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Ashur (Qal'at Sherqat)

Iraq
Factors affecting the property in 2024*
  • Deliberate destruction of heritage
  • Flooding
  • Management activities
  • Management systems/ management plan
  • War
  • Water infrastructure
  • Other Threats:

    Fragile mud brick structures

Factors* affecting the property identified in previous reports
  • Management activities
  • Managements systems/management plan (absence of a comprehensive conservation and management plan)
  • Water infrastructure (dam building project)
  • Flooding (partial flooding and seepage)
  • Fragile mud brick structures
  • Destruction and damage due to the armed conflict (including deliberate destruction of heritage)
Threats for which the property was inscribed on the List of World Heritage in Danger
  • Nearby construction of a dam entailing partial flooding and seepage
  • Armed conflict
Desired state of conservation for the removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger

In progress

Corrective Measures for the property

In progress

Timeframe for the implementation of the corrective measures

In progress

UNESCO Extra-Budgetary Funds until 2024

Total amount granted (for World Heritage properties of Iraq):

  • USD 6,000 from the Italian Funds-in-Trust
  • USD 1.5 million by the Government of Japan (for cultural heritage, including World Heritage)
  • USD 154,000 by the Government of Norway (for cultural heritage, including World Heritage)
  • EUR 300,000 by the Government of Italy (for cultural heritage, including World Heritage)
  • USD 35,000 by the Government of the Netherlands (for cultural heritage, including World Heritage)
  • USD 100,000 Heritage Emergency Fund - support for Iraqi World Heritage properties.
  • USD 35,782 from the Netherlands Funds-in-Trust (for Strengthening capacities in state of conservation reporting on properties inscribed on the list of World Heritage in Danger)
  • USD 50,000 from the Netherlands Funds-in-Trust (Strengthening capacities for the documentation and conservation of properties on the List of World Heritage in Danger in Iraq)
International Assistance: requests for the property until 2024
Requests approved: 1 (from 2003-2003)
Total amount approved : 50,000 USD
Missions to the property until 2024**

November 2002: UNESCO mission for the Makhool Dam project; June 2011: joint World Heritage Centre/ICOMOS Reactive Monitoring mission; March/April 2022: joint World Heritage Centre/ICOMOS Reactive Monitoring mission

Conservation issues presented to the World Heritage Committee in 2024

On 31 January 2024, the State Party submitted a state of conservation report, which is available at https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1130/documents. Progress in conservation issues addressed by the Committee at its previous sessions is presented in this report, as follows:

  • No activities have been carried out since the last report in 2023, following the maintenance works undertaken at the Walter Andrae house;
  • An agreement is in the process of being finalised between the State Board of Antiquities and Heritage of Iraq (SBAH), the Arab Regional Centre for World Heritage (ARC-WH) and the World Monuments Fund (WMF) to work on the preparation of the Conservation Plan and Site Management Plan for the property. Special focus will be given to assessing threats affecting the property identified in previous reports, including environmental issues, and addressing the recommendations of the report of the 2022 joint World Heritage Centre/ICOMOS Reactive Monitoring mission.
Analysis and Conclusion by World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies in 2024

The State Party has been working with the ARC-WH and the WMF to finalise the Memorandum of Understanding that will support the preparation of the Conservation and Site Management Plans of the property. As recommended by the 2022 Reactive Monitoring mission, the preparation of these two plans is a priority, and it would be imperative to initiate this work as soon as possible.

It is important to recall that the property is very fragile and has been suffering from water seepage and environmental degradation for some time, and thus it is recommended that the Committee reiterate its previous request that remedial and repair works should be guided by the comprehensive Conservation Plan that will be prepared in full consultation with the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies. Priority should be given to identifying any necessary emergency stabilization work and establishing a road map for long-term conservation and management actions. As previously recommended, any required emergency stabilization work should adhere to the principle of minimal conservation.

The State Party has informed that no recent activities have taken place at the property. Accordingly, it is recommended that the Committee recall actions outlined as priority by the 2022 mission and requested by Decision 45 COM 7A.27, notably with regard to regular maintenance activities following testing in a pilot area and monitoring over a certain period, and, site protection measures, including the prevention of uncontrolled access, as well as installing a fence and proper signage that does not negatively impact the Outstanding universal Value (OUV) of the property.

Considering that the Makhool Dam project was halted by the State Party and that it was a major threat to the property’s OUV, justifying the property’s concurrent inscription on the List of World Heritage in Danger at the time of its inscription on the World Heritage List in 2003, it is recommended that Committee reiterate its request to the State Party to ensure a permanent cancellation or relocation of the project.

Since the rehabilitation of the Walter Andrea House to be mainly used as residence for archaeological missions, information on potential excavations or site survey have not been provided yet. It would be important to keep the World Heritage Centre informed about any such activities.

The Committee may wish to also reiterate its request to the State Party to continue to submit to the World Heritage Centre, for review by the Advisory Bodies, detailed information on all future works that may have an impact on the OUV of the property, in conformity with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines.

The process for the elaboration of the Desired state of conservation for removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger (DSOCR), with the necessary corrective measures, has been initiated through the support of the World Heritage Centre and ICOMOS. It is recommended that the Committee encourage the State Party to pursue the elaboration of the DSOCR, and a set of correctives measures with a timeframe of implementation, for potential examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 47th session.

Based on the above, it is recommended to retain the property on the List of World Heritage in Danger.
Decisions adopted by the Committee in 2024
46 COM 7A.15
Ashur (Qal'at Sherqat) (Iraq) (C 1130)

The World Heritage Committee,

  1. Having examined Document WHC/24/46.COM/7A,
  2. Recalling Decisions 45 COM 7A.27 and 45 COM 7A.30 adopted at its extended 45th session (Riyadh, 2023),
  3. Acknowledges with appreciation the efforts of the State Party to establish a partnership for the preparation of the previously requested Conservation and Site Management Plans, as also recommended by the 2022 joint World Heritage/ICOMOS Reactive Monitoring mission, and requests the initiation of these activities as soon as possible in consultation with the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies;
  4. Recalling that the property has been suffering from water seepage and environmental degradation for some time, continues to encourage the State Party to pursue consultations with the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies to prioritise urgent maintenance and stabilisation actions for damaged and deteriorated components, while also recalling that emergency stabilisation work should only be undertaken in cases where collapse or further damage is imminent and according to the principle of minimal intervention;
  5. Reiterates its request to the State Party to implement the recommendations of the 2022 mission, with particular regard to:
    1. Carrying out regular maintenance activities, following testing in a pilot area and monitoring over a certain period,
    2. Submitting a detailed report on all planned and ongoing interventions carried out and their priority to the World Heritage Centre, noting that all interventions must be integrated into the comprehensive conservation plan for the property,
    3. Undertaking site protection measures, including the prevention of uncontrolled access, as well as installing a fence and proper signage that does not negatively impact the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property;
  6. Also reiterates its request to the State Party that all interventions be addressed within the framework of the overall comprehensive Conservation Plan for the property to be prepared as a matter of priority;
  7. Further reiterates its request to the State Party to ensure the permanent cancellation or relocation of the Makhool Dam project, given its potential impact on the OUV of the property;
  8. Reiterates furthermore its request to the State Party to continue to submit to the World Heritage Centre, for review by the Advisory Bodies, detailed information on all future works that may have an impact on the OUV of the property, in conformity with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines;
  9. Encourages the State Party to pursue the elaboration of the Desired state of conservation for removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger, and the necessary corrective measures, in collaboration with the World Heritage Centre and Advisory Bodies;
  10. Reiterates its call on all States Parties to support emergency safeguarding measures, including through the UNESCO Heritage Emergency Fund;
  11. Also requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2025, an updated report on the state of conservation of the property and the implementation of the above, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 47th session;
  12. Decides to retain Ashur (Qal'at Sherqat) (Iraq) on the List of World Heritage in Danger.
Draft Decision: 46 COM 7A.15

The World Heritage Committee,

  1. Having examined Document WHC/24/46.COM/7A,
  2. Recalling Decisions 45 COM 7A.27 and 45 COM 7A.30 adopted at its extended 45th session (Riyadh, 2023),
  3. Acknowledges with appreciation the efforts of the State Party to establish a partnership for the preparation of the previously requested Conservation and Site Management Plans, as also recommended by the 2022 joint World Heritage/ICOMOS Reactive Monitoring mission, and requests the initiation of these activities as soon as possible in consultation with the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies;
  4. Recalling that the property has been suffering from water seepage and environmental degradation for some time, continues to encourage the State Party to pursue consultations with the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies to prioritise urgent maintenance and stabilisation actions for damaged and deteriorated components, while also recalling that emergency stabilisation work should only be undertaken in cases where collapse or further damage is imminent and according to the principle of minimal intervention;
  5. Reiterates its request to the State Party to implement the recommendations of the 2022 mission, with particular regard to:
    1. Carrying out regular maintenance activities, following testing in a pilot area and monitoring over a certain period,
    2. Submitting a detailed report on all planned and ongoing interventions carried out and their priority to the World Heritage Centre, noting that all interventions must be integrated into the comprehensive conservation plan for the property,
    3. Undertaking site protection measures, including the prevention of uncontrolled access, as well as installing a fence and proper signage that does not negatively impact the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property;
  6. Also reiterates its request to the State Party that all interventions be addressed within the framework of the overall comprehensive Conservation Plan for the property to be prepared as a matter of priority;
  7. Further reiterates its request to the State Party to ensure the permanent cancellation or relocation of the Makhool Dam project, given its potential impact on the OUV of the property;
  8. Reiterates furthermore its request to the State Party to continue to submit to the World Heritage Centre, for review by the Advisory Bodies, detailed information on all future works that may have an impact on the OUV of the property, in conformity with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines;
  9. Encourages the State Party to pursue the elaboration of the Desired state of conservation for removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger, and the necessary corrective measures, in collaboration with the World Heritage Centre and Advisory Bodies;
  10. Reiterates its call on all States Parties to support emergency safeguarding measures, including through the UNESCO Heritage Emergency Fund;
  11. Also requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2025, an updated report on the state of conservation of the property and the implementation of the above, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 47th session;
  12. Decides to retain Ashur (Qal'at Sherqat) (Iraq) on the List of World Heritage in Danger.
Report year: 2024
Iraq
Date of Inscription: 2003
Category: Cultural
Criteria: (iii)(iv)
Danger List (dates): 2003-present
Documents examined by the Committee
SOC Report by the State Party
Report (2024) .pdf
arrow_circle_right 46COM (2024)
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.


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