Pyu Ancient Cities

• Management systems / Management Plan (Lack of a conservation plan for the burial sites)
• Human resources (Need to strengthen capacity-building in the conservation of these particularly fragile and vulnerable sites)

Total amount provided: part of the 1,892,032 USD from the UNESCO/Italy Funds-In-Trust for the project “Capacity building for safeguarding cultural heritage in Myanmar” (Phases I & II, 2011-2015) benefited the property

On 3 January 2018, the State Party submitted a report on the state of conservation of the property, which is available at http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1444/documents/ and provides updated information on the following:

• The Risk Preparedness Strategy for Pyu Ancient Cities has been prepared, including Risk Assessment, Preparedness and Emergency Preparedness Strategies. Formal endorsement by the Department of Archaeology is being sought, after which its approval by the National Strategic Committee for Disaster Management is expected;
• Within the 5-year Action Plan (2013-2017), Zoning and Visitor Management Guidelines for Sri Ksetra have been developed and are being implemented. These guidelines are a sub-component of the Landscape Management Plan and seek to ensure that the good management of visitor numbers (including pilgrimage visitors), while supporting the protection of the site’s Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) and the visitors’ understanding of it. Guidelines for the cities of Beikthano and Halin are envisaged in the Action Plan within the 2018-2022 period;
• In the framework of the multi-year UNESCO/Italy Funds-in-Trust extra-budgetary project, needs assessments and feasibility studies have been carried out to determine the viability and practicality of rehabilitating the ancient Pyu hydraulic system and promoting organic farming practices. Preliminary results ascertain that rehabilitation of the canal system can benefit local villages and strengthen understanding of complex water management systems;
• Conservation measures at Pyu Ancient Cities have been implemented and further measures are determined within the Management Plan, including training and capacity building carried out in collaboration with the Lerici Foundation, as part of the UNESCO/Italy Funds-in-Trust project.

The ongoing progress in addressing the conservation and management issues highlighted by the Committee, in particular the development of Risk Preparedness and Tourism Management Strategies, is acknowledged. It is therefore important to ensure the timely formal adoption of these strategies and their implementation. However, their successful implementation is highly dependable on an adequate number of trained staff and financial resources. Hence, it is recommended that the Committee encourage the State Party to augment the technical capacity and human resources of the Department of Archaeology and Museums, currently restricted by National Civil Service regulations, and foresee adequate, long-term financial resources to support the implementation of the Management Plan.

The studies undertaken to assess rehabilitation and restoration of the historic hydraulic system, as a means of supporting farming practices and improving the living standards of local communities, are to be welcomed. In view of the possible presence of archaeological remains buried at shallow depths at Sri Ksetra, it is recommended that the Committee request the State Party to carry out non-invasive investigations prior to any reclamation work of former canals or other water bodies. The work undertaken also needs to be documented through detailed studies of the history and layout of the overall hydraulic system, and through records of the reclamation work undertaken. It is recommended that the Committee also request the State Party to submit this documentation to the World Heritage Centre for review by the Advisory Bodies.

Despite continued support through international technical assistance for capacity building in conservation skills, further efforts must be invested to respond to the continuing lack of adequately trained staff. A national training strategy, encompassing the upgrading of the National Field School of Archaeology to include training in management skills and conservation techniques, should be developed and adopted. This could have a significant bearing on the future successful management of the property.