Decision 46 COM 7B.13

Sanctuary of Bom Jesus do Monte in Braga (Portugal) (C 1590)

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/24/46.COM/7B.Add.2,
2. Recalling Decisions 43 COM 8B.31 and 44 COM 7B.158 adopted at its 43rd (Baku, 2019) and extended 44th (Fuzhou/online, 2021) sessions respectively,
3. Takes note of the progress accomplished and welcomes the efforts of the State Party to maintain adequate conservation work for the wood and to acquire a plot of land in an area that represents a significant risk of fire for the property;
4. Expresses its concern at the slow progress in the implementation of its previous requests, including at the time of inscription, and requests the State Party to expedite its work on:
   1. Completing the inventory of the heritage elements of the property,
   2. Developing additional monitoring indicators to address the state of conservation of the park and woodland,
   3. Revising the Braga Master Plan and include as a specific action a monitoring mechanism for urban expansion/development that may have an impact on the property, its buffer zone and its wider setting,
   4. Closely monitoring the threat of fire, through the continuation of the ‘Intermunicipal Sacromontes Programme’ and the creation of an integrated and adaptive intermunicipal strategy with concrete actions and measures to be taken,
   5. Updating the Management Plan to include:
      1. A revised Action Plan, detailing the proposed actions in the property with an associated timetable,
      2. A detailed Conservation Plan, as the basis for a well-planned and long-term conservation approach,
      3. A Tourism Management Plan that includes actions, time schedules and dedicated resources,
      4. The results of the vegetation study to present, manage and sustain the vegetation, particularly the tree heritage, as an important element of the property that supplements its landscape attributes,
      5. A revised and more effective monitoring system by ensuring regular reporting on conservation work, the state of the park and wood, the impact of visitation and the threat of urban expansion/development and forest fires;
5. Further requests the State Party to confirm to the World Heritage Centre as soon as possible the removal of the terrace bar requested at the time of inscription and reported to have taken place in December 2023 following the submission of the state of conservation report;
6. Expresses further concern at the number of activities that have not been implemented due to lack of adequate funding and expertise, and calls upon the State Party to make every effort to find additional and/or alternative sources of funding and the necessary expertise for their implementation;
7. Recalls that Heritage Impact Assessments of proposed developments within the property, including their potential cumulative impacts, need to be undertaken, in accordance with Paragraph 118bis of the Operational Guidelines and based on the Guidance and Toolkit for Impact Assessments in a World Heritage Context and submitted to the World Heritage Centre in advance of the proposed developments;
8. Finally 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.