Minaret and Archaeological Remains of Jam

• Civil unrest (Political instability)
• River erosion (Inclination of the Minaret)
• Management systems/ management plan (Lack of management plan)
• Illegal activities (Illicit excavations and looting)
• Erosion and siltation/deposition; flooding (riverbank erosion, collapse of retaining walls, recurrent flooding)

• Lack of legal protection
• Lack of an effective monuments protection agency
• Lack of adequate protection and conservation personnel
• Lack of a comprehensive Management Plan

Adopted, see page https://whc.unesco.org/en/decisions/1286  

Adopted, see page https://whc.unesco.org/en/decisions/1286  

In progress

Total amount granted: USD 844,901 (2003-2012) from the UNESCO/Italy Funds-in-Trust; USD 124,300 (2003-2012) from the UNESCO/Switzerland Funds-in-Trust; USD 16,800 (2017) from the UNESCO Heritage Emergency Fund; USD 1,921,888 from the International Alliance for the Protection of Heritage in Conflict Areas (ALIPH) for Safeguarding the Minaret and Archaeological Remains of Jam, Afghanistan – Phase I (2020-2024)

At the time of writing this report, the World Heritage Centre has not received a state of conservation report, nor a proposal for a Minor Boundary Modification, both of which were requested by the World Heritage Committee in Decision 45 COM 7A.52.

The property was inscribed simultaneously on the World Heritage List and the List of World Heritage in Danger in 2002. In 2007, the Desired state of conservation for the removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger (DSOCR) and corrective measures were identified in Decision 31 COM 7A.20 (Christchurch, 2007).

Over the years, the property, located at the confluence of two rivers, has sustained periodic flooding, and its remote location has posed lasting challenges in terms of physical intervention.

Major changes occurred in August 2021 led to a change in the administrative and technical provisions in the field of heritage.

Within the framework of the project “Safeguarding the Minaret and Archaeological remains of Jam – Phase I”, funded by the International Alliance for the Protection of Heritage in Conflict Areas (ALIPH), emergency cleaning operations of the Hari and Jam riverbeds were carried out in February and March 2022, with local communities’ participation. UNESCO completed in June 2023 the physical rehabilitation of the Hari River Defence System comprising ca. 110 meters of gabion retaining walls along the southern margin of the Hari River and the construction of a 40-metre gabion dyke upstream in the Jam River, with the plantation of vegetation within the gabion structures, to help enhance and prolong the lifespan of the gabion structure.

A Conservation Plan of the property was elaborated to address technical issues faced by the Minaret and its surroundings and adjusted following the technical review by ICOMOS. Following recommendations put forward in the Conservation Plan, an analysis on the contamination status in the vicinity of the property was conducted and reported low risk of explosive hazards.

In October 2023, UNESCO organized a mission to the property to assess the situation and to discuss with community members, revealing significant local support for the project, in particular regarding the construction of a footbridge over the Hari River and the reconstruction of the Site office next to the Minaret. The installation of a monitoring system (comprising of crack gauges, tiltmeters, and thermometers) was considered, suggesting the use of solar panels to overcome the issue of electricity supply. 

In December 2023, UNESCO launched the Request for Proposal for the construction of the scaffold up to the first balcony as per the Conservation Plan and following recommendations by ICOMOS. At the time of reporting, no contractor has been chosen yet to deliver this project.

The implementation of the International Assistance project approved in May 2021 for the valorisation of the properties of Bamiyan and Jam has been put on hold in view of the prevailing situation.

Considering the prevailing field situation, especially an exceptionally strong flooding of May 2024, a reprogramming of the operational activities was also suggested to focus on the feasible, urgent and essential actions to address the DSOCR and in particular for the reinforcement of the mitigation and protective measures against the recurrent floodings. The abovementioned issue was also brought to the attention of the Secretariat by the Permanent Delegation of Afghanistan to UNESCO in its letter of 21 May 2024.

The World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies note with deep concern that the major changes which occurred in August 2021 have brought additional and critical challenges for achieving the DSOCR for the property and for international cooperation efforts.

The Committee may commend, however, that the project funded by ALIPH and coordinated by the UNESCO Office in Kabul, in consultation with the World Heritage Centre and ICOMOS, has contributed to the implementation of essential work recommended by previous Committee decisions.

The technical concerns regarding the property include the inclination of the Minaret, erosion of the river embankment, silting of the riverbed due to sediment deposits, and collapsed retaining walls from previous interventions. These issues are caused by the recurrent seasonal flooding of the two rivers surrounding the property. The river defence system has been recently rehabilitated due to the destabilization and collapse of concrete stone walls from previous works. If executed as advised in previous reports, the gabions should stabilize the river embankment and eliminate the need for further heavy ground engineering interventions on the riverbank. However, despite this, recurring extreme weather events due to climate change still pose a risk of extensive fluvial flooding to the property and the immediate vicinity of the Minaret. Therefore, the river system and riverbank degradation must be carefully monitored in the future management of the property. 

Certain activities in the framework of the ALIPH-funded operational project have been reprogrammed in line with the current field situation and the UN Strategic Framework for Afghanistan. These activities include ongoing conservation and maintenance, as well as capacity building for relevant experts in the management of the World Heritage property. The project aims to provide targeted training in structural stabilization, monitoring, and conservation of historical materials and sites. Periodical workshops will be held to share and explain the project's progress. An exhibition is planned at UNESCO Headquarters to showcase the achievements and challenges and to mobilise further technical and funding support for the property.

The Committee may recommend technical studies to identify the most urgent and feasible actions based on the current situation. The findings from these studies should be used to update the Conservation Action Plan (CAP) in accordance with the recommendations of the ICOMOS technical review. The revised Plan is to be submitted to the World Heritage Centre for review by the Advisory Bodies to ensure that the proposed actions align with the corrective measures and DSOCR adopted in 2007.

It is recommended that the activities under the ALIPH-funded project shall be prioritized and scheduled within the updated CAP to fulfil the corrective measures and that the available resources are optimised and involve, to the extent possible, assistance that could benefit the local communities. The proposed activities including the installation of a monitoring device at the minaret, emergency stabilization of the wooden staircases, and deployment of security personnel on site to prevent any illicit trafficking of movable heritage are commendable. The footbridge construction to serve the needs of local communities and the rebuilding of the guest house shall be reconsidered to be placed higher of the flood line and downstream of property to eliminate any risks to the minaret from floating destructive debris resulting from possible future flood events. The proper functioning of the newly installed gabions shall be closely monitored and river flow control measures shall be explored further upstream to reduce hydrodynamic forces against the riverbanks in the vicinity of the minaret, while an emergency action could also be supported to address the exceptionally strong flooding of May 2024. A technical assessment needs to analyze the risk posed by recurring flooding to the proposed new structures, and their positioning shall be determined based on the findings of this study.

It is also recommended that the Committee reiterate its request to clearly delineate the boundaries of the minaret, the other three components of the property, and the encompassing buffer zone, based on the revised topographical map generated from high-resolution remote sensing imagery as presented in the UNESCO expert meeting on Jam and Herat in 2012, as a critical step towards developing an effective management system for the property.

The Committee may also wish to reiterate the importance of the preservation of Afghanistan’s heritage, in line with international humanitarian law and culture Conventions. It may also express its solidarity with the Afghan people and call upon the international community to provide assistance and support towards the safeguarding of Afghanistan’s heritage and cultural rights.

The UNESCO Office in Kabul, in carrying out these field operations, allows monitoring and implementing essential activities. The Committee may wish to commend its constant and continued engagement.

The property remains subject to ascertained and potential threats and the DSOCR has not been achieved, so it would be appropriate for the property to remain on the List of World Heritage in Danger.