Bagan

Factors identified at the time of inscription of the property:

• Boundaries to be revised
• Tourism infrastructure developments
• Possible expansion of Bagan Airport
• Illegal constructions

N/A

On 24 November 2021, a report on the state of conservation was submitted, which is available at https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1588/documents/ and provides updates on a number of conservation issues addressed by the Committee at the time of the inscription of the property (Baku, 2019), as follows:

• The Bagan National Coordinating Committee (BAGANCOM), the Mandalay Region Cultural Heritage Preservation Committee, the Steering Committee for the Preservation of Cultural Heritage in Bagan World Heritage Area and the Executive Committee and Cultural Sub-Committee on Cultural Heritage Preservation in Bagan World Heritage Area have been formally established;
• Administrative requirements for revisions to the boundaries of components 6 and 7 and to the buffer zone for component 4 have been completed, alongside the installation of boundary markers for the property and buffer zone (including removal of redundant markers associated with earlier designations);
• Research into Bagan’s historical water management system continues;
• Progress towards the completion of the ‘One Map’ initiative has been made, including consolidation of records and maps into a single system, staff training, monument inventory and grading, verification of ownership and land management data, assessment of available geospatial data and development of site management systems;
• Progress has been made on the Archaeological Risk Map, which should be completed for the property, buffer zone and wider setting by 2025;
• The Bagan International Coordinating Committee (BICC) has adopted ‘Requirements of International Organizations’, which will be further elaborated by the Department of Archaeology and National Museum (DANM) into draft criteria for projects;
• The Building By-Law (2020) was adopted, establishing permit requirements for different types of buildings (including design, materials, area, uses, services and height limits) and requirements for signage;
• More than 90 Heritage Impact Assessments (HIA) were completed between 2014 and 2021, along with HIA training. HIAs have been incorporated into the Cultural Heritage Regions Law (2019);
• A ‘Bagan Hotel Strategy Scoping Study’ was completed in 2020;
• Revisions to the Tourism Strategy are planned in light of the COVID-19 pandemic as part of the Myanmar Tourism Revitalization Roadmap (2021-2025);
• Activities to provide professional development to staff of BAGANCOM and other relevant institutions and communities continue, including consideration of a ‘National Training Strategy’ and ‘National Conservation/Management Strategy for Cultural Heritage’;
• Monitoring activities are carried out, including remote sensing recording and 3D scanning, which feed into the site management database systems;
• Collection of data for the Bagan Disaster Risk Management Strategy has commenced, with the support of the World Bank;
• The Bagan Agriculture Sector Strategy has been completed and the Bagan Agricultural Strategic Planning Committee established;
• Progress is reported with the removal of illegal buildings.

In January 2021, information was provided about road construction and tree planting within the property, in response to a request from the World Heritage Centre in October 2020. This information included an HIA and was the subject of an ICOMOS Technical Review in November 2021, which identified a range of concerns.

In May 2023, media reported that the property has been affected by tropical cyclone Mocha, which formed over the southern Bay of Bengal and notably hit Myanmar. At the time of writing this report, UNESCO is determining whether the cyclone or any follow-up actions may have caused potential negative impacts on the property and its Outstanding Universal Value (OUV), notably through the UNESCO Office in Bangkok and its antenna in Myanmar,

Progress is to be commended in implementing many of the Committee’s recommendations made at the time of inscription in 2019. It is acknowledged that the conditions arising from the COVID-19 pandemic have been a significant factor, creating new challenges as well as slowing progress, particularly in relation to tourism management.

It is suggested that the Committee welcome the revisions to the Cultural Heritage Regions Law (2019) and the Building By-Law (2020), the formal establishment of BAGANCOM and other key coordinating entities in the management system, and the completion of the formal revisions to the boundaries and buffer zone that were recommended when the property was inscribed. However, the Advisory Bodies and World Heritage Centre consider that the key coordinating mechanisms are not yet fully operating as intended. BAGANCOM and other committees have been established but have not met regularly, and the Bagan ICC has been affected by the non-engagement of a number of cooperating countries. The Bagan ICC expert site visits have not been able to function as effectively as intended. The Integrated Management Framework (IMF) is due for review in 2024, providing an opportunity to evaluate its effectiveness and strengthen its operations.

Planning for sustainable post-COVID-19 tourism management is critically important and should proceed now that the formal structures of governance are established. The Committee’s recommendations concerning a Hotels Strategy, carrying capacity evaluation, Sustainable Tourism Strategy and liaison with tourism industry representatives should be given renewed priority.

The ongoing efforts regarding research, consolidation of data collection, professional development and site monitoring are noted, and continued work is encouraged. The timetable for completion of the Archaeological Risk Management Plan is also noted, although the rationale for the intention to excavate 140 newly identified mounds should be subject to the research strategies outlined in the IMF.

Noting that collaboration with universities and foundations in Myanmar and other countries has been effective in furthering important initiatives, the importance of agreements that ensure alignment with the IMF and encourage continued work to formalise the involvement of international collaborators and partners should be emphasised. Professional development for cultural heritage management should be further implemented, and efforts to inform and enhance awareness of cultural heritage management by working with religious bodies and the youth be commended.

The regular use of HIA is also commendable, although the November 2021 ICOMOS Technical Review identified some significant methodological shortcomings that should be urgently addressed, including the need to allow for sufficient time in advance of the commencement of works for the HIA to be conducted, while the options of taking mitigating actions or cancelling the works are still entirely feasible.

For the road project, the HIA was submitted following the completion of the project and the Technical Review identified concerns about damage to a heritage building and potential impacts on archaeological materials. The tree planting project was approximately half-completed before being halted upon receipt of the World Heritage Centre’s correspondence. The Technical Review identified issues with the proximity of some plantings to heritage structures, the impacts on archaeological deposits, and the selection of non-native plant types, in clear contradiction to the Management Plan. ICOMOS also noted that the HIA had identified a range of impacts on the OUV of the property, but that the project was allowed to proceed without the required modifications or reconsideration.

Both projects indicate an apparent incompatibility with the policies outlined in the Management Plan, and thus raise questions regarding the effectiveness of the property’s management system. It is suggested that additional capacity-building activities should be organised to deepen awareness of the provisions of the Management Plan among decision makers and ensure their appropriate implementation.

The Technical Review further identified concerns about the interpretation of ‘reversibility’ in relation to impacts on archaeological resources and advised that greater attention should be paid to potential impacts on the visual setting. These examples reinforce the importance of completing the Archaeological Risk mapping.

In relation to changes to the Bagan-Nyaung Oo Airport, the findings are considered inconclusive, particularly in relation to the construction and operation phases, suggesting the need for further HIA studies. Further development of HIA capacity is required so that the full range of impacts on the attributes of the property are considered, including, but not limited to, the impacts on archaeological resources, the condition of heritage structures and the visual setting.