park interpretation Centre at Kohara (US$ 4,000.). With reference to Article 22(d) of the Conven- tion, the Delegate of Thailand disassociated himself from this decision. |
|
Niger |
Purchase of equipment for W National Park |
75,000. |
50,000. |
After discussion of an intervention by the Delegate of Thailand, whether Article 22(d) of the Convention would exclude the construction of houses and guard posts, the Committee requested the World Heritage Centre, UNESCO equipment unit and the State Party to purchase the equipment through competitive bidding and in the most cost effective manner. The Committee decided that the funds should not be used for construction purposes and maintenance of vehicles and requested the State Party to co-operate with the Centre and to submit to the 22nd session of the Bureau, a progress report on project implementation. |
|
Sub-total: Technical Co-operation |
125,000. |
100,000. |
||
| 3. Emergency Assistance | ||||
|
Democratic Republic of Congo |
Purchase of Vehicles for four World Heritage Sites |
88,400. |
45,000. |
The Committee approved, as a first step, US$ 45,000. for 2 vehicles for any 2 of the 4 sites under consideration and requested the State Party to co-operate with the World Heritage Centre to submit a progress report on project implementation to the Bureau's 22nd session. In addition, the Committee requested the World Heritage Centre to co-operate with conservation NGO's to ensure the safe delivery and proper use and maintenance of the vehicles. |
|
India |
Contribution towards the Implementation of an Emergency Rehabilitation Plan for Manas Wildlife Sanctuary |
160,000. |
90,000. |
The Committee approved a sum of of US$ 90,000. to cover the cost of 2 wooden fibre boats (US$ 5,000.), purchase of 400 patrolling gear (US$ 15,000.) and construction of buildings within the site (US$ 70,000.) With reference to Article 22(d) of the Convention, the Delegate of Thailand disassociated himself from this decision. |
|
Sub-total: Emergency |
248,400. |
135,000. |
||
|
Total: Natural Heritage |
414,400. |
265,000. | ||
CULTURAL HERITAGE
| 1. Training | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Austria |
Training course for the Examination and Conservation of Architectural Surfaces |
35,000. |
35,000. |
A Delegate questioned whether or not requests from developed countries should be submitted, considering the limited resources of the World Heritage Fund. He furthermore, requested that participants for this course should include those from the developing countries. ICCROM clarified that this training activity would mostly address participants from Central and Eastern Europe, where conservation of architectural surfaces is particularly necessary, but where the countries faced difficulties in addressing this issue. |
|
Brazil |
Inter-regional Postgraduate Course in the Conservation of Monuments and the rehabilitation of Historic Cities (CECRE) |
50,000. |
50,000. |
|
|
Ghana |
Ashanti Traditional Buildings |
47,000. |
47,000. |
The Committee requested the State Party to clarify the target audience of this training activity while developing its programme. |
|
ICCROM |
Development of a training strategy and procedural framework |
50,000. |
40,000. |
The Committee approved a sum of US$ 40,000 to finance the expert meeting to refine the Overall Strategy and for the survey of Latin America Development Strategy. |
|
Sub-total: Training |
182,000. |
172,000. |
||
| 2. Technical Co-operation | ||||
|
Mexico |
Special course on the World Heritage Convention for Latin America and the Caribbean |
30,000. |
30,000. |
|
|
Vietnam |
Revision of urban planning regulations of the Complex of Hué |
35,000. |
35,000. |
|
|
Zimbabwe |
Preparation of a conservation plan for Khami Ruins National Monuments |
76,900. |
36,900. |
|
|
Sub-total: Technical Co-operation |
141,900. |
101,900. |
||
| 3. Emergency Assistance | ||||
|
Albania |
Butrinti |
47,000. |
100,000. |
The Committee allocated an amount of US$ 100,000. as emergency assistance, of which US$ 47,000. is for the implementation of immediate actions, as requested. The remaining funds are to be allocated, in consultation with the Chairperson of the Committee, for the development and implementation of the programme of corrective measures. |
|
Sub-total: Emergency |
47,000. |
100,000. |
||
|
Total: Cultural Heritage |
370,900. |
373,900. |
||
AlbaniaDocuments examined by the Committee
21COM (1997)Exports
* :
The threats indicated are listed in alphabetical order; their order does not constitute a classification according to the importance of their impact on the property.
Furthermore, they are presented irrespective of the type of threat faced by the property, i.e. with specific and proven imminent danger (“ascertained danger”) or with threats which could have deleterious effects on the property’s Outstanding Universal Value (“potential danger”).
** : All mission reports are not always available electronically.
