Cultural and Historic Ensemble of the Solovetsky Islands

• Lack of joint management system between national, local and religious authorities (issue resolved);
• Lack of monitoring mechanisms;
• Lack of appropriate legal measures and rules for conservation, restoration, management and use of World Heritage properties of religious interest.

In August 2013, a joint World Heritage Centre/ ICOMOS/ICCROM monitoring mission to the property was undertaken. The mission provided a set of recommendations to the State Party available at https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/632/documents/. On 31 January 2014, the State Party submitted a detailed State of conservation report. An executive summary of this report is available at https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/632/documents/.

• Protection of the property: the State Party noted that the protection status for the entire Archipelago, as well as the boundaries of protected land and water areas are not defined at this stage. In line with the mission recommendations, the State Party organized a working meeting on protected zones.
• Conservation conditions: the report also informs about the works undertaken to address the mission recommendation regarding hydrological soil analysis and action plan to prevent degradation of the water management system of Solovetsky and confirmed that emergency, restoration and repair works are planned to be carried out in 2015-2016. While the State Party reports that only the restoration works and not reconstructions were carried out in coordination with the authorized protection agencies, and in compliance with all required laws and standards, the mission expressed its concern about on-going new construction works presented as “regeneration” of historical landscape.
• In line with the Committee’s Decision, the State Party organized and hosted the International Seminar for religious representatives involved in the management and use of the World Heritage properties (Moscow, 2013, https://whc.unesco.org/en/events/1056/). The Russian authorities presented a draft Law introducing processes concerning the implementation of the World Heritage Convention. Participants recommended development of a capacity-building programme to improve the qualifications of World Heritage site managers and users. (https://whc.unesco.org/document/124117). 

The State Party’s efforts to develop a range of mechanisms to safeguard and develop the property are acknowledged. The mission considered that the general state of conservation of the key components of the property is still satisfactory and the positive improvement of the existing management system, as well as progress made in the relations between the national, local and religious authorities. However, the findings of the mission that the property, as a living heritage with its continuing religious function, is in a very vulnerable state should be noted.

Attention should also be drawn to the mission report that highlighted that the absence of adequate legal protection status and regulatory measures, including protection zones and regimes, as well as lack of clarification of the boundaries for the property and its buffer zones, stimulates entrepreneurial activities of various entities that have led to the improper use of the territory, which could represent a potential threat to its Outstanding Universal Value (OUV).

The on-going new construction works and other possible major interventions in the landscape of the property have to be noted, and the Committee is recommended to request the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre technical details of all project proposals, including Heritage Impact Assessments (HIAs), in conformity with the ICOMOS Guidance on HIAs for World Heritage cultural properties.

Taking into account the mission recommendations, planning tools and proposals, including the development strategy of the Solovetsky Islands, the Master Plan, the project for new administrative and exposition building of Solovetsky Museum and Reserve, projects for new infrastructures, and the enlargement of the existing airport, need to be revised in coordination with all involved stakeholders to enhance the protection of the property and to sustain its OUV. The revised documentation, including the Integrated Management Plan along with a Conservation Master Plan, a tourism management strategy, a risk preparedness strategy, as well as environmental and socio-cultural risk management, need to be submitted for review.

It is recommended that special attention is paid to the living religious heritage by adopting efficient protection and management instruments and conservation policy. In view of the results of the International Seminar, the Committee may encourage the State Party to share its experience with other States Parties by developing a capacity-building programme for the representatives of religious communities involved in the management and use of the World Heritage properties.