World Heritage 44 COM

WHC/21/44.COM/18
Paris, 31 July 2021
Original: English / French

UNITED NATIONS EDUCATIONAL, SCIENTIFIC

AND CULTURAL ORGANIZATION

CONVENTION CONCERNING THE PROTECTION OF

THE WORLD CULTURAL AND NATURAL HERITAGE

WORLD HERITAGE COMMITTEE

Extended forty-fourth session

Fuzhou (China) / Online meeting

16 - 31July 2021

Decisions adopted
during the extended 44th session
of the World Heritage Committee
(Fuzhou (China) / Online meeting, 2021)
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

EXTENDED 44TH SESSION OF THE WORLD HERITAGE COMMITTEE (2021)

OPENING SESSION
1. Opening session
2. Admission of Observers
3. Adoption of the Agenda and the Timetable
3A. Adoption of the Agenda
3B. Adoption of the Timetable

REPORTS
4. Report of the Rapporteur of the 43rd session of the World Heritage Committee
(Baku, 2019)
5. Reports of the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies
5A. Report of the World Heritage Centre on its activities and the
implementation of the World Heritage Committee’s decisions
5B. Reports of the Advisory Bodies
5C. Progress report on Priority Africa, Sustainable Development and World
Heritage
5D. World Heritage Convention and Sustainable Development
6. Follow-up to the World Heritage Capacity-Building Strategy and Progress report
on the World Heritage-related category 2 centres

EXAMINATION OF THE STATE OF CONSERVATION

7. State of conservation of World Heritage properties
7A. State of conservation of World Heritage properties inscribed on the List
of World Heritage in Danger
7B. State of conservation of World Heritage properties inscribed on the World
Heritage List
7C. Draft Updated Policy Document on the impacts of Climate Change on
World Heritage properties

ESTABLISHMENT OF THE WORLD HERITAGE LIST AND OF THE LIST OF WORLD

HERITAGE IN DANGER
8. Nomination process
8A. Tentative Lists submitted by States Parties as of 15 April 2021
8B. Nominations to the World Heritage List
8C. Update of the World Heritage List and of the List of World Heritage in
Danger

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 8D. Clarifications of property boundaries and areas by States Parties
8E. Review and approval of retrospective Statements of Outstanding
Universal Value

GLOBAL STRATEGY FOR A REPRESENTATIVE, BALANCED AND CREDIBLE WORLD

HERITAGE LIST
9. Global Strategy for a representative, balanced and credible World Heritage List
9A. Upstream Process

PERIODIC REPORTS
10. Periodic Reports
10A. Report on the results of the Third Cycle of the Periodic Reporting exercise
in the Arab States
10B. Report on the results of the Third Cycle of the Periodic Reporting exercise
in Africa
10C. Progress report on the implementation of the Action Plans for the Second
Cycle of Periodic Reporting in all regions
10D. Progress report on the Third Cycle of Periodic Reporting in the other
regions

WORKING METHODS AND TOOLS

11. Follow-up to Recommendations of Evaluations and Audits on Working Methods
and outcomes of the ad-hoc working group
12. Revision of the Operational Guidelines

FINANCIAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE ISSUES

13. International Assistance
14. Presentation of the final accounts of the World Heritage Fund for 2018-2019,
Report on the execution of the budget for the biennium 2020-2021, Budget
proposal of the World Heritage Fund under the biennium 2022-2023 and follow-up
to Decision 43 COM 14
15. Other business

CLOSING SESSION
16. Election of the Chairperson, Vice-Chairpersons and Rapporteur of the 45th
session of the World Heritage Committee
17. Provisional Agenda of the 45th session of the World Heritage Committee
18. Adoption of Decisions
19. Closing session

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1. OPENING SESSION

2. ADMISSION OF OBSERVERS

Decision: 44 COM 2

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Taking into consideration Rule 8 (Observers) of the Rules of Procedure of the Committee,
2. Authorizes the participation in the extended 44th session, as observers, of the
representatives of the international governmental organizations (IGOs), international non-
governmental organizations (INGOs), non- governmental organizations (NGOs),
permanent observer missions to UNESCO and non-profit-making institutions in the fields
covered by the Convention, listed in Part I of the present document.

3. ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA AND THE TIMETABLE

3A. ADOPTION OF THE AGENDA

Decision: 44 COM 3A

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/3A,
2. Adopts the Agenda contained in the above-mentioned document.

3B. ADOPTION OF THE TIMETABLE

Decision: 44 COM 3B

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/3B,
2. Recalling Decision 15 EXT.COM 3, adopted at its 15th extraordinary session (online, 2021),
3. Adopts the timetable contained in the above-mentioned document.

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4. REPORT OF THE RAPPORTEUR OF THE 43RD SESSION OF THE
WORLD HERITAGE COMMITTEE (BAKU, 2019)

Decision: 44 COM 4

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Takes note of the report of the Rapporteur of the 43rd session of the World Heritage
Committee (Baku, 2019).

5. REPORTS OF THE WORLD HERITAGE CENTRE AND THE

ADVISORY BODIES

5A. REPORT OF THE WORLD HERITAGE CENTRE ON ITS ACTIVITIES AND THE
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE WORLD HERITAGE COMMITTEE’S DECISIONS

Decision: 44 COM 5A

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/5A, WHC/21/44.COM/INF.5A.1 and
WHC/21/44.COM/INF.5A.2,
2. Recalling Decisions 42 COM 5A and 43 COM 5A adopted at its 42nd (Manama, 2018) and
43rd (Baku, 2019) sessions respectively,
3. Takes note with appreciation of the activities undertaken by the World Heritage Centre over
the past year in pursuit of the five Strategic Objectives set by the World Heritage Committee
and of the Expected Result 1 of Major Programme IV to ensure that “Tangible heritage [is]
identified, protected, monitored and sustainably managed by Member States, in particular
through the effective implementation of the 1972 Convention”;
4. Also takes note of the results of the on-line consultation with the Governing Bodies of the
World Heritage Convention for the preparation of the 41 C/4 and 41 C/5 documents;
5. Further takes note with concern of the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on World
Heritage and commends the Secretariat for the responses to this extreme situation;
6. Further takes note of the progress reports on the Thematic Programmes / Initiatives, thanks
States Parties and other stakeholders for their support, and invites them to continue to
provide human and financial resources to support the implementation of these
Programmes / Initiatives;
7. Acknowledges the results attained by the Earthen Architecture Programme and the
Thematic Initiative on Heritage of Astronomy, Science and Technology, which have both
achieved their key objectives, and decides to phase them out, requesting the World Heritage
Centre to continue to cooperate with IAU and CRAterre in identifying, conserving and
managing of earthen architecture, astronomy, science or technology heritage of
Outstanding Universal Value;
8. Welcomes the continued efforts to enhance synergies among UNESCO’s Culture
Conventions and the inter-sectoral work with the biodiversity-related conventions and
programmes;

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9. Requests the World Heritage Centre to further strengthen these synergies and exchanges,
including on critical issues and challenges such as climate change impacts, and calls on all
States Parties to the Convention to actively engage in the preparation of the post-2020
Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) in order to set an ambitious global agenda to halt
biodiversity loss and to reflect the contribution of the World Heritage Convention to global
biodiversity conservation;
10. Thanks the Governments of Australia, Flanders, France, Hungary, Japan, Monaco, the
Netherlands, Norway and the Republic of Korea for their support to the implementation the
activities carried out by the World Heritage Centre for the implementation of the Convention,
and invites other States Parties to provide such support;
11. Also recalling Decisions 43 COM 8, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019), takes note of
the preliminary preparations for the 50th anniversary of World Heritage Convention;
12. Requests the World Heritage Centre to present a report on its activities at its 45th session
as well as an updated result-based report on Thematic Programmes, under Item 5A: Report
of the World Heritage Centre on its activities, for examination at its 46th session.

5B. REPORTS OF THE ADVISORY BODIES

Decision: 44 COM 5B

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/5B,
2. Mindful of the efforts undertaken by the Advisory Bodies (ICCROM, ICOMOS and IUCN) to
respond to the exceptional situation created by the COVID-19 pandemic,
3. Takes note with appreciation of the reports of the Advisory Bodies on their activities;
4. Also takes note of the progress made as well as of the challenges and gaps identified by
the Advisory Bodies in the framework of the implementation of the Convention.

5C. PROGRESS REPORT ON PRIORITY AFRICA, SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND

WORLD HERITAGE

Decision: 44 COM 5C

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/5C,
2. Recalling Decision 43 COM 5D adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019) and Resolution
20 GA 13 adopted by the General Assembly at its 20th session (UNESCO, 2015),
3. Notes with appreciation the continued efforts of the African States Parties, with the support
of partners under UNESCO’s Global Priority Africa, for the conservation and management
of the unique biodiversity and rich cultural heritage of Africa that must be transmitted to
future generations, in line with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the
African Union’s Agenda 2063;
4. Welcomes the activities of the World Heritage Centre along with UNESCO Field Offices,
Advisory Bodies, the African World Heritage Fund (AWHF), the Arab Regional Centre for
World Heritage (ARC-WH) and other partners in raising awareness, building capacities
around World Heritage and Sustainable Development Policy in Africa, and developing

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 innovative tools, including the drafts of the World Heritage Sustainable Development
Preliminary Health-Check and the World Heritage Project Sustainability Check to assess
the sustainability status of World Heritage properties and conduct preliminary assessments
on sustainable development impacts of proposed projects, and requests that the refinement
and implementation of these tools and the World Heritage Canopy platform of innovative
and good practices be pursued and their implementation supported for the African context
as funds permit;
5. Also welcomes the World Heritage Centre’s analysis of the synergies and alignments of the
World Heritage Sustainable Development Policy with other major international agreements
on Sustainable Development, including the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and
reiterates the need to integrate the protection of the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of
World Heritage properties with inclusive sustainable development to meet the socio-
economic needs of local communities, through the effective implementation of the World
Heritage Sustainable Development Policy and its supporting tools, including mitigation and
adaptation strategies to address climate change;
6. Encourages the African States Parties to strengthen the governance of World Heritage
properties, engage local communities in decision-making processes and also enhance their
knowledge and skills for further inclusive and equitable growth in line with the World
Heritage Sustainable Development Policy and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable
Development as well as the African Union Agenda 2063 - The Africa We Want;
7. Invites African States Parties to mainstream heritage conservation in national and local
development planning to integrate their conservation management efforts with sustainable
development efforts in and around World Heritage properties and to implement the
UNESCO Culture|2030 Indicators with a view to measuring and enhancing the role of
heritage in sustainable development;
8. Thanks the States Parties and partners who have generously contributed to strengthening
sustainable development in Africa and also invites all States Parties to the World Heritage
Convention to support, both financially and through other means, the mainstreaming and
awareness-raising of the World Heritage Sustainable Development Policy for integrating
protection, conservation and management activities in Africa into sustainable development
policies and actions as well as for the development and implementation of tools, innovative
and good practices and strategies towards this end;
9. Further invites the African State Parties, with the guidance and coordination of the
Secretariat and the Advisory Bodies, and in collaboration with the AWHF, ARC-WH and
other stakeholders, to implement actions and measures for sustainable development that
conserve and protect the Outstanding Universal Value of World Heritage properties, both
cultural and natural, and that benefit local communities in alignment with the 2030 Agenda
for Sustainable Development and the African Union Agenda 2063 and also in favour of
climate action;
10. Requests the World Heritage Centre to present at its 46th session a progress report on
Priority Africa, sustainable development and World Heritage in line with the Medium-Term
Strategy 2022-2029 and Programme and Budget for 2022-2025.

5D. WORLD HERITAGE CONVENTION AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Decision: 44 COM 5D

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/5D,

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2. Recalling Decision 43 COM 5C adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019), as well as
Resolution 20 GA 13 adopted by the General Assembly at its 20th session (UNESCO,
2015),
3. Welcomes the follow-up activities and the progress made so far in mainstreaming the
“Policy Document for the integration of a sustainable development perspective into the
processes of the World Heritage Convention” (WH-SDP) into the activities of the World
Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies and into the texts and processes of the
Convention, including the Operational Guidelines, Periodic Reporting, and the Policy
Compendium;
4. Takes note of the draft Synergies Table developed by the World Heritage Centre in
cooperation with the Advisory Bodies reflecting interlinkages between the WH-SDP, the UN
2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (2030 Agenda) and other major global
agreements and invites States Parties undertaking activities towards the 2030 Agenda or
other major global agreements to build on these synergies to enhance the contribution of
the World Heritage Convention to further sustainable development;
5. Also takes note of the tools developed including ‘World Heritage Canopy: Heritage solutions
for sustainable futures’, and the drafts of the World Heritage Sustainable Development
Preliminary Health-Check, and the World Heritage Project Sustainability Check and
encourages States Parties to support their future development and pilot implementation;
6. Requests the World Heritage Centre to continue to pursue, within the available resources,
the development of activities including policies, tools, guidance, and communication
towards operationalising the WH-SDP supporting States Parties in its implementation
including with mitigation and adaptation strategies to climate change and protect the
Outstanding Universal Value of World Heritage properties;
7. Also requests the States Parties to take a systematic and holistic approach to
mainstreaming the WH-SDP into their national and local policies, processes, and initiatives
related to the implementation of the Convention and to development in and around World
Heritage properties;
8. Calls on States Parties and other potential partners to contribute financially or through in-
kind support to activities towards mainstreaming and operationalising the WH-SDP
including the development of tools and guidance and their pilot implementation;
9. Requests the World Heritage Centre, in cooperation with the Advisory Bodies, to present a
progress report in this regard at its 46th session.

6. FOLLOW-UP TO THE WORLD HERITAGE CAPACITY-BUILDING

STRATEGY AND PROGRESS REPORT ON THE WORLD
HERITAGE-RELATED CATEGORY 2 CENTRES

Decision: 44 COM 6

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/6,
2. Recalling Decision 43 COM 6, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
3. Also recalling that capacity-building is one of the Strategic Objectives of the World Heritage
Convention and is at the core of the sustainable implementation of the Convention and
therefore is a priority for the effective implementation of the World Heritage Convention for
all stakeholders;

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4. Expresses its concern over the challenges faced by the States Parties in the protection and
conservation of World Heritage properties in the face of increased global economic, social,
digital and environmental challenges, as well as the need to strengthen national and local
capacities through enhanced knowledge exchange, capacity-building and training of current
and future national and local officials in heritage conservation and management;
5. Takes note of the need to enhance expert diversity, strengthen regional expertise, enhance
skills to address issues at endangered sites, develop technical and vocational training
modules for youth, develop competencies for all World Heritage stakeholders, improve the
use of digital technologies within the process of identification, protection, conservation,
presentation and transmission to future generations of the cultural and natural heritage, and
to develop a strategic multi-stakeholder partnership programme to enhance the credibility
and visibility of the World Heritage brand globally;
6. Also takes note of the challenges faced by all stakeholders to maintain capacity-building
activities during the global COVID-19 pandemic and commends the progress made by the
States Parties, the World Heritage Centre, the Advisory Bodies, Category 2 Centres under
the auspices of UNESCO (C2Cs) related to World Heritage as well as the UNESCO Chairs
with the implementation of the World Heritage Capacity-Building Strategy (WHCBS), and
notably the efforts to adapt capacity-building activities during the global COVID-19
pandemic;
7. Takes note of the implementation of the regional capacity-building strategies and initiatives,
and calls upon States Parties and all concerned partners and stakeholders to follow up on
the implementation of the strategies developed for each region;
8. Thanks the Governments of Norway, the Republic of Korea and Switzerland for the financial
support they extended to the WHCBS and the World Heritage Leadership Programme, also
thanks the Governments of the People’s Republic of China and Oman for supporting World
Heritage Capacity-building activities in Africa, and encourages States Parties and other
stakeholders to continue supporting the implementation of the WHCBS by providing
financial support and/or by reinforcing the human resources of the institutions involved;
9. Also recalling that Category 2 Centres under the auspices of UNESCO and UNESCO
Chairs have the mandate of contributing to the implementation of the Organization’s
strategic priorities, programmes and global development agendas, notably through capacity
building, welcomes the progress made by Category 2 Centres and UNESCO Chairs related
to World Heritage with the implementation of their activities, also calls upon interested
stakeholders to support these Category 2 Centres, UNESCO Chairs and their activities, and
also encourages States Parties to make full use of the services and resources that Category
2 Centres provide, in a spirit of international cooperation;
10. Also takes note of the 10-year anniversary of the WHCBS in 2021 and, further recalling its
request for an evaluation of the WHCBS, notes that no funding has been made available
for this purpose to date, and therefore will consider reallocating USD 30,000 as seed money
from the World Heritage Fund under item 14 of the agenda, to initiate the evaluation and
the creation of a new WHCBS;
11. Requests the World Heritage Centre and ICCROM, in cooperation with IUCN and ICOMOS,
to submit an independent results-based evaluation of the outcomes of the WHCBS, based
on close consultation and a participatory, transparent, and inclusive process with the States
Parties and other capacity building stakeholders and beneficiaries, for examination at its
45th session;
12. Notes with appreciation the generous financial support offered by the State Party of Saudi
Arabia to conduct the abovementioned independent evaluation of the WHCBS;
13. Also requests, based on the independent results-based evaluation and assessment of the
outcomes of the WHCBS, and taking into account the results of the Periodic Reporting
process, that a new WHCBS with clear priorities, strategic objectives, expected outputs and

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 outcomes, and relevant indicators be developed for a time period of 2023-2032 and
presented, if funding allows, for review at its 46th session;
14. Reiterates its invitation to States Parties to contribute financial resources for the renewal of
the WHCBS through earmarked contributions to the World Heritage Fund or by providing
extra-budgetary support to the World Heritage Centre for this purpose;
15. Finally requests the World Heritage Centre and ICCROM to submit a progress report on the
implementation of the WHCBS, for examination at its 45th session.

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7. STATE OF CONSERVATION OF WORLD HERITAGE
PROPERTIES

Decision: 44 COM 7.1

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7,
2. Recalling Decisions 40 COM 7, 41 COM 7, 42 COM 7 and 43 COM 7.1, adopted at its
40th (Istanbul/UNESCO, 2016), 41st (Krakow, 2017), 42nd (Manama, 2018) and 43rd
(Baku, 2019) sessions respectively,

Evaluation of the Reactive Monitoring process

3. Taking note with appreciation of the recommendations of the evaluation of the Reactive
Monitoring process, as prioritized in line with Decision 43 COM 7.1, requests all
stakeholders of the Convention to implement them at their level as soon as possible;
4. Welcomes the matrix structure developed by the World Heritage Centre in consultation
with the Advisory Bodies, which provides a clear framework to report back to the
Committee on the implementation of the priority recommendations, and requests them
to prepare an Implementation Plan;
5. Also requests the World Heritage Centre, in consultation with the Advisory Bodies, and
in line with Recommendation 34 of the evaluation, to present a progress report on the
implementation of the recommendations, for examination at its 47th session;

Issues related to the List of World Heritage in Danger

6. Reaffirming the need to promote a better understanding of the provisions of the World
Heritage Convention and in particular of the implications and benefits of properties being
inscribed on the List of World Heritage in Danger and the need to underline that removal
of a World Heritage property from the List of World Heritage in Danger is a significant
‘success story’,
7. Mindful of its Decision 43 COM 8C.3, which recalled that the inscription of a property on
the List of World Heritage in Danger aims to marshal international support to help the
State Party effectively address the challenges faced by the property by engaging with
the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies to develop a program of corrective
measures to achieve the desired state of conservation for the property, as provided for
under Paragraph 183 of the Operational Guidelines; and noting that inscription on the
List of World Heritage in Danger also alerts the State Party about the international
community’s concern on the state of conservation of the property, provides a timely
reminder of obligations that arise under the World Heritage Convention, highlights threats
to the attributes of a property which contribute to its Outstanding Universal Value (OUV),
and, importantly, initiates a process and pathway to address those threats, including the
availability of additional funding,
8. Also noting that the development of a Desired state of conservation for the removal of a
property from the List of World Heritage in Danger (DSOCR) and a programme for
corrective measures is a critical part of the procedure for managing and addressing
threats to the OUV of properties inscribed on the List of World Heritage in Danger,
9. Takes note with appreciation of the information contained in Document
WHC/21/44.COM/7 (Part I.B.) and recognizes that the existing monitoring processes are

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 leading over time to a significant improvement in the conservation status of properties
inscribed on the List of World Heritage in Danger;
10. Also recalling its previous request for States Parties to develop and submit DSOCRs for
all properties included in the List of World Heritage in Danger by its 40th session in 2016
at the latest, expresses its concern however that less than half of the properties inscribed
on the List of World Heritage in Danger have a DSOCR and therefore strongly urges all
States Parties concerned to:
a) Use the 2013 Guidance to develop and submit DSOCRs with quantifiable
indicators to track progress for all remaining properties as soon as practicable, with
a view to having them all in place by its46th session, with the support of the World
Heritage Centre and Advisory Bodies;
b) Ensure that for any property newly inscribed on the List of World Heritage in
Danger, a DSOCR is developed and submitted no later than one year following
inscription;
11. Acknowledging initial pilot activities to explore possible approaches and methodologies
for costed action plans, requests these efforts to continue and calls upon all interested
States Parties to support a workshop to develop a common methodology and guidelines
for when and how corrective measures might be supported by costed action plans;
12. Also strongly urges States Parties, NGOs, private sector and donors to redouble efforts
to prioritize attention to those World Heritage properties, which have been on the List of
World Heritage in Danger for 10 years or longer;
13. Thanks the State Party of Romania for having hosted a multi-stakeholders international
workshop in September 2019, providing a unique space for discussions and networking
of professionals regarding the preservation of cultural and natural World Heritage facing
dangers, including exchange of good practice, and highlighting the benefits of the List of
World Heritage in Danger;
14. Expresses its gratitude to the State Party of Norway for its generous support for a project
that aims to improve the perception of the List of World Heritage in Danger, and also
requests the World Heritage Centre to present a progress report on this activity to its
45th session.

Decision: 44 COM 7.2

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7,
2. Recalling Decisions 40 COM 7, 41 COM 7, 42 COM 7, 43 COM 7.2 and 43 COM 7.3,
adopted at its 40th (Istanbul/UNESCO, 2016), 41st (Krakow, 2017), 42nd (Manama,
2018) and 43rd (Baku, 2019) sessions respectively,

Emergency situations resulting from conflicts

3. Deplores the loss of human life and the degradation of humanitarian conditions resulting
from the prevailing conflict situations in several countries, and continues to express its
utmost concern at the devastating damage sustained and the continuing threats facing
cultural and natural heritage in regions of armed conflict;
4. Urges again all parties associated with conflicts to refrain from any action that would
cause further damage to cultural and natural heritage, including their use for military
purposes, and also urges States Parties to fulfil their obligations under international law
by taking all possible measures to protect such heritage, in particular the safeguarding
of World Heritage properties and sites included in Tentative Lists;

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5. Reiterates its utmost concern about the continuing threats of wildlife poaching and illegal
trafficking of wildlife and timber products linked to impacts of armed conflict and
organized crime, which is eroding the biodiversity and Outstanding Universal Value
(OUV) of many World Heritage properties around the world, and further urges States
Parties to take the necessary measures to curb this problem, including through the
implementation of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild
Fauna and Flora (CITES);
6. Also reiterates its utmost concern at the increase in illicit trafficking of cultural objects,
resulting from armed conflicts, and appeals to all States Parties to cooperate in the fight
against these threats, and for cultural heritage protection in general, including through
the ratification of the 1970 Convention and the 1954 Convention and its two Protocols,
as well as the implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolutions 2199
(2015), 2253 (2015) and 2347 (2017);
7. Reiterates its call upon the international community to further support the safeguarding
of the cultural and natural heritage of countries affected by conflict, through earmarked
funds or through contributions to the UNESCO Heritage Emergency Fund;

Recovery and Reconstruction

8. Welcomes the continued reflection on recovery and reconstruction and the broad
dissemination of the Warsaw Recommendation in multiple languages as a basis for
further reflections and also welcomes the dedicated webpage established by the World
Heritage Centre;
9. Expresses its gratitude to the Polish authorities for the organization of the webinar “The
invincible city: Society in cultural heritage recovery” in October 2020 and to the Arab
Regional Centre for World Heritage (ARC-WH) for the “Conference on heritage
reconstruction - its economic, social, and psychological aspects in the process of post-
trauma recovery” (Bahrain, March 2021);
10. Takes note of the various resources already published and in the process of publication;
11. Noting the value of accurate pre-existing documentation in the recovery of built and other
heritage following destruction, strongly encourages the States Parties and all other
stakeholders of the Convention to stimulate the documentation of heritage structures,
including through cutting-edge digital technologies, to create databases of
documentation for future reference;

Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework

12. Notes with utmost concern the results of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform
on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) Global Assessment Report on
Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, which shows that nature is declining globally at
rates unprecedented in human history and that no significant progress has been
achieved on most of the 20 Aichi Biodiversity Targets, and encourages the Parties of the
Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) to adopt an ambitious post-2020 Global
Biodiversity Framework (GBF), which can bring about the transformative change needed
to halt the loss in biodiversity;
13. Considers that the post-2020 GBF should provide a common framework for all
Biodiversity-related Conventions and build on the strengths of each convention, and
strongly encourages the Parties of CBD to take into account the recommendations of the
expert meeting “Harnessing the power of World Heritage for a better future: World
Heritage and the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework” in the post-2020 GBF to
recognize and better integrate the contribution of the World Heritage Convention to
global biodiversity conservation;

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14. Requests the World Heritage Centre and IUCN to continue to engage with the
preparatory process of the post-2020 GBF, in order to advance consideration of the
World Heritage Convention;
15. Also requests the States Parties to ensure that there is effective liaison between the
respective national focal points for the CBD and the World Heritage Convention, to
ensure that considerations relevant for the Convention are integrated in the GBF, and
that the contributions of natural and cultural World Heritage properties, sites on national
Tentative Lists, and other internationally designated sites are fully integrated and
supported within National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plans (NBSAPs);
16. Further requests the World Heritage Centre and IUCN to report back at its 46th session,
with recommended policies and actions to support the adopted post-2020 GBF be taken
into account in the processes of the World Heritage Convention;
17. Requests furthermore the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies to consider
how the relevance of these proposals for mixed, cultural landscapes and other relevant
cultural World Heritage properties, including those cultural properties that overlap with
Key Biodiversity Areas, might contribute to the anticipated Joint Programme of Work on
the Links between Biological and Cultural Diversity to ensure further integration of nature
and culture in the post-2020 GBF and to help achieve its vision of living in harmony with
nature by 2050, and report to its 46th session on the approved Programme and how the
World Heritage Convention can contribute to its implementation;
18. Takes note of the need for additional funding to be provided to support the achievement
of biodiversity goals within World Heritage properties, in order to address their
contribution to the GBF, and invites the Conference of the Parties of the CBD, in
accordance with its decision XIII/21, to take these resourcing needs into account in
formulating strategic guidance for the eight replenishment of the Global Environment
Facility (GEF) Trust Fund and other international finance mechanisms to support the
GBF, considering all elements provided in Section II.C of Document WHC/21/44.COM/7;

Buffer zones
19. Noting that a number of World Heritage properties lack formal buffer zones, in particular
those on the List of World Heritage in Danger, reaffirms the increasing importance of
effective buffer zones to support the protection and management of Outstanding
Universal Value (OUV) and building greater resilience of properties to external threats,
20. Recalling Decision 32 COM 7.1 and the 2008 expert workshop on World Heritage and
Buffer Zones with its specific recommendations to improve guidance, enhance capacity
and refine the Operational Guidelines concerning buffer zones,
21. Urges States Parties, with the support of the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory
Bodies, to:
a) Incorporate well-designed buffer zones based on a holistic understanding of
natural as well as human induced factors affecting the property, supported by
reinforcing relevant legal, policy, awareness and incentive mechanisms, into new
nominations and where appropriate into existing properties to ensure enhanced
protection of World Heritage properties,
b) Place particular emphasis on strategic environmental assessment and impact
assessments for potential projects within buffer zones to avoid, negative impacts
on OUV from developments and activities in these zones,
c) Develop buffer zone protection and management regimes that optimize the capture
and sharing of benefits to communities to support the aspirations of the 2015 Policy
for the integration of a Sustainable Development Perspective into the processes of
the World Heritage Convention,

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of the World Heritage Committee
 d) Ensure buffer zones are supported by appropriate protection and management
regimes in line with the property’s OUV, that build connectivity with the wider
setting in cultural, environmental and landscape terms;
22. Encourages the States Parties, the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies,
through extra-budgetary support, to revisit and update the recommendations arising from
the 2008 expert workshop to enhance capacity through the development of best practice
guidelines for designing, establishing, protecting and managing World Heritage buffer
zones;

“No-Go” commitment
23. Welcomes the continued efforts of the World Heritage Centre, IUCN and other partners
to expand the “No-go” commitment to other extractive companies, the banking and
insurance sector, the hydropower industry and other relevant companies, commends
ENGIE and bp for subscribing to the commitment, and takes note of the initial
commitment of Eni, noting the need to strengthen it in order to meet the requests made
in previous Committee decisions;
24. Reiterates its request to all relevant private and public sector companies to integrate into
their sustainability policies, provisions for ensuring that they are not financing or
implementing projects that may negatively impact World Heritage properties and that the
companies they are investing in subscribe to the “No-go” commitment, and invites these
companies to lodge their adopted policies with the UNESCO World Heritage Centre;
25. Also welcomes the global insurance industry Statement of commitment to protect the
Outstanding Universal Value of World Heritage properties, developed with the UNEP
Finance Initiative Principles for Sustainable Insurance (PSI), also commends the
17 major insurance companies and other supporting institutions of the insurance sector
that have so far adhered to the Statement and invites other insurance companies to do
so;
26. Further welcomes the guidance provided by the International Finance Cooperation (IFC)
of the World Bank on Performance Standard 6 on Biodiversity Conservation and
Sustainable Management of Living Natural Resources that investment projects in natural
and mixed World Heritage properties will not be acceptable for financing, with the
possible exception of projects specifically designed to contribute to the conservation of
the area;
27. Acknowledges with appreciation the financial support of the Government of Flanders
(Belgium) for this work and reiterates its request to the World Heritage Centre, in
cooperation with the Advisory Bodies, to continue the fruitful dialogue with extractive
industries the hydropower industry and other industries, the banking, insurance and
investment sector, in line with its Decision 40 COM 7;

Fire: impacts and management

28. Acknowledging the extensive damage of fires to natural and cultural World Heritage
properties since 2019, and the growing threat of forest and bushfires to certain natural
properties and their cultural values, including as a result of climate change impacts,
29. Requests States Parties to implement best practice fire management strategies to
ensure the protection and management of Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) including,
where appropriate, to:
a) Prepare site-level fire vulnerability and risk assessments, mitigation, Risk
Preparedness, response and recovery plans in the event of potential severe fire
impacts on heritage values,

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of the World Heritage Committee
 b) Incorporate fire research, monitoring of impact, emergency response and
mitigation and preparedness measures into management decisions,
c) Work with stakeholders to raise awareness on fire risks among communities and
build greater capacity to respond and recover following fires,
d) Consider customised approaches and strategies that reflect the characteristics and
circumstances of naturally and anthropogenically generated fires,
e) Explore the potential of new technologies for application in fire managing
strategies, including monitoring, and firefighting systems, that will not have
negative impact on OUV of the properties,
f) Take strong actions to address human-induced climate change in line with global
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)
commitments;

Urban pressures on cultural World Heritage properties

30. Notes that the pressures on historic urban areas arising from inappropriate or
inconsistent development controls, rapid, uncontrolled and planned development,
including large development projects, additions that are incompatible in their volume,
mass tourism, as well as the accumulated impact of incremental changes have continued
within numerous World Heritage properties and in their buffer zones and settings, and
considers that these present potential and actual major threats to the Outstanding
Universal Value (OUV) of properties, including their integrity and authenticity, as well as
increasing their vulnerability to disasters, including those resulting from climate change;
31. Also notes the unrelenting pressures of urbanization and urban development in recent
years, the essential contribution of local communities, and the consequent need to
support sustainable, compatible, and inclusive livelihoods for local communities and
embed stakeholder engagement in management systems and processes, with a view to
seeking solutions to protecting heritage in the framework of sustainable urban
development to counter and manage the impacts of this ever-present threat;
32. Notes with appreciation the outcomes of the International Workshop on Historic Urban
Contexts in Fukuoka, Japan, in January 2020 (Fukuoka Outcomes) as well as the World
Heritage City Lab in June 2020 that proposed several useful recommendations;
33. Calls on States Parties to implement the 2011 UNESCO Recommendation on the
Historic Urban Landscape (HUL) in World Heritage properties with urban characteristics,
in particular, following the methodology and recommendations of the Fukuoka Outcomes
and the World Heritage City Lab, and use the opportunity of the 10th anniversary of the
HUL Recommendation in 2021 to support key actions to implement the HUL
Recommendation also in line with the 2030 Agenda and the New Urban Agenda;
34. Stresses the importance of carrying out Heritage Impact Assessments to evaluate and
thereby avoid or manage potential threats to the OUV of the property arising from new
urban development projects;
35. Also emphasizes the need to enhance resilience and recovery of World Heritage
properties in urban areas vulnerable to climate change related impacts, in line with the
HUL Recommendation and the World Heritage City Lab outcomes, while also enhancing
the livability of the properties and their surrounding for their inhabitants;

Heritage Impact Assessments / Environmental Impact Assessments

36. Welcomes the new Guidance and Toolkit for Impact Assessment in a World Heritage
context through collaboration between the Advisory Bodies and the World Heritage
Centre, and thanks the State Party of Norway for supporting this work through the
ICCROM-IUCN World Heritage Leadership Programme;

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37. Requests States Parties to carry out subsequent Environmental Impact
Assessment/Heritage Impact Assessment in line with the new guidance;
38. Calls upon States Parties and organizations to provide additional funding and support
for compiling the guidance on Strategic Environmental Assessment and support other
capacity building activities on impact assessments;

Conservation of fabric, skills and traditional and contemporary technologies

39. Recognizes that repair after disasters as well as continued maintenance over time of the
integrity and authenticity of the fabric that contributes to the Outstanding Universal Value
(OUV) of cultural and mixed World Heritage properties require specific and specialist
skills-sets and crafts, knowledge sets and systems often based in cultural-specific
technologies developed over many generations;
40. Notes that the challenges encountered in the maintenance and restoration of the physical
fabric of cultural and mixed World Heritage properties often arise from the lack of
appropriate knowledge and skills among craftspeople, as well as a lack of appropriate
historically developed and utilised materials;
41. Encourages the States Parties and all other stakeholders of the Convention to:
a) Stimulate existing (and develop new) research programmes on traditional
methods, technologies and materials, and encourage (and, where necessary
support) the intergenerational transmission of traditional and contemporary
restoration and maintenance skills, and also embed these in management
systems, thereby supporting viable professions for the maintenance of physical
human-made attributes that contribute to the OUV of cultural and mixed World
Heritage properties,
b) Facilitate the development of innovative bespoke technical approaches that enable
the long-term sustainable physical conservation of significant fabric, where
traditional practices can no longer address changing circumstance,
c) Assist in the global dissemination of traditional knowledge, skills and methods for
restoration and maintenance of physical fabric through exchanges, publications,
digital and other media to benefit the maintenance and restoration of the physical
fabric of cultural and mixed World Heritage properties;

Earth observation for World Heritage conservation

42. Recalling that Earth observation satellite technologies, spatial data and analysis tools
have tremendously improved over the past decade and that they provide powerful
additional means for decision-makers and stakeholders of the Convention to find
comprehensive solutions to today’s global challenges for World Heritage properties,
43. Takes note with satisfaction that the World Heritage Centre, in collaboration with the
Group on Earth Observation (GEO) Secretariat and GEO Greek Office, has recently
launched the Urban Heritage Climate Observatory (UHCO) as a GEO Community
Activity that applies earth observation tools to understand and document the impacts of
climate change on World Heritage cities and invites States Parties to contribute to the
UHCO with data, expertise, networks, and financial resources;
44. Requests States Parties, the World Heritage Centre, the Advisory Bodies, UNESCO
Category 2 Centres and other relevant institutions to continue exploring collaborative
partnerships, which apply innovative technological advances in remote sensing to the
improved monitoring and protection of World Heritage properties;
45. Reiterates its encouragements to States Parties to invest in the necessary institutional
and individual capacity needed to make full use of such Earth observation technologies

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of the World Heritage Committee
 for the early detection of activities potentially harmful to the Outstanding Universal Value
of World Heritage properties and to better understand trends and respond appropriately.

7A. STATE OF CONSERVATION OF THE PROPERTIES INSCRIBED

ON THE LIST OF WORLD HERITAGE IN DANGER

CULTURAL PROPERTIES

AFRICA

1. Old Towns of Djenné (Mali) (C 116rev)

Decision: 44 COM 7A.1

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7A,
2. Recalling Decision 43 COM 7A.53, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
3. Expresses its satisfaction with regard to the important measures undertaken by the State
Party to raise awareness in the local community, and more particularly the owners of the
houses, on the conservation and management aspects of the site, notably the role of the
different actors, including UNESCO, and requests the State Party to:
a) Pursue this awareness-raising work, notably to strengthen and promote
maintenance of the banco houses by the owner families,
b) Accelerate the preparation of a maintenance manual for the houses and to submit
the draft publication to the World Heritage Centre for revision by the Advisory
Bodies,
c) Provide all assistance to the finalisation of the detailed inventory of the old town as
a basis for the monitoring and identification of the urgent actions;
4. Congratulates the State Party, more especially the Cultural Mission, for the mobilisation
of the unemployed youth by associating them with the activities of the built heritage
inventory and awareness-raising;
5. Notes with appreciation the financial contributions from the Spanish Agency for
Cooperation and the European Union to pursue the conservation actions for the Djenné
Grand Mosque and the inventory, and to carry out rehabilitation work at the Moroccan
Palace and monumental houses;
6. Expresses its concern regarding the maintenance practices of the banco houses using
cement, modifications and coverings in earthen brick, as well as the construction of solid
buildings likely to negatively impact the integrity and authenticity of the property, and also
encourages the State Party to strengthen the enforcement of the heritage standards
through communication channels, and accelerate the preparation of a maintenance
manual for the houses and to submit the draft publication to the World Heritage Centre
for revision by the Advisory Bodies;
7. Expresses its concern with regard to the illegal excavations at the four archaeological
sites, in part due to the insufficient means of surveillance and continuing insecurity, and

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 also requests that additional and strengthened measures be taken for the long-term
security of the site;
8. Notes with appreciation the initiation of a remote support programme for the preparation
of the Desired state of conservation for the removal of the property from the List of World
Heritage in Danger (DSOCR);
9. Further requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February
2022, 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
45th session;
10. Decides to retain Old Towns of Djenné (Mali) on the List of World Heritage in
Danger.

2. Timbuktu (Mali) (C 119rev)

Decision: 44 COM 7A.2

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7A,
2. Recalling Decision 43 COM 7A.54, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku,2019),
3. Expresses its appreciation for the efforts deployed in the conservation of the property,
notably by reinforcing the mobilisation of the municipal and regional authorities, and the
local community through the Management Committees of the mosques and the masons’
corporation;
4. Thanks the State Party for its intervention through the Management Committee for the
Djingareyber mosque to halt the construction work for a building in the courtyard of the
mosque, as well as the Management Committee of the mosque for having accepted the
demolition of the work already undertaken in non-conformity with the mosque
architecture, and reminds the State Party of the need to inform the World Heritage Centre
prior to the start of a major construction project, in accordance with Paragraph 172 of the
Operational Guidelines;
5. Notes with satisfaction the cessation of new on-going constructions in the medina for the
necessary corrections to be made in conformity with its traditional architecture, and also
reminds the State Party of the need to implement the 2018-2022 Management and
Conservation Plan, in particular as regards the urban framework, in order to revitalize
awareness, interaction and coordination of the stakeholders at all institutional levels, and
to ensure the enforcement of urban regulations;
6. Requests the State Party to further raise awareness of the local population and with the
private owners of the heritage prerogatives of the property and to strengthen the
enforcement of urban regulations;
7. Expresses its concern with regard to the degradation caused by a lack of maintenance
and monitoring of the mosques and mausoleums, thus exposing them to risk of collapse,
especially during the winter period, and also requests the Management Committees of
the mosques and the families responsible for the conservation of the mausoleums to
increase maintenance and monitoring;
8. Also expresses concern about the diminishing traditional conservation practices and
mechanisms, in particular in ensuring the annual rough plastering of the mosques, and
the possible incomprehension of the local stakeholders of the role and responsibilities of
external national and international partners, and further requests the State Party in

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of the World Heritage Committee
 collaboration with these national and international partners, to ensure that adequate
measures, notably revitalization, are taken for the safeguard of the intrinsic traditional
conservation practices and mechanisms of the property;
9. Further expresses concern, in addition to the continuing unstable security situation,
about the impact of climate change that has become a major issue generating
increasingly hard winters and frequent and violent sandstorms, and encourages the
State Party to initiate a dialogue with local stakeholders to study the measures and needs
required to respond to this phenomenon and its future impacts;
10. Notes with satisfaction that, in application of the conviction by the International Criminal
Court (ICC) of Ahmad Al Faqi Al Mahdi for his responsibility in the destruction of several
cultural properties in Timbuktu, a ceremony for the presentation of a symbolic euro to
the Government of Mali and UNESCO for the harm suffered by the Malian people and
the community of Timbuktu took place on 30 March 2021, and that individual and
collective reparations began in January 2021, and further requests the State Party as
well as the Secretariat to ensure that the potential impacts of these reparations and the
actions to be taken in the context of collective reparations are taken into account in future
reports on the state of conservation of the property;
11. Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 February 2022, 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
45th session;
12. Decides to continue to apply the Reinforced Monitoring Mechanism for the
property;
13. Also decides to retain Timbuktu (Mali) on the List of World Heritage in Danger.

3. Tomb of Askia (Mali) (C 1139)

Decision: 44 COM 7A.3

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC21/44.COM/7A,
2. Recalling Decision 43 COM 7A.55, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
3. Expresses its satisfaction with the important actions undertaken by the State Party for
the rep/air of the roof of the men’s prayer room, the decrease in water erosion, and the
plantation of hasu trees, particularly congratulates the Cultural Mission and the local
stakeholders concerned for having decided to renounce replacing the hasu plantation
with eucalyptus plants following a fruitful communication between the parties;
4. Also congratulates the State Party for supporting efforts to establish partnerships and
mobilize funds from the various donors such as MINUSMA, the African World Heritage
Fund (AWHF) and the Blue Shield International Committee, and for strengthening local
capacities for an improved conservation and management of the property;
5. Further congratulates the State Party for the recent launching of the rehabilitation project
for the property with funding from the International Alliance for Heritage Protection in
Conflict Areas (ALIPH), for the exchange of information between all the parties clarifying
the issues of concern regarding the planned interventions, and requests the State Party
to submit detailed documentation at every stage of the project to constitute archives on
the work to be accomplished;

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6. Also requests the State Party to provide the World Heritage Centre, as soon as possible,
with the detailed plans of the development project for the two parking areas in front of
the main gate of the property and behind the road for examination by the Advisory Bodies
before work begins, in order to ensure that these projects do not affect the integrity and
authenticity of the property;
7. Notes with satisfaction that the project to build a water tower near the property, which
could negatively impact the Outstanding Universal Value of the property, has been
abandoned, and requests the State Party to identify an alternative location more
appropriate for this water tower outside the property and its buffer zone, and to keep the
World Heritage Centre informed of the revised project with details of its new location and
possible works to connect to the drinking water network of the city, in order to allow the
Advisory Bodies to determine, if necessary, if the works could affect the Outstanding
Universal Value of the property, in accordance with Paragraph 172 of the Operational
Guidelines;
8. Encourages the State Party to share the different projects developed with the diverse
partners and donors in order to mobilize funds and ensure greater coherence between
the proposed actions and establish a consultation mechanism between these partners
for efficient monitoring;
9. Further requests the State Party to provide the World Heritage Centre with plans for the
development of two car parks planned in front of the main gate of the site and behind the
road for examination by the Advisory Bodies, before the start of works, in order to ensure
that these projects do not affect the integrity and authenticity of the property.
10. Notes with satisfaction the actions to inform and raise awareness in the local community
regarding the activities undertaken and to further motivate it to become more involved in
safeguarding and promotional activities, and also encourages the State Party to reinforce
these information campaigns to alert the local community of certain risks, such as the
possible impacts of illegal occupation of the buffer zone by the population;
11. Also expresses its satisfaction regarding the establishment of funds for a distance
support capacity-building programme to prepare the Desired state of conservation for
the removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger (DSOCR);
12. Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 February 2022, 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
45th session;
13. Decides to continue to apply the Reinforced Monitoring Mechanism for the
property;
14. Also decides to retain Tomb of Askia (Mali) on the List of World Heritage in Danger.

4. Tombs of Buganda Kings at Kasubi (Uganda) (C 1022)

Decision: 44 COM 7A.4

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7A,
2. Recalling Decision 43 COM 7A.56, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
3. Acknowledges the State Party’s continued engagement of the World Heritage Centre
and the Advisory Bodies in developing instruments and approaches to safeguarding the
Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property;

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of the World Heritage Committee
4. Thanks the Governments of the Norway and Japan for their financial support to the
property;
5. Welcomes the continued progress that the State Party has made in responding to
previous Committee decisions, in the reconstruction of the Mazibu-Azaala-Mpanga and
the restoration of the Bujjabukala (gate house), as well as towards achieving the Desired
state of conservation for the removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in
Danger (DSOCR) to date;
6. Expresses its solidarity with the State Party for the fire that occurred at the property on
5 May 2020, and notes with concern the damage caused to the “Enyumba za Balongo”,
one of the three deity houses at the property;
7. Also notes the State Party’s commitment to developing development guidelines for the
property’s buffer zone, and recommends the State Party to engage with the World
Heritage Centre and Advisory Bodies in this process, guided by the approach carried by
the Recommendation on the Historic Urban Landscape (2011), as well as encourages
the State Party to mobilize funds (through International Assistance for example) to
facilitate the activity and submit the completed guidelines to the World Heritage Centre
for review by the Advisory Bodies;
8. Requests the State Party to implement the Master Plan and amend the Kampala
Physical Development Plan to align it with the property’s Master Plan and buffer zone
development guidelines, once the latter have been completed and reviewed by the
Advisory Bodies;
9. Also requests the State Party to:
a) Complete the reconstruction of the Mazibu-Azaala-Mpanga and consider
augmenting the surviving collection of power insignia that was recovered from the
building following the fire of 2010,
b) Submit further details for the restoration project of the Bujjabukala (gate house),
for review by the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies, specifically on
details that have not yet been agreed to, especially relating to the roof pitch,
introduction of contemporary technologies and infrastructure in the structure,
c) Install with urgency the firefighting infrastructure for the Mazibu-Azaala-Mpanga
and its ceremonial courtyard and buildings for which agreement has already been
reached with the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies, and also develop
proposals to extend the firefighting infrastructure to include buildings beyond the
court yard around the Mazibu-Azaala-Mpanga, and submit these proposals to the
World Heritage Centre for review by the Advisory Bodies,
d) Submit final details of the development guidelines for the buffer zone along with all
infrastructure upgrade projects, including transport infrastructure, planned for the
buffer zone of the property to the World Heritage Centre for review by the Advisory
Bodies;
10. Further requests the State Party to submit an update of the matrix with a timeframe and
work plan for the implementation of the corrective measures to achieve the DSOCR to
the World Heritage Centre for review by the Advisory Bodies;
11. Requests furthermore the State Party to invite a World Heritage Centre/ICOMOS
reactive monitoring mission to the property to review the current state of conservation
and evaluate whether the conditions for the removal of the property from the List of World
Heritage in Danger have been met;
12. Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 February 2022, an updated report on the state of conservation of the property and the

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 implementation of the above, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its
45th session;
13. Decides to retain Tombs of Buganda Kings at Kasubi (Uganda) on the List of World
Heritage in Danger.

ARAB STATES

5. Abu Mena (Egypt) (C 90)

Decision: 44 COM 7A.5

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7A
2. Recalling Decision 43 COM 7A.17, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
3. Welcomes the ongoing efforts of the State Party to improve the conservation conditions
of the property, in particular through the Groundwater Level Reduction Project and the
new Sustainable Development Plan, and requests the State Party to submit the
Restoration and Conservation Plan to the World Heritage Centre for review by the
Advisory Bodies;
4. Expresses concern that the State Party has not reported on recent conditions of the
archaeological remains or current conservation work, and urges the State Party to
closely monitor conditions while changes are being made to the water levels, with prompt
intervention, where necessary, in particular ensuring protection of the Mar Mena Tomb;
5. Also urges the State Party to complete all necessary corrective measures to protect and
conserve the property’s Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) in order to reach the Desired
state of conservation for the removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in
Danger (DSOCR) adopted in 2007, also in light of the recommendations of the 2012
Reactive Monitoring mission and the 2018 Advisory mission;
6. Also requests the State Party to elaborate as soon as possible the Management Plan,
as well as the Sustainable Development Plan, including consideration of an appropriate
visitor strategy which supports the property’s OUV and its role as a place of pilgrimage,
while also tying into sustainable development objectives and including community
participation;
7. Reminds the State Party of its obligations to submit to the World Heritage Centre, in
accordance with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines, details of all on-going or
planned projects, including restoration and rehabilitation of the property, as well as any
new envisaged construction, for review by the Advisory Bodies prior to implementation;
8. Notes the information provided on the clarification of property’s new boundaries and
further requests the State Party to finalize this process and to submit a minor boundary
modification, according to paragraphs 163-165 of the Operational Guidelines, to the
World Heritage Centre;
9. Requests furthermore the State Party, in consultation with the World Heritage Centre
and the Advisory Bodies, to finalize the draft Retrospective Statement of OUV, which is
needed to inform all the plans and strategies being developed for the property;
10. Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 February 2022, an updated report on the state of conservation of the property and the

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 implementation of the above, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its
45th session;
11. Decides to retain Abu Mena (Egypt) on the List of World Heritage in Danger.

6. Ashur (Qal'at Sherqat) (Iraq) (C 1130)

Decision: 44 COM 7A.6

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7A.Add,
2. Recalling Decisions 43 COM 7A.18 and 43 COM 7A.21, adopted at its 43rd session
(Baku, 2019),
3. Taking into account Decision 44 COM 7A.9, on the World Heritage properties of Iraq,
4. Notes the State Party’s efforts to address risks at the property and to keep the World
Heritage Centre informed about the situation at the property, but expresses again its
concern about its condition and the lack of comprehensive information on its state of
conservation;
5. Acknowledges the information provided by the State Party concerning the planned
construction of Makhool Dam, and deeply regrets that the construction of the dam is
again proposed and requests the State Party to relocate or cancel the project in view of
its potential impact on the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property and other
archaeological sites, and in the meantime, to submit the full technical information
including a comprehensive Environmental Impact Assessment to the World Heritage
Centre for technical review;
6. Reaffirms the potential danger to the OUV of the property arising from the proposed dam,
which already justified in 2003 the inscription of the property on the List of World Heritage
in Danger in accordance with Paragraph 179 (b) of the Operational Guidelines;
7. Calls upon the State Party to suspend any work towards the dam construction, pending
consideration of cancellation or relocation of the project and review of the technical
information for the project;
8. Reiterates its request to the State Party to submit all preliminary assessments of the
property it has undertaken, and to carry out a detailed review of the damage incurred
outlining the potential risks to the property, prior to taking any action on the ground, and
to submit this assessment for review by the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory
Bodies;
9. Also requests the State Party to submit a detailed report on all interventions carried out
as a matter of priority and also reiterates its previous request that interventions be
addressed within the framework of the overall assessment of damage and risks and a
comprehensive conservation plan prepared in full consultation with the World Heritage
Centre and the Advisory Bodies;
10. Reminds the State Party of its obligation to submit to the World Heritage Centre, for
evaluation by the Advisory Bodies, detailed information of any future works that may
affect the Outstanding Universal Value of the property, in conformity with Paragraph 172
of the Operational Guidelines;
11. Reiterates the need for a joint World Heritage Centre/ICOMOS Reactive Monitoring
mission, once conditions permit, to assist in assessing damage at the property,
preparatory to the development of a comprehensive conservation plan, the identification

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 of corrective measures, and the development of a Desired state of conservation for the
removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger (DSOCR);
12. Reiterates its appeal to all States Parties to cooperate in the fight against the illicit
trafficking of cultural heritage coming from Iraq as per the United Nations Security
Council Resolutions 2199 of February 2015, 2253 of December 2015 and 2347 of March
2017;
13. Calls again on all States Parties to support emergency safeguarding measures, including
through the UNESCO Heritage Emergency Fund;
14. Further requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 February 2022, 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
45th session;
15. Decides to retain Ashur (Qal'at Sherqat) (Iraq) on the List of World Heritage in
Danger.

7. Hatra (Iraq) (C 277rev)

Decision: 44 COM 7A.7

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7A,
2. Recalling Decisions 43 COM 7A.19 and 43 COM 7A.21 adopted at its 43rd session
(Baku, 2019),
3. Taking into account Decision 44 COM 7A.9, on the World Heritage properties of Iraq,
4. Notes the State Party’s efforts to keep the World Heritage Centre informed about the
situation on the ground, welcomes the submitted ‘Damage Assessment Report Status
Study’, takes note of the documentation carried out, and urges the State Party to compile
comprehensive information on the state of conservation of the property, particularly
detailed assessment of the damage needed to facilitate the protection, repair,
rehabilitation and reconstruction of the important monuments;
5. Requests the State Party to submit all assessments it has undertaken, and to carry out
a more detailed damage assessment, including systematic photographic surveys,
drawings, graphics and quantitative data, as well as identification of potential risks to the
property, prior to taking any action on the ground, and to submit this assessment for
review by the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies;
6. Reiterates its request that interventions be addressed within the framework of the overall
assessment of damage and risks and a comprehensive conservation plan prepared in
full consultation with the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies;
7. Encourages the World Heritage Centre, the Advisory Bodies and the State Party to
collaborate and to draw upon the Damage Assessment Report Status Study in order to
progress the elaboration of a set of correctives measures and the Desired state of
conservation for the removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger
(DSOCR), as well as identification of means by which the state of conservation of the
property can be verified;
8. Also reiterates its request to the State Party to invite a joint World Heritage
Centre/ICOMOS Reactive Monitoring mission, once security conditions permit, to assist
in assessing damage at the property, and discuss with the State Party authorities the

Decisions adopted during the extended 44th session WHC/21/44.COM/18, p. 24

of the World Heritage Committee
 short-, medium- and long-term goals and actions required to protect the property, in order
to implement corrective measures and achieve the DSOCR;
9. Reiterates its appeal to all Member States of UNESCO to cooperate in the fight against
the illicit trafficking of cultural heritage coming from Iraq as per the United Nations
Security Council Resolutions 2199 of February 2015, 2253 of December 2015 and 2347
of March 2017;
10. Calls again 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 2022, 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
45th session;
12. Decides to retain Hatra (Iraq) on the List of World Heritage in Danger.

8. Samarra Archaeological City (Iraq) (C 276 rev)

Decision: 44 COM 7A.8

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7A,
2. Recalling Decisions 43 COM 7A.20 and 44 COM 7A.21, adopted at its 43rd session
(Baku, 2019),
3. Taking into account Decision 44 COM 7A.9, on the World Heritage properties of Iraq,
4. Expresses again its concern about the condition of the property and the lack
comprehensive information on its state of conservation, and reiterates its request to the
State Party to submit documentation of the damage done to the property as a whole and
its affected monuments, for review by the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory
Bodies;
5. Also reiterates its request to the State Party that a full and comprehensive assessment
be carried out as soon as security conditions permit and before any remedial actions are
undertaken, with the aim of identifying any necessary emergency stabilization work and
establishing a road map for longer-term conservation and management actions;
6. Further reiterates its previous request that interventions be addressed within the
framework of the overall assessment of damage and risks and a comprehensive
conservation plan prepared in full consultation with the World Heritage Centre and the
Advisory Bodies;
7. Reminds the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, for evaluation by the
Advisory Bodies, detailed information of any future works that may affect the Outstanding
Universal Value of the property, in conformity with Paragraph 172 of the Operational
Guidelines;
8. Requests the State Party to invite a joint World Heritage Centre/ICOMOS Reactive
Monitoring mission, once security conditions permit, to assist in assessing damage at
the property, preparatory to the development of a comprehensive conservation plan, the
identification of corrective measures, and the development of a Desired state of
conservation for the removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger
(DSOCR);

Decisions adopted during the extended 44th session WHC/21/44.COM/18, p. 25

of the World Heritage Committee
9. Reiterates its appeal to all States Parties to cooperate in the fight against the illicit
trafficking of cultural heritage coming from Iraq as per the United Nations Security
Council Resolutions 2199 of February 2015, 2253 of December 2015 and 2347 of March
2017;
10. Calls again 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 2022, 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
45th session;
12. Decides to retain Samarra Archaeological City (Iraq) on the List of World Heritage
in Danger.

9. General Decision on the World Heritage properties of Iraq

Decision: 44 COM 7A.9

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7A,
2. Recalling Decision 43 COM 7A.21, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
3. Takes note of the reports provided by the State Party regarding the state of conservation
of the properties on the List of World Heritage in Danger, and continues to express its
concern about the lack of comprehensive and detailed assessment of the properties
affected by the conflict and about the limited resources available for the safeguarding of
affected cultural heritage;
4. Expresses its appreciation to the Director-General of UNESCO for the progress made
towards safeguarding cultural heritage in the Old City of Mosul, and for the expertise and
resources mobilized so far within UNESCO’s “Revive the Spirit of Mosul” flagship
initiative, and also expresses its appreciation to the donors for their generous
contributions towards this end;
5. Requests the State Party to submit updated documentation of damage incurred at World
Heritage properties, including systematic photographic surveys, drawings, graphics,
quantitative data and identification of potential risks, to safeguard damaged properties
according to the principle of minimal intervention, and to refrain from undertaking
conservation and restoration work until comprehensive conservation plans have been
developed, in full consultation with the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies;
6. Reminds the State Party about the need to submit to the World Heritage Centre, for
examination by the Advisory Bodies, information on any future plans for major restoration
or new construction projects that may affect the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of
World Heritage properties, in conformity with Paragraph 172 of the Operational
Guidelines, before making any decisions that would be difficult to reverse;
7. Reiterates its appeal to all States Parties to cooperate in the fight against the illicit
trafficking of cultural heritage coming from Iraq as per the United Nations Security
Council Resolutions 2199 of February 2015, 2253 of December 2015 and 2347 of March
2017, and encourages the State Party to ratify the Second Protocol (1999) to the 1954
Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict;
8. Calls again on all States Parties to provide technical and financial support to
safeguarding efforts for Iraq’s World Heritage and other cultural heritage sites, including

Decisions adopted during the extended 44th session WHC/21/44.COM/18, p. 26

of the World Heritage Committee
 through the “Revive the Spirit of Mosul” initiative, in order to implement short-, medium-
and long-term measures;
9. Also requests the World Heritage Centre to present at its 45th session in 2022 a report
on the activities related to cultural heritage undertaken within the framework of the
“Revive the Spirit of Mosul” initiative;
10. Further requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February
2022, an updated report on the state of conservation of the properties and the
implementation of the above, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its
45th session.

10. Old City of Jerusalem and its Walls (site proposed by Jordan) (C 148 rev)

Decision: 44 COM 7A.10

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having considered document WHC/21/44.COM/7A.Add.2 and the Annex attached to this
decision,
2. Recalling its previous decisions concerning the Old City of Jerusalem and its Walls,
3. Decides that the status of the Old City of Jerusalem and its Walls relating to the World
Heritage List remains unchanged as reflected in Decisions 43 COM 7A.22 and
43 COM 8C.2 of its last session.

--

ANNEX

The World Heritage Committee

44th session of the Committee (44 COM)

Item 10: Old City of Jerusalem and its Walls (site proposed by Jordan)

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7A.Add.2,
2. Recalling the relevant provisions on the protection of cultural heritage including the four
Geneva Conventions (1949), the Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural
Property in the Event of Armed Conflict (1954) and its related protocols, the Convention
on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of
Ownership of Cultural Property (1970), the Convention for the Protection of the World
Cultural and Natural Heritage (1972), the New Delhi UNESCO Recommendation of 1956
concerning excavations undertaken in occupied territories, the inscription of the Old City
of Jerusalem and its Walls at the request of Jordan on the World Heritage List (1981)
and on the List of World Heritage in Danger (1982) and related recommendations,
resolutions and decisions of UNESCO,

Decisions adopted during the extended 44th session WHC/21/44.COM/18, p. 27

of the World Heritage Committee
3. Reaffirming that nothing in the present decision, which aims at the safeguarding of the
authenticity, integrity and cultural heritage of the Old City of Jerusalem on both sides of
its Walls, shall in any way affect the relevant United Nations resolutions and decisions,
in particular the relevant Security Council resolutions on the legal status of Jerusalem,
including United Nations Security Council resolution 2334 (2016),
4. Also reaffirming the importance of the Old City of Jerusalem and its Walls for the three
monotheistic religions,
5. Reminding that all legislative and administrative measures and actions taken by Israel,
the occupying Power, which have altered or purport to alter the character and status of
the Holy City of Jerusalem, and in particular the "basic law" on Jerusalem, are null and
void and must be rescinded forthwith,
6. Further recalling the 20 decisions of the Executive Board: 185 EX/Decision 14,
187 EX/Decision 11, 189 EX/Decision 8, 190 EX/Decision 13, 192 EX/Decision 11,
194 EX/Decision 5.D, 195 EX/Decision 9, 196 EX/Decision 26, 197 EX/Decision 32,
199 EX/Decision 19.1, 200 EX/Decision 25, 201 EX/PX 30.1, 202 EX/Decision 38,
204 EX/Decision 25, 205 EX/Decision 28, 206 EX/Decision 32, 207 EX/Decision 38,
209 EX/Decision 24, 210 EX/Decision 36, and 211 EX/Decision 33, and the 10 World
Heritage Committee decisions: 34 COM 7A.20, 35 COM 7A.22, 36 COM 7A.23,
37 COM 7A.26, 38 COM 7A.4, 39 COM 7A.27, 40 COM 7A.13, 41 COM 7A.36,
42 COM 7A.21 and 43 COM 7A.22,
7. Regrets the failure of the Israeli occupying authorities to cease the persistent
excavations, tunneling, works, projects and other illegal practices in East Jerusalem,
particularly in and around the Old City of Jerusalem, which are illegal under international
law and reiterates its request to Israel, the occupying Power, to prohibit all violations
which are not in conformity with the provisions of the relevant UNESCO conventions,
resolutions and decisions;
8. Also regrets the Israeli refusal to implement the UNESCO request to the Director-
General to appoint a permanent representative to be stationed in East Jerusalem to
report on a regular basis about all aspects covering the fields of competence of UNESCO
in East Jerusalem, and reiterates its request to the Director-General to appoint, as soon
as possible, the above-mentioned representative;
9. Stresses again the urgent need to implement the UNESCO reactive monitoring mission
to the Old City of Jerusalem and its Walls, and invites the Director-General and the World
Heritage Centre, to exert all possible efforts, in line with their mandates and in conformity
with the provisions of the relevant UNESCO conventions, decisions and resolutions, to
ensure the prompt implementation of the mission and, in case of non-implementation, to
propose possible effective measures to ensure its implementation;
10. Decides to retain the Old City of Jerusalem and its Walls on the List of World
Heritage in Danger.

11. Archaeological Site of Cyrene (Libya) (C 190)

Decision: 44 COM 7A.11

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7A,
2. Recalling Decision 43 COM 7A.23, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),

Decisions adopted during the extended 44th session WHC/21/44.COM/18, p. 28

of the World Heritage Committee
3. Notes with appreciation the efforts undertaken by the State Party to address
conservation threats at the property and in fundraising activities that have led to projects
aimed at the preservation of the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property; and
requests it to continue its efforts in this regard to the extent possible;
4. Also requests the State Party to provide further detailed information and documentation
on the proposed Cyrene Grand Hotel near the Temple of Zeus, to evaluate the
submission of an International Assistance request to carry out a guided Heritage Impact
Assessment study and to keep the Committee regularly informed on the evolution of the
situation at the property, and to inform it, through the World Heritage Centre, on any
other on-going and future plans for major restoration or new construction projects that
may affect the OUV of the property, in conformity with Paragraph 172 of the Operational
Guidelines;
5. Further requests the State Party to provide updated information about the damage
caused by pollution sewage disposal of Shahat city into Wadi Belghade;
6. Requests furthermore the State Party to report on any progress achieved in the
implementation of the Action Plan developed during the International Meeting on the
Safeguard of Libyan Cultural Heritage (Tunis, May 2016);
7. Requests moreover the State Party to initiate the process to develop a set of corrective
measures and a timeframe for their implementation, as well as the Desired state of
conservation for the removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger
(DSOCR), in collaboration with the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies;
8. Encourages the State Party to pursue the development of the Management Plan for the
property, and invites it to seek the necessary technical and financial support;
9. Welcomes the work in progress for the elaboration of a Minor Boundary Modification
proposal, and requests in addition the State Party to continue the close consultation with
the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies, and to submit it in line with
Paragraph 164 of the Operational Guidelines;
10. Acknowledges the invitation from the State Party for a joint World Heritage
Centre/ICOMOS Reactive Monitoring mission to the property, and also encourages it to
take place as soon as the security conditions permit;
11. Calls for an increased mobilization of the international community to provide financial
and technical support to the State Party, including through the UNESCO Heritage
Emergency Fund, to implement the short-, medium- and long-term measures identified
during the International Meeting on the Safeguard of Libyan Cultural Heritage (Tunis,
May 2016);
12. Reiterates its appeal to all States Parties to cooperate in fighting against the illicit
trafficking of cultural property coming from Libya and engaging in the protection of
cultural heritage during armed conflict, as per the United Nations Security Council
Resolution 2347 of March 2017, the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of
Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict and the 1970 Convention on the Means
of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of
Cultural Property, and acknowledges the efforts of the State Party to ratify the 1995
UNIDROIT Convention on Stolen or Illegally Exported Cultural Objects;
13. Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 February 2022, 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
45th session;
14. Decides to retain the Archaeological Site of Cyrene (Libya) on the List of World
Heritage in Danger.

Decisions adopted during the extended 44th session WHC/21/44.COM/18, p. 29

of the World Heritage Committee
12. Archaeological Site of Leptis Magna (Libya) (C 183)

Decision: 44 COM 7A.12

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7A,
2. Recalling Decision 43 COM 7A.24, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
3. Commends the important efforts made by the State Party to raise funds and undertake
activities for the conservation of the property and its Outstanding Universal Value (OUV),
despite the difficult situation and working conditions on the ground, due to the effects of
the conflict and the COVID-19 pandemic, and urges it to continue its efforts in this regard
to the extent possible;
4. Requests the State Party to keep the World Heritage Centre informed about the evolution
of the situation at the property and of any new measures undertaken to ensure its
protection and conservation, as well as any future plans for major restoration or new
construction projects that may affect the OUV of the property, in conformity with
Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines, and also requests that technical
specifications and materials to be used in conservation interventions are discussed with
ICOMOS before they are applied;
5. Further requests the State Party to report on any progress achieved in the
implementation of the Action Plan developed during the International Expert Meeting on
the Safeguard of Libyan Cultural Heritage (Tunis, May 2016);
6. Welcomes the progress made in the finalization of the Minor Boundary Modification
proposal and requests furthermore the State Party to continue the process in close
consultation with the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies, and to submit it in
line with Paragraph 164 of the Operational Guidelines;
7. Encourages the State Party to pursue the development of a Management Plan for the
property, and invites it to seek for the necessary technical and financial support and to
allocate the necessary resources for its implementation;
8. Acknowledges the invitation by the State Party for a joint World Heritage
Centre/ICOMOS Reactive Monitoring mission to the property, to take place as soon as
the security conditions permit;
9. Also Welcomes the initiation of the process to develop a set of corrective measures and
a timeframe for their implementation, as well as the Desired state of conservation for the
removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger (DSOCR), in
collaboration with the World Heritage Centre and Advisory Bodies;
10. Reiterates its call for an increased mobilization of the international community to provide
financial and technical support to the State Party, including through the UNESCO
Heritage Emergency Fund, to implement the short-, medium- and long-term measures
identified during the 2016 Tunis Meeting;
11. Expresses its appreciation to the Netherlands Funds in Trust and other donors and
institutions, for the support provided to the State Party towards the conservation and
management of the property;
12. Requests moreover the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre,
by 1 February 2022, 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
45th session;

Decisions adopted during the extended 44th session WHC/21/44.COM/18, p. 30

of the World Heritage Committee
13. Decides to retain the Archaeological Site of Leptis Magna (Libya) on the List of
World Heritage in Danger.

13. Archaeological Site of Sabratha (Libya) (C 184)

Decision: 44 COM 7A.13

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7A,
2. Recalling Decision 43 COM 7A.25, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
3. Notes with appreciation the efforts undertaken by the State Party to address
conservation threats at the property and in fundraising activities that have led to projects
aimed at the preservation of the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property;
4. Requests the State Party to continue its efforts in this regard to the extent possible and
to discuss with ICOMOS the restoration techniques and materials planned to be used at
the Roman Theatre and the other archaeological vestiges before their application;
5. Also requests the State Party to keep the Committee informed on the evolution of the
situation at the property and to inform it, through the World Heritage Centre, on any on-
going and future plans for major restoration or new construction projects that may affect
the OUV of the property, in conformity with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines;
6. Further requests the State Party to report on any progress achieved in the
implementation of the Action Plan developed during the International Meeting on the
Safeguarding of Libyan Cultural Heritage (Tunis, May 2016);
7. Requests furthermore the State Party to initiate the process to develop a set of corrective
measures and a timeframe for their implementation, as well as the Desired state of
conservation for the removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger
(DSOCR), in collaboration with the World Heritage Centre and Advisory Bodies;
8. Encourages the State Party to pursue the development of a Management Plan for the
property, and invites it to seek the necessary technical and financial support and allocate
the necessary resources for its implementation;
9. Continues to call for an increased mobilization by the international community to provide
financial and technical support to the State Party, including through the UNESCO
Heritage Emergency Fund, to implement the short- and medium-term measures
identified during the 2016 Tunis Meeting;
10. Also welcomes the elaboration of a Minor Boundary Modification proposal, and requests
moreover the State Party to continue the close consultation with the World Heritage
Centre and the Advisory Bodies, and to submit it in line with Paragraph 164 of the
Operational Guidelines
11. Acknowledges the invitation by the State Party for a joint World Heritage
Centre/ICOMOS Reactive Monitoring mission to the property to evaluate its State of
Conservation, to take place as soon as the security conditions permit;
12. Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 February 2022, 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
45th session;
13. Decides to retain the Archaeological Site of Sabratha (Libya) on the List of World
Heritage in Danger.

Decisions adopted during the extended 44th session WHC/21/44.COM/18, p. 31

of the World Heritage Committee
14. Old Town of Ghadamès (Libya) (C 36)

Decision: 44 COM 7A.14

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7A,
2. Recalling Decision 43 COM 7A.26, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
3. Commends the important efforts made by the State Party to raise funds and undertake
activities for the conservation of the property and its Outstanding Universal Value (OUV),
despite the difficult situation and working conditions on the ground, and urges it to
continue its efforts in this regard to the extent possible;
4. Also commends the State Party for the submission of the Retrospective Statement of
OUV for the Old Town of Ghadamès;
5. Welcomes the progress made in the elaboration of the Minor Boundary Modification
proposal and requests the State Party to continue the process in close consultation with
the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies, and to submit it in line with
Paragraph 164 of the Operational Guidelines;
6. Adopts the set of corrective measures and a timeframe for their implementation, as well
as the Desired state of conservation for the removal of the property from the List of World
Heritage in Danger (DSOCR), elaborated in collaboration with the World Heritage Centre
and Advisory Bodies;
7. Also requests the State Party to regularly inform the World Heritage Centre on the
evolution of the situation at the property and any new measures undertaken to implement
the corrective measures and ensure its protection and conservation, as well as any future
plans for major restoration or new construction projects that may affect the OUV of the
property, in conformity with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines.
8. Notes with satisfaction the progress made by the State Party in the development of a
Management Plan for the property, including a risk preparedness and conservation plan,
and invites it to continue its efforts in that regard, taking into account the
recommendations of ICOMOS’ technical review;
9. Acknowledges the invitation by the State Party for a joint World Heritage
Centre/ICOMOS Reactive Monitoring mission to the property, to take place as soon as
the conditions permit;
10. Reiterates its call for an increased mobilization of the international community to provide
financial and technical support to the State Party, including through the UNESCO
Heritage Emergency Fund, to implement the corrective measures that have been
identified;
11. Expresses its appreciation to the Netherlands Funds in Trust and other donors and
institutions, for the support provided to the State Party towards the conservation and
management of the property;
12. Further requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 February 2022, 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
45th session;
13. Decides to retain the Old Town of Ghadamès (Libya) on the List of World Heritage
in Danger.

Decisions adopted during the extended 44th session WHC/21/44.COM/18, p. 32

of the World Heritage Committee
15. Rock-Art Sites of Tadrart Acacus (Libya) (C 287)

Decision: 44 COM 7A.15

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7A,
2. Recalling Decision 43 COM 7A.27, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
3. Commends the State Party for the important efforts made for the conservation of the
property and its Outstanding Universal Value (OUV), in close coordination with local
communities and civil society, despite the difficult situation and difficult working
conditions on the ground, and urges it to continue its efforts in this regard, if possible;
4. Welcomes the efforts made for the development of a Management Plan for the property,
and invites the State Party to continue to pursue its elaboration, seek the necessary
technical and financial support for its completion, and allocate the necessary resources
for its implementation;
5. Requests the State Party to keep the World Heritage Centre informed about the evolution
of the situation at the property and of any future plans for major restoration or new
construction projects that may affect the OUV of the property, including the provision of
detailed information on the rehabilitation of the fort at Alawenat, in conformity with
Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines;
6. Also requests the State Party to report on any progress achieved in the implementation
of the Action Plan developed during the International Meeting on the Safeguarding of
Libyan Cultural Heritage (Tunis, May 2016);
7. Acknowledges the invitation from the State Party for a joint World Heritage
Centre/ICOMOS Reactive Monitoring mission to the property, and encourages it to take
place as soon as the security and other conditions permit;
8. Further requests the State Party to initiate the process to develop a set of corrective
measures and a timeframe for their implementation, as well as the Desired state of
conservation for the removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger
(DSOCR), in collaboration with the World Heritage Centre and Advisory Bodies;
9. Continues to call for an increased mobilization of the international community to provide
financial and technical support to the State Party, including through the UNESCO
Heritage Emergency Fund, to implement the short- and medium- and long-term
measures identified during the 2016 Tunis Meeting;
10. Reiterates its appeal to all States Parties to cooperate in fighting against the illicit
trafficking of cultural property coming from Libya and engaging in the protection of
cultural heritage during armed conflict, as per the United Nations Security Council
Resolution 2347 of March 2017, the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of
Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict and the 1970 Convention on the Means
of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of
Cultural Property, and also acknowledges the efforts of the State Party to ratify the 1995
UNIDROIT Convention on Stolen or Illegally Exported Cultural Objects;
11. Requests furthermore the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 February 2022, 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
45th session;
12. Decides to retain Rock-Art Sites of Tadrart Acacus (Libya) on the List of World
Heritage in Danger.

Decisions adopted during the extended 44th session WHC/21/44.COM/18, p. 33

of the World Heritage Committee
16. Hebron/Al-Khalil Old Town (Palestine) (C 1565)

Decision: 44 COM 7A.16

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having considered Document WHC/21/44.COM/7A.Add.2 and the annex attached to this
decision,
2. Recalling Decisions 42 COM 7A.28, and 43 COM 7A 29, adopted at its 42nd (Manama,
2018) and 43rd (Baku, 2019) sessions respectively,
3. Decides that the status of Hebron/Al-Khalil Old Town relating to the World Heritage
List remains unchanged as reflected in Decision 41 COM 8B.1 of the World Heritage
Committee.

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ANNEX

The World Heritage Committee

44th session of the Committee (44 COM)

1. Having considered Document WHC/21/44.COM/7A.Add.2,

2. Recalling Decision 41 COM 8B.1, adopted at its 41st session (Krakow, 2017), which did
not include a SOUV, and noting that in compliance with Paragraph 154 of the Operational
Guidelines, when deciding to inscribe a property on the World Heritage List, guided by
the Advisory Bodies, the Committee adopts a Statement of Outstanding Universal Value
(SOUV) for the property,
3. Taking note of a preliminary proposed SOUV contained in the state of conservation
report submitted by the State Party,
4. Takes note of the consultations held between experts from UNESCO, the State Party
and the Advisory Bodies, to discuss the proposed Statement of Outstanding Universal
Value (SOUV), the proposed Desired state of conservation for the removal of the
property from the List of World Heritage in Danger (DSOCR), and the related corrective
measures, as well as the proposed Management and Conservation Plan for the property,
and invites the State Party to continue its efforts to finalize the above documents;
5. Decides to consider the examination of a draft SOUV for the property at its 45th session
in 2022;
6. Deplores the ongoing Israeli excavations, works, construction of private roads for settlers
and of a Wall inside the Old City of Al-Khalil/Hebron which are illegal under international
law and harmfully affect the authenticity and integrity of the site, and the subsequent
denial of freedom of movement and freedom of access to places of worship, and asks
Israel, the occupying Power, to end all violations which are not in conformity with the
provisions of relevant UNESCO conventions, resolutions and decisions, and also takes
note of reports regarding new planned projects including an electric elevator;
7. Commends the State Party for the actions which are being taken to conserve significant
attributes of the property;

Decisions adopted during the extended 44th session WHC/21/44.COM/18, p. 34

of the World Heritage Committee
8. Requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, for review by the
Advisory Bodies, detailed information on current conservation and development projects,
particularly projects which have potential adverse impact on heritage, in accordance with
Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines;
9. Also requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February
2022, 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
45th session in 2022;
10. Also decides to retain Hebron/Al-Khalil Old Town (Palestine) on the List of World
Heritage in Danger.

17. Palestine: Land of Olives and Vines – Cultural Landscape of Southern Jerusalem,
Battir (Palestine) (C 1492)

Decision: 44 COM 7A.17

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7A.Add.2,
2. Recalling Decision 43 COM 7A.30 adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
3. Commends the State Party for its efforts to improve the state of conservation of the
property and to implement the corrective measures to achieve the Desired state of
conservation for the removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger
(DSOCR), and in particular concerning the restoration of the irrigation system;
4. Requests the State Party to allocate the necessary resources to ensure the
operationalisation of the management system and the implementation of the
Management Conservation Plan (MCP), and urges the State Party to adopt in the
meantime alternatives to ensure that the Steering Committee and a working group are
established and given a mandate for decision-making and for implementing the MCP;
5. Also urges the State Party to continue seeking the required funds to undertake the
development of a sufficient sewage system as a priority;
6. Encourages the State Party to develop a land-use plan and related bylaws to avoid
uncontrolled urban growth within the property and its buffer zone, with the full
involvement of the municipalities and local communities;
7. Takes note with concern of the reports about ongoing illegal constructions and other
developments and transformations within the property and its buffer zone;
8. Also requests the State Party to inform the World Heritage Centre of any proposed plans
for major restoration or new construction projects that may affect the OUV of the
property, in accordance with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines, before
making any decisions that would be difficult to reverse;
9. Further requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 February 2022, 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
45th session in 2022;
10. Decides to retain Palestine: Land of Olives and Vines – Cultural Landscape of
Southern Jerusalem, Battir (Palestine) on the List of World Heritage in Danger.

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of the World Heritage Committee
18. Ancient City of Aleppo (Syrian Arab Republic) (C 21)

Decision: 44 COM 7A.18

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7A.Add,
2. Recalling Decisions 43 COM 7A.31 and 43 COM 7A.37, adopted at its 43rd session
(Baku, 2019),
3. Taking into account Decision 44 COM 7A.24, on the World Heritage properties of the
Syrian Arab Republic,
4. Notes the efforts mobilized by the State Party for the recovery of the Ancient City of
Aleppo since December 2016, commending the commitment of the Directorate General
of Antiquities and Museums (DGAM), its partners and the local community, encourages
DGAM to continue its efforts in implementing actions outlined in the “Vision and Planning
Framework” for the property, in particular the development of a Reconstruction and
Recovery Master Plan and an updated Management Plan for the property, and
recommends that these should be developed in line with the Recommendation on the
Historic Urban Landscape (UNESCO, 2011) and be carried out in consultation with the
World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies;
5. Reiterates its request that the State Party undertake a detailed risk assessment for
structures most at risk, and undertake necessary emergency measures in order to
enhance the safety of inhabitants;
6. Noting the good quality of the restoration works undertaken at Suq al-Saqatiyya, invites
the State Party and its partners to consider these works as a successful model for other
restoration works;
7. Reminds the State Party of its obligation to submit information on major projects to the
World Heritage Centre, in compliance with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines,
as occurred for the restoration of the minaret of the Great Mosque and the building code
submitted for the evaluation of the Advisory Bodies;
8. Calls again on all States Parties to support the emergency safeguarding and recovery
measures outlined in the “Vision and Planning Framework” for the property, including
through the UNESCO Heritage Emergency Fund;
9. Reiterates the need for the invited joint World Heritage Centre/ICOMOS/ICCROM
Reactive Monitoring mission to be carried out as soon as the situation allows, in order to
proceed with a comprehensive assessment of the state of conservation of the property;
10. Also invites the State Party, the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies to
facilitate the elaboration of a set of corrective measures and a Desired state of
conservation for the removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger
(DSOCR) at the earliest opportunity;
11. Welcomes the regulation issued for the creation of a buffer zone, and also encourages
the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre by 1 February 2022, a proposal
for a minor boundary modification, in accordance with Paragraphs 163-165 of the
Operational Guidelines, for review by ICOMOS;
12. Requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2022,
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 45th session;
13. Decides to retain the Ancient City of Aleppo (Syrian Arab Republic) on the List of
World Heritage in Danger.

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of the World Heritage Committee
19. Ancient City of Bosra (Syrian Arab Republic) (C 22bis)

Decision: 44 COM 7A.19

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7A,
2. Recalling Decisions 43 COM 7A.32 and 43 COM 7A.37, adopted at its 43rd session
(Baku, 2019),
3. Taking into account Decision 44 COM 7A.24, on the World Heritage properties of the
Syrian Arab Republic,
4. Welcomes the high quality works undertaken by the Directorate General of Antiquities
and Museums in the framework of the Emergency International Assistance request
approved in December 2018,
5. Expresses is concern that extensive illegal excavations were carried out at the site and
calls upon the international community to collaborate for the sharing of inventories and
documentation that could facilitate the return of looted objects;
6. Requests the State Party to limit restoration works, including at the Kalybe monument
(Cradle of the King’s Daughter), to first aid interventions until discussions on defining
optimal restoration approaches are carried out, and reiterates its request to the State
Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, for review by ICOMOS, information on any
proposed reconstruction or restoration projects within the property, in conformity with
Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines, before making any decisions that would
be difficult to reverse;
7. Taking note of the submission of the updated building code proposal, also requests the
State Party to review the code in response to the technical review by ICOMOS, and also
welcomes the efforts made towards the recovery of the property, the revitalization of the
urban fabric, and encouraging the return of inhabitants, while providing regulations to
maintain its Outstanding Universal Value (OUV);
8. Calls again on all States Parties to support emergency safeguarding and recovery
measures, including through the UNESCO Heritage Emergency Fund;
9. Reiterates the need for the invited joint World Heritage Centre/ICOMOS/ICCROM
Reactive Monitoring mission to be carried out as soon as the situation allows, in order to
proceed with a comprehensive assessment of the state of conservation of the property;
10. Takes note with satisfaction of the intention by the State Party, the World Heritage Centre
and the Advisory Bodies to pursue elaboration of a set of correctives measures and the
Desired state of conservation for the removal of the property from the List of World
Heritage in Danger (DSOCR), and encourages them to prepare these documents for
examination by the Committee at its 45th session;
11. Further requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February
2022, 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
45th session;
12. Decides to retain the Ancient City of Bosra (Syrian Arab Republic) on the List of
World Heritage in Danger.

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of the World Heritage Committee
20. Ancient City of Damascus (Syrian Arab Republic) (C 20bis)

Decision: 44 COM 7A.20

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7A,
2. Recalling Decisions 43 COM 7A.33 and 43 COM 7A.37, adopted at its 43rd session
(Baku, 2019),
3. Taking into account Decision 44 COM 7A.24 on the World Heritage properties of the
Syrian Arab Republic,
4. Expresses its concern about the collapse of a portion of the outer ancient city wall of the
Ancient City of Damascus, in the area between Bab al-Salam and Bab Touma, and takes
note of the documentation and emergency work undertaken in the framework of the
Emergency Assistance approved in October 2020, to identify and address the reasons
behind the collapse in order to minimize risks;
5. Welcomes the positive results achieved by the State Party in reducing the number of fire
incidents within the property through the effective implementation of the 2013 Emergency
Response Plan and encourages the State Party to further pursue these efforts and to
analyse the reasons behind the fires;
6. Also encourages the State Party to scale-up efforts towards the use of traditional
construction techniques and materials for restoration works, by strengthening the actions
for the establishment of the Centre for the traditional production of building materials
reported to have been established in 2019, as well as through the training of specialized
labour and the enforcement of licensing regulations, in order to address cumulative
potential threats to the authenticity of the property;
7. Further encourages the State Party to continue implementing the recommendations of
the 2016 UNESCO First Aid Support Meeting and the 2016 UNESCO Technical
Assistance Workshop, and to pursue its efforts towards the development of a
Management Plan for the property and to consider applying for an International
Assistance request to this end;
8. Reiterates its request to the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, for review
by ICOMOS, in conformity with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines, information
on any proposed reconstruction and restoration projects within the property before any
irreversible decisions are made;
9. Reiterates the need for the invited joint World Heritage Centre/ICOMOS/ICCROM
Reactive Monitoring mission to be carried out as soon as the situation allows, in order to
enable a comprehensive assessment of the state of conservation of the property;
10. Takes note with satisfaction of the works undertaken by the State Party, the World
Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies for the elaboration of a set of correctives
measures and the Desired state of conservation for the removal of the property from the
List of World Heritage in Danger (DSOCR);
11. Adopts the Desired state of conservation for the removal of the property from the List of
World Heritage in Danger (DSOCR), corrective measures- and timeframe, as follows:
a) Desired state of conservation for the removal of the property from the List of World
Heritage in Danger:
(i) Removal of substantive threats arising from the conflict that started in 2011,

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of the World Heritage Committee
 (ii) Restoration of the deteriorated/compromised attributes, or at least evidence
that the State Party has planned appropriate restoration works and has
initiated the process for each specified damaged building,
(iii) Removal or commitment to removal of illegal or unauthorised development,
(iv) Reinstatement of the property’s protection and management system with,
where necessary, enhanced capacity to ensure it can manage the risks of
the conflict situation and mitigate other indirect risks such as fires, sewage
leaks and illegal constructions in priority areas,
(v) Enhancement of the capacity of the property’s protection and management
system through the development of a Master Plan, to manage additional
factors that threaten the integrity and authenticity of the Outstanding
Universal Value (OUV) of the property,
b) Corrective measures:
- Implemented since 2013:
(i) Restoration of specified damaged buildings based on existing
documentation, including with the involvement of NGOs, the University of
Damascus, the local communities and youth,
(ii) Building control system in place and a technical code for restoration under
development,
(iii) A strategy is developed to mitigate risks linked to electricity and sewage
infrastructure (resulting in fires and water infiltrations), and risks linked to the
deterioration of residences and commercial places, and its implementation is
initiated through studies and partnerships with the local communities, the
University of Damascus, NGOs and craftspeople associations, and by
addressing the issue of traditional material availability,
(iv) The update of the Master plan for the Ancient City of Damascus is initiated,
- Not yet implemented:
(i) Establishment and activation of a legal mechanism for micro-finance loans
and restoration licenses for private properties,
(ii) Organisation of training workshops for craftspeople and support the provision
of traditional material,
(iii) Continuation of the implementation of the risk mitigation strategy aiming at
mitigating risks linked to electricity and sewage infrastructure in priority
areas,
(iv) Approval and initiation of the implementation of the Master Plan,
(v) Strengthening fundraising efforts and enhance cooperation with local
communities, NGOs and Damascus University, for risk mitigation and the
implementation of the Master Plan,
c) Timeframe for the implementation of the corrective measures:
The implementation of corrective measures should be completed within a period
of three years;
12. Calls upon the international community to support the State Party in the implementation
of the above-mentioned corrective measures;
13. Also requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February
2022, an updated report on the state of conservation of the property and the

Decisions adopted during the extended 44th session WHC/21/44.COM/18, p. 39

of the World Heritage Committee
 implementation of the above, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its
45th session;
14. Decides to retain the Ancient City of Damascus (Syrian Arab Republic) on the List
of World Heritage in Danger.

21. Ancient villages of Northern Syria (Syrian Arab Republic) (C 1348)

Decision: 44 COM 7A.21

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7A,
2. Recalling Decisions 43 COM 7A.34 and 43 COM 7A.37, adopted at its 43rd session
(Baku, 2019),
3. Taking into account Decision 44 COM 7A.24, on the World Heritage properties of the
Syrian Arab Republic,
4. Expresses its great concern about the situation at the property, in particular the presence
of armed groups, illegal excavation and looting activities in and around the property, and
the lack of detailed information on damage incurred;
5. Calls again on all parties involved in the conflict to refrain from any action that could
cause further damage to the property, including through its use for military or other
purposes;
6. Also calls again on all States Parties to support emergency safeguarding and recovery
measures, including through the UNESCO Heritage Emergency Fund;
7. Reiterates the need for the invited joint World Heritage Centre/ICOMOS/ICCROM
Reactive Monitoring mission to be carried out as soon as the security situation allows, in
order to proceed with a comprehensive assessment of the state of conservation of the
property;
8. Requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2022,
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 45th session;
9. Decides to retain the Ancient Villages of Northern Syria (Syrian Arab Republic) on
the List of World Heritage in Danger.

22. Crac des chevaliers and Qal’at Salah El-Din (Syrian Arab Republic) (C 1229)

Decision: 44 COM 7A.22

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7A,
2. Recalling Decisions 43 COM 7A.35 and 43 COM 7A.37, adopted at its 43rd session
(Baku, 2019),
3. Taking into account Decision 44 COM 7A.24 on the World Heritage properties of the
Syrian Arab Republic,
4. Welcomes the cancellation of the Cable Car project at Qal’at Salah El-Din by the State
Party, and notes the intention to create tourism trails around the site;

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of the World Heritage Committee
5. Also welcomes the works carried out by the State Party, through its Directorate General
of Antiquities and Museums of Syria (DGAM), in the framework of the International
Assistance requests approved in February 2019 for the Crac des Chevaliers and in
March 2020 for Qal’at Salah El-Din, which will contribute to the development of a
conservation Management Plan and Master Plan for the property and its surroundings;
and encourages the State Party to include a Risk Management Plan for the property and
its buffer zone;
6. Reminds the State Party of its obligations to submit to the World Heritage Centre, for
review by ICOMOS, information on the proposed creation of tourism trails around the
castle at Qal’at Salah El-Din and any proposed reconstruction or restoration project
within the property and its buffer zone, in line with Paragraph 172 of the Operational
Guidelines;
7. Calls again on all States Parties to support emergency safeguarding and recovery
measures, including through the UNESCO Heritage Emergency Fund;
8. Takes note with satisfaction of the initiation by the State Party, the World Heritage Centre
and the Advisory Bodies of a process for the elaboration of a set of corrective measures
and the Desired state of conservation for the removal of the property from the List of
World Heritage in Danger (DSOCR);
9. Reiterates the need for the invited joint World Heritage Centre/ICOMOS/ICCROM
Reactive Monitoring mission to be carried out as soon as the situation allows, in order to
proceed with a comprehensive assessment of the state of conservation of the property;
10. Requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2022,
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 45th session;
11. Decides to retain the Crac des Chevaliers and Qal’at Salah El-Din (Syrian Arab
Republic) on the List of World Heritage in Danger.

23. Site of Palmyra (Syrian Arab Republic) (C 23bis)

Decision: 44 COM 7A.23

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7A,
2. Recalling Decisions 43 COM 7A.36 and 43 COM 7A.37, adopted at its 43rd session
(Baku, 2019),
3. Taking into account Decision 44 COM 7A.24, on the World Heritage properties of the
Syrian Arab Republic,
4. Expresses its concern that extensive illegal excavation took place at the site and calls
upon the international community to collaborate for the sharing of inventories and
documentation that could facilitate the return of looted objects;
5. Also expresses its concern that monuments at the property remain at serious risk of
further collapse owing to lack of funding for emergency interventions including
consolidation works;
6. Takes notes of the technical meeting, organized by the World Heritage Centre in
December 2019, which elaborated a set of recommendations on optimal approaches for
the recovery of the site with the international community of experts, and in particular
highlighting the necessity to:

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of the World Heritage Committee
 a) Urgently undertake emergency interventions at damaged monuments,
b) Carry out detailed assessment of damaged structures as well as of the property as
a whole,
c) Make utmost use of modern technologies and digitized inventories for the benefit
of scientific studies and documentation,
d) Refrain from reconstructing any monument in the immediate future, with the
exception of the rehabilitation of the Site Museum that should be planned within a
holistic approach that takes into consideration the interpretation of all values
associated with the site,
e) Instigate the preparation of an integrated conservation management plan through
a comprehensive participatory value-based approach, to include policies,
strategies and actions to ensure the sustainable conservation of the property, also
taking into consideration the oasis setting,
f) Continue to encourage, by all means, the return of local communities,
g) Support the creation of an International Scientific Task Force for the recovery of
the property;
7. Expresses its appreciation to the Russian Federation for organizing the conference on
the recovery of Palmyra at the State Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg;
8. Requests the State Party to implement the above-mentioned recommendations of the
UNESCO technical meeting, and the recommendations of the 2016 UNESCO Technical
Assistance Workshop, in particular concerning the emergency consolidation measures,
and to seek funding to support these activities;
9. Reiterates its request to the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, for review
by ICOMOS, information on any proposed reconstruction or restoration projects within
the property, including the proposed restoration of the Triumphal Arch, in conformity with
Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines, before making any decisions that would
be difficult to reverse;
10. Calls again on all States Parties to support emergency safeguarding and recovery
measures, including through the UNESCO Heritage Emergency Fund;
11. Reiterates the need for the invited joint World Heritage Centre/ICOMOS/ICCROM
Reactive Monitoring mission to be carried out as soon as the situation allows, in order to
proceed with a comprehensive assessment of the state of conservation of the property
and the elaboration of a set of corrective measures and a Desired state of conservation
for the removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger (DSOCR), for
examination by the Committee at its 45th session;
12. Also requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February
2022, 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
45th session;
13. Decides to retain the Site of Palmyra (Syrian Arab Republic) on the List of World
Heritage in Danger.

Decisions adopted during the extended 44th session WHC/21/44.COM/18, p. 42

of the World Heritage Committee
24. General Decision on the World Heritage properties of the Syrian Arab Republic

Decision: 44 COM 7A.24

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7A.Add,
2. Recalling Decision 43 COM 7A.37, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
3. Deplores the continued conflict situation prevailing in some parts of the country, the loss
of human life and the degradation of humanitarian conditions;
4. Taking note of the reports provided by the State Party regarding the state of conservation
of the six Syrian World Heritage properties and the sites included on the national
Tentative List, commends the Directorate General of Antiquities and Museums (DGAM)
and all heritage professionals and local communities in Syria who are working on
monitoring and protecting cultural heritage, for their sustained efforts amidst extremely
difficult conditions, but expresses its utmost concern about the damage incurred and the
threats facing these properties and cultural heritage in general;
5. Urges again all parties associated with the situation in Syria to refrain from any action
that would cause further damage to the country’s cultural heritage, and to fulfil their
obligations under international law, in particular the United Nations Security Council
Resolution 2347 of March 2017, by taking all possible measures to protect such heritage,
including preventing any damage that may result from targeting World Heritage
properties, sites included in the national Tentative List and other cultural heritage sites;
6. Also urges the State Party and the international community to include recovery actions
of cultural heritage properties within the overall humanitarian, security and peace building
response, and support recovery plans that promote community participation,
sustainability and inclusion;
7. Further urges the State Party to safeguard damaged properties through minimal first aid
interventions to prevent theft, further collapse and natural degradation, and to refrain
from undertaking conservation and restoration work until the situation allows for the
development of comprehensive conservation strategies and actions that respond to
international standards, in full consultation with the World Heritage Centre and the
Advisory Bodies;
8. Takes note with satisfaction of the works initiated by the World Heritage Centre and the
Advisory Bodies for the elaboration of a set of corrective measures and the Desired state
of conservation for the removal from the List of World Heritage in Danger (DSOCR) of
some of the Syrian properties;
9. Reiterates its appeal to all States Parties to cooperate in fighting against the illicit
trafficking of cultural property coming from Syria as per the United Nations Security
Council Resolution 2199 of February 2015, and, in engaging in the protection of cultural
heritage during armed conflict as per the United Nations Security Council Resolution
2347 of March 2017, and reiterates its suggestion to the State Party to consider ratifying
the Second Protocol (1999) of the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural
Property in the Event of Armed Conflict;
10. Requests the State Party to pursue the systematic documentation of all damage incurred
at World Heritage properties, whenever conditions allow, to implement all possible risk
mitigation measures;
11. Reminds the State Party about the need to submit to the World Heritage Centre, for
examination by the Advisory Bodies, information on any future plans for major restoration
or new construction projects, including infrastructure development projects, that may

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of the World Heritage Committee
 affect the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of World Heritage properties, in conformity
with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines, before making any decisions that
would be difficult to reverse;
12. Reiterates its call upon the international community to further support the safeguarding
of Syrian cultural heritage through earmarked funds or through contributions to the
UNESCO Heritage Emergency Fund;
13. Also reiterates its call upon the international and national cultural heritage professionals
to unite for the safeguarding of Syria’s cultural heritage, and to pursue their ongoing
initiatives in coordination with UNESCO;
14. Also requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February
2022, an updated report on the state of conservation of the properties and the
implementation of the above, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its
45th session.

25. Historic Town of Zabid (Yemen) (C 611)

Decision: 44 COM 7A.25

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7A.Add,
2. Recalling Decision 43 COM 7A.38, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
3. Expresses its continuing concern that the Historic Town of Zabid has incurred irreversible
destruction and continues to be vulnerable, owing to the current security situation,
ongoing social change and continuing limited support and resources for both heritage
management and physical conservation;
4. Commends the efforts of the local actors, as well as international agencies, on initiatives
undertaken to protect the attributes which contribute to the Outstanding Universal Value
(OUV) of the property and to restore individual buildings;
5. Requests the State Party to consult with UNESCO and the Advisory Bodies, to prioritise
urgent maintenance and stabilization actions, to restore damaged buildings, based on
surveys and documentation, using traditional construction techniques and materials, and
to ensure that construction permits are in compliance with building regulations to avoid
incremental impact on OUV;
6. Welcomes the finalization of the first phase of the ‘Cash for Work: Promoting Livelihood
Opportunities for Urban Youth in Yemen’ project, and encourages the continued
collaboration with the UNESCO Doha Office in its implementation;
7. Recalls the obligation to submit information on major projects to the World Heritage
Centre, in compliance with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines, for the
evaluation of the Advisory Bodies, and also requests information regarding the reported
planned removal of shops in the vicinity of Al-Ashair Mosque;
8. Further requests the State Party to report on progress with the National Strategy for the
Preservation of the Historic Cities, Sites and Monuments 2016 – 2020, and the
implementation of the Emergency Action Plan for the Safeguarding of Yemen’s Cultural
Heritage, adopted at the UNESCO expert meeting in July 2015;
9. Also encourages the State Party to elaborate proposals for a boundary clarification and
a minor boundary modification in close coordination with UNESCO Doha Office, and in

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of the World Heritage Committee
 consultation with the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies, to be submitted in
line with Paragraph 164 of the Operational Guidelines;
10. Reiterates the need for a joint World Heritage Centre/ICOMOS Reactive Monitoring
mission to advise on repair and conservation works, and to contribute to determining the
Desired state of conservation for the removal of the property from the List of World
Heritage in Danger (DSOCR), and the development of a set of corrective measures and
a timeframe for their implementation, as soon as the security situation in Yemen allows;
11. Continues to urge all parties involved in the conflict to refrain from any further action that
would cause damage to the cultural heritage of Yemen and the OUV of the property, and
to fulfil their obligations under international law, in particular the 1954 Hague Convention
for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict, by taking all
possible measures to protect such heritage, especially sites on the World Heritage List
and those included in the Tentative List of Yemen, and appeals to all States Parties to
cooperate in the protection of cultural heritage during armed conflict as per the United
Nations Security Council Resolution 2347;
12. Further encourages the State Party to consider ratifying the Second Protocol (1999) of
the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed
Conflict;
13. Reiterates its previous calls to the international community to provide technical and
financial support, including through the UNESCO Heritage Emergency Fund, for the
implementation of the Emergency Action Plan for the Safeguarding of Yemen’s Cultural
Heritage, adopted at the UNESCO expert meeting in July 2015, including funding for
capacity building and first-aid restoration and protection measures;
14. Further requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 February 2022, 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
45th session;
15. Decides to retain Historic Town of Zabid (Yemen) on the List of World Heritage in
Danger.

26. Old City of Sana’a (Yemen) (C 385)

Decision: 44 COM 7A.26

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7A.Add,
2. Recalling Decision 43 COM 7A.39, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
3. Commends the efforts of local actors and other parties in the initiatives undertaken in
capacity building, awareness raising, damage assessment, documentation and
emergency interventions at the property, and requests that they continue in consultation
with UNESCO and the Advisory Bodies, to prioritise urgent stabilization actions, and to
restore damaged buildings, based on surveys and documentation, using traditional
construction techniques and materials, in order to avoid incrementally affecting the
Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property;
4. Welcomes the effective implementation of the ‘Cash for Work: Promoting Livelihood
Opportunities for Urban Youth in Yemen’ and encourages the continued collaboration
with the UNESCO Doha Office to continue its implementation;

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of the World Heritage Committee
5. Expresses its continuing concern that the Old City of Sana’a has incurred irreversible
destruction and continues to be vulnerable, owing to the current security situation,
ongoing social change and continuing limited support and resources for both heritage
management and physical conservation;
6. Recalls the obligation to submit information on major projects to the World Heritage
Centre, in compliance with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines, for review by
the Advisory Bodies, and also requests that information is provided to the World Heritage
Centre regarding the Great Mosque of Sana'a and Al-Nahareen Mosque, including any
future plans;
7. Further requests the State Party to report on progress with the National Strategy for the
Preservation of the Historic Cities, Sites and Monuments 2016 – 2020, and the
implementation of the Emergency Action Plan for the Safeguarding of Yemen’s Cultural
Heritage, adopted at the UNESCO expert meeting in July 2015;
8. Also encourages the State Party to elaborate proposals for a boundary clarification and
a minor boundary modification in close coordination with the UNESCO Doha Office, and
in consultation with the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies, to be submitted
in line with Paragraph 164 of the Operational Guidelines;
9. Reiterates the need for a joint World Heritage Centre/ICOMOS Reactive Monitoring
mission to advise on repair and conservation works, and to contribute to determining the
Desired state of conservation for the removal of the property from the List of World
Heritage in Danger (DSOCR), and the development of a set of corrective measures and
a timeframe for their implementation, as soon as the security situation in Yemen allows;
10. Continues to urge all parties involved in the conflict to refrain from any further action that
would cause damage to the cultural heritage of Yemen and the OUV of the property and
to fulfil their obligations under international law, in particular the 1954 Hague Convention
for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict, by taking all
possible measures to protect such heritage, especially sites on the World Heritage List
and those included in the Tentative List of Yemen, and appeals to all States Parties to
cooperate in the protection of cultural heritage during armed conflict as per the United
Nations Security Council Resolution 2347;
11. Further encourages the State Party to consider ratifying the Second Protocol (1999) of
the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed
Conflict;
12. Reiterates its previous calls to the international community to provide technical and
financial support, including through the UNESCO Heritage Emergency Fund, for the
implementation of the Emergency Action Plan for the Safeguarding of Yemen’s Cultural
Heritage, adopted at the UNESCO expert meeting in July 2015, including funding for
capacity building and first-aid restoration and protection measures;
13. Requests furthermore the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 February 2022, 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
45th session;
14. Decides to retain Old City of Sana'a (Yemen) on the List of World Heritage in
Danger.

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of the World Heritage Committee
27. Old Walled City of Shibam (Yemen) (C 192)

Decision: 44 COM 7A.27

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7A.Add,
2. Recalling Decision 43 COM 7A.40 adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
3. Commends the efforts of the local actors and community to protect and conserve the
property, despite the very difficult conditions;
4. Expresses its continuing concern about the damage caused to the property as a result
of natural elements and the ongoing armed conflict, and that the property continues to
be vulnerable, owing to the residual impact of previous flooding as well as the current
security situation, ongoing social change and continuing lack of organizational support
and resources for both heritage management and physical conservation;
5. Welcomes the initiation of the ‘Cash for Work: Promoting Livelihood Opportunities for
Urban Youth in Yemen’ project, and encourages the continued collaboration with the
UNESCO Doha Office in its implementation;
6. Regrets that the ‘Shibam Oasis Development Project’ was not referred to the World
Heritage Centre for review by the Advisory Bodies, in accordance with Paragraph 172 of
the Operational Guidelines, as previously requested by the Committee, and also regrets
that this project does not appear to have fulfilled its aims of dual irrigation, protecting
Shibam from flooding, and developing agricultural diversity;
7. Requests the State Party to submit the report ‘Conservation Status of Shibam
Hadramout 2018 – 2019, Strategy for the Management of the Historic City of Shibam’,
as well as full details regarding the works undertaken at Siwan Palace and the
government building, to the World Heritage Centre for review by the Advisory Bodies, in
accordance with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines;
8. Also requests the State Party to report on progress with the National Strategy for the
Preservation of the Historic Cities, Sites and Monuments 2016 – 2020, and the
implementation of the Emergency Action Plan for the Safeguarding of Yemen’s Cultural
Heritage, adopted at the UNESCO expert meeting in July 2015;
9. Also encourages the State Party to elaborate proposals for a boundary clarification and
a minor boundary modification in close coordination with UNESCO Doha Office, and in
consultation with the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies, to be submitted in
line with Paragraph 164 of the Operational Guidelines;
10. Reiterates the need for a joint World Heritage Centre/ICOMOS Reactive Monitoring
mission to advise on repair and conservation works, and to contribute to determining the
Desired state of conservation for the removal of the property from the List of World
Heritage in Danger (DSOCR), and the development of a set of corrective measures and
a timeframe for their implementation, as soon as the security situation in Yemen allows;
11. Continues to urge all parties involved in the conflict to refrain from any further action that
would cause damage to the cultural heritage of Yemen and the Outstanding Universal
Value (OUV) of the property and to fulfil their obligations under international law, in
particular the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event
of Armed Conflict, by taking all possible measures to protect such heritage, especially
sites on the World Heritage List and those included in the Tentative List of Yemen and
appeals to all States Parties to cooperate in the protection of cultural heritage during
armed conflict as per the United Nations Security Council Resolution 2347;

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of the World Heritage Committee
12. Further encourages the State Party to consider ratifying the Second Protocol (1999) of
the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed
Conflict;
13. Reiterates its previous calls to the international community to provide technical and
financial support, including through the UNESCO Heritage Emergency Fund, for the
implementation of the Emergency Action Plan for the Safeguarding of Yemen’s Cultural
Heritage, adopted at the UNESCO expert meeting in July 2015, including funding for
capacity building and first-aid restoration and protection measures;
14. Further requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 February 2022, 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
45th session;
15. Decides to retain Old Walled City of Shibam (Yemen) on the List of World Heritage
in Danger.

ASIA AND PACIFIC

28. Cultural Landscape and Archaeological Remains of the Bamiyan Valley

(Afghanistan) (C 208 rev)

Decision: 44 COM 7A.28

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7A,
2. Recalling Decisions 42 COM 7A.1 and 43 COM 7A.41 adopted at its 42nd (Manama,
2018) and the 43rd (Baku, 2019) sessions respectively,
3. Welcomes the steps taken by the State Party to ensure due consultations with relevant
stakeholders, including local communities, and strongly encourages it to continue such
outreach activities and inscribe consultation mechanisms as a permanent component of
the management system;
4. Acknowledges the submission of the Strategic Master Plan (SMP) for Bamiyan,
developed in 2018 with the support of the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation
and Florence University (Italy), and requests that the State Party further develop the
SMP, taking into account the recommendations of the ICOMOS Technical Review;
5. Noting that details on the traffic plan and bypass road project were provided, as
requested at earlier sessions, takes note with great concern of the reported completion
of the construction of the road in Tepe Almas near Shahr-i-Gholghola, and also requests
the State Party to take the advice of the ICOMOS Technical Review into consideration,
to fully comply with the provisions of Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines, and
not to take any decision that would be difficult to reverse before obtaining the approval
of the Committee;
6. Also requests the State Party to provide the World Heritage Centre with information
about any restoration and proposed projects and their potential impact on the OUV of
the property, including detailed information on Heritage Impact Assessments (HIAs),
prepared in conformity with the 2011 ICOMOS Guidelines on HIAs for World Heritage
cultural properties, and in line with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines, for
review by the Advisory Bodies;

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of the World Heritage Committee
7. Also welcomes the submission of the draft Action Plan for Bamiyan, prepared by the
Technical Working Committee (TWC) in conjunction with new funding from the
Government of Japan, notes with satisfaction the TWC’s suggestion to prioritize the
removal of Bamiyan from the List of World Heritage in Danger over reconstruction efforts,
and urges the Afghan authorities to revise the Action Plan and the timeline for its
implementation in order to achieve the Desired state of conservation for the removal of
the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger (DSOCR) as soon as possible, in
close consultation with the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies, and to work
towards its full implementation;
8. Thanks the Government of Japan for supporting activities towards the removal of the
property from the List of World Heritage in Danger by providing funding through
UNESCO, encourages all stakeholders to make full use of the support provided by this
project to strengthen the involvement of the Afghan authorities and the fostering of a
sense of ownership of all processes at the property, and to develop a cost projection for
the implementation of the agreed Action Plan to achieve the DSOCR, and further
requests that the technical assignments and work plan for the project funded by Japan
be submitted to the World Heritage Centre for review by the Advisory Bodies as soon as
possible;
9. Also notes with satisfaction the State Party’s efforts to increase site security, reiterates
that the successful management of the property is dependent on sustainable financial
and human resources, and also encourages the State Party to prepare a long-term
strategy to ensure that the necessary resources for the most important operations
towards the removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger and its
sustainable management are continuously available;
10. Reaffirms its support to the Afghan people on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the
destruction of the Buddha statues, expresses again its strong commitment to stand
together in protecting and safeguarding our shared cultural heritage, and reiterates its
call to the international community to provide further technical and financial support in
order to assist the State Party in achieving the DSOCR for the property;
11. Regrets that, despite earlier requests, no information was provided on progress with the
Bamiyan Cultural Centre and its planned use, and also strongly encourages the State
Party to use this on-site facility to enhance the interpretation of the World Heritage
property, providing information on its tangible as well as associative heritage values;
12. Requests furthermore the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 February 2022, 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
45th session;
13. Decides to retain the Cultural Landscape and Archaeological Remains of the
Bamiyan Valley (Afghanistan) on the List of World Heritage in Danger.

29. Minaret and Archaeological Remains of Jam (Afghanistan) (C 211 rev)

Decision: 44 COM 7A.29

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7A,
2. Recalling Decision 43 COM 7A.42 adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),

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of the World Heritage Committee
3. Welcomes the efforts made by the State Party to address the critical situation caused by
the floods of May 2019, the deployment of security forces and the planning of future
actions;
4. Notes with serious concern however the continued lack of sustainable financial
resources and the alarming security situation, which, combined with natural disasters,
brought another layer of difficulties in implementing conservation work based upon the
2017 Conservation Action Plan (CAP) and the corrective measures adopted by the
Committee;
5. Urges the State Party to seek the necessary means to implement the following:
a) Installation of a monitoring instrument on the Minaret of Jam to measure its
inclination,
b) Emergency stabilization work for the wooden staircases, in order to prevent further
destabilization of the minaret’s structure,
c) Construction of a footbridge over the Hari Rud and the reconstruction of the site
office at the property, in order to improve access to the property and site security;
d) Ensure the completion of the emergency cleaning of sediment from the riverbeds
and the reconstruction of the damaged retaining wall, as well as the
implementation of preventive measures such as the extension of gabion walls, tree
planting, and monitoring of the height and flow of the Hari Rud and Jam Rud rivers;
6. Also notes with concern that action for emergency stabilization work for the wooden
staircases of the property, established on the basis of the documentation work of
September 2017, was delayed to 2020, but acknowledges the efforts of the State Party
to establish the overall action plan, in cooperation with relevant government
organizations and the UNESCO Office in Kabul;
7. Regrets that the boundaries of the property and its buffer zone still remain to be precisely
defined, and reiterates its request to the State Party to submit to the World Heritage
Centre, by 1 February 2022, a proposal for a Minor Boundary Modification, taking into
consideration the topographical map produced in 2012 to facilitate the delineation of
these boundaries, in conformity with the CAP and in accordance with Paragraphs 163-
164 of the Operational Guidelines;
8. Notes with satisfaction that the International Alliance for the Protection of Heritage in
Conflict Areas (ALIPH) has made available USD 1.92 million to support the
implementation of the CAP, which is part of the strategy to implement the corrective
measures adopted in Decision 31 COM 7A.20 (Christchurch, 2007) for the property;
9. Requests the State Party to sustainably allocate the necessary financial and human
resources for the safeguarding of the property through its national budget and, to this
end, strongly encourages the State Party to seek external funding, such as International
Assistance under the World Heritage Fund and other extra-budgetary resources, to
address conservation issues at the property, including the boundary modification, the
establishment of the overall action plan of CAP as well as capacity building;
10. Reiterates its call to the international community to provide technical and financial
support for the safeguarding of the property, in cooperation with the World Heritage
Centre and the Advisory Bodies;
11. Also requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 February 2022, 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
45th session;
12. Decides to retain the Minaret and Archaeological Remains of Jam (Afghanistan)
on the list of World Heritage in Danger.

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of the World Heritage Committee
30. Nan Madol: Ceremonial Centre of Eastern Micronesia (Micronesia, Federated
States of) (C 1503)

Decision: 44 COM 7A.30

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7A,
2. Recalling Decision 43 COM 7A.43 adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
3. Welcomes the updated information provided by the State Party concerning the efforts to
establish an effective management and protection system for the property, and to
address the urgent pressures and threats affecting its state of conservation;
4. Notes with satisfaction that funds for a two-year implementation programme are being
sought from the US Department of State through its “Ambassadors Fund for Cultural
Preservation Large Grants Program”;
5. Notes that the State Party provides very few details on the stonework, which is the key
attribute of Outstanding Universal Value (OUV), and that reinstating fallen masonry is
likely to be impossible given the size of the columns and boulders and might be
proscribed by their cultural context;
6. Considers that a non-intervention policy cannot be supported if, over time, this will lead
to the attrition of attributes, and requests the State Party as a matter of urgency to
determine which parts of the stonework can be safely monitored and which parts need
interventions to ensure their safety and stability;
7. Also welcomes the development of a Sustainable Conservation Plan that aims to allow
the property to achieve sustainability in relation to vegetation management, site
management and interpretation through short-, medium- and longer-term actions over
five years, but urges the State Party to ensure that this addresses the complex interaction
between deterioration of stonework, vegetation and canal management, and requests
the State Party to provide feedback on this issue in its future state of conservation report,
as masonry stability and resilience is closely related to access issues;
8. Notes with concern that the recent report from the Cultural Site Research and
Management (CSRM) Foundation confirms that the property is deteriorating at an
alarming rate, despite the progress made to address some of the most urgent pressures,
and highlights the fact that vegetation encroachment is the main cause of masonry
deterioration, all of which underscores the need for the Sustainable Conservation Plan;
9. Reiterates its request to the State Party to develop a Sustainable Tourism Strategy as
soon as possible and submit it to the World Heritage Centre for review by the Advisory
Bodies;
10. Regrets that work on the development of a tourist resort on Nahnningo Island (in the
buffer zone) has commenced in advance of this strategy and without a Heritage Impact
Assessment (HIA) being developed, also requests the State Party to halt the
development of this proposed tourism resort until the HIA has been developed and the
issues raised in the ICOMOS technical review have been addressed, and further
requests the State Party to submit the HIA to the World Heritage Centre for review by
the Advisory Bodies before work resumes;
11. Strongly encourages the State Party to regularly provide updated information to the
World Heritage Centre, and to continue these efforts as a matter of high priority,
including:
a) Establishing a long-term commitment to the post of ‘Property Manager’,

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of the World Heritage Committee
 b) Finalizing and approving legislation LB392 to provide legal protection to the
property and establish the Nan Madol Trust,
c) Completing and finalizing the Sustainable Conservation Plan, Site Management
Plan and Interpretation Plan for the property, and submitting them to the World
Heritage Centre for review by the Advisory Bodies,
d) Developing the Tourism Plan and implementing a sustainable tourism programme
that includes activities and destinations beyond the property, and submitting this
plan to the World Heritage Centre for review by the Advisory Bodies,
e) Establishing processes for HIAs as part of the management system,
f) Implementing the short-term actions identified for vegetation management in the
highest priority areas of the property,
g) Developing measures to clear the canals and improve their hydrology,
h) Developing and implementing, as part of the management plan, a system to
monitor the health of the mangroves;
12. Notes furthermore the need for continuing international cooperation and partnerships to
develop the long-term capacity of the State Party, Pohnpei State and local communities
to conserve and manage the property, and encourages the State Party to continue to
develop collaborations that will enable the creation of a dedicated capacity-building
programme, as recommended by the 2018 Reactive Monitoring mission and the draft
Conservation Plan;
13. Requests furthermore the State Party to provide to the World Heritage Centre detailed
information on any project that may have an impact on the OUV of the property and on
any HIAs carried out according to the 2011 ICOMOS Guidance on HIAs for World
Heritage cultural properties, and in accordance with Paragraph 172 of the Operational
Guidelines, for review by the Advisory Bodies, before any decision is made that would
be difficult to reverse and/or any project is implemented;
14. Calls upon the international community to provide technical and financial support for the
safeguarding of the property, in cooperation with the World Heritage Centre and the
Advisory Bodies;
15. Requests moreover the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 February 2022, 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
45th session;
16. Decides to retain Nan Madol: Ceremonial Centre of Eastern Micronesia
(Micronesia (Federated States of)) on the List of World Heritage in Danger.

31. Historic Centre of Shakhrisyabz (Uzbekistan) (C 885)

Decision: 44 COM 7A.31

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7A.Add,
2. Recalling Decisions 40 COM 7B.48, 41 COM 7A.57, and 42 COM 7A.4, adopted at its
40th (Istanbul/UNESCO, 2016), 41st (Krakow, 2017), and 42nd (Manama, 2018)
sessions respectively, and Decision 43 COM 7A.44 adopted at its 43rd session (Baku,
2019), in which the Committee decided “to allow the State Party two years to explore
possible options for a significant boundary modification or a new nomination, and at the

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of the World Heritage Committee
 end of this period, to consider once again whether the property should be retained on
the World Heritage List for a further period to allow time, if by then a clear direction of
travel has been articulated, or to delete the property altogether”, and that in exploring
options, the State Party “should undertake further research and documentation and
develop a restoration plan, in order to provide sufficient details to allow assessment of
the potential for each option to justify OUV [Outstanding Universal Value], before any
work is undertaken on a significant boundary modification in compliance with
Paragraphs 165 and 166 of the Operational Guidelines or on a new nomination”, and
further stated that the State Party is encouraged to “request upstream support in relation
to the potential for a significant boundary modification or a new nomination to justify
OUV”;
3. Notes that the State Party has created a Working Group, is drafting an Action Plan to
implement the Committee’s past decisions and, in particular, is exploring the possibility
of two options for a potential Significant Boundary Modification, as suggested by the
Committee, with a preference for the option related to key elements of Timurid urbanism
including the urban fabric of the mahallas, and that international professionals have been
invited to assist in developing a draft outline of the preferred option for the way forward,
based on detailed research and assessment, and that the Working Group will not
complete its work until 31 December 2021;
4. Expresses its concern that the State Party could not submit, by the deadline of
1 February 2021, an outline option proposal for a significant boundary modification that
might have the potential to justify OUV, and also notes that the State Party has explained
this delay in relation to the global situation caused by the COVID-19 pandemic;
5. Agrees to extend the deadline by one year, and requests the State Party to submit to the
World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2022, details of a proposal for the preferred option
and its potential to justify OUV, together with its implications in terms of restoration and
conservation, for review by the Advisory Bodies and consideration at its 45th session;
6. Reiterates its intention to decide at its 45th session, in line with Decision 43 COM 7A.44
and following consideration of a submitted option proposal, whether:
a) The option proposal has adequately indicated the potential to justify OUV, and the
State Party should thus be encouraged to submit a detailed proposal for a
Significant Boundary Modification, in line with Paragraphs 165-166 of the
Operational Guidelines, or a new Nomination, or
b) The details and assessment provided for the option selected do not adequately
indicate the potential to justify OUV, and the property should thus be removed from
the World Heritage List;
7. Also reiterates its request to the State Party to ensure that the outline proposal of the
selected option is fully supported by adequate documentation and analysis of the urban
form, its history and evolution, on the detailed form and characteristic of traditional
houses, and on the comparison between what exists now and what existed before the
recent demolitions;
8. Further notes that, as the State Party’s report and the additional map submitted on
17 February 2020 indicate, possibilities are being explored that include the ‘restoration
of the traditional setting of the streets in the historic period’, the restoration of traditional
houses and the development of new (restored) traditional houses in the empty space
created by recent demolition, and considering that these could have an impact on the
property’s authenticity and integrity, reiterates its encouragement to the State Party to
request upstream advice in the assessment of the options and development of the
restoration plan, to be submitted to the Committee;
9. Welcomes the ban on any new construction at the property, but notes with concern that,
after re-housing residents, three locally protected, 19th-century traditional houses were

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of the World Heritage Committee
 torn down after ‘measuring, study and preparation of the passports’ with the apparent
intention of building new ‘traditional houses’ to a similar design, and therefore further
reiterates its request to retain a complete building moratorium in the property, including
for construction and restoration projects, until the outline proposal for the selected option
for Significant Boundary Modification has been considered by the Committee;
10. Encourages the State Party to ensure that the proposed Restoration Plan encompasses
the mahallas, conservation works and new building, but strongly discourages an
approach that relies on rebuilding copies of demolished buildings;
11. Reiterates furthermore its request to the State Party to implement its recommendations
for the conservation of the Ak-Saray Palace tiles, develop a conservation strategy and
submit it to the World Heritage Centre for review by the Advisory Bodies before any work
is undertaken;
12. Reiterates moreover its request to the State Party to implement the recommendations of
the December 2016 and January 2019 Reactive Monitoring missions to the property;
13. Also encourages the State Party to pursue the establishment and operation of the
International Advisory Committee (IAC) for all cultural World Heritage properties in
Uzbekistan, which can advise on the conservation of the property and implementation of
Committee decisions and previous missions recommendations;
14. Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 February 2022, 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
45th session;
15. Decides to retain Historic Centre of Shakhrisyabz (Uzbekistan) on the List of World
Heritage in Danger.

EUROPE AND NORTH AMERICA

32. Historic Centre of Vienna (Austria) (C 1033)

Decision: 44 COM 7A.32

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7A.Add,
2. Recalling Decision 43 COM 7A.45, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
3. Welcomes the significant progress made by the State Party in implementing previous
Committee decisions and progressing towards the removal of the property from the List
of World Heritage in Danger and, in particular:
a) The programme for protection of World Heritage announced by the Austrian
Government in January 2020, including anchoring of World Heritage properties in
the Austrian legal system, sustainable protection and preservation of cultural
heritage, and commitment to UNESCO Conventions on Cultural Diversity and the
Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage,
b) Progress towards completion of a new Management Plan for the property,
c) Extension of the coverage of the roof cadastre and its proposed implementation
process through the new Management Plan;

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of the World Heritage Committee
4. Also welcomes the decision not to proceed with the proposed Heumarkt – Ice Skating
Club – Vienna Concert Hall tower block as planned, further welcomes the process
initiated to develop and evaluate alternative variants for the design and requests the
State Party to ensure that the proposed additional visual study assesses the new design
and potential impact on the property, having regard to the findings of the 2018 High Level
Joint UNESCO/ICOMOS Advisory mission, and that a new Heritage Impact Assessment
(HIA) is prepared using precisely the same data, methodology and format of the 2019
HIA;
5. Also requests the State Party to ensure that the new Management Plan for the property
is submitted for review by the World Heritage Centre and Advisory Bodies prior to its
finalisation and implementation, and that it addresses the findings and recommendations
of the 2018 Advisory mission;
6. Reminds the State Party of the Committee’s previous request to pursue legislative
protection for the Schwarzenberg Gardens and to submit final plans and designs for the
Wien Museum to the World Heritage Centre for review by the Advisory Bodies;
7. Further requests that the current moratorium be maintained on new developments or
planning measures which may impact upon attributes that contribute to the Outstanding
Universal Value (OUV) of the property, pending completion of the new Management
Plan, the implementation of the proposed corrective measures, and consequent
amendments to planning controls;
8. Commends the State Party on the elaboration of the Desired state of conservation for
removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger (DSOCR) and related
corrective measures, and particularly the productive collaborative process with the World
Heritage Centre and ICOMOS;
9. Adopts the DSOCR developed by the State Party in consultation with the World Heritage
Centre, ICOMOS and all stakeholders, as presented in Document
WHC/21/44.COM/7A.Add and urges the State Party to proceed with the implementation
of the corrective measures;
10. Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 February 2022, an updated report on the state of conservation of the property and the
implementation of the above, including progress achieved in implementing the corrective
measures for the DSOCR, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its
45th session;
11. Decides to retain Historic Centre of Vienna (Austria) on the List of World Heritage
in Danger.

33. Medieval Monuments in Kosovo (Serbia) (C 724 bis)

Decision: 44 COM 7A.33

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Decides to adjourn the debate on this agenda item until its next ordinary session.

References to Kosovo shall be understood to be in the context of the United Nations Security Council Resolution
1244 (1999).

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of the World Heritage Committee
34. Liverpool – Maritime Mercantile City (United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Northern Ireland) (C 1150)

Decision: 44 COM 7A.34

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7A.Add,
2. Recalling Decisions 36 COM 7B.93, 37 COM 7A.35, 38 COM 7A.19, 39 COM 7A.43,
40 COM 7A.31, 41 COM 7A.22, 42 COM 7A.7 and 43 COM 7A.47, adopted at its 36th
(Saint Petersburg, 2012), 37th (Phnom Penh, 2013), 38th (Doha, 2014), 39th (Bonn,
2015), 40th (Istanbul/UNESCO, 2016), 41st (Krakow, 2017), 42nd (Manama, 2018) and
43rd (Baku, 2019) sessions respectively, and in particular its repeated serious concerns
over the impact of the proposed ‘Liverpool Waters’ development in the form presented
in the approved Outline Planning Consent (2013-2042) which constitutes an ascertained
threat to the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property, and that the
implementation of the development, as planned, would irreversibly damage the attributes
and conditions of integrity that warranted inscription;
3. Also recalling its repeated requests to the State Party to:
a) Consider all measures that would allow changes to the extent and scope of the
proposed ‘Liverpool Waters’ scheme to ensure the continued coherence of the
architectural and town-planning attributes, and the continued safeguarding of the
OUV of the property, including the conditions of authenticity and integrity,
b) Establish substantive commitments to limitation on the quantity, location and size
of allowable built form and linking the strategic city development vision to a
regulatory planning document, which provides legal guidelines on the protection of
the OUV,
c) Establish a moratorium for granting of planning permissions which have a negative
impact on the OUV of the property,
d) Submit, a Desired state of conservation for the removal of the property from the
List of World Heritage in Danger (DSOCR) and corrective measures in a form that
might be considered for adoption by the Committee;
4. Further recalling that, according to Article 6.1 of the Convention, the properties inscribed
on the World Heritage List constitute the world’s heritage, the protection of which is the
duty of the international community as a whole, and that it is the duty of the international
community to assist and to cooperate with States Parties in their endeavour to conserve
such heritage;
5. Recalling furthermore that States Parties have the obligation under the Convention to
protect and conserve the cultural and natural heritage situated on their territory, notably
to ensure that effective and active measures are taken for the protection and
conservation of such heritage;
6. Notes with deep regret that inadequate governance processes, mechanisms, and
regulations for new developments in and around the World Heritage property, have
resulted in serious deterioration and irreversible loss of attributes conveying the OUV of
the property along with significant loss to its authenticity and integrity, that the process
of further deterioration is irreversible, and that the State Party has not fulfilled its
obligations defined in the Convention with respect to protecting and conserving the OUV,
as inscribed, of the World Heritage property of Liverpool – Maritime Mercantile City;
7. Also notes with deep regret that as a result of approved and implemented development
projects, the property has deteriorated to the extent that it has lost characteristics, which

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of the World Heritage Committee
 determined its inclusion in the World Heritage List, in conformity with Paragraph 192(a)
of the Operational Guidelines and that the necessary corrective measures have not been
taken in conformity with Paragraph 193 of the Operational Guidelines;
8. Regrets that the entreaties of the World Heritage Committee at its 36th, 37th, 38th, 39th,
40th, 41st, 42nd and 43rd sessions have not resulted in protection of the property;
9. Also regrets that the process for the implementation of the ‘Liverpool Waters’ project and
other large-scale infrastructure projects in the waterfront and northern dock area of the
property and its buffer zone has resulted in serious deterioration and irreversible loss of
attributes that convey its OUV, and that further projects, such as the approved new
football stadium in Bramley-Moore Dock within the property, add to the ascertained threat
of further deterioration and loss of the OUV of the property;
10. Further regrets that the State Party has not complied with the repeated requests of the
Committee, and has itself indicated that there are no legal and other means available in
the governance of the property that would allow the State Party to comply with all of the
Committee’s requests so as to ensure the protection of the property and retention of its
OUV in the long-term;
11. Decides to delete Liverpool – Maritime Mercantile City (United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Northern Ireland) from the World Heritage List.

LATIN AMERICA AND CARIBBEAN

35. City of Potosi (Bolivia, Plurinational State of) (C 420)

Decision: 44 COM 7A.35

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7A,
2. Recalling Decision 43 COM 7A.48, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
3. Takes note with appreciation of the efforts made by the State Party to implement the
previous Committee decisions and the set of corrective measures for achieving the
Desired state of conservation for the removal of the property from the List of World
Heritage in Danger (DSOCR), and encourages the State Party to provide further
documentation in annex that informs of the progress underway in greater detail;
4. Takes note of the information submitted regarding the development of a Minor Boundary
Modification for the establishment of the property’s buffer zone, and requests the State
Party to submit the final proposal for a Minor Boundary Modification to the World Heritage
Centre for review by the Advisory Bodies and approval by the World Heritage Committee,
as per Paragraphs 163 and 164 of the Operational Guidelines, as soon as it is available,
and to ensure that the buffer zone is adequately reflected in the relevant legal framework
and planning instruments for the property;
5. Urges the State Party to officially approve the Integrated and Participatory Management
Plan (IPMP) for the property and ensure its full implementation with adequate resources
in place;
6. Also urges the State Party to approve the Supreme Decree, or a suitable alternative
instrument, for the management and conservation of the Cerro Rico, in order to ensure
the appropriate resources and mechanisms needed to address long-standing and
serious concerns related to the property’s productive mining heritage;

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7. Also requests the State Party to continue its work related to the delivery, consolidation
and enforcement of the legal framework and regulations related to the entire property, in
order to ensure that heritage requirements are adequately considered and respected in
the management of the property and implementation of future projects, such as that
mentioned at the crypts and catacombs in the historic centre;
8. Further requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 February 2022, 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
45th session;
9. Decides to retain City of Potosí (Bolivia (Plurinational State of)) on the List of World
Heritage in Danger.

36. Fortifications on the Caribbean Side of Panama: Portobelo-San Lorenzo (Panama)

(C 135)

Decision: 44 COM 7A.36

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7A,
2. Recalling Decision 43 COM 7A.50, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
3. Acknowledging the important contribution of the project funded by the Inter-American
Development Bank (IDB) for the conservation and management of the property, takes
note of the commitment by the State Party to implement the corrective measures within
the established 2019-2023 timeframe;
4. Welcomes the approval of the General Law on Culture, and the elaboration of the
roadmap for the conservation projects foreseen in the IDB project for the different
components of the property, and requests the State Party to provide further detailed
information regarding the concrete implementation of these activities;
5. Taking note of the progress made towards preparing a proposal of a Minor Boundary
Modification, also requests the State Party to submit a formal request, as per Paragraphs
162 and 164 of the Operational Guidelines, taking into consideration the advice that is
provided by ICOMOS in this regard;
6. Also taking note of the creation of the inter-agency Office for Integral Development of
Portobelo (ODEIPO), also welcomes the development of planning tools for the property
and invites the State Party to finalize these tools and present a strategy on their
articulation within the overall management system for the property;
7. Regrets that the integral Management Plan to include all components and buffer zones
of the property is not yet in place, and further requests the State Party to submit the Plan
to the World Heritage Centre together with the Community Development Plan as soon
as it is available for review by the Advisory Bodies;
8. Further takes note of the improvements to tourism infrastructure and facilities, but
requests furthermore the State Party to consider potential impacts of the proposed visitor
center of San Lorenzo and to ensure that these improvements are in full coherence with
the conservation needs, carrying capacity and Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the
property;
9. Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 February 2022, an updated report on the state of conservation of the property and the

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 implementation of the above, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its
45th session;
10. Decides to retain Fortifications on the Caribbean Side of Panama: Portobelo-San
Lorenzo (Panama) on the List of World Heritage in Danger.

37. Chan Chan Archaeological Zone (Peru) (C 366)

Decision: 44 COM 7A.37

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7A,
2. Recalling Decision 43 COM 7A.51, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
3. Welcomes the research and monitoring activities of the Pan-American Conservation
Centre for Earthen Heritage Sites (PCCEHS), and the implementation of a number of
important conservation projects, public awareness and outreach activities with
educational institutions and communities in the vicinity of the property;
4. Also welcomes the adoption of the updated Master Plan for the Conservation and
Management of the Chan Chan Archaeological Complex (2021-2031) by the Ministry of
Culture in response to the previous Committee Decisions;
5. Commends the State Party for its continued commitment to the implementation of the
Committee’s decisions and programme of corrective measures, as adopted in Decision
36 COM 7A.34, with the aim of achieving the Desired state of conservation for the
removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger (DSOCR), notes
however with regret that two essential components of the programme of corrective
measures have remained pending for several years, welcomes the strategies and
timeframes set out by the State Party, and urges once again the State Party to take the
necessary measures for:
a) the delimitation and regulation of the proposed buffer zone,
b) the implementation of the amended Law No. 28261 that would address the matter
of illegal occupation;
6. Considers that the proposal to widen the existing Trujillo ring road that passes through
the property and the buffer zone endangers the property’s integrity and Outstanding
Universal Value, and strongly urges the State Party to continue its work to either improve
the existing road or alternatively identify a new trajectory outside of the World Heritage
property and its buffer zone and to undertake a Heritage Impact Assessment and submit
this to the World Heritage Centre for review by the Advisory Bodies;
7. Takes note of an apparent and considerable budget fluctuation for the activities at the
property, and also urges the State Party to assure sufficient funding for the property in
the future;
8. Requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2022,
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 45th session;
9. Decides to retain Chan Chan Archaeological Zone (Peru) on the List of World
Heritage in Danger.

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of the World Heritage Committee
38. Coro and its Port (Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of) (C 658)

Decision: 44 COM 7A.38

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7A,
2. Recalling Decision 43 COM 7A.52, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
3. Takes note with appreciation of the ongoing restoration and conservation works
undertaken in the property, and the reactivation of the traditional mud artisan school that
participates in these works;
4. Appreciates the interim measures undertaken to address ongoing drainage issues in the
property, given the limited resources available, and requests the State Party to begin the
implementation of the larger drainage system project as soon as possible;
5. Takes note of the cartography submitted regarding modifications to the buffer zones of
the two components sites of Coro and La Vela, and also requests the State Party to
submit, in accordance with Paragraphs 163-164 and Annex 11 of the Operational
Guidelines, a Minor Boundary Modification for La Vela, and a boundary clarification for
Coro;
6. Takes note with concern that insufficient information was provided by the State Party
regarding its progress towards addressing each of the 11 corrective measures adopted
in Decision 38 COM 7A.23 to reach the Desired state of conservation for the removal of
the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger (DSOCR), and reiterates its
request to the State Party that its future state of conservation reports on this property
provide clear and complete information on all corrective measures and follow the
mandatory report format contained in Annex 13 of the Operational Guidelines;
7. Also reiterates its request to the State Party to implement the recommendations of the
2018 ICOMOS Advisory mission report, which provide important guidance on the actions
needed to respond to the complete set of corrective measures;
8. Expresses its concern that no updated outline or draft of the property’s Management
Plan has been submitted since the 2018 state of conservation report, and that the status
of the document’s development remains unclear, and therefore urges the State Party to
submit the draft Management Plan to the World Heritage Centre for review by the
Advisory Bodies as soon as it is available;
9. Further requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 February 2022, 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
45th session;
10. Decides to retain Coro and its Port (Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of)) on the List
of World Heritage in Danger.

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of the World Heritage Committee
 NATURAL PROPERTIES

AFRICA

39. Manovo Gounda St. Floris National Park (Central African Republic) (N 475)

Decision: 44 COM 7A.39

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7A,
2. Recalling Decision 43 COM 7A.5, adopted at its 43nd session (Baku, 2019),
3. Notes with concern that the security situation in the region deteriorated again in early
2020 but expresses its hope that the bilateral agreement signed in June 2020 between
the Government and the main armed group operating in the area will help to further
stabilize the region and facilitate re-starting conservation activities in the property;
4. Recalling its deepest concern regarding the conclusions of the 2019 joint World Heritage
Centre/IUCN Reactive Monitoring mission according to which the Outstanding Universal
Value (OUV) of the property is highly questionable, indicating an almost total
disappearance of large mammals, and that the integrity of the property is also
questionable due to combined heavy pressure from poaching, regional transhumance,
illegal fishing and artisanal mining exploitation, as well as a total lack of surveillance and
management since 2012;
5. Welcomes the preliminary results of the 2020 biodiversity surveys which documented
herds of derby eland, hartebeest, roan, kob and waterbuck as well as isolated groups of
hippopotamus, buffalo and giraffe and confirmed the presence of elephant, bongo, giant
forest hog, lion, wild dog and hyena in the property, and requests the State Party to report
on the final survey results when available and to ensure that conditions are implemented
to enable the recovery of these wildlife populations over time including to bring poaching
under control;
6. Notes with concern the significant presence of pastoralists and cattle, as well as a
tendency towards more sedentary breeding of livestock and poaching in some areas of
the property and also requests the State Party to fully implement without delay the
transhumance management strategy which foresees to establish permitted zones and
transhumance corridors outside the property and to continue its efforts to increase the
transboundary cooperation with the State Party of Chad to address transhumance
including through the establishment of a transborder protected area complex;
7. Takes note of the proposed priority zone for conservation, and urges the State Party to
initiate without delay surveillance operations in this area;
8. Also welcomes the significant funding provided by the Government of Norway, which
allows the World Heritage Centre to support the implementation of the corrective
measures and the continued support of the European Commission for the conservation
of the natural resources in the North-Eastern Protected Areas Complex and calls again
on the States Parties to the Convention and the public and private donors to support the
Private-Public Partnership (PPP) agreement signed by the State Party with the Wildlife
Conservation Society (WCS) for the management of the property and the implementation
of the emergency plan;

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of the World Heritage Committee
9. Reiterates its concern regarding the petroleum exploration activities in the petroleum
block A and reiterates it requests to the State Party to:
a) Clarify the situation of the petroleum block A and the exploration blocks I, II and III
and ensure that no license overlaps the property, in conformity with national
legislation and the property’s World Heritage status,
b) Analyze the direct and indirect impacts on its OUV of all envisaged petroleum
projects in the vicinity of the property, with an Environmental and Social Impact
Assessment (ESIA) in line with international standards and to submit this ESIA to
the World Heritage Centre for review by IUCN before granting any exploitation
license, in conformity with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines;
10. Reiterates its established position regarding mining and petroleum exploration and
exploitation being incompatible with World Heritage status, a policy supported by the
commitments undertaken by the leaders of the industry, such as Shell and Total, not to
engage in such activities in World Heritage properties;
11. Further requests the State Party to finalize the ESIA for the rehabilitation project of the
National Road 8 Ndélé-Birao to assess the direct and indirect impacts on the property,
prioritizing the less prejudicial option for its integrity, with appropriate accompanying
measures, and to submit the ESIA to the World Heritage Centre for review by IUCN,
before taking a final decision on the project, in conformity with Paragraph 172 of the
Operational Guidelines;
12. Requests furthermore the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 February 2022, 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
45th session;
13. Decides to continue the application of the Reinforced Monitoring Mechanism for
the property;
14. Also decides to retain Manovo-Gounda St Floris National Park (Central African
Republic) on the List of World Heritage in Danger.

40. Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve (Côte d’Ivoire/Guinea) (N 155bis)

Decision: 44 COM 7A.40

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7A.Add,
2. Recalling Decision 43 COM 7A.6 adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
3. Commends the States Parties for their efforts in strengthening transboundary
cooperation which has resulted in the establishment of a joint ecological monitoring
system and the organization of joint surveillance patrols, and encourages them to
strengthen this cooperation to reduce the current threats to the property and continue
efforts to improve the monitoring of species characteristic of the Outstanding Universal
Value (OUV) and to finalize a management plan for the entire property;
4. Welcomes the discovery in 2021 of a new endemic species of bat, Myotis nimbaensis,
thus demonstrating the strong endemism of the site;
5. Appreciates the support of donors, in particular the European Commission, the
Government of China Funds for the safeguarding of World Heritage in Africa, the German
Commission for UNESCO and technical partners for their support for the conservation

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of the World Heritage Committee
 of the property, and requests the States Parties of Côte d'Ivoire and Guinea to ensure
that these various projects / programmes prioritize the implementation of corrective
measures;
6. Recalls the importance of having a functional buffer zone (or an equivalent measure)
around the property in Côte d’Ivoire, and also requests the State Party of Côte d’Ivoire
to designate such an area following the Guidelines procedures, and to strengthen the
monitoring of community forests around the property, while ensuring that their
management objectives are compatible with the management of the property, and to
submit as soon as possible the updated high resolution map of the boundaries of the
property to the World Heritage Centre;
7. Further requests the State Party of Guinea to provide detailed information on the
measures taken to mitigate the impacts caused by the asphalting of the Danané-Lola
road, which crosses the buffer zone of the property in its Guinean area in accordance
with provisions of the environmental and social management plan on the impacts of the
project;
8. Takes note of the resumption of the activities of the proposed mining project of the iron
deposit of Mount Nimba by the Société des mines de fer de Guinée (SMFG), as well as
of its willingness to carry out an environmental and social impact assessment (ESIA) of
the proposed project in accordance with the IUCN Advice Note on World Heritage and
submit it to an independent technical review, and reiterates its request to the State Party
to ensure that:
a) The ESIA will be carried out in accordance with the highest international standards,
subject to independent and expert assessment, and in close consultation with all
key stakeholders,
b) The ESIA qualifies and quantifies the potential effects of the project on the OUV of
the property, at each phase of its cycle, including construction and operation,
taking into account the synergistic and collateral impacts also linked to on-site
transformation of the ore and its transport, as well as the socio-economic changes
to be expected,
c) The ESIA should be submitted to the World Heritage Centre for review by IUCN
before any decision to approve the project and the issuance of a certificate of
environmental compliance to the Company;
9. Reiterates its deep concern regarding the issuance of an environmental compliance
certificate and an operating permit to Zali Mining SA (ex West Africa Exploration) for the
mining block immediately adjacent to the property, in the absence of appropriate ESIA,
and urges the State Party of Guinea to confirm the cancellation of this environmental
compliance certificate and the granted operating permit, and that the ESIA will be
undertaken in accordance with the IUCN Advice Note on World Heritage before any
decision to approve the project;
10. Expressing its deepest concern about the proliferation of mining permits around the
property, in particular the granting of a new exploration mining permit to the company
Gui-Appro, and the potential cumulative impacts of mining on the OUV of the property,
requests furthermore the State Party of Guinea to not grant any new exploration or
mining permits around the property without carrying out a Strategic Environmental
Impact Assessment and submitting it for prior consideration to the World Heritage Centre
and for examination by IUCN in order to assess the impacts, including synergistic ones,
of these projects;
11. Reiterates its position that mining exploration or exploitation is incompatible with World
Heritage status, a policy supported by the position statement of the International Council
on Mining and Metals (ICMM) not to undertake such activities in World Heritage
properties;

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of the World Heritage Committee
12. Takes note of the submission by States Parties of a proposal for a Desired state of
conservation for the removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger
(DSOCR) developed during the 2019 mission and updated in 2021, and further notes
that this document will be reviewed by IUCN in collaboration with the World Heritage
Centre for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 45th session;
13. Finally requests the States Parties to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 February 2022, an updated joint report on the state of conservation of the property
and the implementation of the above, for examination by the World Heritage Committee
at its 45th session;
14. Decides to retain the Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve (Côte d'Ivoire, Guinea)
on the List of World Heritage in Danger.

41. Garamba National Park (Democratic Republic of the Congo) (N 136)

Decision: 44 COM 7A.41

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7A,
2. Recalling Decisions 41 COM 7A.7 and 43 COM 7A.7, adopted respectively at its 41st
(Cracow, 2017) and 43rd (Baku, 2019) sessions,
3. Welcomes the continued efforts of the State Party aimed at improving the anti-poaching
measures, with the deployment of an additional 183 guards, to strengthen its operational
capacities, intensify its surveillance efforts and implement initiatives to support the
communities, and encourages the State Party to pursue its efforts with support from its
partners;
4. Notes the significant decrease in the number of elephant carcasses poached, the
estimate of the current numbers of the species at around 700 individuals, and the seizure
of wildlife products, but notes with great concern that the population has declined by
more than 90% since the onset of the security crisis in 1996 and has continued to decline
since the last census in 2017, and that elephant poaching remains a major threat, and
requests the State Party to continue its efforts to control poaching in order to create
conditions for the recovery of wildlife and to provide the World Heritage Centre with more
ample information on elephant numbers in the property for examination by IUCN;
5. Also notes with satisfaction the increase to 62 individuals of the Kordofan giraffe
population and the absence of poaching in 2019 and 2020, and recalling that the sub-
species remains in critical danger of extinction, reiterates its request to the State Party
to pursue its monitoring and ecological protection efforts of this species, and also
requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre the Strategy and Action
Plan for the conservation of giraffes within the property;
6. Thanks the donors who continue to support the conservation of the property, in particular
the European Commission and the Government of Norway through their funding to the
World Heritage Fund;
7. Expresses its deep concern with regard to the absence of any indication of the presence
of white rhinoceros in the Park since 2008, confirming the probable extinction of the sub-
species, and further requests the State Party, in cooperation with the World Heritage
Centre and IUCN, to carry out a reflection on the impacts of this probable extinction on
the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) on the property;

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of the World Heritage Committee
8. Commends the State Party for the dialogue on transboundary cooperation between the
Direction of the Congolese Institute for Nature Conservation (ICCN) and the State
Service responsible for South Sudan Wildlife (SSWLS) and also encourages the State
Party to strengthen this cooperation to reduce criminal transboundary activities, such as
poaching and transboundary commerce of illegal wildlife products, notably through the
signing of a Memorandum of Understanding for transboundary cooperation;
9. Regrets the absence of a Management Plan for the property and an operative buffer
zone and urges the State Party to accelerate the creation of a buffer zone and to finalize
the Management Plan of the property including its periphery, while ensuring its
coherence with the sustainable development strategy of the Park, the Land Use Plan for
the hunting grounds, the 2019 ministerial decree prohibiting artisanal exploitation in the
hunting grounds, the relocation strategy for the refugee camps outside the Park initiated
in 2018 and any other strategic document;7C
10. Also regrets once again that the State Party has not yet submitted the final version of the
Desired state of conservation for the removal of the property from the List of World
Heritage in Danger (DSOCR) and also reiterates its request to the State Party to develop
clear indicators for the recovery of the key wildlife populations based on the proposal
prepared by the 2016 mission, data available from aerial survey and the monitoring
system, so as to identify an achievable calendar for the eventual removal of the property
from the List of World Heritage in Danger;
11. Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February
2022, 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
45th session;
12. Decides to no longer apply the Reinforced Monitoring Mechanism to the property;
13. Also decides to retain Garamba National Park (Democratic Republic of the Congo)
on the List of World Heritage in Danger.

42. Kahuzi-Biega National Park (Democratic Republic of the Congo) (N 137)

Decision: 44 COM 7A.42

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7A,
2. Recalling Decision 43 COM 7A.8, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
3. Welcomes the improved security situation and continued collaboration between the
Congolese Institute for Nature Conservation (ICCN), the Armed Forces of the
Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC) and local authorities, which has resulted in
a significant increase in patrol coverage of the property, meeting for the first time the
60% corrective measure threshold;
4. Notes with satisfaction the reported closing down of all remaining artisanal mining
activities throughout the property and considers that this is a major achievement and, if
maintained over a longer period, would be a major step towards restoring the integrity of
the property;
5. Notes the State Party’s continued efforts to address poaching and trafficking in the
property, and requests it to provide, in its future reports, more data on the results of anti-
poaching activities;

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of the World Heritage Committee
6. Also welcomes the efforts for peaceful conflict resolution with the communities, in
particular the indigenous Batwa, notes however the concerns raised by the indigenous
Batwa about the delays in the implementation of the recommendations resulting from the
2019 Bukavu Dialogue, and also requests the State Party to address this issue as a
priority in full consultation with the Batwa community, in line with the Policy on the
integration of a sustainable development perspective into the processes of the World
Heritage Convention;
7. Reiterates its request for the State Party to provide details on the status of the ecological
corridor and to develop a rehabilitation plan for the ecological corridor to facilitate the
regeneration of natural vegetation and to submit to the World Heritage Centre, for review
by IUCN, all information, including maps, to assess the impact of encroachment on the
Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property;
8. Thanks the donors, in particular the Governments of Germany and Norway which
continue to provide support for the conservation of the property;
9. Expresses concern about the increasing pressure of encroachment in the property and
urges the State Party to address this as a matter of priority;
10. Further requests the State Party to urgently provide an update on the status of wildlife
inventories, and also reiterates its requests to the State Party to submit the results of the
wildlife inventory to the World Heritage Centre for review by IUCN, and to finalize, in
cooperation with the World Heritage Centre and IUCN, indicators for the Desired state
of conservation for the removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger
(DSOCR), once the results of the wildlife inventory are available;
11. Also urges the State Party to continue the implementation of the corrective measures,
as updated by the 2017 mission;
12. Requests furthermore the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 February 2022, 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
45th session;
13. Decides to continue the application of the Reinforced Monitoring Mechanism;
14. Also decides to retain Kahuzi-Biega National Park (Democratic Republic of the
Congo) on the List of World Heritage in Danger.

43. Okapi Wildlife Reserve (Democratic Republic of the Congo) (N 718)

Decision: 44 COM 7A.43

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7A,
2. Recalling Decision 43 COM 7A.9, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
3. Presents its sincere condolences to the families of the guards killed in the performance
of their duties, and to all the staff of the Congolese Institute for the Conservation of Nature
(ICCN);
4. Welcomes the continued collaboration between ICCN, the Armed Forces of the
Democratic Republic of the Congo (FARDC) and authorities, which has enabled activities
in all patrol sectors and facilitated the disarmement of various armed groups in the
property;

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5. Reiterates once more its concern regarding the persistent insecurity in the region, which
limits surveillance coverage and effective management of the property, and reiterates its
request to the State Party to rapidly strengthen the number and capacity of guards, as
well as the budget for the property so as to extend anti-poaching patrol coverage and
progressively gain full control of the property;
6. While noting the efforts undertaken to close artisanal mines, expresses serious concern
that illegal mining in the property appears to be intensifying in reported complicity with
certain local authorities, with small-scale artisanal mining operations evolving into large-
scale semi-industrial operations, and the development of a permanent settlement at the
Muchacha mining site;
7. Considering that illegal mining in the property cannot be addressed by the Reserve
authorities alone and that illegal mining is fueling the insecurity in the property and the
region, strongly urges the State Party to ensure that all necessary measures are taken
at local, provincial and national levels to address illegal mining as a matter of urgency to
restore law and order in the property;
8. Regrets that no information was provided on the updating of the Integrated Management
Plan (PAG) for the property and the formalization of the Central Integral Conservation
Zone, and urges again the State Party to expedite these processes, integrating
provisions relating to the different zones of the property, including the subsistence zones,
the Central Integral Conservation Zone and forestry concessions for local communities,
and ensure its immediate implementation;
9. Notes the intention to rehabilitate the okapi breeding station but also urges the State
Party to postpone any plans to capture okapi from the wild until the security situation is
stable and to develop an integrated in-situ/ex-situ conservation strategy as part of the
PAG for the long-term sustainability of okapi within the property, consulting best practice
expert guidance, such as the IUCN Species Survival Commission (SSC) Giraffe and
Okapi Specialist Group;
10. Also welcomes the initiation of the participatory boundary demarcation process in the
north-west and east of the property and the support provided by the UNESCO World
Heritage Centre with funding from Norway, and requests the State Party to finalize the
full demarcation of the property boundaries;
11. Also reiterates its request to the State Party to update the data concerning the number
of residents in the property and the villages located inside the property in order to assess
the impacts of population increases on land-use in the property;
12. Further reiterates its request to the State Party to provide the Spatial Monitoring and
Reporting Tool (SMART) data collected to enable an assessment of the illegal activities
on the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property and data concerning progress
accomplished with regard to the indicators defined in the Desired state of conservation
for the removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger (DSOCR);
13. Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 February 2022, 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
45th session;
14. Decides to continue to apply the Reinforced Monitoring Mechanism for the
property;
15. Also decides to retain Okapi Wildlife Reserve (Democratic Republic of the Congo)
on the List of World Heritage in Danger.

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44. Salonga National Park (Democratic Republic of the Congo) (N 280)

Decision: 44 COM 7A.44

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7A,
2. Recalling Decision 43 COM 7A.10 adopted at its 43rd session, Baku, 2019),
3. Takes note of the conclusion of the 2020 joint World Heritage Centre / IUCN mission, in
particular the efforts made by the State Party in the implementation of the corrective
measures and the significant progress made towards the Desired state of conservation
for the removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger (DSOCR) since
the establishment of a functional co-management system for the property;
4. Takes note of the clarification provided by the State Party that although the oil
concessions awarded by presidential ordinance and straddling the property have not yet
been cancelled, the rights to the oil blocks have now lapsed, as well as the assurance
given that these blocks will be excluded from any tender, and reiterates its request to
permanently cancel these oil concessions, while not authorizing new concessions within
the property and its periphery which could have negative and irreversible impacts on its
Outstanding Universal Value (OUV);
5. Decides to no longer apply the reinforced monitoring mechanism for the property due to
the progress made in the implementation of the corrective measures and the
improvement of the security situation;
6. Noting the clarification provided by the State Party on oil exploration or exploitation within
the property, the significant progress towards the formalisation of the Co-management
Agreement between the Congolese Institute for Nature Conservation (ICCN) and the
World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and the significant progress towards the
achievement of all DSOCR indicators, also decides to remove Salonga National Park
(Democratic Republic of the Congo) from the List of World Heritage in Danger;
7. Takes note with concern of the reports of alleged human rights violations against local
communities during law enforcement operations and calls upon the State Party to take
urgent action to strengthen its efforts to resolve this issue in accordance with relevant
international standards and the World Heritage Sustainable Development Policy, taking
into account the results of the Independent Review and Decision 44 COM 7A.46;
8. Further requests the State Party to implement the recommendations of the 2020 mission,
as follows:
a) Pursue current efforts and strengthen the human, technical and financial capacities
dedicated to the fight against poaching, both in terms of staff and their training with
a view to reaching a surveillance rate of 80% of the property,
b) Increase the efforts undertaken with a view to a stronger involvement of
communities in decision-making processes and raise their awareness of the fight
against environmental crime,
c) Finalize a framework for the peaceful management of conflicts with village
communities, based on a successful mechanism for managing complaints and
appeals to the co-managers of the property and including the establishment of
precise protocols for community intervention,
d) Prioritize finalizing the creation of an operational forestry continuum with a view to
ensuring ecological functionalities between the two blocks of the property,
e) Strengthen the fight against poaching linked to local corruption and public services,

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 f) Improve the collection, management and processing of information and data
obtained during surveillance operations, and stabilize the indicators used in this
instance,
g) Extend the sampling base for the annual monitoring of species in the corridor
separating the two blocks which constitutes a favourable habitat for most of them,
in particular the flagship species, the Congolese elephant, bonobo and peacock in
order to document the follow-up of the reconstitution of fauna,
h) Pursue current efforts to minimize the impacts of human activities on the outskirts
of the property (e.g. fishing, itinerant slash-and-burn agriculture), on its OUV and
on its integrity,
i) Establish, as a priority, a sustainable development model adapted to the
expectations of the communities residing in the periphery of the property,
compatible with its environmental sensitivity,
j) Pursue and accelerate the current process aimed at best preparing the relocation
of families / communities established in the property, in accordance with the
principal of prior, freely given and informed consent (PCPLC),
k) Submit the findings of the ongoing study on the relocation of families / communities
to the Committee, as soon as they are available, for opinion and comments,
l) Finalise the Co-management Agreement between ICCN and WWF for the
sustainable management of the property;
9. Commends the State Party for improving the collaboration between the management
team, the local communities and the political, administrative and military authorities, with
a view to effective management of conflicts related to the use of natural resources and
encourages it to:
a) Pursue its efforts to empower communities,
b) Undertake participatory finalization of the demarcation of the non-natural
boundaries of the Park, of which 120 kilometres have already been demarcated,
and the process of creating an ecological continuum between the two sectors of
the Park by proposing a classification status and a simple management plan for
this area,
c) Ensure that the displacement of communities living within the Park is in accordance
with the policies of the Convention and relevant international standards;
10. Thanks all the donors who continue to support the conservation of the property, in
particular the Governments of Germany and Norway, and the European Union through
its funding to the World Heritage Fund, providing financial support for improving the state
of conservation of the property;
11. Also takes note of the limited funding aimed at ensuring in a sustainable manner the
implementation of all the management functions of the property and further requests the
State Party, with the support of its partners, to continue its efforts with a view to develop
a sustainable financing system with a view to the improvement of the efficiency in the
management of the property;
12. Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 February 2022, an updated report on the implementation of the above, including the
progress made aiming for the definitive cancellation of oil concessions straddling the
property and the formalisation of the Co-management Agreement between ICCN and
WWF, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 45th session.

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45. Virunga National Park (Democratic Republic of the Congo) (N 63)

Decision: 44 COM 7A.45

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7A,
2. Recalling Decision 43 COM 7A.11, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
3. Deplores the further loss of life of protected area staff killed in the line of duty and local
communities, and addresses its most sincere condolences to their families and to all the
staff of the Congolese Institute for Nature Conservation (ICCN);
4. Expresses its deep concern regarding ongoing insecurity due to the continued presence
of more than 1,000 armed elements operating in the property, rendering management
operations extremely hazardous and leading to the persistence of illegal activities while
endangering the life of the surveillance staff of the Park and local communities, but
commends the protected area authority for its continued conservation efforts in spite of
the challenging security situation;
5. Welcomes the transboundary conservation efforts with Uganda and Rwanda through the
Greater Virunga Transboundary Cooperation (GVTC) and conservation efforts resulting
in a significant increase in the population of mountain gorilla population in the property
and the Greater Virunga Landscape;
6. Notes with concern that flagship species remain threatened and poaching continues, and
requests the State Party to continue its effort to curb poaching and to submit the results
of flagship species inventories, as well as the biological indicators for the Desired state
of conservation for the removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger
(DSOCR) to be finalized in cooperation with the World Heritage Centre and IUCN;
7. Again expresses its utmost concern about the extent of encroachment on the property
which, combined with the continued illegal exploitation of its natural resources, severely
affects the integrity of the property, and urges the State Party to ensure that local,
provincial and national authorities cooperate with the Park management to halt
encroachment and take measures to recover the invaded areas;
8. While noting that currently no oil exploration activities are on-going in the property,
regrets that the State Party has not confirmed its commitment not to authorize new
petroleum exploration and exploitation within the boundaries of the property, as was
established at the time of inscription on the World Heritage List in 1979, and reiterates
its request to the State Party to cancel the petroleum concessions granted inside the
property;
9. Recalls again its position according to which all mining, petroleum and gas exploration
and exploitation is incompatible with World Heritage status, a policy supported by the
commitments undertaken by the leaders of the industry not to engage in such activities
in World Heritage properties;
10. Also requests the State Party to continue its efforts to implement all corrective measures
as updated by the 2018 Reactive Monitoring mission and to continue the implementation
of the sustainable development activities established in the framework of the Virunga
Alliance;
11. Further requests the State Party to provide an overview of all existing and planned
hydropower projects around the property, to ensure that potential impacts of
developments including cumulative impacts on the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV)
of the property are fully considered, and to inform the World Heritage Centre of any new

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 developments in line with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines, prior to any
activities being undertaken;
12. Requests furthermore the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 February 2022, 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
45th session;
13. Decides to continue to apply the Reinforced Monitoring Mechanism for the
property;
14. Also decides to retain Virunga National Park (Democratic Republic of the Congo)
on the List of World Heritage in Danger.

46. General decision on the World Heritage properties of the Democratic Republic of
the Congo

Decision: 44 COM 7A.46

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7A,
2. Recalling Decision 42 COM 7A.52, adopted at its 42nd session (Manama, 2018),
3. Appreciates the continued efforts of the State Party to implement the Kinshasa
Declaration adopted in 2011, in particular the progress made with the operationalization
of Corps responsible for the security of the National Parks and relevant protected areas
(CorPPN) at the level of each of the five World Heritage properties in order to face the
continuing threats of poaching, including by professional poaching groups;
4. Notes with significant concern the reports on alleged human rights abuses towards
indigenous peoples and local communities during law enforcement operations and
requests the State Party to take urgent measures to further strengthen its efforts to
address this issue, including by establishing and implementing a national code of
conduct for eco-guards and a grievance mechanism for human rights abuses, and by
training all protected area staff on human rights issues as part of regular law enforcement
training, as well as ensuring that management processes follow a rights-based approach
and ensure full involvement of all stakeholders, in particular local and indigenous
communities, in line with relevant international norms, the Policy on World Heritage and
Sustainable Development, and taking into consideration the outcomes of the
Independent Review;
5. Welcomes the improvement in the security situation in most properties, and urges the
State Party to take advantage of this improved security situation to address the
fundamental threats to the different properties, including by closing all remaining illegal
mining operations and reclaiming parts of the properties occupied by armed forces since
the start of the conflict, ensuring the support of all appropriate ministries and agencies
as well as traditional and political authorities to achieve this, in line with the 2011
Kinshasa Declaration;
6. Expresses its utmost concern regarding the continued insecurity in Virunga National Park
and Okapi Wildlife Reserve which resulted in further park staff being killed in the line of
duty, strongly condemns this violence once again and addresses its sincere condolences
to the families of the victims and all ICCN staff;
7. While noting the statement by the State Party that the government is currently no longer
pursuing oil exploration or exploitation activities within Virunga and Salonga National

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 Parks, strongly regrets that the State Party has not cancelled the oil concessions it has
attributed which overlap with these properties, and that it has not yet provided the
Committee with a firm commitment not to authorize any oil exploration and exploitation
within the boundaries of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) World Heritage
properties, as requested in previous decisions;
8. Reiterates its position according to which oil and gas exploration and exploitation is
incompatible with World Heritage status and also urges once again the State Party to
cancel these concessions and to undertake a commitment not to authorize any new oil
exploration and exploitation within the boundaries of any World Heritage property;
9. Commends the efforts of the State Party to make operational the “Okapi Fund for
Conservation – FOCON” as the Trust Fund for protected areas in the DRC, and also
requests the State Party, and the donor community, to provide it with adequate funding
to effectively respond to the management needs of the DRC World Heritage properties;
10. Also appreciates the important efforts to mobilize funding for the management of the
DRC properties and the implementation of the corrective measures, as well as the firm
commitment of the various donors to provide substantial financial and technical support,
but notes that the funding situation remains precarious, in particular for Salonga and
Kahuzi-Biega National Parks and Okapi Wildlife Reserve, and stresses the importance
of ensuring a sustainable financing mechanism, while regretting that no further
information was provided on the status and capitalisation of the FOCON Trust Fund, and
further requests the State Party to report on progress in this regard;
11. Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February
2022, a detailed report on the implementation of the Kinshasa Declaration, the security
situation in the properties, and the status of the oil exploration and exploitation
concessions that encroach on World Heritage properties, for examination by the World
Heritage Committee at its 45th session.

47. Lake Turkana National Parks (Kenya) (N 801bis)

Decision: 44 COM 7A.47

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7A,
2. Recalling Decisions 36 COM 7B.3, 39 COM 7B.4, 40 COM 7B.80, 42 COM 7B.92 and
43 COM 7A.12 adopted at its 36th (Saint-Petersburg, 2012), 39th (Bonn, 2015), 40th
(Istanbul/UNESCO, 2016), 42nd (Manama, 2018) and 43rd (Baku, 2019) sessions
respectively,
3. Acknowledging the State Party’s continued efforts to implement the 2018-2028
Management Plan, requests the State Party to allocate adequate resources to protect
the property, to bring the three component parts under one integrated management unit
and to develop an operational plan and monitoring and evaluation system focused on
the preservation of the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV);
4. Reiterates its deep regrets about the continued lack of a consolidated response by the
States Parties of Kenya and Ethiopia to the Committee’s past decisions, and also
requests the State Party of Ethiopia to provide an urgent update on all planned and
current development projects in the Turkana Basin, and submit the Environmental Impact
Assessment (EIA) for the Kuraz Sugar Development Project for review by the World
Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies;

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5. Expresses its concern about the long-standing threat of poaching and encroachment
leading to steep decline and local extinctions of wildlife populations that represent the
values for which the property was inscribed under Criterion (x), considers that this
represents an ascertained danger to the property in accordance with Paragraph 180 of
the Operational Guidelines, and decides to add this issue to the justification for the
continued inclusion of the property on the List of World Heritage in Danger;
6. Deeply regrets that the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) to assess the
cumulative impacts of the multiple developments in the Lake Turkana Basin on the OUV
of the affected properties continues to be delayed due to lack of an agreement between
the States Parties of Kenya and Ethiopia on its funding, and strongly urges the two States
Parties to immediately conduct the SEA without any further delay for its findings to be
examined by the Committee at its 45th session;
7. Further requests the State Party to finalise the proposed set of corrective measures and
a Desired state of conservation for the removal of the property from the List of World
Heritage in Danger (DSOCR) in consultation with the State Party of Ethopia, the World
Heritage Centre and IUCN, for examination by the Committee at its 45th session;
8. Invites the State Party to consider redesigning the property’s boundaries to include a
larger portion of the lake; and to give consideration, in line with Decision CONF 208
VIII.A, to resubmitting a cultural nomination of important fossil sites for human evolution
outside the property that were nominated in 1997 but deferred by the Committee to allow
revision of boundaries;
9. Requests furthermore the State Party to implement all other recommendations of the
2020 mission, which build upon earlier mission recommendations, in particular to:
a) Develop a site-specific Biodiversity Action Plan to restore wildlife populations in the
property to the time of inscription of the property,
b) Conduct a comprehensive scientific study to assess the current impacts of grazing
and develop a viable grazing pressure reduction strategy based on grazing
capacities to address encroachment,
c) Establish a long-term monitoring system for the collection and analysis of
hydrological and limnological data in Lake Turkana to assess the ecological
changes to the lake system and the related impact on the OUV of the property,
d) Develop a national overarching Master Plan for development in and adjacent to
Lake Turkana to avoid any negative impacts on the lake system and OUV of the
property,
e) Create buffer zone to the property, possibly covering the whole lake and other
critical terrestrial areas with complementary legal and/or customary restrictions on
its use and development;
10. Requests moreover the State Party to complete, as soon as possible, the work on the
revision of the SEA for the Lamu Port-Sudan Ethiopia Transport Corridor Project
(LAPSSET), taking into account both individual and cumulative impacts that the project
and all of its sub-projects may have on the OUV of the property, as well as on Lamu Old
Town World Heritage property, and that no further components of LAPSSET be
implemented before the SEA is completed and submitted to the World Heritage Centre
for review by the Advisory Bodies;
11. Reiterates its request to the State Party of Kenya to submit the ESIA for the Lamu-
Lokichar Crude Oil pipeline, to the World Heritage Centre for review by IUCN before
taking any decision that may be difficult to reverse;
12. Requests in addition the State Party of Kenya to convene as soon as possible, a
workshop with participation from the State Party of Ethiopia, the World Heritage Centre

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 and IUCN, to discuss the cumulative impacts of developments in the Lake Turkana Basin
on the property’s OUV, and to finalise the DSOCR;
13. Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 February 2022, 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
45th session;
14. Also decides to retain Lake Turkana National Parks (Kenya) on the List of World
Heritage in Danger.

48. Rainforests of the Atsinanana (Madagascar) (N 1257)

Decision: 44 COM 7A.48

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7A,
2. Recalling Decision 43 COM 7A.13, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
3. Notes the efforts made by the State Party for the implementation of corrective measures,
in particular the fight against illegal activities and trafficking, the application of laws
relating to forest and wildlife offenses, ecological monitoring, ecological restoration, and
the empowerment of neighbouring communities and their involvement in the
management of the property;
4. Notes with preoccupation the rate of deforestation of the property recorded following the
analysis of satellite data for the period from 2010 to 2018 as well as the increase in
clearing in 2019, recalls the objective of limiting the annual rate of clearing below 0.01%
of the surface of the property with a view to its removal from the List of World Heritage
in Danger (indicator 2) and reiterates its request to the State Party to provide the World
Heritage Centre with detailed data on deforestation, explaining the contradictions
observed in the report, and detailed information on the sites to be rehabilitated, for
examination by IUCN;
5. Notes with concern that 10 years after the inscription of the property on the List of World
Heritage in Danger, there is no significant progress with regard to the inventory, the
securing and elimination of the stocks of rosewood, and also reiterates its request to the
State Party to find a lasting solution aimed at eliminating all stocks of precious woods by
fully implementing the decisions of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered
Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) concerning ebony (Diospyros spp.), palisander
and rosewood (Dalbergia spp.);
6. Further reiterates its request to the State Party to provide an update on the progress of
the implementation of the action plan, as well as an assessment of the impacts of mining
activity on the property, and to undertake the necessary ecological restoration activities;
7. Urges the State Party to continue the implementation of the CITES action plan and the
biodiversity management plan, and strongly encourages it to implement all CITES
decisions relating to the ebony, palisander and rosewood;
8. Also notes with concern that the deforestation linked to the illegal trade in precious
timber, poaching and artisanal mining still constitute serious threats to the Outstanding
Universal Value of the property and requests the State Party to continue and intensify its
efforts to implement corrective measures;
9. Further reiterates its request to the State Party to update the timetable for the
implementation of the corrective measures by developing a budgeted and time-bound

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 action plan as part of the new integrated management plan, and to submit the draft
management plans for each element of the property, as well as the integrated
management plan, to the World Heritage Centre, for examination by IUCN before
approval;
10. Requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2022,
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 45th session;
11. Decides to retain the Rainforests of the Atsinanana (Madagascar) on the List of
World Heritage in Danger.

49. Aïr and Ténéré Natural Reserves (Niger) (N 573)

Decision: 44 COM 7A.49

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7A,
2. Recalling Decision 43 COM 7A.14, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
3. Takes note of the efforts made by the State Pary to implement corrective measures but
considers that additional progress is needed in view of the extent of the threats to the
Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property;
4. Notes with satisfaction the launch of the process to establish a Development and
Management Plan (DMP), an emergency monitoring plan, and an Invasive Alien Species
(IAS) strategy in consultation with IUCN and requests the State Party to finalize the
various management documents and implement them urgently;
5. Reiterates its request that the State Party develop a Desired state of conservation for
the removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger (DSOCR) and
again encourages the State Party to seek advice from the World Heritage Centre and
IUCN in this regard;
6. Thanks the donors who continue to support the conservation of the property, notably the
Government of Norway through its contribution to the World Heritage Fund;
7. Reiterates its deepest concern that some of the characteristic species of the OUV are
reported to be threatened, endangered or locally extinct, in particular the addax, and
urges the State Party to develop a monitoring and recovery plan for the iconic antelope
species in consultation with the Antelope Specialist Group of the IUCN Species Survival
Commission (SSC);
8. Notes the confirmation that no exploration or mining permits are located within or in the
immediate vicinity of the property, and that permits granted for uranium, oil and gold are
located between 100 and 400 km from the property and are subject to regulatory
procedures, however, also recalling its concern about the increase in uranium, oil and
gold exploration and mining permits in the vicinity of the property, as well as the
continuation of illegal gold mining, also requests the State Party to:
a) Provide a clear overview of the concessions around the property (location maps,
concessions, permit details),
b) Ensure that the impacts of development projects on the OUV of the property are
assessed through Environmental and Social Impact Assessments (ESIAs) in
accordance with the IUCN World Heritage Advice Note: Environmental
Assessment,

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 c) Submit these ESIAs to the World Heritage Centre for examination by IUCN before
any approval of decision,
d) Not grant any new oil and mining exploration or exploitation permits in the vicinity
of the property without a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) to assess the
impacts on the OUV of the property, including the cumulative effects of such
projects, in accordance with the IUCN Advice Note;
9. Regrets once again that the report submitted by the State Party does not provide detailed
information on poaching, gold mining and logging in and around the property, and on
actions implemented to counter these threats, and also reiterates its request that the
State Party submit maps showing the location of the main threats identified, together with
indications of their severity and extent;
10. Further requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 February 2022, 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
45th session;
11. Decides to retain Air and Ténéré Natural Reserves (Niger) on the List of World
Heritage in Danger.

50. Niokolo-Koba National Park (Senegal) (N 153)

Decision: 44 COM 7A.50

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7A,
2. Recalling Decisions 42 COM 7A.55 and 43 COM 7A.15, adopted respectively at its 42nd
(Manama, 2018) and 43rd (Baku, 2019) sessions,
3. Takes note of the efforts undertaken by the State Party to implement some of the
corrective measures, especially those concerning the monitoring of certain populations
of threatened and key species for the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV), improvement
in the marking of the boundaries of the property and the speed limit of traffic on the
section of National Road N°7 within the property;
4. Also takes note of the results of the ecological monitoring, but regrets the absence of
data on some characteristic species of the OUV and requests the State Party to
strengthen its ecological monitoring mechanism to provide reliable data on the state of
conservation and the current population trends of all the characteristic species of the
OUV;
5. Thanks the donors who continue to support the conservation of the property, notably the
Government of Norway through its contribution to the World Heritage Fund;
6. Expresses its grave concern regarding the continued menace that weighs on the
threatened population of 15 chimpanzees present in the impact zone of the Petowal
Mining Company (PMC) and also requests the State Party to continue implementation
of the actions aimed at mitigating the impact of the major threats hindering the
conservation of the species;
7. Warmly welcomes the progress made by the State Party in the control and elimination
of illicit mining exploitation, but expresses its grave concern as regards damage to the
aquatic habitat and the significant increase in the level of suspended sediments in the
Gambia River following illegal mining exploitation, and further requests the State Party

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of the World Heritage Committee
 to continue its efforts in eliminating this threat in the property, while undertaking urgent
measures to restore the damaged habitats and control pollution;
8. Reiterates its grave concern regarding high concentrations of nitrate, sulphate and iron
in the groundwater, and aluminium in the waters of the Gambia River, and requests
furthermore the State Party to continue monitoring the quality of the groundwater and
surface waters to detect the causes of these anomalies, carry out microbiological
analyses of the waterways likely to be affected by the project and to take urgent
measures to limit the impact of this pollution;
9. Also regrets that the State Party has not provided any information concerning the combat
against invasive species and requests moreover that it continues its efforts to eliminate
this threat;
10. Further regrets the postponement until mid-2021 of the closure of the Mansadala quarry,
reiterates its request to the State Party to proceed immediately to the closure of the
quarry given its negative impact on the OUV of the property, and urges the State Party
to undertake urgent measures to mitigate the impacts of this activity;
11. Further takes note of the suspension of the construction work for the Sambangalou Dam
due to lack of funding and requests in addition the State Party not to undertake work
before an Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) has been realized in
conformity with the IUCN Advice Note and submitted to the World Heritage Centre;
12. Takes note furthermore of the submission to the World Heritage Centre of the ESIA of
the Barrick Gold Company mining project, and requests the State Party not to deliver a
certificate of environmental conformity to the Company before the examination of the
ESIA by IUCN;
13. Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 February 2022, 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
45th session;
14. Decides to retain Niokolo-Koba National Park (Senegal) on the List of World
Heritage in Danger.

51. Selous Game Reserve (United Republic of Tanzania) (N 199bis)

Decision: 44 COM 7A.51

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7A.Add,
2. Recalling Decisions 31 COM 7B.3, 32 COM 7B.3, 33 COM 7B.8, 34 COM 7B.3, 35 COM
7B.6, 36 COM 8B.43, 37 COM 7B 7, 38 COM 7B.95, 39 COM 7A.14, 40 COM 7A.47,
41 COM 7A.17, 42 COM 7A.56 and 43 COM 7A.16, adopted at its 31st (Christchurch,
2007), 32nd (Quebec City, 2008), 33rd (Seville, 2009), 34th (Brasilia, 2010), 35th
(UNESCO, 2011), 36th (Saint-Petersburg, 2012), 37th (Phnom Penh, 2013), 38th (Doha,
2014), 39th (Bonn, 2015), 40th (Istanbul/UNESCO, 2016), 41st (Krakow, 2017), 42nd
(Manama, 2018) and 43rd (Baku, 2019) sessions respectively,
3. Also recalling that States Parties have the obligation under the Convention to protect and
conserve the World Cultural and Natural Heritage situated on their territory, notably, to
ensure that effective and active measures are taken for the protection and conservation
of such heritage,

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of the World Heritage Committee
4. Further recalling the Committee’s clear position, adopted in its Decision 40 COM 7, that
the construction of dams with large reservoirs within the boundaries of World Heritage
properties is incompatible with their World Heritage status, urges States Parties to
ensure that the impacts from dams that could affect properties located upstream or
downstream within the same river basin are rigorously assessed in order to avoid
impacts on the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV);
5. Recalling furthermore that the property was inscribed on the List of World Heritage in
Danger due to the dramatic decline in elephant population due to poaching, and site
clearance of about 1.8% of the 5.2 million ha area of the property for the purpose of
constructing the Julius Nyerere Hydropower Project (JNHPP) (formerly the Rufiji
Hydropower Project),
6. Recalling moreover the commitment made by the State Party that led to the adoption of
Decision 36 COM 8B.43, to not undertake any development activities in the property
without the Committee’s approval, and further recalling the States Party’s declared
intention to construct a dam in the property at the time of its inscription on the World
Heritage List and assessment by the IUCN Technical Review (No. 199 Selous Game
Reserve), that the project proposed at that time would affect only a relatively small part
of the reserve and should not be a matter of serious concern unless the reservoir draws
in large numbers of settlers,
7. Notes the existing Mkuju uranium mine project that was excised from Selous Game
Reserve through boundary modification, and the proposed Kidunda Dam, Kito-1 oil and
gas exploration projects together with other planned oil exploration blocks outside the
reserve, and also urges the State Party to subject these projects to appropriate and
relevant Environmental and Social safeguards in line with paragraph 118bis of the
Operational Guidelines;
8. Notes with concern that the State Party has continued with some of the project activities
that may impact the integrity and OUV of the property, and further urges the State Party
to put in place strong mitigation measures to manage such activities in accordance with
the Operational Guidelines;
9. Notes the property is one of the largest protected areas in Africa and is vital for protecting
the Endangered African elephant;
10. Recommends that, despite the potential impacts of the construction of the Julius Nyerere
Hydropower Project, the State Party take note that the World Heritage Centre and IUCN
consider that important biodiversity could remain in the wider Selous-Niassa ecosystem
and the heritage status of this property could be re-evaluated, with the option of
developing a new World Heritage nomination;
11. Requests the State Party to invite a joint World Heritage Centre/IUCN Reactive
Monitoring mission to the property to verify the status of the property on the ground and
suggest options for conserving the wider Selous-Niassa ecosystem;
12. Further requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February
2022, a progress report and, by 1 December 2022, an updated report on the state of
conservation of the property for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 46th
session;
13. Decides to retain Selous Game Reserve (United Republic of Tanzania) on the List
of World Heritage in Danger.

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of the World Heritage Committee
 ASIA-PACIFIC

52. Tropical Rainforest Heritage of Sumatra (Indonesia) (N 1167)

Decision: 44 COM 7A.52

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7A,
2. Recalling Decisions 42 COM 7A.40 and 43 COM 7A.1, adopted at its 42nd (Manama,
2018) and 43rd (Baku, 2019) sessions respectively,
3. Expresses its utmost concern over the alarming continued deterioration of the
Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property through encroachment, further road
development, impacts of invasive species, the continued decline of key species and
increasing ecological isolation of the property, and urges the State Party to increase its
efforts to implement the corrective measures in order to address the significant threats
to the OUV of the property;
4. Appreciating the signing of agreements with the regional governments not to expand
encroachment and to undertake ecosystem restoration within each component of the
property, also expresses its utmost concern over the plans under discussion to clear
forest areas within the property, and also recalling that the indicators for the Desired
state of conservation for the removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in
Danger (DSOCR) stipulate that there should be no further loss of primary forest and no
net loss of secondary forest cover in the property, reiterates its request that the State
Party take urgent measures to halt all encroachment linked to logging, plantation
development or mining and to scale up forest restoration activities, with priorities given
to ecologically sensitive areas, wildlife corridors and roadsides;
5. Further expresses its utmost concern that the integrity of the property continues to be
severely threatened by various road developments, including the Namu-Karo road
upgrade inside the Gunung Leuser National Park (GLNP), the Bukit Tapan road upgrade
inside Kerinci Seblat National Park (KSNP), the Trans-Sumatran Highway proposal that
would be located in close proximity to the property and reported plans for Muara Situlen-
Gelombang road through GLNP and, further recalling the indicator for the DSOCR that
there should be no new road development or proposal to that effect within the property,
also urges the State Party to ensure that:
a) No new road development is permitted within the property,
b) Any road and development proposal close to the property be subject to a thorough
assessment of its potential impact on the OUV of the property, including its
conditions of integrity, and submitted to the World Heritage Centre for review by
IUCN before a decision is taken that would be difficult to reverse, in line with
Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines,
c) The Namu-Karo road is closed for all traffic except for emergency evacuation, and
that the impact of the road on wildlife species, especially the critically endangered
Sumatran orangutan, is urgently assessed,
d) A comprehensive assessment of the impacts of the Bukit Tapan road upgrade on
the OUV is undertaken to identify appropriate mitigation measures and submitted
to the World Heritage Centre for review by IUCN before any further construction
takes place,

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of the World Heritage Committee
 e) More details are provided on the reported Trans-Sumatran Highway proposal that
would be located in close proximity to the property;
6. Further urges the State Party to urgently increase its efforts to implement all corrective
measures and in particular to strengthen property-wide monitoring of four key species
(Sumatran elephant, tiger, rhino and orangutan) as well as to control measures
preventing further proliferation of the invasive species Merremia peltata, and requests
the State Party to report on progress in achieving the DSOCR for the property;
7. Notes that the new management plan of KSNP for 2020-2029 is being developed, and
also requests the State Party to submit a copy of the management plan to the World
Heritage Centre when it is finalised;
8. Recalling furthermore that the 2018 IUCN Reactive Monitoring mission considered the
boundary demarcation on the ground to be largely insufficient, further requests the State
Party to continue the boundary demarcation of the property to halt encroachment, report
on progress, and work in close consultation with the World Heritage Centre, IUCN and
the UNESCO Office in Jakarta to develop a proposal for the significant boundary
modification, with support from the UNESCO/Netherlands Funds-in-Trust project to
integrate management and review boundaries for the long-term protection of the
property’s OUV;
9. Requests furthermore the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 February 2022, an updated report on the state of conservation of the property and the
implementation of the above, including the implementation of the corrective measures,
for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 45th session;
10. Decides to retain Tropical Rainforest Heritage of Sumatra (Indonesia) on the List
of World Heritage in Danger.

53. East Rennell (Solomon Islands) (N 854)

Decision: 44 COM 7A.53

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7A,
2. Recalling Decision 43 COM 7A.2, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
3. Welcomes the State Party’s efforts to foster stakeholder dialogue to implement the
recommendations made by the 2019 Reactive Monitoring mission, and requests the
State Party to continue these efforts;
4. Expresses concern that little progress has been made to implement the mission’s
recommendations; considers that the establishment of a Cabinet Sub-Committee
dedicated to the property might help to accelerate progress; reiterates its request to the
State Party to adopt, as a matter of urgency, a new Cabinet Paper with the commitments
and associated budgets of the respective ministries reflected in the budget allocation for
the next fiscal year; and urges all parties involved to develop a workable long-term
solution for the customary governance of the property;
5. Commends the continued efforts by customary landowners, local communities of East
Rennell and the Lake Tegano World Heritage Site Association (LTWHSA) to safeguard
the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property, but also expresses concern that
potential threats to the property’s OUV, and notably its integrity, arising from commercial
logging and mining still exist in the absence of an adequate legal mechanism for the
property,

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of the World Heritage Committee
6. Notes with concern the proposed construction of a new road across the property, and
also requests the State Party to undertake a full Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)
for the road construction and for other planned developments before implementing the
projects, in accordance with the Operational Guidelines and in line with the IUCN World
Heritage Advice Note on Environmental Assessment, and to submit a copy of the EIA to
the World Heritage Centre for review by IUCN;
7. Notes with great concern the reported food insecurity of the local communities following
the prolonged heavy rains in 2020-2021, and further requests the State Party to
accelerate the implementation of proposed assistance by the Ministry of Agriculture and
Livestock to strengthen the food security of the communities as a matter of urgency;
8. Also notes with great concern the mass mortality of flying foxes, a species recognized
as an attribute of the property’s OUV, and the grounding of an industrial barge inside the
property, and also urges the State Party to urgently investigate both of these issues and
to implement adequate measures to prevent any negative impact on the property’s OUV
and local livelihoods;
9. Also welcomes the implementation of a livelihood project in East Rennell with the support
of the UNDP-GEF Small Grants Programme, along with on-going efforts by the State
Party and the LTWHSA to facilitate dialogues among community members to build
consensus on the management of the property and develop sustainable livelihoods in
the framework of a UNESCO/Netherlands Funds-in-Trust (NFiT) project, and
encourages the State Party to implement the NFiT project as a matter of priority and to
mobilize more actively international support, including through the International
Assistance mechanism under the World Heritage Fund;
10. Noting the State Party’s request for an additional four years to implement the Desired
state of conservation for the removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in
Danger (DSOCR), decides to extend the timeframe to implement the DSOCR until 2025,
yet further expresses concern that achieving full implementation of the DSOCR within
this timeframe will continue to be challenging without international support, and calls
upon the international community to provide the State Party with the necessary support;
11. Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 February 2022, an updated report on the state of conservation of the property and the
implementation of the above, including a progress report of the implementation of the
recommendations made by the 2019 Reactive Monitoring mission, for examination by
the World Heritage Committee at its 45th session;
12. Also decides to retain East Rennell (Solomon Islands) on the List of World
Heritage in Danger.

EUROPE AND NORTH AMERICA

54. Everglades National Park (United States of America) (N 76)

Decision: 44 COM 7A.54

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7A,
2. Recalling Decision 43 COM 7A.3, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),

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of the World Heritage Committee
3. Welcomes the progress achieved in implementing the 2006 corrective measures and
notes with satisfaction that the implementation of the Combined Operational Plan is
expected to start in August 2020;
4. Commends the State Party for continuing to implement the next generation of restoration
projects in order to achieve the Desired state of conservation for the removal of the
property from the List of World Heritage in Danger (DSOCR), and also notes with
satisfaction the additional funding commitments of over USD 4.5 billion, already made
for the next years;
5. Regrets that not all 14 DSOCR indicators are reported on, and encourages the State
Party to report using its previous table format to track relative progress in achieving the
DSOCR;
6. Appreciates the continued efforts on the management of invasive alien species (IAS)
and update of the Strategic Action Framework planned for 2020, and reiterates its
request to the State Party to ensure a continued, long-term allocation of resources to
control the existing IAS inside the property, and for the management strategy to
emphasize prevention and early detection combined with rapid response measures;
7. Also appreciates that the General Management Plan (GMP) of the property was
submitted to the World Heritage Centre and that it includes comprehensive climate
change planning to anticipate, adapt to, and mitigate climate change impacts on the
property;
8. Welcomes the planned purchase of approximately 8,000 ha (20,000 acres) of land and
drilling rights in the Everglades Protection Area to permanently prevent oil, gas and
mineral exploration and extraction on the acquired land, nevertheless, noting that this
does not eliminate all threats from beyond the property boundaries, requests the State
Party to inform the World Heritage Centre about any planned or potential oil and gas
drilling activities in the proximity of the property, and to ensure that any Environmental
Impact Assessment (EIA) is conducted in line with the IUCN World Heritage Advice Note
on Environmental Assessment and submitted to the World Heritage Centre for review by
IUCN before conducting any drilling activities;
9. Also requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 December 2022, 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
46th session;
10. Decides to retain Everglades National Park (United States of America) on the List
of World Heritage in Danger.

LATIN AMERICA AND CARIBBEAN

55. Río Plátano Biosphere Reserve (Honduras) (N 196)

Decision: 44 COM 7A.55

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7A,
2. Recalling Decision 43 COM 7A.4 adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
3. Welcomes the State Party’s and its governmental and non-governmental partners’
ongoing inter-institutional efforts to protect and conserve the property, enhance

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of the World Heritage Committee
 biodiversity and strengthen indigenous territorial governance, and encourages the State
Party to continue the implementation of the corrective measures and ensure that
adequate funding is available to allow this;
4. Also welcomes the advances on the land titling process in the cultural zone of the Río
Plátano Biosphere Reserve and the progress to regularise land use rights in its buffer
zone through awarding family usufruct contracts and requests the State Party to ensure
the process is completed in line with the established timelines;
5. Notes the State Party’s progress to achieve the targets established to reach the Desired
state of conservation for the removal of the property from the List of World Heritage in
Danger (DSOCR), however, notes with concern that many challenges remain, and urges
the State Party and its partners to ensure that collaborations, financial and technical
resources and political will are sustained and increased to reach the targets set out in
the corrective measures in order to achieve the DSOCR;
6. Further welcomes the State Party’s re-stated commitment to advance on the preparation
of a Significant Boundary Modification (SBM) for the property, however, also notes with
concern that formal consultation on boundary modifications with indigenous and Afro-
Honduran territorial councils has not yet started, and also requests the State Party to
secure technical and financial resources required for the necessary consultation
processes and development of the proposal of a SBM as a crucial step towards achieving
the DSOCR, and in particular to:
a) Coordinate the many governmental sectors and institutions involved at various
levels,
b) Seek support from the World Heritage Centre, Advisory Bodies and other States
Parties, as appropriate,
c) Guarantee full consideration of the archaeological heritage of the property and
corresponding actors;
7. Noting with utmost concern the near completion of the Patuca III Hydroelectric Power
Plant without the current and potential impacts of the project on the OUV of the property
having been properly assessed, recalls the commitment of the State Party to develop a
Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) of the power plant, and also urges the State
Party to expedite this process so that a specific assessment of the impacts of the power
plant on the OUV of the property can be developed in the appropriate format and can be
used to develop the necessary mitigation measures;
8. Also notes that certain mitigation measures have already been put in place for the
Hydroelectric Power Plant, however, recommends that the State Party ensure that these
are specifically aimed at preventing impacts on the OUV of the property, and also
encourages the State Party to revise these measures once the results of the SEA are
available;
9. Further requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 February 2022, 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
45th session;
10. Decides to retain Río Plátano Biosphere Reserve (Honduras) on the List of World
Heritage in Danger.

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of the World Heritage Committee
56. Islands and Protected Areas of the Gulf of California (Mexico) (N 1182ter)

Decision: 44 COM 7A.56

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7A.Add,
2. Recalling Decision 43 COM 7B.26, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
3. Reiterates its utmost concern about the critical status of the vaquita population,
specifically recognized as part of the property’s Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) and
endemic to the Gulf of California, and that illegal fishing of totoaba has continued in the
Upper Gulf of California resulting in a threat of imminent extinction of the vaquita
population;
4. Notes that no updated information has been provided regarding the remaining vaquita
population and therefore requests the State Party to cooperate with the International
Committee for the Recovery of the Vaquita (CIRVA) to update the current estimate and
transmit this information to the World Heritage Centre;
5. Welcomes the efforts by the State Party to use the mechanism of the List of World
Heritage in Danger to strengthen international cooperation to fight illegal international
trafficking of totoaba products and to continue a dialogue with the States Parties that are
transit and destination countries for illegal totoaba products, including within the
framework of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora
and Fauna (CITES);
6. Also welcomes the ongoing inter-institutional efforts aimed at fighting illegal fishing
activities in the Upper Gulf of California and illegal trafficking of totoaba products, but
notes with concern that the volume of illegally extracted totoaba products remains high,
and also requests the State Party to further strengthen these efforts based on a critical
assessment of the efficiency of the current efforts on how to improve them;
7. Also notes the reported information on new fisheries regulations that have been
approved in September 2020, which, if enforced, could have the potential to reduce
totoaba poaching and vaquita bycatch, as well as the concerns that the State Party has
not fully implemented the regulations and has failed to enforce them; and further requests
the State Party to provide further information in this regard;
8. Further welcomes that ongoing ‘ghost net’ retrieval efforts, including through
collaboration with civil society organizations, have been formalized, but expresses
concern that a large number of ghost nets continues to be found, that the ghost nets
retrieval activities have been concentrated in the so called “zero tolerance zone”, but that
no further information has been provided on how effective the zone has been and that
net retrieval operations remain suspended since December 2020, while the totoaba
illegal fishing season is underway;
9. Taking note of the confirmation provided by the State Party that alternative vaquita-safe
fishing gear is already available for a number of fisheries and has been provided to
interested fishers, requests furthermore the State Party to continue these efforts and to
confirm the scale of deployment of alternative fishing gear across the fishing
communities of the Upper Gulf of California;
10. Notes with satisfaction the dialogue between the State Party, the World Heritage Centre
and IUCN regarding the development of a set of corrective measures and requests
moreover the State Party to submit the final proposal with its next report on the state of
conservation of the property, taking into account the comments provided by the World
Heritage Centre and IUCN;

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of the World Heritage Committee
11. Welcomes furthermore the establishment of a technical working group for the
development of a Desired state of conservation for the removal of the property from the
List of World Heritage in Danger (DSOCR) and urges the State Party to expedite the
process, in cooperation with the World Heritage Centre and IUCN, including by
organising a technical workshop with participation of the World Heritage Centre, IUCN,
including its Species Survival Commission, and CIRVA;
12. Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 February 2022, 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
45th session;
13. Decides to retain Islands and Protected Areas of the Gulf of California (Mexico) on
the List of World Heritage in Danger.

7B.I. REPORTS ON THE STATE OF CONSERVATION OF

PROPERTIES INSCRIBED ON THE WORLD HERITAGE LIST
INITIALLY FORESEEN TO BE EXAMINED BY THE WORLD
HERITAGE COMMITTEE IN 2020

CULTURAL PROPERTIES

AFRICA

1. Royal Palaces of Abomey (Benin) (C 323bis)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.1

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
2. Recalling Decision 43 COM 7B.103, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
3. Welcomes the revision of the Management Plan, and the appointment of a new
Management Committee, a Site Manager and a conservator for the Museum and
commends the State Party for undertaking firm measures against illegal occupation
within property;
4. Notes with satisfaction that work has started on the development of a fire prevention
plan, that a fire hydrant has been brought back into service and that fire breaks have
been re-established, and reiterates its request to the State Party to install in the
immediate future appropriate fire detection systems in the main buildings, and ensure all
fire extinguishers are operable;
5. Notes the efforts of the State Party to initiate conservation work to rehabilitate degraded
parts of the property, but expresses concern that no details have been provided to show
how this work has been undertaken or justified to ensure that authenticity and integrity
have been respected;

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of the World Heritage Committee
6. Expresses great concern that the continuing vulnerabilities of the palace remain, and
requests the State Party to continue its efforts against the illegal development and
encroachment of the property;
7. Also welcomes the revised Management Plan and reinforcement of the management
team as positive steps, but considers that they alone are not enough to achieve the
fundamental changes needed to safeguard the fabric of the 10 palaces that make up the
whole property, and to the governance, planning and other control processes;
8. Also notes that, if the palaces are to retain their authenticity and integrity, urgent action
has to be undertaken, and also requests the State Party to draft a specific Recovery Plan
as a matter of urgency, and submit to the World Heritage Centre the outline of such a
Recovery Plan for review by the Advisory Bodies (ICOMOS and ICCROM), based on
adequate surveys and research, to establish a baseline from which to measure progress,
and which includes a phased and feasible programme of restoration and conservation,
based on documentation and surveys, and appropriate changes in governance to allow
the involvement and support of relevant stakeholders and authorities;
9. Thanks the Government of the Norway for their financial support to the property;
10. Reiterates its recommendation to the State Party to consider establishing a
comprehensive strategy for the sustainable funding of the property’s conservation;
11. Further welcomes the extension of the Museum project to encompass the restoration
and rehabilitation of the palaces, and a programme to support sustainable traditional and
heritage training; and further requests the State Party to ensure that these elements are
integrated into the Recovery Plan, and detailed proposals are submitted for review before
they are finalised;
12. Further notes that the designs for the proposed museum have been modified with lower
roofs and an architectural language that respects local traditions, requests furthermore
the State Party to re-locate the building or make it much smaller and less dominant, so
that the Amazon court continues to be intelligible as a large ceremonial open space, and
to submit volumetric studies for review before any further detailed plans are developed
for the Amazon court, and requests moreover the State Party to carry out Heritage
Impact Assessments (HIA) as a pre-requisite for development projects and activities
within or around the components of the property in conformity with Paragraph 118bis of
the Operational Guidelines before any decisions are made;
13. Further requests the State Party to continue dialogue with the World Heritage Centre
and the Advisory Bodies in the framework of the timetable for the implementation of the
project for the Museum of the Epic of the Amazons and Kings of Dahomey, to allow for
a sustained exchange of documentation and to ensure the preservation of the
Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property;
14. Requests furthermore the State Party to invite a joint World Heritage
Centre/ICOMOS/ICCROM Reactive Monitoring mission to the property as soon as
possible to consider its state of conservation and the potential threats it is facing, to
assess the implementation of the recommendations made by the previous mission of
2016, and to formulate, in consultation with the State Party, concrete recommendations,
including on the issues to be addressed in the Recovery Plan;
15. Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre by 1 February
2022, 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
45th session.

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of the World Heritage Committee
2. Historic Town of Grand-Bassam (Côte d’Ivoire) (C 1322rev)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.2

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
2. Recalling Decision 41 COM 7B.67, adopted at its 41st session (Krakow, 2017),
3. Welcomes the State Party's reactivity following the floods, by putting in place a crisis
management system, by relocating the affected populations and by requesting the
organization of a UNESCO emergency mission;
4. Notes the implementation of the project to reopen the Comoé River as part of the project
to safeguard and enhance the Cocody bay and the Ebrié lagoon (PABC), regrets that
this project was not submitted to the World Heritage Centre in accordance with
Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines, and requests the State Party to submit the
PABC to the World Heritage Centre, as soon as possible, for review by the Advisory
Bodies so that solutions can be found to adapt the approach to the recommendations
provided in the report of the emergency mission of October 2019, and more particularly
to:
a) Submit to the World Heritage Centre, before any intervention, the dykes project
with its different height scenarios for evaluation by the Advisory Bodies,
b) Carry out a visual and heritage impact study of the civil engineering project planned
for a height of 6 metres;
5. Expresses its deep concern at the acceleration of the degradation of the state of
conservation of several heritage buildings, including the courthouse, the lighthouse and
the former post and customs hotel and, while welcoming the cooperation initiatives taken
by the State Party in favour of heritage restoration, in particular through public/private
partnership agreements, also requests the State Party to:
a) Consider these initiatives in a planned manner, with particular emphasis on group
operations,
b) Strengthen these initiatives by:
(i) Consolidation and updating of the inventory of existing heritage,
(ii) Establishment of in-depth architectural and cultural diagnoses,
(iii) Strengthening of the monitoring and control of town planning and
construction rules and the application of regulations by all concerned public
and private actors,
(iv) Capacity building for heritage and construction professionals,
(v) Establishment of a monitoring committee for restoration work;
6. Further requests the State Party to strengthen the management of the site, by giving
more resources to the Heritage House and to relocate it in a heritage building, thus giving
it an emblematic and exemplary character at the heart of the site;
7. Also welcomes the draft revision of the conservation and management plan (including a
risk management plan) and encourages the State Party to finalize it;
8. Thanks the Government of Norway for its financial support for the implementation of a
support programme for the preservation of the property, which includes in particular the
inventory work, the finalization of the management plan, the revision and publication of

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of the World Heritage Committee
 an interventions guide on the property and the establishment of a monitoring committee
for restoration work;
9. Also encourages the State Party to strengthen measures to safeguard and promote the
intangible heritage of the N'zima community;
10. Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 December
2022, 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
46th session.

3. Aksum (Ethiopia) (C 15)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.3

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
2. Recalling Decision 42 COM 7B.43, adopted at its 42nd session (Manama, 2018),
3. Welcomes the establishment of the Advisory Committee for the management of the
property as well as the State Party’s actions in planning capacity building for the site
management;
4. Also welcomes the State Party’s continued engagement with the World Heritage Centre
and the Advisory Bodies on technical matters and requests the State Party to continue
this approach regarding the consolidation of the Stele III, the structural stabilisation of
the Mausoleum and Tomb of the Brick Arches, and in addressing the ground water
problem in the Tomb of the Brick Arches, and also requests the State Party to submit all
documentation for the proposed interventions to the World Heritage Centre, and to only
commence with implementation of these projects once full agreement on technical
details and monitoring protocols has been reached with the World Heritage Centre and
the Advisory Bodies;
5. Notes the State Party’s reported progress in defining the boundaries of the property and
its buffer zone and in providing a legislative context defining the conservation area, and
urges the State Party to submit a minor boundary modification and detailed maps
indicating the proposed property and buffer zone boundaries, as previously requested,
and in conformity wth Paragraph 164 of the Operational Guidelines;
6. Remains concerned about the management of the property and the impact of
development projects in its setting, and also urges the State Party to submit to the World
Heritage Centre for review by the Advisory Bodies:
a) The 2016 Structure Plan,
b) The Heritage Impact Assessments (HIAs) for both the 2010 Thematic Master Plan
and 2016 Structure Plan that assesses their impact on the Outstanding Universal
Value (OUV) of the property, and a document clarifying the relationship between
these plans,
c) An updated timeline for the completion of the Church Museum, including the
submission of the requested minor façade modification design, a report on the
archaeological features uncovered during the excavation and construction of the
Church Museum, and details on the conservation of the Church Museum
collection,

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 d) A report on the activities and accomplishments of the Advisory Committee and site
management, specifically relating to the implementation of the Management Plan
for the property,
e) Details of all current and potential developments within the property and the buffer
zone, together with appropriate HIAs, including for the developments commented
upon by the 2016 mission, in accordance with Paragraph 172 of the Operational
Guidelines;
7. Further requests the State Party to develop an Action Plan with timelines for the
implementation of the recommendations of the 2013 and 2016 missions and previous
decisions of the Committee, and to submit, by 1 February 2022, an electronic copy of
this Action Plan, for review by the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies;
8. Requests that, in light of various accounts of reports on looting, destruction and damage
in the Tigray region, the State Party:
a) Assesses in detail, and in close cooperation with the World Heritage Centre and
the Secretariats of all relevant UNESCO Culture Conventions, the impact of the
conflict on the cultural heritage of the region, and in particular on the conservation
and management of the property,
b) Ensures the safeguarding of the property through protective measures,
c) Engages, where necessary, in undertaking an emergency response through
targeted actions, including by creating a full inventory of cultural heritage objects
of the property and their state of conservation;
9. Requests furthermore the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 February 2022, a progress report notably on the assessment of the impact of the
recent conflict on cultural heritage in the Tigray region and on the protective measures
taken, and by 1 December 2022, 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 46th session.

4. Lower Valley of the Omo (Ethiopia) (C 17)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.4

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
2. Recalling Decisions 41 COM 7B.68 and 42 COM 7B.44, adopted at its 36th (Saint
Petersburg, 2012), 39th (Bonn, 2015), 40th (Istanbul/UNESCO, 2016), 41st (Krakow,
2017) and 42nd (Manama, 2018) sessions respectively,
3. Welcomes the updated information on the Kuraz Sugar Development project (KSDP)
submitted by the State Party and notes that substantial progress has not been made;
4. Notes that quantitative details have been provided on ancillary development near the
property linked to the main project, but in order to assess their impacts on Outstanding
Universal Value (OUV) and requests the State Party to submit the full details together
with the outcomes of the new Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and the updated
Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA);
5. Regrets that that a draft proposal for boundary delineation that is being developed as
part of the EU-funded projects has not been completed and submitted for review, as
requested by the Committee, and urges the State Party to give priority to this crucial

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 element that is needed to inform the Management Plan and the development of a buffer
zone and to submit draft boundary proposals to the World Heritage Centre for review by
the Advisory Bodies before any decisions are made;
6. Also notes that a new Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) has been
commissioned and that its outcome was due in January 2020, and also requests the
State Party to submit the report, together with the community consultation processes that
have been followed, without further delay to the World Heritage Centre for review by the
Advisory Bodies;
7. Further requests the State Party to update and augment the HIA taking into account new
ancillary developments and their impacts on OUV of the property and ICOMOS’
Technical Review of November 2017;
8. Further notes progress with the development of the EU-funded Management Plan and
requests furthermore the State Party to finalize the Plan based on feedback received,
obtain approval from relevant authorities and start implementation;
9. Also urges the State Party, in collaboration with the State Party of Kenya, to progress
the development of a Strategic Impact Assessment (SEA) for assessing the potential
impacts of the KSDP and its development activities on the Lake Turkana basin, as
requested by the Committee since 2012;
10. Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, an updated
report by 1 December 2022, on the state of conservation of the property and the
implementation of the above, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its
46th session.

5. Forts and Castles, Volta, Greater Accra, Central and Western Regions (Ghana)
(C 34)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.5

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
2. Recalling Decision 43 COM 7B.106, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
3. Acknowledges the State Party’s efforts to address the recommendations of the 2019 joint
World Heritage Centre/ICOMOS/ICCROM Advisory mission, as well as the allocation of
funds for conservation, the increase in staffing of the Ghana Museums and Monuments
Board to address the challenges faced in the maintenance of the Outstanding Universal
Value (OUV) of the property, and the creation of a Heritage Fund;
4. Notes the conclusions of the 2020 joint World Heritage Centre/ICOMOS/ICCROM
Reactive Monitoring mission that the combinations of threats and factors impacting each
component of the property is considered a major threat to the OUV of the property that
warrants the urgent implementation of remedial actions;
5. Also notes the recommendations of the 2020 mission, and requests the State Party to
implement them without delay;
6. Also requests the State Party to develop an action plan with timelines, submit it to the
World Heritage Centre for review by the Advisory Bodies and consequently implement
it, including:
a) Undertaking an urgent structural survey of the various components of the property,
to be submitted to the World Heritage Centre for review by the Advisory Bodies

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 and undertake, where necessary, emergency remedial structural interventions to
safeguard the integrity of all the components of this property,
b) Establishing a close monitoring programme at all components of the property,
c) Establishing a protocol for the delineation of the boundaries of the components and
their individual buffer zones as a matter of urgency, in collaboration with the World
Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies, following which the delineation of the
boundaries and buffer zones should be completed as a matter of urgency and
submitted to the World Heritage Centre,
d) Establishing a programme to engender more local awareness of the international
significance of the property;
7. Further requests the State Party to:
a) Complete with urgency the Management Plan, including mechanisms for inter-
governmental coordination and stakeholder consultation, and submit it to the World
Heritage Centre for review by the Advisory Bodies,
b) Submit the statutes for the new National Heritage Committee and the new Culture
and Heritage Development Act to the World Heritage Centre for review by the
Advisory Bodies, following which their approval and implementation should be
expedited,
c) Submit details of the work carried out at St George Castle at Elmina and Fort St
Anthony at Axim to the World Heritage Centre, for review by the Advisory Bodies
before implementation,
d) Halt the James Town Fishing Harbour project and carry out a Heritage Impact
Assessment (HIA) on the project, in conformity with the 2011 ICOMOS Guidance
on HIAs for Cultural World Heritage properties, with a specific section focusing on
the potential impact of the project on the OUV, and submit this HIA to the World
Heritage Centre for review by the Advisory Bodies before further implementation
of this project,
e) Carry out Environmental Impact Assessments, HIAs, and/or Strategic
Environmental Assessments as a pre-requisite for development projects and
activities that are planned for implementation within or around the components of
the property in conformity with Paragraph 118bis of the Operational Guidelines,
and create legislative or management mechanisms to this effect;
8. Takes note of the construction of the sea defence wall at Fort Fredensborg at Old Ningo
which caused the collapse of part of the remaining ruins and compaction of geological
layers with potential detrimental impacts on archaeological attributes, and requests
furthermore the State Party to halt the intervention and to consider relocating the site
office and the equipment installed, to further secure the site by fully closing it for the
trucks, and further encourages the State Party to conduct a conditions survey and take
protective and remedial measures at Fort Fredensborg;
9. Invites the State Party, in conformity with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines,
to inform it, through its Secretariat, of any major restorations or new constructions which
may affect the OUV of the property;
10. Also invites the State Party to expedite the development of an inventory that should
compile documentation and information critical to the maintenance, restoration, and
interpretation of the Forts and Castles, with the participation of national and international
universities and experts to identify interpretation and presentation opportunities of the
property, and encourages the State Party to consider engaging actively in UNESCO's
Slave Route Project to further research and international cooperation to that effect;

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11. Requests moreover the State Party to invite a joint World Heritage
Centre/ICOMOS/ICCROM Reactive Monitoring mission to the property in early 2023 to
assess the state of conservation of all the components of the property, progress in the
development and implementation of the action plan, implementation of the
recommendations of the 2020 mission, in particular progress in the delineation and
protection of buffer zones and the advancement on the preparation and implementation
of the Management Plan;
12. Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 February 2022, a progress report, and by 1 December 2022, 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 46th session.

6. Lamu Old Town (Kenya) (C 1055)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.6

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B.Add,
Recalling Decision 42 COM 7B.45, and 43 COM 7B.107, adopted at its 42nd (Manama,
2018), and 43rd (Baku, 2019) sessions respectively,
Expresses its thanks to the State Party for organizing a Reactive Monitoring mission to
the property in November/December 2019, considering the security concerns and
requests that the State Party implement the recommendations of the mission;
Underlines the utmost urgency of clarifying the boundaries of the property and putting in
place an enlarged buffer zone to include all of Lamu Island, parts of Manda Island, and
relevant mangroves belts in the area, as requested numerous times in the past, and also
requests that an updated clearly delineated map of the property and its enlarged buffer
zone be submitted to the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies for comment
prior to formally submitting it to the World Heritage Committee as a minor boundary
modification in line with Paragraph 164 of the Operational Guidelines;
Expresses its concern about the overall state of conservation of buildings within the
property, and further requests the State Party to complete the survey of the building stock
and strengthen enforcement of building controls to halt the deterioration and use of
inappropriate materials;
Regrets that a revised Management Plan which takes into account the Lamu Port
Southern Sudan-Ethiopia Transport (LAPSSET) project has not yet been completed and
urges the State Party to complete it as soon as possible and submit it to the World
Heritage Centre for review by the Advisory Bodies;
Recognizes that the National Museums of Kenya (NMK) has been included in the
technical committee for the LAPSSET Master Plan, but also urges the State Party to
ensure that a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the NMK and the
LAPSSET Corridor Development Authority is completed to ensure that the NMK has a
role in decisions, that may affect heritage along the corridor, and in particular the
Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of relevant World Heritage properties, including
Lamu Old Town;
Takes note of the need for greater awareness of the potential threats of the LAPSSET
project on the OUV of the property at both the political and civil society levels, and
requests furthermore the State Party to:

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of the World Heritage Committee
 a) Send a High-Level governmental delegation, including representatives of the
Ministry of Sport, Culture and Heritage and the National Museums of Kenya, to the
property to assess the range of challenges and the urgency of finding solutions to
ensure the safeguarding of the OUV of the property,
b) Establish a Heritage Task Team made of relevant government agencies at the
national and local levels with the support and involvement of civil society in order
to develop appropriate responses to the many development issues that may affect
the OUV of the property,
c) Create a stakeholder and community forum for Lamu Island, which can also work
closely with the LAPSSET project,
d) Set up a core corporate social responsibility programme in collaboration with the
LAPSSET Corridor Development Authority and the County Government to ensure
that sufficient funds are available for conservation at the property and heritage
related projects;
Requests moreover the State Party to
a) Complete, as soon as possible, the work on the revision of the Strategic
Environmental Assessment (SEA) for the LAPSSET project, taking into account
both individual and cumulative impacts that the project and all of its sub-projects
may have on the OUV of the property, as well as on Lake Turkana World Heritage
property, and that no further components of LAPSSET be implemented before the
SEA is completed and submitted to the World Heritage Centre for review by the
Advisory Bodies;
b) Provide to the World Heritage Centre, for each sub-project of LAPSSET (resort
city, international airport, etc.), full information about the projects and their plans
along with the necessary Environmental and Heritage Impact Assessments
(EIAs/HIAs), for review by the Advisory Bodies before any irreversible decisions
are taken about their implementation;
Notes that the work on the Lamu Coal Plant is on hold, and requests as well that
alternative solutions be proposed to meet the electricity needs of the region, and that any
developments in this regard undergo thorough independent EIAs/HIAs to ensure that
there are no negative impacts on the OUV of the property;
Requests in addition the State Party to invite a joint World Heritage
Centre/ICOMOS/ICCROM Reactive Monitoring mission to the property in the first half of
2023 to review the progress made on the recommendations of the 2019 mission and the
Decisions of the World Heritage Committee, for examination by the World Heritage
Committee at its 46th session;
Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 February 2022, a progress report, and by 1 December 2022, 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 46th session.

7. Thimlich Ohinga Archaeological Site (Kenya) (C 1450rev)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.7

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decision 42 COM 8B.14, adopted at its 42nd session (Manama, 2018),

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of the World Heritage Committee
 Welcomes the information provided by the State Party concerning progress made to
extend the property boundary at its south-eastern end near the entrance of Koketch, and
that processes for land acquisition are expected for completion in 2020, and encourages
the State Party to ensure that the rights of communities are respected in the processes
of land acquisition;
Notes that defining and legally approving the exact demarcation of the buffer zone will
be undertaken following the completion of the extension of the property boundary;
Also encourages the State Party to continue to incorporate information on the cultural
values of the property in the database maintained by the National Museums of Kenya,
including associated oral traditions and conservation actions;
Further encourages the State Party to continue to implement the monitoring system for
the property, including indicators associated with visitor management issues, and invites
it to provide details about the selection of indicators and reporting methodology to the
World Heritage Centre for review by the Advisory Bodies;
Requests the State Party to ensure that all planned projects or works, including
infrastructure to support tourism, are subject to Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) in
conformity with the ICOMOS Guidance on HIAs for Cultural World Heritage Properties
(2011), and that information on any planned projects that could have an impact on the
Outstanding Universal Value of the property is forwarded to the World Heritage Centre
for review by the Advisory Bodies, in accordance with Paragraph 172 of the Operational
Guidelines;
Also requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 December 2022, 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
46th session.

8. Island of Mozambique (Mozambique) (C 599)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.8

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
2. Recalling Decision 42 COM 7B.47, adopted at its 42nd session (Manama, 2018),
3. Commends the State Party for the finalization of the Management and Conservation Plan
of Island of Mozambique (2018-2024) (MCPIM), and urges the State Party to submit it to
the World Heritage Centre, for review by the Advisory Bodies and, once agreement has
been reached on its content, to officially approve this document;
4. Also commends the State Party for the new buffer zone delimitation proposal, and
requests it to submit it as a Minor Boundary Modification to the World Heritage Centre
following the official procedure set in Paragraph 164 of the Operational Guidelines, for
review by the Advisory Bodies and examination by the World Heritage Committee;
5. Encourages the State Party to pursue its efforts to strengthen the Island of Mozambique
Conservation Office (GACIM)’s authority and technical capacities, notably by approving
the proposed amendment of GACIM’s statutes, by accelerating the process of
recruitment of new official staff, and by reinforcing the cooperation between GACIM and
the Municipality on issues and activities related to the management and conservation of
the property;

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6. Notes with satisfaction the conservation measures undertaken by the State Party to
preserve the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property, notably the restoration
of a number of buildings in the hospital complex, and also requests the State Party to:
a) Finalize the restoration of the main block of the hospital,
b) Find a sustainable solution to avoid long-term vacancy of public buildings in the
property and maintain their public use,
c) Undertake restoration work on important buildings, such as the Court of the Island,
d) Enforce the use of the conservation guidelines to steer renovation and restoration
projects,
e) Submit the requested inventory of Structures of the stone and lime town area of
the property, and include their current use in the inventory,
f) Encourage property owners to address annual building maintenance, to avoid
increasing deterioration due to Climate Change and rising Risks;
7. Further commends the State Party on its actions in addressing threats from climate
change induced storm surges, also noting the potential spatial and visual impacts of
these structures, further requests the State Party to develop a long-term strategy for sea
defence infrastructure and to assess this through Visual and Heritage Impact
Assessments, and submit these to the World Heritage Centre for review by the Advisory
Bodies;
8. Requests furthermore the State Party to finalize the “Urban Structure Plan for the Island
of Mozambique District” and to submit it to the World Heritage Centre for review by the
Advisory Bodies before adopting it;
9. Welcomes the elaboration of the “Specific Rules for the Conservation of the Built
Heritage of the Macúti Town”, and requests moreover the State Party to update it
following the recommendations provided by ICOMOS in its technical review and to
officially approve and implement it;
10. Also encourages the State Party to mobilize funds (through International Assistance for
example) to address the living conditions in the Macúti town in a way that is appropriate
regarding the OUV of the property, notably through development projects to improve the
sanitation and living conditions;
11. Also welcomes the holding of the “Workshop on the community participation in the
management and monitoring processes at the Island of Mozambique World Heritage
Site”, and further encourages the State Party to continue community participation and
engagement activities;
12. Recalls that, pursuant to Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines, the State Party
should inform the Committee through the World Heritage Centre of the status of the
“Fortim de São Lourenço”, “Complex and Hotel Desportivo” and “Tourist complex in Goa
Island” projects and ensure that no work continue on these proposed projects, until
information has been submitted to the World Heritage Centre for review by the Advisory
Bodies;
13. Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 December 2022, 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
46th session.

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of the World Heritage Committee
9. Osun-Osogbo Sacred Grove (Nigeria) (C 1118)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.9

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
2. Recalling Decision 43 COM 7B.109, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
3. Acknowledges the progress made by the State Party in the restoration of sculptures and
their documentation;
4. Welcomes the digital documentation pilot project to digitise part of the sculptures on the
property, and its proposed use as a communication tool in future editions of the Festival,
and encourages the State Party to extend this documentation process to cover all the
shrines, sculpture and art works in the property alongside photographic documentation;
5. Reiterates its concerns that no satisfactory basis for conservation has been defined that
is underpinned by research into appropriate alternative materials to cement, which does
not provide a suitable long-term material given its susceptibility to cracks and water
ingress in the local hot and humid climatic conditions, and notes that the complete or
partial reconstruction of sculptures is still being undertaken;
6. Requests the State Party to refrain from carrying out any non-urgent work on restoration
of the sculptures and to halt all reconstruction until a revised conservation methodology
and phased conservation plan has been prepared and submitted to the World Heritage
Centre for review by the Advisory Bodies, and, given the fundamental need to address
the conservation of the large number of shrines, sculptures and art works in the property,
encourages the State Party to put in place regular resources to ensure that skilled local
craftspeople continue to be employed in this work;
7. Also notes that although the Osun State has now agreed to carry out regular sampling
of water in the Osun river, and is urging residents not to dump waste upstream as a
safety precaution to be taken to avoid any risk of contamination, and also requests the
State Party to take concrete steps to prevent direct consumption of drinking water from
the river until adequate measures have been taken to improve purity to drinking quality
levels, while encouraging it to find a temporary solution, together with traditional religious
leaders, so that purified water can be given to festival participants;
8. Further notes that work to revise the Management Plan has been promised but no details
have been provided as to how the management system might be made more inclusive
or how management might be funded at a sustainable level and benefit from Festival
revenue;
9. Notes furthermore that no progress has been made with the implementation of an
alternative route to the road through the property, and also encourages the State Party
to draw up viable proposals for the Osun State to implement;
10. Takes note that the artists’ village is located within the buffer zone, but still expresses
concern that no details of this were provided for review in the light of the concerns on its
location expressed by the 2015 ICOMOS Reactive Monitoring mission;
11. Thanks the State Party for having invited a joint World Heritage
Centre/ICCROM/ICOMOS Reactive Monitoring mission to the property, scheduled to be
carried out in March 2020 but postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic, and reiterates
the need for this mission to be carried out as soon as circumstances permit to address
the abovementioned conservation issues in order to assess whether the threats facing
the property would, in conformity with Paragraph 179 of the Operational Guidelines,
represent or not a case for inscription on the List of World Heritage in Danger, and also

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 to consider how the overall management of the property can be put on more inclusive
and sustainable footing;
12. Further requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 December 2022, 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
46th session.

10. Sukur Cultural Landscape (Nigeria) (C 938)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.10

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decision 42 COM 7B.48, adopted at its 42nd session (Manama, 2018),
Commends the State Party for the initiatives undertaken for the restoration and
reconstruction of some of the traditional buildings in the property that were damaged by
2014 insurgents' attacks, in particular within and around the Hidi Palace;
Notes with satisfaction the resilience of the Sukur community in the context of persisting
threats in the larger area surrounding the property, and encourages the State Party and
the local community to maintain their efforts for heritage conservation, in particular with
regard to the mobilisation of the youth;
Notes nevertheless that considerable further conservation work remains to be
undertaken on paved paths and walls as well as on the wider property beyond the Hidi
Palace, in particular on the clusters of traditional house and agricultural terraces, which
were devastated by insurgents and are crucial attributes of the Outstanding Universal
Value (OUV) of the property as a living cultural landscape;
Welcomes the efforts deployed by the State Party to secure the area, ensuring increased
protection to the population of Sukur, especially on the hilltop, but expresses its concern
over persisting threats to security in the larger area through sporadic attacks from Boko
Haram insurgents along the access route to Sukur;
Recognising again that due to the sense of relative safety the hilltop holds, the population
has resettled and increased at Sukur, but also notes with concern that the increase of
demographic pressure is a factor that contributes to environmental degradation, resulting
in scarcity of local building materials, and favours the inappropriate re-adaptative use of
new building materials and technologies;
Requests the State Party to take action to enhance awareness of heritage conservation
by reaching out to the Sukur community to encourage them through promotion and
incentives to actively conserve traditional architecture and agricultural terraced
landscapes, and to safeguard associated intangible cultural heritage through
coordination between the National Commission for Museums and Monuments (NCMM)
and the relevant departments responsible for agriculture and living heritage;
Also notes that discussions have taken place with the State Party of Cameroon on the
possibility of a transboundary extension of the property to include the Diy-Gid-Biy
archaeological sites, and also encourages the State Party to consider requesting
Upstream advice on the potential for this extension to reflect the OUV of the property as
a living cultural landscape;
Further notes that the 2018 joint World Heritage Centre/ICOMOS Reactive Monitoring
mission was unable to visit the property itself due to security concerns, and also requests

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 the State Party to again invite a joint World Heritage Centre/ICOMOS Reactive
Monitoring mission to the property, once the necessary security clearance can be
obtained, to assess the state of conservation of the property and the efficacy of measures
for both traditional buildings and traditional agricultural terraced landscapes that have
been put in place to safeguard the property's OUV;
Further requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 December 2022, 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
46th session.

11. Ruins of Kilwa Kisiwani and Ruins of Songo Mnara (United Republic of Tanzania)
(C 144)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.11

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
2. Recalling Decision 42 COM 7B.50, adopted at the 42nd session (Manama, 2018),
3. Commends the State Party on the continuing effort to implement conservation works and
formulate the management system since 2014, following the removal of the property
from the List of World Heritage in Danger;
4. Welcomes the State Party’s decision to review the Integrated Management Plan (IMP)
(2016-2019) and to consider a longer period for the implementation timeframe, and
requests the State Party to provide an updated work-plan for the review of the IMP, its
submission to the World Heritage Centre for review by the Advisory Bodies, and its
implementation;
5. Also requests the State Party to consider addressing and integrating the following
aspects in the process of reviewing the IMP, namely:
a) An overview of all other outstanding Committee requests expressed in its past
Decisions on this property and a work plan to address these issues,
b) Unimplemented targets and activities of the current IMP, notably the effort to
enhance the governance of the property so as to better engage communities,
stakeholders and partners in implementation processes,
c) Proposals for further conservation works at the Gereza Fort, Malindi Seafront,
Husuni Kubwa, and Makutani,
d) How the boundaries might be extended to cover Sanje ya Kati Island and Kilwa
Kivinje, and how an appropriate buffer zone for the property might be defined;
6. Noting the intention of the State Party to enhance tourism development in Kilwa Kisiwani
and Songo Mnara, further requests that these projects be submitted for review together
with appropriate and detailed archaeological documentation and Heritage Impact
Assessments before the projects are authorized or before any decision is made that
would be difficult to reverse;
7. Encourages the State Party to inform the Committee through the World Heritage Centre
of any major conservation or development project which may affect the Outstanding
Universal Value (OUV) of the property, in accordance with Paragraph 172 of the
Operational Guidelines;

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8. Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 December 2022, 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
46th session.

12. Stone Town of Zanzibar (United Republic of Tanzania) (C 173rev)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.12

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decision 42 COM 7B.51, adopted in its 42nd session (Manama, 2018),
Acknowledges the progress made by the State Party in establishing the Cross-Cutting
Task Team and in the emergency stabilisation of the Tippu Tip House, welcomes the
development of the Stone Town Mobility Management Plan and the Michenzani Green
Corridor Project (MGCP);
Notes the conclusions of the 2019 joint World Heritage Centre/ICOMOS/ICCROM
Reactive Monitoring mission that the state of conservation of the property remains a point
of great concern, that re-enforcement of conservation guidelines and building control is
urgent, and that the management system of the property is not functioning effectively;
Also notes the recommendations of the 2019 Reactive Monitoring mission and requests
the State Party to implement them without delay;
Further notes the progress made in drafting the new integrated Conservation and
Heritage Management Plan (CHMP), and also requests the State Party to submit it to
the World Heritage Centre for review by the Advisory Bodies as soon as possible and to
implement it as soon as agreement has been reached on its content following this review;
Notes with concern the recent collapse of a large section of the House of Wonders, and
urges the State Party to:
a) Ensure that the still-remaining portion of the building is safeguarded in the long
term,
b) Salvage, keep safe and make an inventory of all possibly reusable components of
the building from the collapsed portion of the building,
c) Expand the proposed technical team proposed to assist in developing the museum
displays to assist and advise it on the investigations required to come to a
rehabilitation strategy that supports the contribution of this important attribute of
the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV),
d) Design, advised by the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies and the
proposed technical team, and implement a research project to investigate the
chronological history of the building and its constructing technologies through
archival and on-site investigations,
e) Develop alternative proposals for the rehabilitation of the building advised by the
World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies and the proposed Scientific
Committee and submit these to the World Heritage Centre for consideration by the
Committee;
Also acknowledges the support of the State Party of Oman for the stabilization of the
Palace Museum , and reiterates its request to the State Party to submit information on
the renovation approach for the rehabilitation project of the Palace Museum to the World

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 Heritage Centre for review by the Advisory Bodies as soon as possible and before the
project is implemented;
Further requests that:
a) The important attributes of the Malindi Harbour be inventoried and the future
redevelopment of the Malindi Harbour and the development of the Maruhubi
Harbour be subject to Heritage Impact Assessments (HIAs), conforming to
Paragraph 118 bis of the Operational Guidelines,
b) The Darajani Corridor Business Centre be reconceptualised and aligned with the
Zanzibar City Centre Local Area Plan and the Michenzani Green Corridor Project
plan, the new design for the Darajani Corridor Business Centre be reviewed
through an HIA process, and the plans and HIA be submitted to the World Heritage
Centre for review by the Advisory Bodies,
c) Alternative proposals for the Tippu Tip House that ensures public educational use
appropriate to its significant contribution to the OUV of the property be developed,
d) In the mid-term, a Strategic Development Plan be developed for the property to
coordinate all development projects within the site including its aquatic buffer zone,
within the framework of the Zanzibar Town Master Plan, and be submitted to the
World Heritage Centre for review by the Advisory Bodies,
e) A multi-year community-driven action plan be urgently developed to address the
state of conservation of the built fabric of the property;
Acknowledges the invitation by the State Party for a joint UNESCO/ICOMOS/ICCROM
Advisory mission to the property and requests furthermore the State Party to invite a joint
World Heritage Centre/ICOMOS/ICCROM Reactive Monitoring mission to the property
in early 2023 to assess its overall state of conservation and, in particular, progress on
the implementation of the new integrated CHMP and assess whether the state of
conservation of the property and development pressures warrant the inscription of the
property on the List of World Heritage in Danger;
Notes furthermore that, if not addressed, the lack of effective conservation management,
combined with the poor state of conservation of the property and development pressures,
could warrant a future inscription of the property on the List of World Heritage in Danger,
in accordance with Paragraph 179 of the Operational Guidelines;
Thanks the State Party of Oman and the World Monuments Fund for their contributions
to the recovery activities related to the House of Wonders in the Stone Town of Zanzibar
World Heritage property, the State Party of Oman for its further financial commitments
made to its future rehabilitations, further welcomes the actions undertaken by the State
Party of the United Republic of Tanzania to safeguard the remainder of the building, and
requests moreover that the rehabilitation of the House of Wonders be developed as
exemplary research project for recovery, repair and maintenance of traditional Swahili
buildings in this and other World Heritage properties on the east African coast;
Calls for an increased mobilization of the international community to provide more
financial and technical support to the State Party, including through International
Assistance, to implement the short- and medium-term measures to improve the state of
conservation of the property;
Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February
2022, a report on the state of conservation of the property, and the implementation of
the above, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 45th session.

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 ARAB STATES

13. Historic Cairo (Egypt) (C 89)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.13

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B.Add,
Recalling Decision 43 COM 7B.44 adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
Welcomes the clarification on the scope of Decree No. 90 and the modality of its
implementation in relation to the setting of protected buildings, but notes that it does not
preclude demolition of unprotected buildings but rather controls their renovation or
replacement;
Also welcomes the issuance of decree number 1097 on 14 of March 2021, which orders
a pause in permits for demolition in the property, and the submission of a map of the
boundaries of the property, but requests that the map be submitted formally in line with
Paragraph 164 of the Operational Guidelines;
Also notes that the proposed administrative structure that emerged from the second
stage of the Urban Regeneration of Historic Cairo Project (URHC) will be overseen by a
Higher Ministerial Steering Committee, chaired by the Prime Minister, and is currently
being submitted to the Supreme Committee for approval;
Further welcomes the confirmation that the third stage of the URHC is being
implemented to produce a Sustainable Development Plan that will include initiatives
compatible with the Historic Urban Landscape (HUL) approach, such as the development
of local crafts and markets as an axis for development, measures to strengthen the
structures of local communities, and revitalisation of local culture;
Notes with concern that the 2019 Reactive Monitoring mission and the 2021 Advisory
mission considered that degradation of the urban fabric has increased and in places
appears to have accelerated; that the overall historic urban fabric is suffering more than
individual protected monuments; and that neglect and lack of maintenance is leading to
deterioration beyond affordable rehabilitation, or in places the total collapse of some
structures;
Further notes that this situation has been exacerbated by the continuing approval of
demolition permits for protected/registered buildings that could be considered unstable,
and the continuing lack of protection of unregistered structures, and that the accumulated
demolition of buildings is beginning to have a highly adverse impact on the urban fabric;
Expresses concern about the recently reported construction of a road, which has led to
the demolition of many tombs and mausolea in the Southern and Northern cemeteries,
known as the ‘City of the Dead’, and which could have a major impact on the historic
urban fabric of these parts of the property and channel more traffic into the city;
Requests the State Party to submit as a matter of urgency technical information on the
new road construction project going through the City of the Dead, and any other major
project at the property, or in its buffer zone, in line with Paragraph 172 of the Operational
Guidelines;
Appreciates the work undertaken by State Party over the past five years at a strategic
level, but notes furthermore that this has not been matched by actions on the ground to
halt the current degradation or to rehabilitate traditional structures as well as protected
monuments;

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 Considers that the property has currently reached a critical point where the attributes of
Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) are being damaged cumulatively by a combination
of physical and environmental degradation, functional decay, demolition and major
infrastructure development, to such a degree that they are under threat and could rapidly
reach an irreversible situation if urgent actions are not undertaken;
Also requests the State Party to finalize the Management, Master and Conservation
Plans as a matter of urgency, and to:
a) Ensure that these plans are aligned with the emerging Sustainable Development
Plan,
b) Approve and put in place a management structure that brings together all the key
stakeholders and the necessary disciplines,
c) Ensure that the plans are based on a clear definition and firm understanding of the
attributes of OUV, and on clear boundaries,
d) Establish one map for the boundaries and buffer zone of the property, and
complete the Retrospective Statement of OUV (RSOUV),
e) Submit the requested plans, map of boundaries and RSOUV to the World Heritage
Centre for review by the Advisory Bodies;
Urges the State Party to implement the 2019 and 2021 missions’ recommendations, as
well as immediate and preventive measures, with particular attention to halting the
demolition of all structures, both protected and unprotected within the property; amend
Law 119 that permits demolition of protected structures by owners for reasons of safety
against collapse, and refrain from pursuing any development project, further street
widening or construction to improve vehicular traffic, until the Master, Conservation and
Management Plans have been approved and are being implemented;
Expresses its appreciation to the Government of France, for the support provided to the
State Party towards the conservation and management of the property;
Takes note that major conservation projects are being developed, and also urges the
State Party to explore how these projects can contribute toward sustainable development
of the urban fabric, rather than just to the repair of monuments;
Further requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 February 2022, 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
45th session.

14. Babylon (Iraq) (C 278)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.14

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decision 43 COM 8B.13, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
Takes note of the progress accomplished by the State Party in continuing with some
conservation activities and in the presentation of the property;
Reiterates its request to the State Party to continue working on the issues noted by the
Committee at the time of inscription of the property on the World Heritage List, including
by:

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 a) Developing and finalizing the comprehensive conservation plan for the property,
and within this, addressing the various risk factors identified in the risk map
provided (including through proposing concrete measures towards their effective
reduction and mitigation as well as the establishment of a priority intervention
scheme for the most urgent conservation measures needed),
b) Augmenting the Management Plan to include the comprehensive conservation
plan, to allow the management team to focus on priority, emergency interventions,
and providing detailed implementation-oriented guidance as well as quality
indicators for its successful implementation,
c) Researching further the relationships between the Neo-Babylonian capital and its
wider landscape, in particular towards the Euphrates River, and based on the
outcomes of this research, considering further extending the buffer zone in order
to address actual and potential future challenges, which can be identified in the
wider setting of the archaeological city,
d) Communicating to visitors the three-dimensional boundary concept and the explicit
exclusion of 20th century additions from the property;
Reminds the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, for evaluation by the
Advisory Bodies, detailed information of any ongoing and future works at the property or
its buffer zone, that may affect the Outstanding Universal Value of the property, in
conformity with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines;
Welcomes the willingness of the State Party to host as soon as possible a joint World
Heritage Centre/ICOMOS Advisory mission to assist the State Party to develop a phased
and costed action plan for the conservation of the property;
Requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 December 2022,
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 46th session.

15. Erbil Citadel (Iraq) (C 1437)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.15

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decisions 38 COM 8B.20, 40 COM 7B.23 and 42 COM 7B.53, adopted at its
38th (Doha, 2014), 40th (Istanbul/UNESCO, 2016) and 42nd sessions (Manama, 2018)
respectively,
Acknowledges the continued efforts by the State Party to engage local and international
partners to ensure the conservation of the property and maintain its Outstanding
Universal Value (OUV), and welcomes the important steps taken by the State Party in
the revitalisation of the property including the rehabilitation of important buildings;
Also acknowledges the contributions of partner-funders towards the maintenance and
improvement of the state of conservation of the property;
Notes that the development and urban enhancement of the Citadel central pathway and
subsidiary trails project is an important next step in the further rehabilitation of the
property, but care should be taken to ensure that urban infrastructure installations should
not hamper future archaeological investigations;
Requests the State Party to:

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of the World Heritage Committee
 a) Ensure the coordinated implementation of the Urban Design Guidelines for the
buffer zone by its governmental and municipal bodies,
b) Submit the results of current and future archaeological investigations undertaken
at the property to the World Heritage Centre;
Reminds the State Party of its obligations to submit to the World Heritage Centre for
review by the Advisory Bodies, in accordance with Paragraph 172 of the Operational
Guidelines, details of all on-going or planned projects, including major restoration and
rehabilitation of the property, as well as any new envisaged construction within the
property and its buffer zone, in particular designs for the proposed Kurdistan National
Museum, before any commitment is given with regard to their approval or construction;
Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 December 2022, an updated report on the state of conservation of the property and
the implementation of the above.

16. Petra (Jordan) (C 326)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.16

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decision 42 COM 7B.54, adopted at its 42nd session (Manama, 2018),
Congratulates the State Party on the completion and launch of the Petra Integrated
Management Plan (IMP), requests the State Party to initiate its implementation with focus
on key policies and immediate actions, and welcomes the establishment of a permanent
Technical Committee;
Commends the State Party for pursuing the implementation of some recommendations
of the November 2017 Reactive Monitoring mission and Committee decisions, and
encourages the State Party to further pursue these efforts, notably concerning:
a) Commitment to enforce a permanent moratorium on new buildings and
infrastructure that are visible from the site,
b) Establishing a process for consultation with the World Heritage Centre and
ICOMOS prior to the implementation of major projects, and for subsequently
undertaking the necessary measures concerning development projects in the
vicinity of the property in order to avoid or reduce negative impacts on its
Outstanding Universal Value (OUV),
c) Preparing studies addressing water harvesting and flood management in Petra,
d) Developing a GIS-based platform to record and manage information on the Petra
Archaeological Park (PAP),
e) Carrying out community engagement and awareness raising activities, including
with a focus on animal welfare;
Urges the State Party to implement the following outstanding recommendations of the
2017 mission:
a) Devising the proposed Integrated Territorial Master Plan (ITMP) to facilitate
sustainable economic, social and environmental development,
b) Preventing further densification of the property’s setting and diverting urban growth
towards the east of the property, and beyond its immediate setting,

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 c) Devising new regulations for a designated buffer zone and its larger setting, in line
with the proposed integrated territorial planning approach,
d) The preparation of an accurate GIS-based map pf the property, with its precise
boundaries, topography, location of all its component attributes and planned buffer
zone;
Also requests the State Party to continue to liaise with the World Heritage Centre and
ICOMOS regarding the proposed Al-Dara Development Project, to ensure that
consideration of the merits of this project (and design considerations, should the project
be further contemplated), addresses issues including increased densification and
ensures retention of attributes that contribute to the OUV of the property;
Reminds the State Party of the obligation to submit to the World Heritage Centre, in
conformity with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines, Heritage Impact
Assessments (HIAs) prepared in accordance with the 2011 ICOMOS Guidance on HIAs
for Cultural World Heritage Properties for all proposed projects, which may affect the
OUV of the property;
Also urges the State Party to continue working towards the establishment of a
sustainable tourism strategy for the property, in collaboration with the UNESCO Amman
Office and the World Heritage Centre, in line with the UNESCO World Heritage and
Sustainable Tourism Programme,
Reiterates its request to the State Party to submit a minor boundary modification request,
in line with Paragraphs 163-164 of the Operational Guidelines, and to clarify the
protective urban regulations of the planned buffer zone, including its zoning, in the
context of the development of an ITMP, in accordance with the approach recommended
by ICOMOS and in collaboration with the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory
Bodies;
Also encourages the State Party to continue the ongoing dialogue and collaboration with
the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies towards the conservation and
management of the property;
Further requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 December 2022, 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
46th session.

17. Gebel Barkal and the Sites of the Napatan Region (Sudan) (C 1073)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.17

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decision 43 COM 7B.54, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
Commends the State Party for its efforts to implement some Committee decisions and
the recommendations of the 2019 mission, despite significant challenges;
Continues to express serious concern at the overall state of conservation of the property,
which is seriously threatened by alarming levels of fabric degradation as a result of
environmental factors, including heavy rainfall and potential flooding, absence of
adequate controls, lack of appropriate maintenance, inadequate museum and storage
facilities, lack of management planning, ineffective coordination of archaeological
missions, absence of an integrated strategy for the conservation of newly-excavated

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 archaeological features, urban encroachment and development projects, all of which are
impacting negatively on the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property;
Requests the State Party to ensure that no new archaeological excavations occur until
conservation of the existing archaeological structures is ensured;
Notes that urgent measures are required at the property to reverse the alarming level of
deterioration and also requests the State Party to implement all of the recommendations
of the 2019 Reactive Monitoring mission and the 2020 UNESCO Heritage Emergency
Fund mission as a matter of urgency;
Reminds the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, for review by the
Advisory Bodies, detailed information of any future works that may affect the OUV of the
property, in conformity with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines;
Urges the State Party to prepare a 5-year comprehensive action plan, as recommended
by the monitoring mission to address the management structure, legal instruments,
inventories, documentation, conservation, restoration, development, community
involvement and tourism management;
Takes note of the State Party’s proposal for a revision of the 2007 Management Plan as
appropriate and encourages its eventual elaboration by the State Party;
Also urges the State Party to continue its efforts with regards to defining the boundaries
of the property, as a matter of urgency, and also reminds the State Party to submit a
Minor Boundary Modification, with property delimitations of the buffer zone in line with
Paragraph 164 of the Operational Guidelines;
Welcomes the proposed development of a sustainable tourism strategy with funding
support from the Netherlands Funds-in-Trust;
Calls on the international community to support the State Party’s urgent protection and
management work through financial and technical assistance;
Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 February 2022, 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
45th session, with a view to considering, in the case of continued ascertained
danger to the OUV, in line with Paragraph 179 of the Operational Guidelines, the
possible inscription of the property on the List of World Heritage in Danger.

18. Archaeological Site of Carthage (Tunisia) (C 37)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.18

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decision 43 COM 7B.55, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
Commends the State Party for its on-going work to address illegal development and
notes that two dozen structures have been demolished and that the demolition of illegal
structures started at the National Police Officers’ Training School in Salammbô;
Requests the State Party to expedite the demolition of the remaining illegal structures
within the property;
Also notes the positive progress that has been made with the new policy of land
acquisition and measures taken by the Ministry of Cultural Affairs to reclaim land that

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 was confiscated during the Revolution, as a means of controlling development
pressures, and welcomes the creation of research unit for preventative archaeology
within the National Heritage Institute;
Urges the State Party, to consider further efforts to address the socio-economic root
causes of development pressures through wider urban development planning structures
and tools in order to generate a more symbiotic relationship between the surrounding
areas and the property and to ensure that local residents can participate in the
enhancement of the site;
Further notes that the Protection and Presentation Plan has been revised to reflect the
submitted minor boundary modification proposal, and also requests the State Party to
adopt this Plan once the boundary modification proposal has been finalized, and set out
how it will be integrated with the local development plan;
Reiterates its request to the State Party to draft and implement a Management Plan to
coordinate the management and conservation activities carried out at the property by the
concerned stakeholders, and also urges the State Party to consider the
recommendations of the 2019 mission that included setting up communication strategies
with local stakeholders, and reviewing legislative protection;
Reminds the State Party of its obligations to submit to the World Heritage Centre for
review by the Advisory Bodies, in accordance with Paragraph 172 of the Operational
Guidelines, details of all on-going or planned projects, including major restoration and
rehabilitation of the property, as well as any new envisaged construction within the
property and its surroundings;
Further requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 December
2022, 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
46th session.

ASIA-PACIFIC

19. Ancient Building Complex in the Wudang Mountains (China) (C 705)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.19

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B.Add,
Recalling Decision 42 COM 7B.1, adopted at its 42nd session (Manama, 2018),
Takes note with appreciation of the efforts made by the State Party to accomplish the
lift-up project of Yuzhen Palace, and requests the State Party to submit to the World
Heritage Centre for review by the Advisory Bodies, upon completion of the project, a final
report of the lift-up project, including the process of the lift-up of the palace itself, the
reintegration of the archaeological remains and the relationship of the palace to the
surrounding landscape;
Appreciates the development of the Management Plan and the implementation of the
Visitor Management Plan for the property, and also requests the State Party to submit to
the World Heritage Centre, for review by the Advisory Bodies, a full version of the
Management Plan and details of the basis used to determine the visitor carrying capacity
of the property and its individual components, along with guidelines for the protection

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 from negative impacts on the property’s Outstanding Universal Value arising from
tourism;
Acknowledges the submission of a boundary clarification request for the property in April
2021, which is currently under review by the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory
Bodies, and shall be examined at a subsequent session of the Committee, and further
requests the State Party to continue engaging with the World Heritage Centre to clarify
pending issues concerning the component parts and the buffer zones of the property, in
line with previous decisions;
Requests furthermore the State Party to ensure, in consultation with the World Heritage
Centre and the Advisory Bodies, that the revised buffer zone for the property
incorporates the entirety of the Wudang Mountains National Scenic Area, so as to protect
the entire property and its wider setting, and to review the application and implementation
of the Master Plan for the Wudang Mountains Scenic Area to ensure that it protects the
landscape that binds together the component parts of the property;
Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 December 2022 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
46th session.

20. Historic Ensemble of the Potala Palace, Lhasa (China) (C 707ter)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.20

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B.Add,
Recalling Decision 42 COM 7B.2 adopted at its 42nd session (Manama, 2018),
Notes with satisfaction the conclusion of the April 2019 Reactive Monitoring mission that
there was no significant negative impact on the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of
the property resulting from the 17 February 2018 fire at Jokhang Temple, welcomes the
State Party’s efforts to undertake response, recovery and prevention initiatives following
the fire, and requests the State Party to implement fully the recommendations of the
Reactive Monitoring mission;
Regrets that pavilions were erected close to the Jokhang Temple Monastery to protect
three historic stelae prior to the submission of plans and a Heritage Impact Assessment
(HIA), despite the provisions of Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines, expresses
concern that these may have a negative effect on the cultural setting and context of the
Jokhang Temple Monastery, and also requests the State Party to explore alternative
solutions in accordance with the advice provided by ICOMOS and to submit a full HIA,
prepared in accordance with the 2011 ICOMOS Guidance on HIAs for Cultural World
Heritage Properties, for review by the Advisory Bodies, prior to the implementation of
any revised design;
Notes the ongoing work to complete the three conservation plans for the three
component parts of the property, but reiterates its request to submit these as soon as
possible to the World Heritage Centre for review by the Advisory Bodies, prior to formal
adoption and implementation;
Also notes the submission of three maps with property boundaries and buffer zones, but
further requests re-examination and adjustment of the buffer zone of Norbulingka so that
it conforms more clearly to identifiable landmarks, and clarify the buffer zones of the

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 property and the regulations, which will apply to the buffer zones along with the
submission of a proposal for a boundary clarification for the property as soon as possible;
Expresses its appreciation to the State Party for its commitment towards the protection
of the intangible heritage attributes of the property, but requests furthermore that more
work be carried out to ensure that sufficient attention is given to safeguarding these
important attributes and that the Jokhang Temple plaza be managed so that pilgrims can
bow and visit the shrine in a sacred atmosphere, respectful of the cultural setting and
integrity, and can traverse from the plaza entrance to the temple while praying without
being disturbed by tourists;
Commends the efforts of the State Party with regard to the possible demolition of the
existing television tower once a new tower on the eastern edge of the city is completed,
but urges it to prepare an HIA for the new tower as a matter of priority, in accordance
with the 2011 ICOMOS Guidance, to ensure that it does not have any negative impact
on the OUV of the property;
Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 December 2022, 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
46th session.

21. Zuojiang Huashan Rock Art Cultural Landscape (China) (C 1508)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.21

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
2. Recalling Decisions 40 COM 8B.19 and 42 COM 7B.4, adopted at its 40th
(Istanbul/UNESCO, 2016) and its 42nd (Manama, 2018) sessions respectively,
3. Takes note of the progress accomplished by the State Party on a number of
recommendations made by the Committee at the time of the property’s inscription on the
World Heritage List, and reiterates its encouragement to the State Party to complete the
listing of the remaining 37 rock art sites located within the property as ‘National Priority
Protected Sites’ as soon as possible;
4. Also notes the continuing efforts to limit development and activities that might be
detrimental to the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property, and recalls that
the State Party should inform the Committee, through the World Heritage Centre, of any
future plans for major restoration or new construction projects that may affect the
property’s OUV, in accordance with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines, before
making any decision that would be difficult to reverse;
5. Recommends that the State Party prepare and adopt formal mechanisms to ensure that
the OUV of the property, including its authenticity and integrity, is sustained over the long
term, including:
a) The completion of the conservation/consolidation programme for all the rock art
sites, with consequent monitoring systems,
b) A risk preparedness strategy for inclusion within the Management Plan that notably
addresses the risk of forest fire;
6. Encourages the State Party to keep the Committee informed of progress with:

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 a) The reduction of the risk of fire and the restriction of firewood collection through
management programmes, including incentives for the community to engage in
ecological protection,
b) The implementation of green energy projects within the property and its buffer
zones,
c) The implementation of environmentally sustainable alternatives to fossil fuel for the
operation of boats,
d) The implementation of mechanisms to restrict areas allocated to farming to the
present level;
7. Requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 December 2022,
an updated progress report on the state of conservation of the property and the
implementation of the above, for review by the Advisory Bodies.

22. Silk Roads: the Routes Network of Chang’an – Tian-shan Corridor

(China/Kazakhstan/Kyrgyzstan) (C 1442)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.22

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
2. Recalling Decisions 40 COM 7B.34, 41 COM 7B.88 and 42 COM 7B.5 adopted at its
40th (Istanbul, 2016), 41st (Krakow, 2017) and its 42nd (Manama, 2018) sessions
respectively,
3. Notes that progress has been made with research, interpretation, stakeholder
involvement and monitoring along the property, including public outreach activities, and
that the States Parties jointly contribute to the development of laws and regulations and
to the preparation and improvement of Management Plans, encourages all three States
Parties to continue their collaborative efforts in these key areas, and reiterates its request
that any outstanding management plan be finalized as a matter of priority, taking into
consideration the outcomes of the November 2016 joint World Heritage Centre/ICOMOS
Reactive Monitoring mission, and be submitted to the World Heritage Centre for review
by the Advisory Bodies;
4. Notes with satisfaction that the three States Parties have made good use of the
Intergovernmental Coordinating Committee for the Silk Roads World Heritage
nomination (ICC), and notably of its Secretariat based at the ICOMOS International
Conservation Centre-Xi’an (IICC-X, China), for information management and capacity-
building activities, and also encourages the continuation of this practice to continuously
improve the coordination of the protection and management of the property;
5. Also notes the reported increase in visitor numbers at some component sites, along with
the steps taken to address this potential issue, notably by conducting new carrying
capacity studies, and further encourages the States Parties to review carrying capacities
at all component sites in the light of post-COVID-19 health and safety regulations, while
ensuring that visitor management places sustainability and the protection of the
property’s Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) at its core;
6. Further notes the information provided by the State Party of Kazakhstan regarding the
bypass route at Talgar, and also reiterates its request that the State Party submit to the
World Heritage Centre more detailed plans of these proposals, showing the precise route
of the road, the location of the new bridge and any demolition or new construction, in one

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 of the working languages of the Committee (i.e. English or French), for review by the
Advisory Bodies, before any commitment is made or any work undertaken;
7. Notes furthermore that no decision has been made yet regarding the dismantling of the
bridge partially constructed across the Talgar River in 2016, which was requested in
previous decisions, and further reiterates its request to the State Party of Kazakhstan to
provide this information, once tentative plans have been outlined, for review by the
Advisory Bodies before any decision is made that would be difficult to reverse;
8. Regrets that the State Party of Kazakhstan did not provide any of the requested
information concerning road management prior to the joint report, notably for the
component sites of Akyrtas, Kostobe, and for the adjusted route of the A3 Ust-
Kamenogorsk-Almaty road that avoids the buffer zone of the Kayalyk component, and
that work progressed without prior review by the Advisory Bodies; also regrets that the
State Party of China did not submit the proposal for the re-development and enlargement
of the Xi’an Railway Station located in the buffer zone of the Daming Palace component
in a timely manner to prevent the project’s adverse impacts on the setting of the site; and
urges the three States Parties to submit to the World Heritage Centre, for review by the
Advisory Bodies, details of any major restoration or new construction which may affect
the OUV of the property, including Heritage Impact Assessments (HIAs) prepared in
accordance with the 2011 ICOMOS Guidance on HIAs for Cultural World Heritage
Properties, as soon as possible and before making any decision that would be difficult to
reverse, in conformity with Paragraphs 118bis and 172 of the Operational Guidelines;
9. Reiterates furthermore its request to the State Party of Kazakhstan to establish a World
Heritage Steering Committee for the component sites in Kazakhstan and to develop
effective coordination with China and Kyrgyzstan for the management of the overall serial
transnational property through the existing agreements and management mechanisms,
and encourages furthermore the three States Parties to ensure the effective and
coordinated conservation and management of component sites through the ICC,
particularly with regard to development projects and their impact to the property;
10. Also takes note of the efforts of the State Party of Kyrgyzstan to address development
issues in the buffer zones of the Ak-Beshim and Krasnaya Rechka settlements, and
strongly encourages all three States Parties to ensure that the boundaries and buffer
zones of all inscribed component sites are duly inscribed in cadastral maps;
11. Encourages moreover the three States Parties to use new technologies to monitor all
component sites of the property; calls upon them and all concerned partners to work
closely with the IICC-X, the International Centre on Space Technologies for Natural and
Cultural Heritage (HIST) and the International Institute for Central Asian Studies (IICAS)
to use space technology applications to monitor the state of conservation of the property;
and invites them to share good practice examples with the World Heritage Centre, so
that they may be made available to other States Parties on the World Heritage Centre’s
website;
12. Requests the three States Parties to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 December 2022, an updated joint report on the state of conservation of the property
and the implementation of the above, for examination by the World Heritage Committee
at its 46th session.

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23. Archaeological Site of Nalanda Mahavihara at Nalanda, Bihar (India) (C 1502)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.23

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
2. Recalling Decision 42 COM 7B.6, adopted at its 42nd session (Manama, 2018),
3. Acknowledges the progress made by State Party on a number of its previous
recommendations;
4. Takes note of the continuing conservation work and the development of visitor facilities
at the property, of the progress accomplished with the preparation of a visitor
management plan, to be incorporated in site Management Plan, and with the preparation
of the Integrated Master Plan, which will incorporate recommendations and regulations
regarding any development plan within or in the vicinity of the property, and requests the
State Party to provide a timeframe for their completion;
5. Also requests the State Party to develop a research programme focused specifically on
defining the authenticity of the property, including the necessary documentation to
identify authentic archaeological fabric, as encouraged in its earlier Decision;
6. Reiterates its request to the State Party to establish a formal conservation plan for the
excavated remains of the property in order to safeguard the property’s Outstanding
Universal Value (OUV) and authenticity;
7. Further requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 December 2022, an updated report on the state of conservation of the property and
the implementation of the above, for review by the Advisory Bodies.

24. Hill Forts of Rajasthan (India) (C 247rev)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.24

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
2. Recalling Decisions 39 COM 7B.65, 40 COM 7B.35, and 42 COM 7B.7, adopted at its
39th (Bonn, 2015), 40th (Istanbul/UNESCO, 2016) and 42nd sessions (Manama, 2018)
respectively,
3. Welcomes the finalisation of the Site Management Plan (SMP) for Jaisalmer Fort, and
requests the State Party to report on progress concerning the resourcing and
implementation of the planned actions, including the following high-priority matters:
a) Effectiveness of the implementation of regulations and other measures to curtail
unauthorised constructions and/or encroachments,
b) Efforts to incorporate the SMP into the legal protection system and ongoing efforts
to clarify the ownership of property,
c) Development of the sub-plan for visitor management for Jaisalmer Fort, as a key
part of the management system that will guide the development of appropriately
designed and in-situ facilities and other initiatives to enhance the visitor
experience, and requirement that Heritage Impact Assessments be conducted for
all new facilities within the property boundaries or the buffer zone,

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 d) Development of the sub-plans for risk preparedness and livelihood generation for
the local population, to ensure that they can be operationalized and implemented,
taking into account the need for capacity building,
e) Development of the foreseen comprehensive Conservation Plan, together with
detailed plans for maintenance of Jaisalmer Fort,
f) Development of detailed and action-oriented monitoring of the condition of the
World Heritage property, based on a clear articulation of its Outstanding Universal
Value (OUV) and attributes,
g) Adoption of the SMP by the Fort Apex Committee, including resourcing, priorities
and intended timeframes for the implementation of the plan,
h) Implementation of the proposed management framework, including the
establishment of the Jaisalmer Fort Management Authority, and articulation of its
capacities and priority activities;
4. Notes the information provided about the completion of infrastucture work for water
supply, sewerage and electrical/telephone cables for Jaisalmer Fort, as well as on
conservation and repair works undertaken at Jaisalmer Fort and Chittogarh Fort;
5. Also welcomes the advice from the State Party that no mining or blasting has occurred
in the area surrounding the Chittogarh Fort since the inscription of the serial property,
strongly encourages the State Party to ensure that such activities are not resumed, and
also requests the State Party to submit, as a matter of priority, further information on
progress towards the final resolution of the legal challenge that is being considered by
the Supreme Court of India;
6. Encourages the State Party to ensure that all development projects within the property
and buffer zones, including all major conservation and restoration projects, new visitor
facilities and major adaptive reuse projects, are subject to Heritage Impact Assessments,
in line with the 2011 ICOMOS Guidance, and that information about any project that
could have an impact on the OUV of the property is submitted to the World Heritage
Centre for review by the Advisory Bodies before any decision is made that would be
difficult to reverse, in accordance with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines;
7. Further requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 December 2022, 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
46th session.

25. Historic City of Ahmadabad (India) (C 1551)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.25

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
2. Recalling Decision 41 COM 8B.17, adopted at its 41st session (Krakow, 2017),
3. Welcomes the information provided by the State Party concerning the progress made
with the documentation of buildings in the city and the scheduled completion of the
Conservation Plan (encompassing the provisions of the Local Area Plan and Visitor
Management Plan) by December 2020, and requests the State Party to prioritize the
completion of these key elements of the management system and to provide updated
information concerning:

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 a) The completion of the documentation of historic buildings and structures in the city,
particularly the distinctive ‘pol’ housing, planned for July 2021,
b) The completion of the Conservation Plan, incorporating the Local Area Plan and
Visitor Management Plan, planned for December 2020,
c) The completion of Heritage Impact Assessments (HIA) for all major new
constructions in the western section of property and in the buffer zone,
d) The continued efforts to address issues of traffic congestion, pollution and the
neglected ‘pol’ buildings in poor condition;
4. Also welcomes the information provided by the State Party regarding the establishment
of the Ahmadabad World Heritage City Trust, and also requests the State Party to
continue its efforts to strengthen the capacities for urban heritage conservation at the
municipal level;
5. Notes the changes to the regulations for Ahmadabad in the Common Gujarat
Development Control Regulations and the establishment of the Core Walled City Zone,
and further requests that an accurate map, realized in accordance with the specifications
of the Operational Guidelines, be provided the World Heritage Centre along with the text
of the regulations (in English);
6. Also notes that HIAs are required for all new developments and urges the State Party to
ensure that development projects in the buffer zone are also subject to this requirement,
and that information about any planned project that may have an impact on the
Outstanding Universal Value of the property is submitted to the World Heritage Centre
for review by the Advisory Bodies, in accordance with Paragraph 172 of the Operational
Guidelines;
7. Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 December 2022, 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
46th session.

26. Mountain Railways of India (India) (C 944ter)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.26

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
2. Recalling Decision 43 COM 7B.62, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
3. Takes note that the State Party has provided an extensive state of conservation report
on the Darjeeling Himalaya Railway (DHR) component of the property, and requests the
State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre similarly detailed reports for the Nilgiri
Railway (NR) and Kalka Shimla Railway (KSR) components;
4. Welcomes the State Party’s advice that the DHR and KSR components of the property
retain their operational and functional integrity, that repair, reconstruction, restoration
and maintenance works continue to facilitate steam train operations, which are critical to
the property’s Outstanding Universal Value (OUV), that encroachment and waste
dumping have been addressed, and that a conservation and management unit has been
established for the property, and also requests the State Party to establish integrated
heritage units with in-house heritage conservation expertise for each of the three
component railways;

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5. Also takes note of the progress made towards determination of the boundary and buffer
zone, and completion of the Comprehensive Conservation Maintenance Plan (CCMP)
for the DHR component of the property, and reiterates its request that, prior to formal
adoption, this plan be submitted to the World Heritage Centre for review by the Advisory
Bodies;
6. Further requests the State Party to provide the World Heritage Centre with information
about any restoration and proposed projects and their potential impact on the OUV of
the property, including detailed information on Heritage Impact Assessments (HIAs),
prepared in conformity with the 2011 ICOMOS Guidelines on HIAs for World Heritage
cultural properties, and in line with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines, for
review by the Advisory Bodies;
7. Further takes note of the 2019 Reactive Monitoring mission’s recommendations, and
requests furthermore the State Party to implement them, particularly by:
a) Establishing comprehensive, up-to-date Management Plans for the KSR and NR
components,
b) Completing the CCMP for DHR and preparing, adopting or revising, as necessary,
related management guidance documents,
c) Establishing an official decision-making and implementation mechanism for DHR,
including consultation with stakeholders and participation of local organisations
and community groups,
d) Investigating the legislative recognition of heritage values,
e) Sustaining mechanical and functional operation for all three component railways,
f) Strengthening the national capacity of Indian Railways (IR) for the management of
heritage-related components and aspects of the property in order to inform the
decision-making process with professional heritage conservation expertise,
g) Exploring the training opportunities for managers and staff of the IR to raise their
awareness of holistic heritage values of the property, including non-heritage staff,
h) Ensuring that ongoing and future maintenance, repair, conservation or adaption for
new uses of station buildings, architectural elements and associated structures is
guided by specific conservation guidelines consistent with preservation of the
attributes that justify the OUV of the property,
i) Gathering baseline data by inventorying, recording and gathering historical plans
and documents for all important elements, and systematic inventorying of all
moveable heritage associated with the railways and their history, and providing
adequate display and storage conditions,
j) Promoting the three component sites and their respective history and values in
order to contribute to the holistic understanding of the property;
8. Also reiterates its request to the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre a
proposal to clarify the property’s boundaries and define a buffer zone for each of the
three component railways, along with details of proposed policy and legal instruments to
improve the protection and management of the property, in conformity with Paragraph
164 of the Operational Guidelines;
9. Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 December
2022, a report on the state of conservation of the property and the implementation of the
above, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 46th session.

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27. Susa (Iran, Islamic Republic of) (C 1455)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.27

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
2. Recalling Decisions 39 COM 8B.13 and 41 COM 7B.93, adopted at its 39th (Bonn, 2015)
and 41st (Krakow, 2017) sessions respectively,
3. Commends the progress made by the State Party in responding to its previous decisions
and acknowledges the conservation measures implemented in the property and its buffer
zone;
4. Reiterates its request to the State Party to continue harmonizing existing territorial and
urban planning regulations by integrating the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the
property into the regulations related to the property, its buffer and landscape zones, and
to ensure continued monitoring of operations in these areas;
5. Requests the State Party to complete the Risk Management Plan and its integration into
the Susa Development Plan and the Management framework, and to submit this Plan to
the World Heritage Centre for review by the Advisory Bodies;
6. Also requests the State Party to define a set of indicators to measure the continued
effectiveness of the inter-institutional agreements, and to submit this to the World
Heritage Centre for review by the Advisory Bodies prior to its adoption;
7. Further requests the State Party to avail, in the medium term, the necessary financial
resources and institutional capacity for a review of the Management Framework of the
property;
8. Requests furthermore the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 December 2022 at the latest, the items listed in Paragraphs 5-6 of the present decision
for review by the Advisory Bodies.

28. The Persian Qanat (Iran, Islamic Republic of) (C 1506)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.28

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
2. Recalling Decisions 40 COM 8B.21, 41 COM 8B.49 and 42 COM 7B.9, adopted at its
40th (Istanbul/UNESCO, 2016), 41st (Krakow, 2017) and 42nd (Manama, 2018)
sessions respectively,
3. Requests the State Party to include, as a matter of priority, a section on sustainable
tourism management in the integrated management system, with clear objectives related
to the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property, notably its authenticity and
integrity, along with relevant monitoring indicators, and to develop measures to monitor
and address the potential impact on the Qanats of long-term lifestyle changes and
development, which could become an important threat to the safeguarding of the
property;
4. Also requests the State Party to complete the permanent marking of the boundaries of
property components and buffer zones on the ground;

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5. Further requests the State Party to provide an indication of the expected timeframe(s)
for the completion of the above-mentioned actions and submit the overarching
sustainable tourism plan to the World Heritage Centre, for review by the Advisory Bodies;
6. Requests furthermore the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 December 2022, an updated report on the state of conservation of the property and
the implementation of the above for review by the Advisory Bodies.

29. Gusuku Sites and Related Properties of the Kingdom of Ryukyu (Japan) (C 972)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.29

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
2. Expresses its solidarity with the State Party for the damage caused to the Shuri-jô site,
a component part of the “Gusuku Sites and Related Properties of the Kingdom of
Ryukyu” World Heritage property, by a fire on 31 October 2019;
3. Takes note of the information provided by the State Party concerning the damage,
emergency measures and restoration works already undertaken to recover the property,
and commends the State Party for the efforts of the responsible national and local
authorities to ensure the safeguarding of the property despite the difficulties
encountered;
4. Requests the State Party to implement a comprehensive recovery strategy for the
property, including a restoration plan for the archaeological remains and the
reconstruction of fire-damaged replica structures, in consultation with the relevant
experts and in line with the national laws and regulations;
5. Also requests the State Party to invite a joint World Heritage Centre/ICOMOS/ICCROM
Reactive Monitoring mission to the property to assess the damage caused by the fire
and the proposed restoration works to be undertaken, as well as to examine other
aspects of the state of conservation of the property;
6. Welcomes the establishment of basic policies and a work schedule for the recovery,
including the installation of strengthened fire prevention measures and the reconstruction
of replica stuctures at the state hall, and further requests the State Party to integrate
appropriate measures for multi-hazard risk reduction, including fire prevention, into the
upcoming reconstruction plan for other replica structures, in line with the “Fire Prevention
Guidelines for National Treasures and Important Cultural Properties (Buildings)”
established by the Agency for Cultural Affairs and other necessary risk preparedness
guidelines, and encourages the State Party to continue facilitating the participation of all
stakeholders, including local communities, in the recovery process of the property;
7. Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 December 2022, an updated report on the state of conservation of the property and
the implementation of the above, for examination by the Committee at its 46th session.

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30. Sites of Japan’s Meiji Industrial Revolution: Iron and Steel, Shipbuilding and Coal
Mining (Japan) (C 1484)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.30

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B.Add.2,
2. Recalling Decisions 39 COM 8B.14 and 42 COM 7B.10, adopted at its 39th (Bonn, 2015)
and 42nd session (Manama, 2018) sessions respectively,
3. Welcomes the UNESCO/ICOMOS mission which took place in June 2021 to the
Industrial Heritage Information Center (IHIC) in Tokyo;
4. Takes note with satisfaction that the State Party has met a number of its commitments
and complied with a number of aspects of the Committee’s relevant decisions;
5. Strongly regrets however that the State Party has not yet fully implemented the relevant
decisions;
6. Requests, in this regard, the State Party to fully take into account, in the implementation
of the relevant decisions, the conclusions of the mission report, which include the
following topics:
a) Interpretive strategy showing how each site contributes to Outstanding Universal
Value (OUV) and allows an understanding of the full history of each site,
b) Measures to allow an understanding of a large number of Koreans and others
brought against their will and forced to work under harsh conditions, and the
Japanese government’s requisition policy,
c) Incorporation into the interpretive strategy of appropriate measures to remember
the victims such as the establishment of an information center,
d) Best international practice for interpretation strategies on the interpretation of the
full history of the property both during and outside the period covered by its OUV
and in the digital interpretation materials,
e) Continuing dialogue between the concerned parties;
7. Further requests the State Party to submit by 1 December 2022 to the World Heritage
Centre an updated state of conservation report of the property and the implementation
of the above, for examination by World Heritage Committee at its 46th session.

31. Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi (Kazakhstan) (C 1103)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.31

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
2. Recalling Decision 43 COM 7B.67, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
3. Acknowledges the progress accomplished with research and technical work on the
Mausoleum, notes that structural movement and humidity levels need to be continuously
monitored to evaluate the effectiveness of the implemented measures, and encourages
the State Party to continue its work in this regard, to ensure the sound conservation of
the property’s Outstanding Universal Value (OUV), including historic monuments in the

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 buffer zone, and to establish a formal visitor management plan for the property and its
surroundings to address the important increase in visitor numbers;
4. Welcomes the creation of a special advisory “Scientific-Methodological Council” in
September 2019;
5. Commends the State Party’s efforts towards public engagement, and also encourages
continued actions in this regard, notably the development of a holistic interpretation
strategy for the property and the Archaeological Park;
6. Requests the State Party to submit relevant sections of the Master Plan to the World
Heritage Centre and to ensure that the Master Plan:
a) Recognises the OUV of the property,
b) Includes the View Axis Protection Area that prohibits any new development within
the area from exceeding the 7m height limit;
7. Also welcomes the analysis of development undertaken by a group of national and
international experts, also acknowledges their call for future developments to respect the
OUV of the property, and that the expert group and the Scientific-Methodological Council
have unanimously recommended that new projects must respect both national legislation
and the requirements of the World Heritage Convention, and that no construction within
the buffer zone, View Axis Protection Area and the Turkestan Spiritual and Cultural
Center should be undertaken without notification to the World Heritage Centre and a
Heritage Impact Assessment following paragraphs 118bis and 172 of the Operational
Guidelines, and urges the State Party to address these recommendations;
8. Further welcomes the submission of an updated Management Plan by the State Party
and, as the Plan focuses mainly on the Mausoleum and does not address the buffer zone
or wider setting, further encourages the State Party to augment the Plan by extending its
scope and including principles and operationalization measures for future development,
as well as a clear articulation of the attributes of OUV that need to be protected and
managed;
9. Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February
2022, 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
45th session.

32. Town of Luang Prabang (Lao People's Democratic Republic) (C 479bis)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.32

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B.Add,
2. Recalling Decision 38 COM 7B.98, adopted at its 38th session (Doha, 2014)
3. Notes that the Luang Prabang Conservation Plan (PSMV) is implemented, upgraded into
the World Heritage Preservation Programme and integrated into the Provincial Strategic
Plan, also notes that regulations are in place for the expansion and restoration of existing
buildings and new construction and that an Infrastructure Development Plan is being
developed within the framework of the Provincial Strategic Plan, and urges the State
Party to submit the World Heritage Preservation Programme and the Infrastructure
Development Plan to the World Heritage Centre, for review by the Advisory Bodies prior
to their final approval and implementation;

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4. Notes with concern that the number of traditional houses and structures within the
property is decreasing, and also urges the State Party to adopt and implement, as part
of the PSMV, a policy to preserve, maintain and document these constitutive elements
of the property’s Outstanding Universal Value (OUV);
5. Also notes with concern that there is no indication of an integrated Tourism Management
Plan, and requests the State Party to urgently develop such a plan, which should be
integrated into the World Heritage Preservation Programme;
6. Expresses its concern regarding the Nam Khan Riverbank project, both due to its
potential visual impact on the landscape and the arising security and safety risks, and
also requests the State Party to ensure that the project does not have any negative
impact on the property’s OUV;
7. Further notes that the design of the Luang Prabang Hydropower Project (LPHPP) has
been completed by the project developers and approved by the relevant Lao authorities
and, also recalling Decision 40 COM 7 and the provisions of Paragraph 118bis of the
Operational Guidelines, recommends that the State Party halt construction activities until
the State Party has undertaken the following and submitted them to the World Heritage
Centre for review by the Advisory Bodies:
a) Carry out a full Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA), in conformity with the ICOMOS
Guidelines on Heritage Impact Assessments for World Heritage Cultural
Properties, including the potential impact of the LPHPP project on the property and
its OUV, with a risk analysis of the potential impacts, including those of natural
flooding of the Mekong river, taking into consideration the findings of the 2019
Environmental and Social Impact Assessment, and identifying whether and how
mitigation measures are required and how they might be implemented, with
support from the International Assistance project approved under the World
Heritage Fund,
b) Integrate appropriate measures both into the property’s planning and management
and hydropower planning processes and prepare an Emergency Preparedness
Plan in order to prevent, to the greatest extent possible, any damage to the
property,
c) Submit these documents to the World Heritage Centre for review by the Advisory
Bodies;
8. Further requests the State Party to invite a joint World Heritage Centre/ICOMOS
Reactive Monitoring mission to evaluate the overall state of conservation of the property,
the implementation of heritage preservation policies and related regulations, the
operationalisation of the Heritage Fund, to undertake an assessment of all the proposed
projects, and to make recommendations on how development projects could support the
OUV of the property;
9. Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 February 2022, 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
45th session.

33. Kathmandu Valley (Nepal) (C 121bis)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.33

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B.Add,

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of the World Heritage Committee
 Recalling Decisions 39 COM 7B.69, 40 COM 7B.41, 41 COM 7B.95, 42 COM 7B.12
and 43 COM 7B.70 adopted at its 39th (Bonn, 2015), 40th (Istanbul/UNESCO, 2016),
41st (Krakow, 2017), 42nd (Manama, 2018) and 43rd (Baku, 2019) sessions
respectively,
Welcomes the commitment made by the Government of Nepal and by national and
international organizations towards the recovery of the property, as well as the progress
made in response to the major challenges arising from the 2015 earthquakes, including
repair of monuments within the seven monument zones;
Appreciates the State Party’s commitment to expediting the revision of the Integrated
Management Framework (IMF), and updating the Recovery Master Plan (RMP),
including revisions to the six-year plan and timetable, as per the requirements according
to the context of sites and national legislative provisions, and also appreciates the
process of formulation of the New Master Plan for Pashupati Protected Monument Zone
and prepared HIA Procedures which are in the process of government approval;
Also urges the State Party to expedite the establishment of the International Scientific
Committee (ISC) to assist with the development of structures and resources to guide the
recovery of the property and its Outstanding Universal Value (OUV), and requests the
State Party to submit the ISC’s Terms of Reference and membership to the World
Heritage Centre;
Also requests the State Party to implement fully what was already declared in the six-
year plan and complete all its rehabilitation works within 2022 and to report to the World
Heritage Committee;
Noting the conclusions and recommendations of the 2019 joint World Heritage
Centre/ICOMOS/ICCROM Reactive Monitoring mission, expresses concern at the
mission’s findings regarding the adverse effect on the authenticity of the property and
the focus on monuments at the expense of other attributes, with resulting ramifications
for traditional urban housing and ancient settlements, and therefore further requests the
State Party to fully implement the mission recommendations, in particular:
a) The establishment of a Recovery Master Plan for each Protective Monument Zone
of the property, and
b) The immediate cessation of proposed changes to the Lal Baithak wing of the
National Art Museum, Bhaktapur, pending the submission of further documentation
and a thorough technical review by ICOMOS to consider the potential impacts of
the proposed project on the OUV of the property;
Also reiterates its request to the State Party to integrate the RMPs for each Protective
Monument Zone of the property with the overall socio-economic revitalization
programme for urban communities;
Notes that the recommendations from the April 2019 ICOMOS Technical Review of the
Patan Durbar Square Monument Zone sewer project are being implemented and
requests furthermore that the State Party submit the resulting documentation to the
World Heritage Centre;
Also notes the State Party’s confirmation that the proposed New Master Plan for the
Pashupati Protected Monument Zone has been withdrawn, and requests moreover that
the State Party prepare Heritage Impact Assessments (HIA) for all proposed major new
urban infrastructure projects within the Monument Zones and buffer zones, including the
proposed ring roads expansion of Swayambunath, in accordance with the ICOMOS
Guidance on HIAs for Cultural World Heritage Properties, and submit them to the World
Heritage Centre, in conformity with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines, for
review by the Advisory Bodies before any decision is made that would be difficult to
reverse;

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of the World Heritage Committee
 Calls upon the international community to continue supporting the State Party’s recovery
work through financial, technical or expert assistance, including support for local
communities and their housing and social needs, and in particular to continue to support
capacity building, which will facilitate:
a) Workshops and research focused on technical issues such as structural
assessment of traditional load-bearing structures, and materials dating and testing,
b) Further development of a secure centralized and accessible digital database for
management of all documents pertinent to the property,
c) Values-based heritage assessment and conservation management planning for
the property, its Monument Zones and monument complexes,
d) Master Planning utilizing the approach of the 2011 UNESCO Recommendation on
the Historic Urban Landscape (HUL) to manage urban development within the
property and its buffer zones, and
e) Disaster Risk Management Planning for each Monument Zone and for graded
monuments;
Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 February 2022, 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
45th session.

34. Fort and Shalamar Gardens in Lahore (Pakistan) (C 171)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.34

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decisions 42 COM 7B.14 and 43 COM 7B.72 adopted at its 42nd (Manama,
2018) and 43rd (Baku, 2019) sessions respectively,
Takes note of the efforts made by the State Party to address the Committee’s previous
requests and the recommendations formulated by the April 2018 Reactive Monitoring
mission with regard to the protection and management of the property and the mitigation
measures following the construction of the Orange Line Metro (OLM), and requests that
the feasibility study for the remaining recommendations be conducted in close
consultation with ICOMOS, and that its outcomes be submitted to the World Heritage
Centre for review by the Advisory Bodies;
Notes the creation by the Directorate-General for Archaeology of a Regulatory
Committee for OLM-related operations and future projects, in an effort to enable informed
decision-making processes, in compliance with the provisions of the Operational
Guidelines;
Also requests that the State Party work in close cooperation with the World Heritage
Centre and ICOMOS to assess all OLM-related operations and future projects, in order
to prevent any damage to the property’s OUV;
Also takes note of the implementation of some of the recommendations formulated by
the 2018 Reactive Monitoring mission, further notes that for the remaining
recommendations, the consultant engaged by the State Party will undertake detailed
feasibility studies; further actions thereof will be taken in consultation with the World
Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies after the consultant’s findings become

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of the World Heritage Committee
 available, and also requests the State Party to involve the local community, according to
national legislation, as an integral part of an informed decision-making process for the
World Heritage property;
Also notes that a number of restoration and/or conservation projects have been
undertaken at both component sites of the property, following the recommendations of
the 2018 mission, including the preservation of the property’s perimeter wall at the
Lahore Fort, a prototype project for the west segment of the Picture Wall, and the
restoration of the Royal Kitchen;
Further requests that full details of any ongoing or future projects be submitted to the
World Heritage Centre for review by the Advisory Bodies, in accordance with
Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines, including preservation and restoration
works for Dewan-E-Khas, Shahjahani Khawabgah, Kala Burj, Lal Burj, Moti Masjid and
Makatib Khana, Arzgah (Tile Mosaic Laboratory), Akbari Hammam, and inside Alamgiri
Gate and Loh Mandar, as well as a details on the proposed re-use of the Royal Kitchen
of Lahore Fort as a night-time restaurant, and that no irreversible decision be made
before positive feedback has been received from the Advisory Bodies, and also urges
the State Party to prioritise the safeguarding of the attributes of the property’s OUV,
including the integrity and authenticity of Lahore Fort;
Requests furthermore the State Party to officially submit the revised Master Plan of the
property to the World Heritage Centre, for review by the Advisory Bodies, and also
reiterates its request that the State Party submit to the World Heritage Centre a proposal
for a minor boundary modification, prepared in accordance with Paragraph 164 of the
Operational Guidelines and including the revision of the buffer zones, after having
considered all appropriate social measures, especially if any of these actions involve the
displacement of people residing in the neighbouring areas of the property, for review by
the Committee at a subsequent session;
Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February
2022, 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
45th session.

35. Historical Monuments at Makli, Thatta (Pakistan) (C 143)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.35

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decisions 41 COM 7B.97 and 43 COM 7B.73 adopted at its 41st (Krakow,
2017) and 43rd (Baku, 2019) sessions respectively,
Takes note of the State Party’s efforts towards improving the overall management of the
property, notably by completing the boundary wall, establishing a storage facility for
important displaced architectural elements and a documentation protocol, intervening on
some of the property’s monuments and working towards the finalization of the
Management Plan, and welcomes the State Party’s investigations into the impacts of
wind-borne salinity, its efforts to coordinate conservation activities, and the involvement
of staff in technical interventions as part of capacity-building activities;
Notes that its previous decisions and the recommendations of the 2019 joint World
Heritage Centre/ICOMOS Reactive Monitoring mission are yet to be fully addressed, and

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 reiterates its request to the State Party to implement all previous decisions and report on
both actions and results, including:
a) The completion of the Management Plan, which should include high-level
principles, action plans for individual monuments and projects with clear
timeframes, taking into account Decision 43 COM 7B.73, the recommendations of
the 2019 Reactive Monitoring mission and the advice of the World Heritage Centre
and ICOMOS following a technical review of the submitted draft,
b) The definition of an official mission statement for the overall management of the
property, along with terms of reference for the Steering Committee,
c) The completion of the visitor management framework,
d) The preparation of a risk preparedness strategy and emergency response plan,
e) Protocols for stakeholder engagement and community education programmes,
f) The submission of the action plan for the stabilization and conservation of the
mausoleum of Jam Nizzamuddin II, for review by the World Heritage Centre and
the Advisory Bodies, prior to its implementation,
g) The submission to the World Heritage Centre of a request for a minor boundary
modification, prepared in line with Paragraphs 163-164 and Annex 11 of the
Operational Guidelines and reflecting the boundaries identified in 2013, along with
a regulatory plan for the proposed buffer zone, for review by the Advisory Bodies;
Requests the State Party to submit further information about the works carried out to
provide waterproofing of the Tomb of Isa Khan Tarkhan-II, including reasons for the
apparent installation of such extensive areas of new paving, the use of different size
pavers and the functionality of the new system, and reminds the State Party of the
Committee’s previous request to transmit detailed information on proposed projects to
the World Heritage Centre before making any decision that would be difficult to reverse,
in conformity with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines;
Also requests the State Party to continue identifying and making use of opportunities for
staff to benefit from national and international capacity-building programmes, in
particular for management, stone conservation, and the management and conservation
of moveable heritage and detached architectural elements, including their
documentation;
Also requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 December
2022, 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
46th session.

36. Rice Terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras (Philippines) (C 722)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.36

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decision 42 COM 7B.15 adopted at its 42nd session (Manama, 2018),
Welcomes the substantial efforts and progress made by the State Party to implement
the Rice Terraces Master Plan 2015-2024 and improve the overall state of conservation
and management of the property;

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of the World Heritage Committee
 Encourages the State Party to continuously implement the Rice Terraces Master Plan
2015-2024 and take into account the outcomes of the 2020 midterm review;
Notes with satisfaction the establishment of inter-agency mechanisms between the
Ifugao Rice Terraces Rehabilitation and Development Council and the Globally
Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS) Sustainable Development Committee
of FAO, along with the implementation of the Indigenous Peoples Education Program to
support the integration of traditional knowledge systems in formal and informal
education, and also encourages the State Party to enhance synergies with GIAHS
programme and use these mechanisms to address emerging conservation issues, with
consideration for the full participation of local communities and other stakeholders;
Further encourages the State Party to implement the Disaster Risk Preparedness Plan
and climate change adaptation strategies as soon as possible, due to the possibility of
major earthquakes and the increasing climate vulnerability of the region in the face of
regular typhoons and floods;
Encourages furthermore the State Party to continue monitoring the implementation of
regulations to control infrastructure and physical developments within the property, and
strongly encourages the State Party to prepare Heritage Impact Assessments (HIAs) for
the upcoming energy plant projects in the vicinity of the property, including a specific
section on their potential impact on the Outstanding Universal Value of the property, and
to submit these HIAs to the World Heritage Centre, for review by the Advisory Bodies;
Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 December 2022, an updated report on the state of conservation of the property and
the implementation of the above for review by the Advisory Bodies.

37. Old town of Galle and its Fortifications (Sri Lanka) (C 451)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.37

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decision 42 COM 7B.17, adopted at its 42nd session (Manama, 2018),
Notes that the major project for developing Galle Port is currently postponed, and
requests the State Party to inform the World Heritage Centre immediately in conformity
with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines, should the project be reactivated, and
to provide all the necessary documents requested by the previous decisions of the
Committee, for review by the Advisory Bodies;
Welcomes the State Party’s ongoing commitment to the management of the property,
and also notes the ongoing implementation of the Integrated Management Plan (IMP)
and the Sustainable Tourism Management Plan (STMP), an increase in funding for the
Galle Heritage Foundation (GHF), and plans to improve its organizational structure and
resources;
Also requests the State Party, in the light of the importance of the IMP to deal with
planning and development controls, and conservation in the property, to provide the
following details:
a) Confirmation of progress with the implementation of the 2016-18 IMP Action Plan,
b) Confirmation that coordination between GHF and other conservation and
development authorities has been strengthened, as recommended by the 2010
Reactive Monitoring mission,

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of the World Heritage Committee
 c) Confirmation of the number and type of applications for developments within the
property that were submitted, approved and denied over the last two years, along
with the criteria used for these assessments,
d) Conservation work that undertaken or ongoing,
e) Progress with the drafting of a Conservation Plan,
f) Progress with the development of a retrospective Statement of Outstanding
Universal Value (rSOUV);
Further requests the State Party to clarify how the GHF’s resources allow it to implement
the IMP and the STMP, and notably to provide details on:
a) The GHF’s organizational structure and how many posts remain unfilled,
b) The GHF’s annual budget and how this has increased since 2015 in relation to
baselines and taking inflation into account,
c) The development of a long-term funding strategy, as previously requested;
Invites the State Party to consider the development and implementation of capacity-
building activities for staff working at the property;
Further notes that many of the recommendations of the STMP require additional reports,
notably on traffic management, visitor capacity, and the preparation of a masterplan, and
requests furthermore the State Party to provide details on:
a) How much of the STMP has been implemented,
b) What financial resources are available for its completion,
c) The appointment of a Tourism Officer at the GHF,
d) Progress with additional reports (e.g. traffic management, visitor capacity) and the
draft master plan, and/or how and when the State Party intends to undertake or
commission these tasks, and/or how the State Party intends to take into account
the recommendations of the STMP,
e) Any interim arrangements made to improve the traffic situation in the old town;
Requests moreover the State Party to inform the World Heritage Centre, in line with
Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines of any project that might negatively impact
on the property’s OUV before any decision is made than would be difficult to reverse,
notably regarding proposals for a new stand at the Cricket Club;
Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 December 2022, 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
46th session.

38. Historic Centre of Bukhara (Uzbekistan) (C 602bis)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.38

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decisions 41 COM 7B.99 and 43 COM 7B.78, adopted at its 41st (Krakow,
2017) and 43rd (Baku, 2019) sessions respectively,

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of the World Heritage Committee
 Welcomes the recent decisions by the State Party to address some significant threats to
the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property, including the Roadmap for the
implementation of the Committee’s decisions, regulatory changes and continued
improvements to management planning and guidance documents, the establishment of
the International Advisory Committee (IAC) for World Heritage properties in Uzbekistan
and of the Steering Committee, the suspension and revision of the Project of Detailed
Planning (PDP) of 2017, and the current moratorium on demolition and development
within the property and buffer zone;
Also welcomes in particular the creation of the Public Advisory Council to reinforce
dialogue with local communities and increase the understanding of all stakeholders when
it comes to rules and regulations concerning physical intervention within the property;
Takes note of the ongoing preparation of the Master Plan for the City and the integrated
Management Plan for the property, noting that additional work is still needed to integrate
the approach of the 2011 UNESCO Recommendation on the Historic Urban Landscape
(HUL), to coordinate with the Project for Detailed Planning of the Historical Centre of
Bukhara, and to recognise adequately the World Heritage status of the property within
the Master Plan, and requests that the moratorium on demolition and new development
should remain in place until the Master Plan for the City and the integrated Management
Plan for the property are finalised, following submission to the World Heritage Centre
and positive review by the Advisory Bodies;
Further welcomes the 2020 joint World Heritage Centre/ICOMOS Reactive Monitoring
mission and urges the State Party to implement its recommendations in full, having
particular regard to:
a) Improved communication concerning World Heritage requirements, processes and
procedures, between the national, regional and municipal authorities of the State
Party,
b) Capacity building and training regarding requirements of the Convention, the
Operational Guidelines and the HUL Recommendation,
c) Priority for urgent structural stabilisation works to the Abdulazzizkhan Madrassah
and further long-term conservation based on thorough investigations,
d) Protection of the mahalla residential areas and vernacular architecture, and
preparation of guidelines covering conservation requirements and renovation
approaches, infrastructure installation, and the location, scale and form of new
developments, alterations and additions,
e) Improved public consultation and communication of World Heritage values to the
local population;
Also requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, for review by the
Advisory Bodies:
a) Revised project documentation for the proposed Shakhristan Bazaar development,
taking into consideration the findings and recommendations of the ICOMOS
technical review,
b) Revised project documentation for proposed conservation projects at Kalon
Mosque, Ark Citadel, Abdulazzizkhan Madrassah, Mir Arab Madrassah, Amir
Alimkhan Madrassah and Khoja Kalon Hauz, taking into consideration the findings
and recommendations of ICOMOS Technical Reviews,
c) Project documentation and Heritage Impact Assessments (HIAs), prepared in
accordance with the ICOMOS Guidance on HIAs for Cultural World Heritage
Properties, for the projects proposed at Ulughbek Madrassah, Rashid Madrassah
and the private hotel on Gavkushon Street,

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of the World Heritage Committee
 d) Urban Design Guidelines with both principles and examples for urban works such
as alterations to housing, infrastructure installation, and treatment of roads and
public spaces;
Encourages the State Party to pursue the establishment and operation of the
International Advisory Committee (IAC) for all cultural World Heritage properties in
Uzbekistan, which can also provide technical assistance for the Historic Centre of
Bukhara, including representatives of regulatory authorities and appropriately skilled and
experienced experts, to oversee conservation of the property, the protection of its OUV
and the implementation of Committee’s decisions and mission recommendations;
Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 December 2022, 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
46th session.

39. Itchan Kala (Uzbekistan) (C 543)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.39

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Welcomes the halting of demolition and reconstruction work in Dishan Kala, part of the
proposed buffer zone, in line with the recommendations of the 2018 ICOMOS Advisory
mission;
Also welcomes the proposed revision of the overarching Detailed Planning of Historical
Centre of Khiva (PDP), which is part of the Master Plan of Khiva city for the period up to
2030 that was initiated following the decree ‘On the Program for Complex Development
of Touristic Potential of the Khiva City and Khorezm Region for 2017-2021’;
Notes that this proposed revision will be subject to a Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA),
and requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre outlines of the PDP
and relevant sections of the Master Plan before these plans are approved, for review by
the Advisory Bodies;
Also requests the State Party to engage in phased dialogue and consultation with the
World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies on further development of these
important plans through capacity-building assistance, either virtually or in person, as
these plans will define how Itchan Kala and its setting will develop over the next few
decades;
Acknowledges the development and tourism pressures that are facing the city as a result
of investments and the creation of a high-speed rail link to Bukhara and Samarkand, and
also notes the development of a Tourism Destination Management Plan;
Regrets the demolition of large areas of Dishan Kala and considers that the status of
non-monumental urban fabric needs to be strengthened both in the property and in
Dishan Kala, the traditional residential area for the fortified city, and that the interlinkages
between these two areas, which together formed ancient Khiva, must be strengthened
to ensure that the urban grain and individual buildings are sustained;
Further notes the focus on the distinctive traditional architecture of Khiva in the draft
Management Plan and the existence of a Geographic Information System (GIS)
database of all buildings and structures of Itchan Kala, and urges the State Party to
ensure that the PDP, the Master Plan and the Management Plan address the issue of

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 conservation and use of historical and architectural heritage, including principles and
urgent measures to improve the preventative conservation of this housing stock, and to
put in place any necessary incentives;
Further welcomes progress with strengthening the management system through the
creation of a new World Heritage Management Unit for the property, acknowledges that
legal frameworks have been strengthened since 2018, as a result of a national initiative
that includes the establishment of a Cultural Heritage Committee under the Cabinet of
Ministers, and notes furthermore that the State Party acknowledges that:
a) There is a need for capacity building for decision makers, conservation
professionals and developers, especially in the fields of brick building conservation,
reuse of historic monuments, and planning for regeneration,
b) Tangible and intangible cultural heritage need to be better understood to achieve
inclusive and holistic urban regeneration processes,
c) Proper coordination with the International Advisory Committee (IAC) for cultural
World Heritage properties in Uzbekistan is needed to ensure follow-up of the
Committee’s decisions and the mission’s recommendations;
Also considers that the draft Management Plan for the property needs to be amended
accordingly and to include measures that encompass the historic urban environment for
both the property and its proposed buffer zone, and that the amended Management Plan
should be submitted to the World Heritage Centre for review by the Advisory Bodies;
Further considers that the property continues to be extremely vulnerable, and also urges
the State Party to maintain the moratorium on demolition and reconstruction until the
PDP and the Master Plan have been reviewed and approved by the World Heritage
Centre and the Advisory Bodies, and the proposed buffer zone has been approved by
the World Heritage Committee, in line with Decision 40 COM 8B.42;
Recommends that conservation issues having an impact on public health and the
condition of heritage be addressed in a way that respects the need for adequate
infrastructure while protecting the authenticity of heritage structures above and below
ground;
Also regrets that the development of the Mevaston Hotel occurred before revised
proposals and plans were approved, and considers furthermore that, while this project
might be acceptable with some revisions, it cannot be taken as a model for development
in areas of demolished mahallas;
Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 February 2022, 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
45th session.

40. Samarkand – Crossroad of Cultures (Uzbekistan) (C 603rev)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.40

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decision 43 COM 7B.77, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
Welcomes the recent decisions by the State Party to address some significant threats to
the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property, including through regulatory

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of the World Heritage Committee
 changes, continuing improvements to management planning and guidance documents,
the cancellation of demolition and development projects, the current moratorium on
demolition and development, the relocation of the Samarkand Touristic Zone, and the
revision of the Traffic Scheme;
Also welcomes the preparation of new Urban Design Guidelines, a Master Plan for the
City and a new revised Management Plan for the property, notes that additional work is
still needed to integrate the Historic Urban Landscape (HUL) approach within the Master
Plan, and requests that the overall moratorium on demolition and new development
remain in place until the integrated Master Plan for the City and the Management Plan
for the property are finalised, after submission to the World Heritage Centre and review
by the Advisory Bodies;
Takes note of the 2020 joint World Heritage Centre/ICOMOS Reactive Monitoring
mission, and urges the State Party to implement fully its recommendations, having
particular regard to:
a) Improved communication concerning World Heritage requirements, processes and
procedures between the national, regional and municipal authorities of the State
Party,
b) Capacity building and training regarding requirements of the Convention, the
Operational Guidelines and the HUL Recommendation,
c) The preparation of guidelines for the mahalla residential precincts, covering
conservation, the introduction of new infrastructure and alterations and additions
to existing dwellings,
d) The development of a public realm design code,
e) The removal or substantial revision of the illegal ‘Imari’ development and changes
to the Hilton Hotel development,
f) Improved public consultation and communication of World Heritage values to the
local stakeholders;
Also requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, for review by the
Advisory Bodies:
a) Regulations and guidelines for the development, restoration, and adaptive reuse
of the historic centre and its buffer zones, as previously requested,
b) A comprehensive programme of intended conservation projects,
c) Details of the proposed physical conservation programme for Bibi Khanoum
Ensemble and Mosque, which should be undertaken in logical stages, with priority
given to urgent stabilisation works, and guided by expert advice and a
comprehensive site-specific conservation plan,
d) The revised Traffic Scheme for the City,
e) The foreseen proposal for a minor boundary modification concerning the
adjustment of the buffer zone to align it with mahalla boundaries, to be prepared
and submitted in accordance with paragraph 164 and Annex 11 of the Operational
Guidelines;
f) Reports on the social and other measures taken relating to communication and
enforcement of the moratorium on demolition of houses and residential areas at
the property;
Further requests the State Party to pursue alternative locations for the proposed
astronomical complex near the observatory Mirzo Ulughbek, in accordance with the
ICOMOS Technical Review;

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of the World Heritage Committee
 Reminds the State Party that it is invited to submit, in accordance with the provisions of
Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines, detailed project documentation related to
any pressing priority projects, which are proposed to proceed, despite the general
moratorium;
Encourages the State Party to pursue the establishment and operation of the
International Advisory Committee (IAC) for all cultural World Heritage properties in
Uzbekistan, which should include representatives of regulatory authorities and
appropriately skilled and experienced experts, to oversee the conservation of the
property, the protection of its OUV, and the implementation of decisions and mission
recommendations;
Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February
2022, 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
45th session.

EUROPE AND NORTH AMERICA

41. Historic Centre of the City of Salzburg (Austria) (C 784)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.41

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decision 43 COM 7B.80, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
Deeply regrets that the Schwarzstrasse 45 / Ernest-Thun-Strasse project, the Nelböck
Viaduct Rainerstrasse / Bahnhofsvorplatz project and the Paracelsus indoor swimming
pool were completed before agreement was reached on their designs, despite the
requests made at its previous sessions, and the negative impact of these projects on the
Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property; requests the State Party to provide
further information on the final constructions, and develop measures to mitigate the
negative impacts of these projects on the OUV of the property and submit these to the
World Heritage Centre for review before implementing them;
Also requests the State Party to resubmit the latest version of detailed plans, including
sections, façade drawings, and 3D CG simulation to show the project within its
surroundings, for the development at the Residential Area Dr. Franz-Rehrl Platz
(Residential Buildings City Life Rehrlplatz), which takes into account Decision 41 COM
7B.41 and 43 COM 7B.80, and to submit detailed project information, including sections,
all façade drawings, and 3D visualizations for the modification of the Mozarteum
Foundation and the Salzburger Festspiele Building to the World Heritage Centre for
review by the Advisory Bodies before any rights are granted or implementation
undertaken;
Acknowledges the reported Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) on the
Priesterhausgarten housing project undertaken in 2019 concluded that the project in its
current version would adversely affect the OUV of the property and further requests the
State Party to keep the World Heritage Centre informed without any delay with regard to
any future developments of this project;

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 Welcomes the submission of the revised Management Plan, notes that the Advisory
Bodies will provide a technical review to assist the State Party for further revision before
its final adoption, requests furthermore the State Party to provide the World Heritage
Centre with regular and updated information on the results of the testing phase of the
Management Plan implementation;
Also welcomes progress made and efforts of the State Party concerning the introduction
of new regulations for large-scale developments outside the property boundaries and
near the buffer zone to ensure adequate protection and control of the property and its
landscape setting, reiterates its requests to develop a comprehensive Urban Land Use
Plan to further strengthen the protection of the setting of the property;
Requests moreover the State Party to carry out HIAs, including visual impact
assessments for projects which may have a negative impact on the OUV of the property,
in conformity with the 2011 ICOMOS Guidance on HIAs for Cultural World Heritage
properties, before any irrevocable decisions are taken concerning the projects;
Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 December 2022, 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
46th session.

42. Old City of Dubrovnik (Croatia) (C 95ter)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.42

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decision 42 COM 7B.20, adopted at its 42nd session (Manama, 2018),
Notes the measures being taken by the State Party to address the Committee’s previous
requests to mitigate the threats to the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the
property, including new urban development plans and agreements directed at improved
tourism management;
Also notes progress achieved with the development of the Management Plan and related
conservation and management documents, and requests the State Party to finalize and
submit the following documents to the World Heritage Centre, for review by the Advisory
Bodies:
a) The Conservation Plan for the Historic Core of Dubrovnik,
b) The Management Plan, including Risk Assessment Plan,
c) The Sustainable Tourism Development and Carrying Capacity project,
d) The Interpretation Strategy,
e) The monitoring report on Orlando’s column;
Reiterates its previous requests to the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre
comprehensive project details, including Heritage Impact Assessments (HIAs)
undertaken in accordance with the 2011 ICOMOS Guidance on HIAs for Cultural World
Heritage properties for the repair works, which have been undertaken for the sewer
system, and the proposed Bosanka 2 project (if and when it proceeds), for review by the
Advisory Bodies, in conformity with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines;

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 Also requests the State Party to submit a report on actions arising from the Memoranda
of Understanding between the City of Dubrovnik and The Cruise Lines International
Association and between the City of Dubrovnik and the Global Sustainable Council;
Further requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 December
2022, 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
46th session.

43. Venetian Works of Defence between 15th and 17th centuries: Stato da Terra –
western Stato da Mar (Croatia/Italy/Montenegro) (C 1533)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.43

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decision 41 COM 8B.21, adopted at its 41st session (Krakow, 2017),
Welcomes the States Parties’ progress in setting up the International Coordinating Team
and in the conservation of the property, especially for the components of Palmanova,
Peschiera del Garda and Bergamo;
Requests the States Parties to expedite the accomplishment of the World Heritage
Committee recommendations, particularly by:
a) Finalizing carrying capacity studies and the subsequent visitor management plans
as an urgent priority,
b) Revising and enlarging the buffer zones as specified for the components of
Peschiera del Garda, Kotor and Zadar,
c) Developing and implementing the Management Plans for each component based
clearly on the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the transnational serial
property, including the identification of attributes for each component,
d) Developing transnational research and values-based conservation, promotion and
interpretation strategies for the property, based on specialist expertise in Venetian
‘alla moderna’ defensive structures as a tool to assist the National and International
Coordination Teams also through good practice sharing,
e) Finalizing monitoring arrangements for the whole serial property through the work
of the International Coordinating Team,
f) Continuing to develop and implement the framework for Heritage Impact
Assessment (HIAs) as a matter of urgency for development proposals (including
those related to tourism management and access),
g) Continuing efforts to relocate intrusive and redundant elements within the serial
components such as the intrusive car parking (Zadar); and visually intrusive urban
and industrial developments (Kotor). These objectives should be included in the
site Management Plans, subjected to HIAs and monitored;
Also requests the States Parties to submit project documentation to the World Heritage
Centre for review by the Advisory Bodies for the following projects:
a) Renewal of the Citadela Bastion in Zadar,
b) Ravnice Urban Plan,
c) Visitor centre at Minerska bay,

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of the World Heritage Committee
 d) Creation of an ascent and panoramic outlook point at the aqueduct’s piezometric
tower in Palmanova;
Further requests the State Party of Italy to comply with the ICOMOS recommendations
concerning the Fara parking project, and, in particular, to submit the Heritage Impact
Assessment requested by ICOMOS in December 2019 as a matter of urgency and to
develop a comprehensive plan for parking infrastructure and traffic control to reduce
traffic and to reduce or ration car parking opportunities in the Upper City of Bergamo for
non-residents in this part of the town;
Requests furthermore the States Parties to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 December 2022, an updated joint report on the state of conservation of the property
and the implementation of the above, for examination by the World Heritage Committee
at its 46th session.

44. Historic Centre of Prague (Czechia) (C 616bis)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.44

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decisions 36 COM 7B.73 and 42 COM 7B.21, adopted at its 36th (Saint-
Petersburg, 2012), and 42nd (Manama, 2018) sessions respectively,
Notes with satisfaction the organization of the online seminar ‘Integrating Urban Heritage
in Urban Planning Processes’ with the support of the World Heritage Centre following
the recommendation of the 2019 joint World Heritage Centre/ICOMOS Reactive
Monitoring mission, as well as the inclusion of the 2011 Recommendation on the Historic
Urban Landscape (HUL Recommendation) and the focus on preparation of the City of
Prague Metropolitan Plan, and requests the State Party to submit the plan upon its
finalization to the World Heritage Centre for review by the Advisory Bodies prior to its
adoption;
Also notes the information provided by the State Party about a range of conservation
projects, as well as the progress towards statutory changes, and the pending finalization
of the Management Plan for the property, but expresses concern that these processes
do not yet adequately address previous Committee decisions or the findings of the 2010
and 2019 Reactive Monitoring missions;
Further notes the information submitted by the State Party regarding the preparation of
an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and a Strategic Environmental Assessment
(SEA) for the planned cable car project located between Podbada-Troja-Bohnice within
the buffer zone of the property, and also requests the State Party to submit the proposal
for the cable car project along with the EIA and SEA to the World Heritage Centre for
review by the Advisory Bodies in accordance with paragraph 172 of the Operational
Guidelines;
Notes furthermore the proposed architectural competition for revitalisation of the former
Masaryk Railway Station and also invites the State Party to transmit to the World
Heritage Centre, detailed information on the project proposals including the Terms of
Reference or guidelines for design competition entries, before making any decisions that
would be difficult to reverse, in conformity with Paragraph 172 of the Operational
Guidelines;
Endorses the 2019 mission recommendations and also requests the State Party to
implement them fully particularly the:

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 a) Advancement in aligning national and local laws and regulations with those
necessary for heritage protection and management of World Heritage properties
in accordance with the World Heritage Convention and its Operational Guidelines,
and in line with international norms and standards that may include new laws as
well as amendments to existing ones such as the Amendment of the State Heritage
Care Act, and the Act for Cultural Heritage Preservation,
b) Refinement and finalization of the Management Plan for the property in line with
the HUL Recommendation and its integration and alignment with the City of Prague
Metropolitan Plan to ensure protection of the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV)
of the property in its setting,
c) Establishment of intersectoral coordination so that heritage protection is integrated
with urban development plans, policies and processes across different sectors
from transport to housing, water supply, tourism, and land management,
d) Establishment of building regulations that may be varied for each quarter or
historical block as appropriate, to guide and manage the identity of the built form
at a range of scales from volume and height to building materials, colours, railings,
and doorframes,
e) Preparation of Heritage Impact Assessments (HIAs) in line with the 2011 ICOMOS
Guidance on HIAs for Cultural World Heritage Properties (2011 ICOMOS
Guidance) to assess the effect of significant policies and projects on the OUV of
the property,
f) Specific recommendations regarding individual components, buildings, and
projects;
Reiterates its great concern about the longstanding potential and ascertained threats to
the property, as defined in Paragraph 179 of the Operational Guidelines, due to
continued inadequate management of issues such as the extensive large-scale urban
development in the buffer zone of the property and its wider setting, as well as the lack
of adequate regulations for high-rise developments that have had continued to adversely
impacts on the property’s OUV;
Notes with concern that the State Party has not implemented the Committee’s previous
request to introduce a general moratorium on major projects within the property, its buffer
zone and its wider setting as requested in the Committee Decision 42 COM 7B.21, and
further requests the State Party to implement an immediate moratorium on buildings
above the general height of their surroundings on the Pankrác Plain (as defined in Figure
32 of the 2019 mission report), and give priority to developing and implementing
appropriate building regulations, including a high-rise limitations plan; and reminds the
State Party that high-rise construction on the Pankrác Plain is inconsistent with the
protection of the OUV of the property and that the Committee Decision 32 COM 7B.86
applies to the totality of the Pankrác Plain;
Requests furthermore that the State Party submit to the World Heritage Centre, in
conformity with Paragraph 118bis of the Operational Guidelines:
a) HIAs for all proposed projects which may affect the OUV of the property prepared
in accordance with the 2011 ICOMOS Guidance,
b) An assessment of the cumulative impacts of all executed projects within the
property, its buffer zone and its wider setting, from the baseline of the condition at
the time of the inscription of the property on the World Heritage List, regarding the
impact of these projects on the OUV of the property;
Considers that the property’s authenticity and integrity is threatened by the above
described factors, therefore, requests moreover the State Party to reinforce the

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of the World Heritage Committee
 protection and management of the property, including the revision of the legal framework
that are designed to ensure these, and prevent any future damage to its OUV;
Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 December
2022, 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
46th session, with a view to considering, in the absence of substantial progress in
complying with the decisions of the Committee and the implementation of the
recommendations of the 2019 mission, the inscription of the property on the List
of World Heritage in Danger.

45. Landscape for Breeding and Training of Ceremonial Carriage Horses at Kladruby
nad Labem (Czechia) (C 1589)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.45

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Documents WHC/21/44.COM/7B and WHC/21/44.COM/7B.Corr,
Recalling Decision 43 COM 8B.27, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
Welcomes the progress achieved in responding to the World Heritage Committee’s
recommendations;
Welcomes the submission of a minor boundary modification request to the World
Heritage Centre regarding the expansion of the buffer zone;
Further welcomes the progress made in updating the Management Plan and in preparing
a Visitor Strategy, and requests the State Party to finalize and implement both and to
submit a full version of the Management Plan to the World Heritage Centre;
Notes the proposal to include in the management unit an arborist, a horticulturalist and
a landscape architect, and encourages the State Party to provide a timeframe for their
appointment;
Recommends the State Party to describe the governance system in place in case of
disaster and to establish coordination mechanisms with the property management unit
to ensure that the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) is taken into due consideration in
emergency situations;
Also requests the State Party to integrate a Heritage Impact Assessment approach into
the management system that specifically addresses the OUV of the property;
Welcomes furthermore the provision included in the updated Principles for Land
Development in Pardubicky Region for relocating the high-voltage power lines outside
the property, and further requests the State Party to define a timeframe for this relocation;
Requests furthermore the State Party to provide documentation and relevant HIAs on
the eight major projects planned within the property and the buffer zone, as well as a
timeframe for their implementation, to the World Heritage Centre for review by the
Advisory Bodies;
Requests moreover the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 December 2022, an updated report on the state of conservation of the property and
the implementation of the above, for review by the Advisory Bodies.

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of the World Heritage Committee
46. Paris, Bank of the Seine (France) (C 600)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.46

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decision 43 COM 7B.82 adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
Notes the information provided by the State Party concerning the work to secure and
consolidate Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, and commends the State Party for the efforts
undertaken to ensure the safeguarding of the property;
Recommends that the securisation-consolidation works continue to be carried out with
the greatest attention in order to preserve the damaged materials and fragments as much
as possible, to ensure that future conservation is not predetermined by emergency
interventions;
Also recommends, as work progresses towards the restoration phase, that the State
Party strengthen the current coordination with UNESCO, ICOMOS, and ICCROM, which
will provide three experts to assist the State Party, and engage in regular and enhanced
dialogue with the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies, thus promoting a
clearer understanding of the different restoration options that are being debated or
considered and how they take into account the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of
the property;
Encourages the State Party to invite a joint World Heritage Centre/ICOMOS/ICCROM
Advisory mission as soon as circumstances permit, and in the meantime invites the State
Party to submit exhaustive graphic and photographic documentation of the interventions
already carried out and in progress, describing all stages of these interventions, before,
during and after the work;
Invites the State Party, in accordance with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines,
to inform the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies of proposals for the
restoration of the damaged parts before irreversible decisions are made, as well as the
system for monitoring the structural stability of the cathedral and preventive measures
and actions to avoid future fire risks;
Requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2022,
a detailed updated report on the state of conservation of the property, in particular the
measures taken for its consolidation, as well as the guidelines envisaged for its
restoration, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 45th session.

47. Gelati Monastery (Georgia) (C 710bis)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.47

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decisions 41 COM 7A.20 and 41 COM 8B.31, adopted at its 41st session
(Krakow, 2017),
Notes the unfortunate failure of the new roof of the Church of the Virgin and the
continuing degradation through moisture ingress in St George’s Church which is leading
to decay of stonework, mosaics and wall paintings;

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of the World Heritage Committee
 Welcomes the State Party’s action to install a temporary roof over the Church of the
Virgin, and its monitoring and reporting of the damage to the stonework, wall-paintings
and mosaics in the churches of the property, and requests the State Party to urgently:
a) Provide a more workable solution to covering over both the Church of the Virgin
and St George’s Church in a manner that allows for conservation activities to take
place uninterruptedly without risk of moisture ingress, and submit this to the World
Heritage Centre for review by the Advisory Bodies before implementation,
b) Develop a costed conservation programme for the property, including monitoring,
research and implementation of conservation work to wall-paintings, mosaics and
stonework of the two churches, and submit this to the World Heritage Centre for
review by the Advisory Bodies;
Also requests the State Party to:
a) Continue its efforts to develop monitoring indicators for monitoring the state of
conservation of the attributes that convey the Outstanding Universal Value of the
property,
b) Extend the tri-dimensional structural monitoring to St George’s Church and other
important structures at the property as well,
c) Provide a report on the activities of the World Heritage Protection Council of
Georgia in relation to the Committee’s request for a coordinating committee for this
property in its next report on the state of conservation of this property;
Further requests the State Party to review and update the Management Plan for the
property and submit this to the World Heritage Centre for review by the Advisory Bodies,
and establish a Management Committee for its implementation, additionally, reiterates
its request to the State Party to consider putting in place a mechanism that will allow the
Management Plan, or part of it, to have status in planning processes;
Calls for an increased mobilization of the international community to provide more
financial and technical support to the State Party, including through a request to the
World Heritage Fund “Conservation & Management” International Assistance, to
implement the short- and medium-term measures to improve the state of conservation
of the property;
Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February
2022, 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
45th session.

48. Historical Monuments of Mtskheta (Georgia) (C 708)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.48

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B.Add,
Recalling Decision 42 COM 7B.24, adopted at its 42nd session (Manama, 2018),
Acknowledges the considerable progress made by the State Party to implement the
Committee’s recommendations;
Welcomes the development of the Mtskheta City Master Plan Concept database that
encompasses all the buildings and plots of the town and the surroundings in 3D
representations, complemented by basic data, a key tool in subsequent phases of the

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of the World Heritage Committee
 Master Plan, as well as for future monitoring of its implementation and strongly suggests
the timely completion of the Mtskheta City Master Plan;
Encourages the State Party to continue on-going work on the development of the
“Management Documentation for Spatial Territorial Development of Mtskheta”, including
Mtskheta Urban Land Use Master Plan (ULUMP), and to submit drafts of the main
components of this plan to the World Heritage Centre for review by ICOMOS
International by at the latest 1 February 2022;
Also acknowledges the State Party’s decision to maintain the “Enactment of Special
Regime of Regulation of Urban Development and Land Privatization in the Cultural
Heritage Protection Zones of Mtskheta Municipality” (the Moratorium) until the
“Management Documentation for Spatial Territorial Development of Mtskheta” has been
adopted, and control and monitoring is fully in place; and also welcomes the decision by
the State Party to extend the Moratorium until further notice, or until all the necessary
systems and approvals are in place;
Supports the on-going 2019-2020 Advisory assistance and endorses the
recommendations of the 2018 joint World Heritage Centre/ICOMOS Advisory mission
and invites the State Party to implement these recommendations that relate to:
a) The development of the ULUMP,
b) The need to address existing urgent conservation issues that if left unresolved
could have a negative impact on the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the
property,
c) The need for the development of a long-term vision for the historic urban landscape
of Mtskheta, to guide the management of change resulting from increased
commercial tourism with an approach that integrates cultural heritage with
sustainable development;
Requests the State Party to continue submitting, in accordance with Paragraph 172 of
the Operational Guidelines, detailed information on any proposed development projects
within the property, its buffer zone and setting, for review by the World Heritage Centre
and the Advisory Bodies prior to any decisions being taken that could be difficult to
reverse;
Reiterates its request to the State Party to undertake a Heritage Impact Assessment
(HIA) for developments within the property and its buffer zone as a timely and appropriate
method of assessing the multiple and cumulative impacts of current and planned
developments, taking into account potential impacts on the OUV of the property, in
conformity with the ICOMOS Guidelines on HIAs for Cultural World Heritage properties,
prior to allowing any developments to take place and prior to the finalization and
implementation of the ULUMP;
Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 December 2022, 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
46th session.

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of the World Heritage Committee
49. Budapest, including the Banks of the Danube, the Buda Castle Quarter and
Andrássy Avenue (Hungary) (C 400bis)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.49

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B.Add,
Recalling Decision 43 COM 7B.84, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
Welcomes the reorganization of State administration in charge of World Heritage
properties’ protection at the national level and the designation of World Heritage
properties as Highly Determinative Sites in Terms of Protected Urban Landscape,
through enabling amendments to the 2011 World Heritage Act;
Takes note of the State Party’s efforts to strengthen the planning framework through
guidance documents and enhanced coordination of its relevant planning authorities;
Also welcomes the consistent commitments and efforts made by the State Party to
address urban development issues through legal and regulatory measures taking into
consideration the approach of the 2011 UNESCO Recommendation on the Historic
Urban Landscape (HUL), notably through the 2018 amendments to the "High-Level
House Act" limiting the height of all new constructions to 65 meters;
Acknowledging that ex post facto law is prohibited in every constitutional state, notes
that the amended “High-Level House Act” is not applicable for the one and only high-rise
building construction permit issued before it became law and so the works on the 120-
meter-high MOL Campus building located at a distance of 2 kilometres from the buffer
zone in District 11 are ongoing;
Also notes that the revision of the regulation regarding Heritage Impact Assessments
(HIAs) to ensure that they meet the ICOMOS Guidance is planned in the near future and
that 3D visual simulations will also be prepared, and urges the State Party to ensure its
processes for commissioning HIAs, including Visual Impact Assessments and visual
simulations address impacts on relevant attributes of the Outstanding Universal Value
(OUV) and relevant views of the property as well as requests clarifications whether the
revised regulation would be applicable to development projects already planned and
ongoing;
Further notes that the Management Plan could not be finalized as foreseen in 2020 due
to the COVID-19 pandemic, and recalls Decision 39 COM 7B.79, which requested the
State Party to finalize, as soon as possible the Management Plan of the property
including details of the protective measures and regulatory regimes and submit it to the
World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies;
Notes with concern that as a result of the delay of the finalization of the Management
Plan, construction works on a number of major new developments within the property
and its buffer zone have continued or have already been completed despite the
Committee’s request in 43 COM 7B.84, and reiterates its request to the State Party to
submit all relevant documents including plans, drawings, and HIAs for all proposed
projects within the property and the buffer zone to the World Heritage Centre for review
by the Advisory Bodies until the completion of the updated Management Plan for the
property in line with the 2011 UNESCO Recommendation on the Historic Urban
Landscape;
Also recalling Decision 43 COM 7B.84, notes moreover that the works relating to the
National Hauszmann Programme (NHP) for the Buda Castle Quarter are ongoing, and
that the state of conservation of the property has been negatively impacted by planned
reconstruction and new construction, which may have a cumulative negative impact on

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 the OUV of the property including its authenticity and integrity, and also requests the
State Party to ensure that, in line with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines, any
planned larger-scale projects in the immediate and wider setting of the World Heritage
property be submitted to the World Heritage Centre as soon as possible, and that
adequate time be allowed for thorough review of each project by the Advisory Bodies
before any decision is taken;
Acknowledging the efforts made by the State Party to corroborate the ideological basis
of the NHP, also urges further discussion and close collaboration based on open
dialogue between the State Party, the Advisory Bodies and the World Heritage Centre
regarding the interpretation of the justification for the NHP, - namely the desire to return
some elements of outstanding importance of national identity within the Buda Castle to
their pre-World War II form while at the same time emphasizing that they are also a major
part of the inscribed property contributing to its OUV, in order to determine:
a) Whether this approach challenges the authenticity and integrity of the property,
b) How the NHP aligns to prevailing international norms and standards of
conservation and reconstruction,
c) Whether there are contradictions between national objectives and international
obligations to the World Heritage Convention;
Takes note that the State Party has begun to comply with the requests of the World
Heritage Committee and recommendations of the 2018 and 2019 missions, and defers
consideration of the inscription of the property on the List of World Heritage in Danger to
its 45th session;
Reiterates its request to the State Party to consider halting all ongoing and planned
works at Buda Castle and invites the State Party to request, as a matter of urgency, and
to initiate an (online) ICOMOS Advisory Assistance to develop alternative conservation
approaches for interventions in line with international norms for conservation of the OUV
of World Heritage properties, for development of the Buda Castle Quarter;
Also reiterates its request to the State Party to ensure that, in line with Paragraph 172 of
the Operational Guidelines, details of interventions that could impact the OUV are
submitted with appropriate HIAs, in line with ICOMOS Guidelines, to the World Heritage
Centre for review by the Advisory Bodies;
Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February
2022, 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
45th session.

50. Venice and its Lagoon (Italy) (C 394)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.50

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B.Add,
Recalling Decisions 38 COM 7B.27, 40 COM 7B.52, 41 COM 7B.48 and 43 COM 7B.86
adopted at its 38th (Doha, 2014), 40th (Istanbul/UNESCO, 2016), 41st (Krakow, 2017)
and 43rd (Baku, 2019) sessions respectively,
Notes the joint World Heritage Centre/ICOMOS/Ramsar Advisory mission of 2020, which
reviewed the progress in implementing previous Committee decisions, and to assess the

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 state of conservation of the property, and the State Party’s efforts to start implementing
the mission recommendations;
Also notes that the State Party is working towards refining tourism management tools,
improving public spaces and public housing and urges the State Party to work towards
a sustainable tourism model for the property and to develop strategies and policies that
will result in reducing the number of visitors to the property, in significantly enhancing the
quality of life of residents and the requalification of urban areas to their former residential
use, as well as in a more diverse resilient economic basis for future of the property and
its inhabitants;
Welcomes the updated information provided by the State Party with reference to the
measures adopted to ban ships over 25.000 gross tons, from 1 August, from the San
Marco Basin, San Marco and Giudecca channels, and acknowledges the measures
approved for a temporary mooring of the large ships and for a long-term solution to the
maritime traffic, prioritizing the option outside the Lagoon altogether and redirecting them
to other, more suitable ports in the region as a final solution;
Also acknowledges that the Management Plan of the property is being updated, and also
urges the State Party to ensure that, in order to protect the Outstanding Universal Value
(OUV) of the property, the updated Management Plan is based on a systematic value
assessment, including the identification and mapping of attributes that convey the OUV
of the property, and that it will serve as an integrated plan for the property and its planned
buffer zone;
Notes with concern the exceptional high tide events that affected the property at the end
of 2019, and commends the joint efforts of the stakeholders, including the local
communities, for managing the disaster in an efficient way and taking actions and
measures for reparing and mitigating the damage;
Further acknowledges the efforts of the State Party to work towards the completion and
operationalization of the MoSE high tide defense barriers system, and further urges the
State Party to monitor closely the impacts of the construction and the operation of the
system, and to develop appropriate measures for mitigating any negative impacts it might
have on the ecosystem of the Lagoon;
Also requests the State Party to continue its efforts to mitigate the negative impacts of
human interventions in the Lagoon ecosystem in a more strategic and coordinated way,
and to develop further measures that will ensure the long-term protection and
preservation of this unique and complex environmental area; and therefore, urges
furthermore the State Part to progressively eliminate activities in the port of Marghera
which have a damaging effect on the ecosystem of the property and implement a
sustainable development approach to all future plans;
Also notes with concern that currently, there are no adequate mechanisms in place to
report planned changes/projects to the World Heritage Centre in line with Paragraph 172
of the Operational Guidelines, or to assess their potential impacts to the OUV of the
property in line with Paragraph 118bis, and therefore, urges moreover the State Party to:
a) Further revise the governance of the property and develop appropriate
mechanisms that allow complience with the Operational Guidelines,
b) Develop an overall strategy and vision for the protection and preservation of the
property, and ensure its implementation through targeted Action Plans and a
revised Road Map,
c) Develop an Integrated Master Plan for construction projects, including a skyline
policy for the property, its future buffer zone and its setting, in order to protect the
property from impacts on its integrity,

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 d) Implement the 2011 UNESCO Recommendation on the Historic Urban Landscape
approach in the regional and urban planning,
e) Halt all newly proposed large-scale projects within the property and its setting until
the above listed measures are put in place,
f) Engage in dialogue with the World Heritage Centre and Advisory Bodies towards
developing the proposed measures;
Regrets the construction of the liquified petroleum gas (LPG) storage facility in Chioggia
within the property that presents an important threat to its OUV, and while noting with
satisfaction the new legal measures related to construction and operation of LPG storage
facilities, further requests the State Party to dismantle the storage facility in Chioggia and
move it to an alternative location outside the property’s boundaries;
Expresses concerns that despite the progress assessed on several issues identified,
some important issues remain to be addressed;
Takes note of the key conclusions and recommendations of the 2020 Advisory mission
and requests furthermore the State Party to report to the World Heritage Centre on their
implementation;
Requests moreover the State Party, to develop a proposal on a set of corrective
measures with a timeframe for their implementation, in consultation with the World
Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies, for examination by the World Heritage
Committee at its 46th session;
Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 December
2022, 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
46th session.

51. Natural and Culturo-Historical Region of Kotor (Montenegro) (C 125ter)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.51

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decision 43 COM 7B.87, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
Welcomes the ongoing efforts of the State Party to improve the management system of
the property, including by passing the Amendments of the Law on Protection of Natural
and Culturo-historic Region of Kotor and the on-going revision of the Management Plan,
the update of the Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) for Natural and Culturo-Historical
Region of Kotor for Harmonizing Policy/Planning Framework and Instruments, and the
development of the Detailed Urban Plan for Lepetani and the forthcoming buffer zone
study, and requests the State Party to submit these documents to the World Heritage
Centre prior to their adoption;
Acknowledges the adoption of the Spatial Urban Plan for Kotor Municipality, and also
welcomes that the recommendations in ICOMOS’ Technical review of the draft plan have
been taken into account in the adopted planning document;
Also requests that the revised Management Plan incorporate the recommendations of
the 2018 mission so that it becomes a fully operational instrument for the efficient
management of the entire property and its buffer zone, with binding policies and

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 provisions endorsed at national and local government level within the changing legal
framework, addressing the following issues in particular:
a) development issues, in harmony with the Spatial Urban Plan for Kotor Municipality,
b) the conservation of the tangible and intangible attributes that convey the
Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) and other values,
c) disaster risk reduction,
d) tourism management, including issues related to the direct, indirect and cumulative
impacts that tourism could have on the property;
Further welcomes the preparation of the HIAs requested for various development
proposals and the regular communication of information on other projects under
consideration, and encourages the State Party to continue improving the HIA process in
light of the strategic documents being prepared for the property;
Commends the State Party for taking into consideration ICOMOS’ recommendations in
the reconstruction of the Hotel Teuta, and welcomes furthermore that the revised design
plans substantially mitigate the negative impact of the existing hotel on the OUV of the
World Heritage property;
Further requests the State Party to consider the conclusions of the ICOMOS Technical
review on the Morinj accommodation complex, and to revisit the project in light of the
Spatial Urban Plan for Kotor Municipality and consider other design alternatives that
would avoid negative impacts on OUV;
Requests furthermore the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre for review
by the Advisory Bodies an HIA for the Verige Bridge project, Accurate Visual
Representations for the Kotor-Lovćen cable car, documentation on the proposed
underpass near Kotor old town and information on any developments foreseen
associated with the Luštica peninsula road;
Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 December 2022, 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
46th session.

52. Auschwitz Birkenau German Nazi Concentration and Extermination Camp (1940-
1945) (Poland) (C 31)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.52

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B.Add,
Recalling Decisions 33 COM 7B.115, 40 COM 7B.55 and 42 COM 7B.27, adopted
respectively during its 33rd (Seville, 2009), 40th (Istanbul/UNESCO, 2016) and 42nd
(Manama, 2018) sessions,
Congratulates the State Party for its efforts to conserve numerous remains of the wider
setting of the Auschwitz Concentration Camp complex through the Foundation of
Memory Sites Near Auschwitz-Birkenau and the recently created The Remembrance
Museum of Land of Oświęcim Residents;
Notes the information provided by the State Party on progress with the planning and
design of the south ring road of Oświęcim, including the requested Heritage Impact
Assessment (HIA) Report, but regrets that the HIA was not accompanied by full design

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 details and alignment of the proposed ring road, or by background visual and acoustic
assessments, with the result that it currently remains unclear how the project respects
the recommendations of the 2013 Expert Group, therefore invites the State Party to
provide full HIA documentation for review by experts ahead of an on-site mission;
Requests the State Party to:
a) Submit full details of the Oświęcim southern ring road project, including how it
responds to the recommendations of the 2013 Expert Group and to the conclusions
of the HIA, to allow a review of the project by the Advisory Bodies ahead of an on-
site mission,
b) Await the reviews by the Advisory Bodies of the proposed south ring road project
before taking any decisions or entering into any contractual agreements for the
construction of the road that cannot be reversed;
Reiterates its request to the State Party to continue its efforts to complete the
management plan and its adoption by all the stakeholders;
Welcomes that an online meeting on the joint World Heritage Centre/ICOMOS Advisory
mission took place in May 2021 and also requests the State Party to organize the
planned on-site World Heritage Centre/ICOMOS Advisory mission and expert meeting
as soon as the global health situation allows it;
Urges the State Party to continue implementing the recommendations of the 2013 expert
group;
Further requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 December 2022, 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
46th session.

53. Tarnowskie Góry Lead-Silver-Zinc Mine and its Underground Water Management
System (Poland) (C 1539)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.53

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decision 41 COM 8B.25, adopted at its 41st session (Krakow, 2017),
Takes note of the progress made by the State Party in implementing its
recommendations;
Welcomes the proposal for an inventory of the underground heritage elements of the
property and invites the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre a plan and a
timeframe for such an inventory;
Requests the State Party to finalize and implement the legal protection at the national
level of all above-ground structures within the boundaries of the property and its buffer
zone that support the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV), and to provide to the World
Heritage Centre an inventory of those structures that are not yet protected;
Also requests the State Party to provide to the World Heritage Centre further information
with regard to the mechanisms in place to ensure that water extraction at Adolph Shaft
will not have negative impacts on the property, including by obtaining an explicit
commitment from the Upper Silesian Water Supply Company not to harm the OUV of

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 the property and its attributes, particularly the underground water chambers, in their
operations;
Reiterates its request to the State Party to develop an archaeological investigation
programme with a focus on the underground element of phase I, to the extent possible,
and of phase II, with a particular focus on the mining landscape;
Further requests the State Party to finalize expeditiously and submit all necessary
documentation for the addition to the property of the historic water tower immediately
adjacent to Kaehler Shaft, and to conclude the feasibility analysis considering the
extension of area A5 to join area A4;
Encourages the State Party to set up expeditiously the multidisciplinary scientific
Committee as an advisory body to the Steering Committee, to assist in scientific research
programmes;
Requests furthermore the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 December 2022, 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
46th session.

54. Royal Building of Mafra – Palace, Basilica, Convent, Cerco Garden and Hunting
Park (Tapada) (Portugal) (C 1573)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.54

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decision 43 COM 8B.30, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
Commends the State Party for the extensive work carried out in consolidating and
increasing the documentation of the property, and particularly of the Tapada;
Welcomes the stipulation of a Cooperation Protocol for the integrated management of
Mafra, and recommends that the State Party consider the opportunity to appoint different
chairpersons for the Cooperation Unit and the Advisory Unit, to approve expeditiously
the Rules of Procedures for the integrated management of the Royal Building of Mafra
and to harness the opportunities offered by the Cooperation Unit to further strengthen
integration and coordination of the actions envisaged or planned by the different
management actors on the property;
Encourages the State Party to continue its research and to develop expeditiously the
envisaged Strategic and Management Plans for the Tapada, which shall include a
chapter on the research programme, in order to tie together research advancements and
management approaches and actions, and to develop an integrated management
strategy for the whole property;
Also welcomes the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to create an Equestrian
Project in Mafra and the plans for improving the conditions of the Military Parade
grounds, and also recommends that the State Party extend the timeframe of the MoU
and allocate funds to achieve rapidly the enhancement of the Military Parade area;
Reiterates its recommendation to the Municipality of Mafra to develop a conservation
plan for the Cerco Garden;
Further welcomes the preliminary document prepared on the archaeological research to
be carried out at Mafra, and further recommends that the State Party develop it into a

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 long-term strategy, accompanied by an Action Plan indicating human and financial
resources, priorities and timeframes;
Requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 December 2022,
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 46th session.

55. Aphrodisias (Turkey) (C 1519)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.55

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decision 41 COM 8B.28, adopted at its 41st session (Krakow, 2017),
Takes note of the progress accomplished by the State Party, and requests it to continue
working on the issues identified at the time of inscription, including by:
a) As a priority, submitting a fully revised Management Plan to the World Heritage
Centre for review by the Advisory Bodies prior to its adoption,
b) Providing for the legal protection for the entirety of the buffer zone by considering
the extension of the 3rd Degree Conservation Zone to encompass all of the buffer
zone,
c) Clarifying the relationship of the monitoring programme to the state of conservation
of the quarry component and implementing a conservation programme, including
remedial conservation measures, within that component,
d) Further implementing the drainage rehabilitation plan to provide an effective
framework to solve the problems caused by rising ground water inside the walled
city,
e) In relation to the sewerage and infrastructure works carried out in the buffer zone
northeast of the walled city component, clarifying if this is a ‘compulsory
infrastructure’ and whether an impact study was carried out prior to this work; and
if so, how was the impact of ‘compulsory infrastructure’ assessed,
f) Developing a full fire prevention plan, including provision for a permanent fire
suppression system and submitting it to the World Heritage Centre;
Also requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 December 2022, 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
46th session.

56. Diyarbakır Fortress and Hevsel Gardens Cultural Landscape (Turkey) (C 1488)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.56

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B.Add,
Recalling Decision 43 COM 7B.90, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),

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of the World Heritage Committee
 Notes the work carried out by the State Party to rehabilitate and protect the property and
its buffer zone;
Regrets that no details have been submitted on the urban rehabilitation projects for the
property and its buffer zone;
Expresses concern that reconstruction work has started before the Reactive Monitoring
mission has taken place and its conclusions known and before Heritage Impact
Assessments (HIAs) were undertaken for all projects and submitted for review by the
World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies;
Reiterates its request to the State Party that all projects that could affect the Outstanding
Universal Value (OUV) of the property be halted until the recommendations of the
Reactive Monitoring mission are known and adopted by the Committee;
Also reiterates its request to the State Party to halt the implementation of the 2016
Conservation Plan and to revert to the 2012 Conservation Plan until the revised
Conservation Plan with its Conservation Implementary Development Plan covering the
walled city urban archaeological site and the walls and Urban Design Project have been
submitted to the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies for review;
Further reiterates its request to the State Party to carry out independent HIAs for urban
design, landscape and infrastructural projects which may have an impact on the OUV of
the property and its setting, in conformity with the ICOMOS Guidance on HIAs for
Cultural World Heritage properties, each with a specific section focusing on the potential
impact of the project on the OUV, before these projects are implemented;
Requests the State Party to inform the World Heritage Centre on the possible new dates
for the requested joint World Heritage Centre/ICOMOS Reactive Monitoring mission to
evaluate the overall state of conservation of the property as soon as the current sanitary
situation allows for it;
Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February
2022, 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
45th session.

57. Göbekli Tepe (Turkey) (C 1572)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.57

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decision 42 COM 8B.34, adopted at its 42nd session (Manama, 2018),
Takes note of the progress accomplished by the State Party, and requests that it
continues working on the issues identified at the time of inscription, by:
a) Closely monitoring developments around the property that may have an impact on
landscape and the integrity and archaeological potential of the property, including
by providing a clarification of how the impact of ‘compulsory infrastructure’ is
assessed,
b) Carrying out a Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) of the proposed railway line to
the south of the site and its development and submitting it to the World Heritage
Centre for review, in accordance with Paragraph 172 of the Operational
Guidelines, before the project’s construction,

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 c) Taking active amelioration measures to ensure that the visual impact of the
irrigation channel in the management zone and south-east of the property, and the
visual impact of the quarry to the west, are reduced,
d) Continuing to re-assess the degree of statutory protection of the buffer zone based
on the results of ongoing field surveys,
e) Further developing and strengthening the Management Plan, by:
(i) Developing a full conservation plan as the basis for a well-planned and long-
term conservation approach (with an associated action plan and dedicated
resources),
(ii) Based on existing documentation and further work, developing a risk
preparedness plan, based on the Resource Manual Managing Disaster Risks
at World Heritage (2010),
(iii) Continuing the development of the visitor management plan, including a
tourism Management Plan and actions, time schedules and dedicated
resources,
(iv) Through the site manager and other staff on site, expanding the
effectiveness of the monitoring system by ensuring regular reporting on
conservation work, risk assessment, visitor satisfaction, community
involvement and broader environmental indicators, and submitting the
reports to the World Heritage Centre;
Also requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 December 2022, 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
46th session.

58. Historic Areas of Istanbul (Turkey) (C 356)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.58

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B.Add,
Recalling Decision 42 COM 7B.31, adopted at its 42nd session (Manama, 2018),
I
Thanks the State Party for inviting a joint World Heritage Centre/ICOMOS Advisory
mission in April 2019; commends the State Party for the conservation and restoration
work accomplished to international standards at a number of built structures within the
property; and requests the State Party to implement fully all of the 2019 Advisory mission
recommendations;
Welcomes the implementation of an urgent Action Plan to maintain and repair ottoman
timber houses and reiterates its request to the State Party to provide information on how
this relates to a long-term strategy for timber buildings within the property;
Also reiterates its request to the State Party to define the attributes that convey the
Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property in the draft Management Plan as a
matter of priority before it is completed; and also requests that the draft Management
Plan is submitted to the World Heritage Centre for review by the Advisory Bodies before
being formally adopted;

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of the World Heritage Committee
 Noting the large number of proposed infrastructure and other projects at the property,
further reiterates its request to the State Party to develop a progress report on these
projects, together with a road-map including short and long-term strategies covering all
types of project (development/renovation/renewal), which may have an impact on the
OUV of the property, in close cooperation with the World Heritage Centre and the
Advisory Bodies, before any irreversible decisions are taken, and submit this road map
to the World Heritage Centre by 1 December 2021;
Further requests the State Party to undertake Heritage Impact Assessments, as well as
Tourism and Environmental Impact Assessments for large-scale projects including the
Kazliçeşme Marina and the Yenikapi Cruise Port that may have a negative impact on the
OUV of the property; and submit such reports to the World Heritage Centre for review by
the Advisory Bodies before any irreversible decisions are taken;
II
Welcomes the State Party’s invitation for two UNESCO Advisory missions in October
2020 and January/February 2021 to review the impacts of change of status of Hagia
Sophia and Chora Museum on the OUV of the property;
Requests furthermore the State Party to implement fully all of the missions
recommendations;
Deeply regrets the lack of dialogue and information from the State Party prior to the
change of status of Hagia Sophia and Chora Museums, two components of the property,
despite numerous requests addressed to the State Party to comply with paragraphs 172
and 174 of the Operational Guidelines;
Expresses grave concern about the potential impact of changes at these key
components may have on the Outstanding Universal Value of the property;
Calls on the State Party of Turkey to engage in international cooperation and dialogue
before any further major change are implemented at the property;
Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 February 2022, 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
45th session.

59. Kyiv: Saint-Sophia Cathedral and Related Monastic Buildings, Kyiv-Pechersk

Lavra (Ukraine) (C 527bis)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.59

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decision 43 COM 7B.92, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
Acknowledges the efforts made by the State Party to implement previous Committee
decisions, and requests the State Party to finalize and submit the new Management Plan
for the property to the World Heritage Centre, for revision by the Advisory Bodies, prior
to formal adoption, by 1 February 2022;
Also requests the State Party to maintain the moratorium on Urban Development until
the urban planning documentation has been adopted, and control and monitoring is fully
in place;

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of the World Heritage Committee
 Endorses the 2020 Reactive Monitoring mission recommendations, and further requests
the State Party to implement them, and in particular to:
a) Align the name spelling in all relevant documents following the change of the name
of the property and establish, as a matter of urgency, the proposed Supervisory
Board for the property,
b) Introduce strict monitoring of the application of the new zone-by-zone protection
regime and submit a progress report on its implementation,
c) Assess the effectiveness of the amendment of the legal framework in prioritizing
the protection of attributes, which contribute to the Outstanding Universal Value
(OUV) and the setting of the property,
d) Establish an efficient system to protect from any visual impact on the skyline, the
visual fields and vistas from the most characteristic viewpoints and introduce this
system in the urban regulation documents, such as Kyiv City Master Plan, updated
“Historical and Architectural Key Plan of Kyiv” and the Zoning Plan of Kyiv Central
Area,
e) Finalize “Historical and Architectural Key Plan of Kyiv” and submit it to the World
Heritage Centre for review, prior to its adoption,
f) Include in the Zoning Plans of the Kyiv City Master Plan specific requirement on
protection of the property’s setting for all other “district” and “landscape protection”
areas,
g) Establish a comprehensive inventory of tall buildings, including all existing high-
rise buildings, as well as the already-issued building permissions related to tall
building projects;
Reiterates its request to the State Party to undertake an Heritage Impact Assessment
(HIA) for developments within the property and its buffer zone as a timely and appropriate
method of assessing the multiple and cumulative impacts of planned developments,
taking into account potential impacts on the OUV of the property, in conformity with the
ICOMOS Guidelines on HIAs for Cultural World Heritage properties, including reference
to 3D visual simulations, prior to allowing any developments to take place; and
encourages the State Party to continue to submit, in accordance with Paragraph 172 of
the Operational Guidelines, detailed information on any proposed development projects
within the property, its buffer zone and setting, which may impact the OUV of the
property, for review by the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies prior to any
decisions being taken that could be difficult to reverse;
Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 December 2022, 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
46th session.

60. Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape (United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Northern Ireland) (C 1215)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.60

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decision 43 COM 7B.93, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),

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of the World Heritage Committee
 Welcomes the significant progress of the State Party in:
a) applying the Supplementary Planning Document, Planning Performance
Agreements and neighbourhood development plans to protect the Outstanding
Universal Value (OUV) of the property,
b) implementing the recommendations of the 2015 joint ICOMOS/ICCROM Reactive
Monitoring mission,
c) updating the Management Plan, in order to protect the OUV of the property,
d) establishing revised arrangements and adjusted timeframes for consultation with
the World Heritage Centre and ICOMOS regarding specific projects, including the
proposed North Quay Phase 2 projects;
Encourages the State Party to ensure that the advice of Historic England and the World
Heritage Site Planning Officer continue to inform statutory decision making, so as to
ensure that there are no adverse impacts on the property’s OUV;
Requests the State Party to implement fully the recommendations of ICOMOS related to
the North Quay Phase 2 projects in order to avoid the identified potential negative
impacts of the project application to the OUV of the property;
Reiterates its previous request to the State Party to submit further information about
proposals for the South Crofty Mine; in particular details of the boundary treatment and
planning;
Notes its previous request that the State Party continue to ensure that, in line with
Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines, details for significant changes to statutory
documents and any new planning applications which may affect the OUV of the property
are appropriately selected and are submitted to the World Heritage Centre, for review by
the Advisory Bodies, before final decisions are taken;
Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 December 2022, 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
46th session.

61. Stonehenge, Avebury and Associated Sites (United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Northern Ireland) (C 373bis)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.61

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B.Add,
Recalling Decisions 42 COM 7B.32 and 43 COM 7B.95, adopted at its 42nd (Manama,
2018) and 43rd (Baku, 2019) sessions respectively,
Notes the progress made with the new management and governance arrangements, and
implementation of the 2015 Transport Strategy, as well as the initiative to introduce
Traffic Regulation Order on roads where traffic has an adverse impact on attributes of
the property, and urges the State Party to continue finding solutions to address these
negative impacts;
Also notes the forthcoming setting study and related boundary review of the property and
requests the State Party to submit the draft setting study to the World Heritage Centre
for review by ICOMOS;

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of the World Heritage Committee
 Further notes the small-scale design refinements, which have been made to the A303
improvement scheme within the property;
Recalls that the Committee has previously noted that the 2018 joint World Heritage
Centre/ICOMOS Advisory mission and the State Party’s own Heritage Impact
Assessment (HIA) highlight that the current overall proposal would impact the integrity
of the intended spatial relationships between monuments, a key part of the prehistoric
‘landscape without parallel’ as inscribed;
Reiterates its concern that, as previously advised by the Committee and identified in the
2018 mission report, the part of the A303 improvement scheme within the property
retains substantial exposed dual carriageway sections, particularly those at the western
end of the property, which would impact adversely the Outstanding Universal Value
(OUV) of the property, especially affecting its integrity;
Notes with concern that, although consideration was given to extending the bored tunnel
and to greater covering of the cutting, as requested by the Committee, it was determined
by the State Party that the additional benefits of a longer tunnel would not justify the
additional costs;
Reiterates its previous request that the State Party should not proceed with the A303
route upgrade for the section between Amesbury and Berwick Down in its current form,
and considers that the scheme should be modified to deliver the best available outcome
for the OUV of the property;
Notes furthermore the State Party’s commitment to ongoing engagement with the
Committee, the World Heritage Centre, and ICOMOS, but also considers that it is unclear
what might be achieved by further engagement unless and until the design is
fundamentally amended;
Regrets that the Development Consent Order (DCO) has been granted for the scheme;
and therefore, further considers in conformity with Paragraph 179 of the Operational
Guidelines that the approved A303 improvement scheme is a potential threat to the
property, which - if implemented - could have deleterious effects on its inherent
characteristics, notably to its integrity;
Notes moreover that in the event that DCO consent was confirmed by the High Court,
the property warrants the inscription on the List of World Heritage in Danger;
Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February
2022, 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
45th session, with a view to considering the inscription of the property on the List
of World Heritage in Danger if the A303 route upgrade scheme is not modified to
deliver the best available outcome for the OUV of the property.

LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN

62. Quebrada de Humahuaca (Argentina) (C 1116)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.62

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decision 27 COM 8C.17, adopted at its 27th session (UNESCO, 2003),

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 Regrets that until date the 2008 Management Plan has not been fully implemented;
Welcomes the State Party initiative to develop an updated Management Plan 2020-2028
and urges it to submit this Plan to the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies
for review as soon as possible;
Encourages the State Party to consolidate coordination efforts between the management
systems in place for Qhapaq Ñan Andean Road System and Quebrada de Humahuaca,
to ensure consistency in approaches and decision-making, so as to protect the
Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of both properties;
Acknowledges that the development of a Disaster Risk Management Plan is foreseen in
the updated Management Plan and requests the State Party to submit it, for review by
the Advisory Bodies, as soon as feasible;
Notes with concern the advances in the implementation of the Jujuy – La Quiaca Train
Project and also urges the State Party to develop a Heritage Impact Assessment, in line
with ICOMOS Guidance on Heritage Impact Assessment for Cultural World Heritage
properties, of the project before any further construction is carried out, and also requests
the State Party to submit it as soon as possible along with the Environmental Impact
Assessment undertaken with regard to the Jujuy Train railway project, both for review by
the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies;
Notes that construction work is foreseen at the Rio Grande and its affluents as part of
the Water Basin Management project and reminds the State Party that such projects
must be submitted for review of the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies in
accordance with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines, before works commence
or any irreversible decision is made;
Further requests the State Party to invite an ICOMOS Reactive Monitoring mission to
the property, in order to assess its current state of conservation and the effectiveness of
management mechanisms, and to evaluate the impact of the planned and ongoing
projects on the OUV of the property;
Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 December 2022, 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
46th session.

63. Tiwanaku: Spiritual and Political Centre of the Tiwanaku Culture (Bolivia,
Plurinational State of) (C 567rev)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.63

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decision 42 COM 7B.34, adopted at its 42nd session (Manama, 2018),
Regrets that the State Party did not submit its report in one of the two working languages
of the World Heritage Convention (French or English);
Welcomes the adoption of the Management Plan (2017) and the Integral Conservation
Plan (ICP)(2018), and recommends that the State Party consider and implement
ICOMOS’ observations and advice regarding the ICP;
Recalls its earlier request to the State Party to give priority to efforts to guarantee the
optimal state of conservation of the identified attributes that convey the property’s

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 Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) prior to pursuing any new archaeological projects,
and requests the State Party to reconsider the opening of three new excavation zones
as proposed in the ICP;
Also welcomes the preparation of the Risk Management Plan, and also requests the
State Party to submit this plan to the World Heritage Centre for review by the Advisory
Bodies as soon as it becomes available;
Expresses its serious concern that the State Party has not taken any action to expand
the buffer zone as requested by the Committee at its previous sessions, and that the
continued expansion of the village of Tiwanaku and inappropriate constructions and land
use threaten the OUV of the property, and urges the State Party to:
a) Proceed urgently with the extension of the buffer zone and the submission of a
formal Minor Boundary Modification request, as per Paragraph 164 of the
Operational Guidelines,
b) Define urban and rural zones and assess the implications of such designations on
the conservation and management of the property and the buffer zone,
c) Take the corresponding regulatory measures to ensure the protection of the
property’s OUV and conditions of authenticity and integrity;
Further requests the State Party to reinforce its collaboration and communication with
the local authorities and communities regarding the conservation and management of
the property;
Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 December 2022, 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
46th session.

64. Pampulha Modern Ensemble (Brazil) (C 1493)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.64

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decision 42 COM 7B.35, adopted at its 42nd session (Manama, 2018),
Welcomes the actions taken by the State Party for the conservation and management of
the property;
Strongly recalls that the Intervention Plan and recommendations adopted at the time of
inscription of the property on the World Heritage List should be implemented in their
entirety in order to optimise the levels of the integrity and authenticity of the total
ensemble and each of its components, and urges the State Party to take the necessary
decisions for their implementation and set a timetable for their completion;
Also urges the State Party to accelerate the consultation and decision-making processes
on the Yacht Club and Dino Barbieri Square, and requests the State Party to develop an
appropriate communication strategy for the local population, with regard to the
interventions of the Dino Barbieri Square and inform the World Heritage Centre on the
results of these processes and submit detailed documentation on the Yacht Club
projects;

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 Acknowledges the progress made in the improvement and monitoring of the quality of
the water of the Pampulha Lake, and recommends that the State Party continue these
efforts;
Takes note of the adoption of the Belo Horizonte Master Plan approved in June 2019,
and also recommends that the State Party proceed with the analysis of its impact on the
protection and management of the World Heritage property and its buffer zone;
Also requests the State Party to progress with developing a Strategic Management Plan,
considering the entire set of recommendations adopted at the time of inscription,
including an integrated Sustainable Tourism Development Plan, that will include
measures to strengthen protection and planning controls in the property and its buffer
zone, and to continue the participatory and inter-agency process in the management of
the property and the preparation of building guidelines for specific neighbourhoods;
Further requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 February 2022, an updated report on the implementation of the above for review by
the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies.

65. Precolumbian Chiefdom Settlements with Stone Spheres of the Diquís (Costa
Rica) (C 1453)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.65

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decision 42 COM 7B.36, adopted at its 42nd session (Manama, 2018),
Welcomes the ongoing efforts by the State Party in developing participatory
management mechanisms with local communities and indigenous groups, and
encourages the continuation of these initiatives;
Commends the State Party on the numerous initiatives related to education and
outreach, particularly those related to local and indigenous communities and youth, as
an important aspect of the sustainable conservation of the property and awareness-
raising on cultural heritage in Costa Rica more broadly;
Also commends the State Party on the important improvements to the property’s
interpretation, including new signage installations and the expansion of the Visitor
Centre, as important steps towards improving visitor experience and appreciation of the
property’s Outstanding Universal Value (OUV);
Takes note that the approval of buffer zone regulations remains pending with the Osa
Municipal Council, that the Risk and Disaster Management Plan is being finalized and
that the increase of human and financial resources remains a significant challenge and,
therefore, requests the State Party to finalize these pending issues in 2020 as indicated
in its report and to notify the World Heritage Centre as soon as completed;
Takes note with appreciation of the efforts to formally establish a consolidated and
multidisciplinary management unit for the property under the General Direction of the
National Museum of Costa Rica, and of the establishment of a High-Level Commission
to ensure its adequate protection;
Also takes note that there has been no decision taken for several years with regard to
the feasibility of the Southern International Airport project, and that a Heritage Impact
Assessment will be conducted if the project is to move forward,

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of the World Heritage Committee
 Further takes note that the Diquis hydroelectric project has been indefinitely suspended
by the responsible authorities and that all works related to the project have been halted;
Also requests the State Party to keep the World Heritage Centre informed about any
changes in the status of these two projects, and to submit any relevant documentation
and studies undertaken, in line with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines;
Further requests the State Party to provide further information on the nature and scale
of the upgrades planned for the Palmar Sur regional airport located in close proximity to
three of the property’s archaeological sites, in order to determine any possible impacts
on the OUV, in line with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines;
Requests furthermore the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 December 2022, 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
46th session.

66. Colonial City of Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic) (C 526)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.66

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decision 42 COM 7B.37, adopted at its 42nd session (Manama, 2018),
Takes note of the progress made by the State Party in responding to requests by the
Committee regarding the legal and management framework, particularly by defining
clear roles for government agencies, and reinforcing the Dirección Nacional de
Patrimonio Monumental (DNPM);
Also takes note of the completion of the new Comprehensive Revitalisation Strategic
Plan of the Colonial City of Santo Domingo and requests the State Party to ensure its
approval and submission to the World Heritage Centre for final review by the Advisory
Bodies as soon as it is available;
Acknowledges the efforts made by the State Party to obtain a certification for sustainable
tourism, and also requests it to continue monitoring the increase in visitation, taking into
account the carrying capacity of the property and the protection of its Outstanding
Universal Value (OUV);
Regrets that the State Party has not yet submitted a Minor Boundary Modification as per
Paragraphs 162-164 of the Operational Guidelines for the definition of the buffer zone
as previously requested by the World Heritage Committee, and urges the State Party to
finalize the proposal as soon as possible;
Further takes note of the photogrammetric survey and topographical studies undertaken
in the aftermath of the partial collapse of the Hotel Francés, and further requests the
State Party to provide additional clarifications regarding the proposed reconstruction
project;
Welcomes the notification by the State Party that the construction of the Subway Line 6
is not foreseen in the next ten years, and reminds it, in line with Paragraph 172 of the
Operational Guidelines, to inform and submit the necessary technical information to the
World Heritage Centre for review by the Advisory Bodies before further decisions are
taken;

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of the World Heritage Committee
 Requests furthermore that additional information regarding the conservation methods
used at historic buildings within the property, as well as the project proposals for the
Convent of San Francisco and for the Santa Bárbara Church, be submitted to the World
Heritage Centre for review by the Advisory Bodies;
Expresses its concern that no Disaster Risk Management Plan has been developed to
address the risks posed by earthquakes and hurricanes, and requests moreover the
State Party to develop such plan and submit it to the World Heritage Centre, for review
by the Advisory Bodies;
Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 December 2022, 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
46th session.

67. City of Quito (Ecuador) (C 2)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.67

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decision 42 COM 7B.38, adopted at its 42nd session (Manama, 2018),
Welcomes the advances in the preparation of the Partial Plan for the Comprehensive
Development of the Historical Centre of Quito, but expresses its regret that to date no
formal Management Plan for the property has been approved, and urges the State Party
to:
a) Continue the harmonization process of the Partial Plan and the Territorial Planning
and Development Plan for the Metropolitan District of the City of Quito 2019-2023,
b) Integrate any changes that may occur during this process into the final version of
the Partial Plan and submit this plan, together with the final draft of the revision of
Ordinance 260, which provides the legal framework for its implementation, to the
World Heritage Centre for review by the Advisory Bodies;
Also welcomes the strategy for the housing programme for rental in historical buildings,
and the Disaster Risk Management Plan for the Core Area of the Historical Centre of
Quito, and requests the State Party to consider the recommendations of the ICOMOS
technical review;
Notes that the construction of the metro station at San Francisco Square and the metro
tunnel under the World Heritage property has been concluded, and also urges the State
Party to:
a) Continue monitoring and mitigation programmes,
b) Develop a programme to assess, once the metro line is in operation, the station’s
impact on pedestrian flows and the uses and functions of the square and its
surrounding buildings;
Congratulates the State Party for its swift and participatory response to the damages
caused by civil unrest in 2019;
Also requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 December 2022, 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
46th session.

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of the World Heritage Committee
68. National History Park – Citadel, Sans Souci, Ramiers (Haiti) (C 180)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.68

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decisions 34 COM 7B.110, 35 COM 7B.125, 36 COM 99, 37 COM 98,
38 COM 7B.44, 40 COM 7B.6 and 42 COM 7B.39, adopted at its 34th (Brasilia, 2010),
35th (UNESCO, 2011), 36th (Saint Petersburg, 2012), 37th (Phnom Penh, 2013), 38th
(Doha, 2014), 40th (Istanbul/UNESCO, 2016) and 42nd (Manama, 2018) sessions
respectively,
Also recalling the numerous reports of the Advisory and Reactive Monitoring missions
and their recommendations to the State Party on the conservation and management of
the property;
Notes that the implementation of essential tools for the good management and
conservation of the property, such as the definition of the buffer zone and the finalization
of the conservation and management plans, that were supposed to have been
undertaken in 2020 still remain to be completed, and requests the State Party to submit
these documents to the World Heritage Centre for review by the Advisory Bodies, as
soon as they become available;
Takes note of the reinforcement of management staff on the property, and urges the
State Party to consolidate the management structure and its staff in the context of the
proposed Management Plan;
Notes with great concern that the question of the deviation of the RN003 road is still not
satisfactorily resolved, that the State Party is still concentrating on the upgrade of the
existing road through the Park, and that the environmental and heritage impact
assessments that the State Party has undertaken on the rehabilitation of the road
through the Park confirm the serious impacts the road would have on the Outstanding
Universal Value (OUV) of the property, and that the proposed mitigation measures
cannot be considered to mitigate the damage that would be caused;
Considers that the rehabilitation of the road through the Park poses a potential danger
to the OUV of the property and reiterates its extreme concern that the State Party has
not undertaken the studies that are necessary for an objective analysis and comparison
of alternative routes outside the Park;
Reiterating Decision 34 COM 7B.110, that requested the State Party to "halt the
construction of the RN003 within the limits of the property pending the development of
other alternatives to be evaluated, in accordance with Paragraph 172 of the Operational
Guidelines", also requests the State Party to confirm that the future route of the RN003
will not pass through the property because it would seriously affect its integrity, and
impact adversely on OUV, and to inform the Committee as soon as possible if and when
the necessary studies for defining deviation outside the property will be made;
Notes with concern that the delays in the finalization of these actions and tools could
ultimately constitute a potential danger to the OUV of the property, in accordance with
Paragraph 179 of the Operational Guidelines;
Deeply regrets the fire, which destroyed the Church of Milot in April 2020 and further
requests the State Party to submit updated documentation on the implementation of the
measures included in the Institute for the Preservation of National Heritage (ISPAN)
emergency mission report and on whether tests have been carried out to verify the
structural stability of the surviving structures;

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of the World Heritage Committee
 Also urges the State Party to submit detailed documentation on the proposed upgrading
of the secondary road from the RN003 to the Choiseul parking area, including an analysis
of its potential impacts on the OUV of the property, to the World Heritage Centre for
review by the Advisory Bodies as soon as possible;
Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February
2022, 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
45th session, with a view to considering, in the absence of significant progress in
the implementation of these recommendations, and in the case of confirmation of
the ascertained danger to OUV, the inscription of the property on the List of World
Heritage in Danger.

69. Historic Centre of the City of Arequipa (Peru) (C 1016)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.69

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decision 42 COM 7B.41, adopted at its 42nd session (Manama, 2018),
Commends the State Party for the progress made in the implementation of the
recommendations of the 2014 joint World Heritage Centre/ICOMOS Reactive Monitoring
mission, and urges the State Party to ensure their full implementation;
Welcomes the proposal of the 2019-2029 Master Plan of the Historic Centre of Arequipa
and Buffer Zone by the Ministry of Culture and requests the State Party, through the
Municipal Council of Arequipa, to finalize the approval process of the Master Plan as
soon as possible, and also requests the State Party to inform the World Heritage Centre
about the approval and the measures that will be taken to ensure the immediate
implementation of the Master Plan and its management structure;
Also urges the State Party to proceed with the submission of a minor boundary
modification in accordance with Paragraphs 163-164 of the Operational Guidelines to
formalize the boundaries of the property and the buffer zone;
Notes with satisfaction that protective measures are being taken to protect the
agricultural character of the Chilina River valley, and encourages the State Party to
actively promote agricultural activities in the area;
Acknowledges the initiatives developed by the State Party, which aim to enhance the
conservation and awareness raising activities at the Historic Centre among the local
communities and also encourages it to continue these efforts;
Further requests the State Party to ensure the implementation of the mitigation measures
related to the construction of the Via Troncal Interconectadora and the Chilina Bridge,
including modifications of infrastructural works, as proposed in the 2017 Heritage Impact
Assessment;
Requests furthermore the State Party to inform the World Heritage Centre on any
progress in the design of the pedestrian circulation project at the Plaza Major and
Salaverry-Malecon Viaduct;
Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 December 2022, 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
46th session.

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of the World Heritage Committee
70. Historic Inner City of Paramaribo (Suriname) (C 940rev)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.70

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decision 42 COM 7B.42, adopted at its 42nd session (Manama, 2018),
Takes note with appreciation of the activities that are being undertaken in the framework
of the Inter-American Developmen Bank IADB-funded Paramaribo Urban Rehabilitation
Programme (PURP) and its Strategic Master Plan that expresses an integral approach
to the conservation of the World Heritage property, including housing, mobility, water
management and community participation;
Welcomes the withdrawal of the license for construction at the Waterfront, and that the
Strategic Master Plan proposed for the whole of the Waterfront is being developed to
address the challenges posed by rising sea-levels of up to one metre by the end of this
century;
Considering that the Waterfront constitutes one of the main attributes of the World
Heritage property, invites the State Party to submit the final designs for the Waterfront,
as soon as they become available, to the World Heritage Centre for review by the
Advisory Bodies;
Recalls the importance of the extension of the boundaries of the property to include a 50
metre strip along the river, as well the extension of the boundaries of the buffer zone,
and urges again the State Party to proceed with these extensions and to submit them as
a Minor Boundary Modification in accordance with Paragraph 164 of the Operational
Guidelines;
Also takes note of the completion of the Updated Management Plan 2020-2024 for the
property and also urges the State Party to finalize its approval as soon as possible;
Regrets the repeated demolition, destruction by fire and decay of the wooden building
stock, both government and privately-owned, and recommends that the State Party
increase its efforts to raise awareness and promote participation of the population and
owners in the recuperation of the historical centre and its individual structures;
Notes with appreciation that the State Party engaged in constructive consultations with
ICOMOS regarding the reconstruction of the former National Assembly Building, and
emphasizes that the reconstruction as agreed upon is an exceptional case due to
exceptional circumstances and should not be seen as a precedent for other cases;
Also welcomes that three government-owned buildings will be restored in the framework
of PURP, and requests the State Party to submit as soon as possible their architectural
designs as well as the guidelines that are included in the Retrofit Manual for the
Rehabilitation of Historic Buildings to the World Heritage Centre for review by the
Advisory Bodies;
Also requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 December 2022, 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
46th session.

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of the World Heritage Committee
 MIXED PROPERTIES

AFRICA

71. Ennedi Massif: Natural and Cultural Landscape (Chad) (C/N 1475)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.71

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decisions 40 COM 8B.15, 41 COM 8B.52 and 42 COM 7B.64, adopted at its
40th (Istanbul/UNESCO, 2016), 41st (Krakow, 2017) and 42nd (Manama, 2018)
sessions respectively,
Regrets that the State Party provided little new information on the state of conservation
of the property nor on the actions taken to implement the requests of the Committee at
the time of inscription and in subsequent decisions;
Welcomes the ongoing actions of the State Party and African Parks Network (APN)
partnership to strengthen the protection and management of the property, with financial
support of the European Union and other partners, including the establishment of a new
government Directorate and legislation for the protection of cultural heritage;
Reiterates its request to the State Party to urgently address the issues identified at the
time of inscription of the property and to provide a clear timeframe for their
implementation:
a) Strengthen the legal protection status of the property by the creation as of
December 2016 of a protected area with a regime of protection adequate to the
values of the property and meeting the protection requirements of the Convention,
b) Establish a revised Management Plan for the whole property, meeting the
international standards, including an operational implementation calendar for all
steps needed to achieve this goal and clarify the management responsibilities of
the new system in coordination with the traditional one which has been in place
until today, and which clearly:
(i) Spell out management operations to conserve the World Heritage values,
(ii) Include a zonation which allows full protection of the key areas for
biodiversity,
(iii) Detail the measures foreseen to address the main potential threats,
(iv) Guarantee the full participation of the local communities and of their
traditional authorities in the management of the property,
(v) Clarify the institutional management regime of the property and provides a
detailed staffing and budget consistent with the effective implementation of
the required management,
c) Include a strategy to establish a detailed botanical inventory of the site, to identify
all important refugia and areas for relict flora that may further justify the application
of Criterion (ix);

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of the World Heritage Committee
 Noting the 2017 surveys and the inventory of rock art vandalism, also reiterates its
request for the State Party to provide to the World Heritage Centre a detailed report on
the extent of the damage and measures taken to rehabilitate the affected sites;
Urges the State Party to consult with the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies
before finalizing the proposal for the boundaries of the Natural and Cultural Reserve of
Ennedi so as to guarantee that all important areas are included and that an appropriate
buffer zone is foreseen, and to submit a request for boundary modification for
examination by the World Heritage Committee;
Requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2022,
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 45th session.

72. Cliff of Bandiagara (Land of the Dogons) (Mali) (C/N 516)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.72

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decisions 42 COM 7B.65 and 43 COM 7.2, adopted respectively at its
42nd (Manama, 2018) and 43rd (Baku, 2019) sessions,
Congratulates the State Party for the actions carried out, through the Cultural Mission of
Bandiagara, for the conservation of the property and the safeguarding of certain aspects
of the overall rich and living heritage thanks to the International Assistance granted in
2018 and the commitment of the local communities, notably the Dogon Initiative
Association (ADI), enabling the restoration and maintenance of some gin’na and various
houses, the initiation of an inventory of movable and immovable properties, educational
programmes for young people and raising awareness in the population with regard to
safeguarding the heritage and the combat against the illicit trafficking of cultural property;
Expresses its grave concern with regard to intercommunity conflict noted within and
outside the property between the Dogon and Fulani communities resulting in the
destruction of houses and whole villages, granaries and tangible property, animals and
harvests, and which constitute an increasing threat to the Outstanding Universal Value
of the property, and deplores in particular the considerable loss of human life, as well as
numerous events;
Notes with concern that the joint UNESCO/ICOMOS Reactive Monitoring mission to
examine the overall management of the property, especially the ways and means to
strengthen traditional practices and the diversification of possibilities for sustainable
development for the local communities, was not possible due to insecurity problems, and
requests the State Party to invite, as soon as circumstances permit, a joint
UNESCO/ICOMOS/IUCN Reactive Monitoring mission to the property to examine the
state of conservation of the cultural and natural heritage and the overall management of
the property in the context of the current security crisis;
Expresses its satisfaction that an “Evaluation Mission on the Relative Needs of the
tangible and intangible cultural heritage, including objects and practices associated with
the Cliff of Bandiagara” comprising Malian cultural heritage experts was sent to the
property in July 2019, with financial support from the UNESCO World Heritage
Emergency Fund, and supports the conclusions and recommendqtions of that mission,
as well as the Emergency Action Plan, and calls upon the State Party and the
international community to mobilise all necessary means for their implementation;

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of the World Heritage Committee
 Welcomes the financial support of the International Alliance for the Protection of Heritage
in Conflict Areas (ALIPH) for the reconstruction and rehabilitation of the built heritage,
including cultural objects, and also requests the State Party to keep it informed of
progress in the implementation of activities;
Further requests that the State Party considers the impacts of insecurity in the context
of cultural and natural heritage values of this mixed property, including all the
management and intervention decisions, ensuring that the emergency actions
undertaken can protect the cultural heritage and guarantee the protection of natural
heritage values;
Taking into account the current state of the property, that justifies the establishment of a
mechanism and specific actions for its preservation, requests moreover that the State
Party establish a multidisciplinary working group for a five-year period, with the capacity
to act and supervise the implementation of the recommendations and the Emergency
Action Plan of the 2019 mission, notably for the rehabilitation of the built heritage and
the traditional houses damaged or destroyed, guide all actions and enable the heritage
to serve as a vector for the enhancement of cultural identities and practices of all the
communities living there, and more particularly in reconciliation measures between them;
Also appeals to the international community to support the efforts of the State Party in
safeguarding the cultural and natural heritage of this property, and finally in order to
address the heritage in all its forms as raised by the emergency evaluation mission,
recommends the State Party to also consult the Secretariats of the other UNESCO
Cultural Conventions in this respect;
Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 February 2022, 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
45th session.

ARAB STATES

73. The Ahwar of Southern Iraq: Refuge of Biodiversity and the Relict Landscape of
the Mesopotamian Cities (Iraq) (C/N 1481)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.73

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B.Add,
2. Recalling Decisions 42 COM 7B.66 and 43 COM 7B.35, adopted at its 42nd (Manama,
2018) and 43rd (Baku, 2019) sessions respectively,
3. Reiterates its concern over the continued high vulnerability of the three cultural
component sites and the need for their conservation to prevent further irreversible
erosion and collapse, and urges the State Party to resume maintenance work as soon
as possible, give priority to completing site surveys, and develop conservation plans for
each component as a basis for urgent conservation work, before further excavations are
undertaken and before tourism is encouraged;
4. Acknowledges that the 5.8 billion cubic metres (BCM) minimum flow level required for
the natural components of the property was met in 2019 due to abundant flooding and
rainfall, however notes with concern that flooding and rainfall events remain highly

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 variable and the minimum level was again not met in 2020, and recalls that significant
fluctuations in water flows may pose a major threat to the property and non-fulfilment of
minimum water requirements could represent a potential danger to the Outstanding
Universal Value (OUV) of the property, in accordance with Paragraph 180 of the
Operational Guidelines;
5. Requests the State Party to urgently implement management measures that
demonstrate adequate flows to the property are ensured in the short and long-term as a
matter of utmost priority;
6. Also requests the States Parties of Iraq, of the Islamic Republic of Iran and of Turkey to
strengthen and expedite their cooperation towards long-term sustainable transboundary
water management measures, which are informed by science and can guarantee the
provision of the minimum water supply required to sustain the OUV of the property, and
encourages the States Parties to prepare a basin-wide Strategic Environmental
Assessment in line with the IUCN World Heritage Advice Note on Environmental
Assessments, to assess cumulative and future impact on flows to the property;
7. Noting with concern that different dam projects are planned or underway in Iraq, as well
as in Turkey and the Islamic Republic of Iran, which could further exacerbate water
scarcity and therefore negatively impact on the OUV of the property, further requests the
States Parties of Iraq, of the Islamic Republic of Iran and of Turkey to:
a) Provide full information on all existing and planned dam developments upstream
of the property, including a clear and complete assessment of the potential for
these developments to create impacts on the OUV of the property, both individually
or cumulatively,
b) Ensure that any potential developments that may impact the OUV of the property
are fully assessed in line with the IUCN Advice Note on Environmental
Assessments and the ICOMOS Guidance on Heritage Impact Assessment, and to
submit the assessments to the World Heritage Centre for review by the Advisory
Bodies, before any decision is taken to proceed further with planning or
implementation,
c) Not proceed with developments that would impact negatively on the OUV of the
property;
8. Reiterates its request to the State Party to complete the designation of all of the natural
components of the property as protected areas, in order to provide effective protection
under national legislative and management systems, as required in the Operational
Guidelines;
9. Requests furthermore the State Party, as part of an integrated management approach,
to further strengthen its monitoring, legal protection, enforcement and management
capacity to control illegal activities such as bird hunting and overfishing, and to submit to
the World Heritage Centre data on these activities;
10. Also reiterates its request to the State Party to finalise the preparation of an updated
Integrated Management Plan for the entire property, as a matter of priority, together with
the development of updated Management Plans for each of the component sites of the
property, and to submit drafts of these to the World Heritage Centre for review by the
Advisory Bodies;
11. Acknowledging the planned development of a comprehensive tourism management plan
in 2020, further reiterates its request to the State Party to develop and implement an
overall tourism plan for the whole property to regulate visitation, and to ensure visitor
safety and sustainable tourism practices, infrastructure and facilities, and noting the
development of tourism projects, including a proposed hotel and ecotourism complex
within the marshes, requests moreover the State Party to assess the potential impacts

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 of any infrastructure development on the OUV of the property through Environmental
Impact Assessment processes in line with IUCN and ICOMOS guidance, prior to taking
any decision to proceed, and to submit plans to the World Heritage Centre for review by
the Advisory Bodies before any irreversible decisions are taken;
12. Recalling its significant concern over the continued vulnerability of the natural
components of the property to oil and gas developments and its established position that
oil and gas exploration and exploitation are incompatible with World Heritage status,
notes with appreciation the confirmation by the Higher Committee in 2020 that oil
companies are required to not carry out oil exploration activities within the boundaries of
the property, and that any oil activities outside the property should not cause harm to the
property; strongly urges again the State Party to make a permanent commitment to not
explore or exploit oil and gas within the property, and to ensure that any such activities
outside the property do not cause a negative impact on its OUV, and requests moreover
the State Party to clarify the status of any oil and gas developments within or in the
vicinity of the property, including the assessment of potential impacts on the OUV of the
property in line with the IUCN and ICOMOS guidance;
13. Requests moreover the State Party to continue to meaningfully engage with the local
communities on a range of management issues, including matters concerning hunting
and fishing, water usage, rights-based approaches to management and for the
application of traditional ecological knowledge to any planned new constructions;
14. Regrets that the joint World Heritage Centre/ICOMOS/IUCN Reactive Monitoring
mission to the property could not yet be undertaken as a result of the prevailing security
and global health situation, and reiterates furthermore its request that the mission takes
place as soon as possible;
15. Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February
2022, 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
45th session.

74. Wadi Rum Protected Area (Jordan) (C/N 1377)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.74

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
2. Recalling Decision 42 COM 7B.67, adopted at its 42nd session (Manama, 2018),
3. Welcomes the significant progress made with regards to the development of the buffer
zone provisions and regulations, as well as a related land use plan and the proposal to
submit these changes as a Minor Boundary Modification to the World Heritage Centre,
and requests the State Party to pursue the implementation of the “General Provisions
and Regulations of the Buffer Zone of Wadi Rum Protected Area”, and to inform the
World Heritage Centre once this has been published in the official gazette;
4. While noting the development of the “Instructions for regulating camping, touristic
activities and events within Wadi Rum Protected Area”, also requests the State Party to
inform the World Heritage Centre once this document has been published in the official
gazette;
5. Expresses concern that uncontrolled tourism continues to present the biggest challenge
facing the property, and reiterates its request to the State Party to urgently address the
issue of tourist camps and other camp-like installations within the property, to rehabilitate

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 any areas that may have been degraded, and to ensure strict enforcement of the above
mentioned instructions;
6. Also welcomes the confirmation that an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and
Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) of tourism activities in and around the property will
be carried out, and further requests the State Party to finalize this process as an
important step towards ensuring sustainable tourism management in the property;
7. Further welcomes the submission of the draft Integrated Management Plan (IMP), and
requests furthermore the State Party to revisit the IMP in accordance with the technical
reviews provided by the Advisory Bodies, identifying targeted actions to be implemented,
including those to address issues related to carrying capacity studies, zoning and
regulations, and the inclusion of a comprehensive conservation strategy, and to ensure
that the IMP provides references to legal measures and policies, and is backed by the
necessary trained staff and financial resources, to enable the effective management of
the property and its buffer zone;
8. Also expresses concern that no substantial progress has been made in addressing the
wastewater problem of Rum Village and the tourism camps, as well as the Disi villages
which pose a potential risk to the Disi Aquifer, and urges the State Party to accelerate
the development of wastewater treatment facilities and provide a clear timeframe for their
completion;
9. Welcomes furthermore the State Party’s progress in pursuing collaboration with national
and international institutions for achieving the highest standards in science- and
evidence-based decision-making related to the management of the property;
10. Continues to encourage the State Party to expeditiously complete the integration of the
cultural heritage database with the natural heritage database into one compatible
Geographic Information System (GIS) database, to support and facilitate the integrated
monitoring and management of the cultural and natural attributes of the property, in line
with the new IMP;
11. Also urges once again the State Party to continue to actively pursue the implementation
of all recommendations of the 2014 mission, particularly with regards to carrying out
assessment of tourism activities through EIA and HIA processes in and around the
property;
12. Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 December
2022, 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
46th session.

ASIA-PACIFIC

75. Tasmanian Wilderness (Australia) (C/N 181quinquies)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.75

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B.Add,
Recalling Decision 42 COM 7B.61, adopted at its 42nd session (Manama, 2018),
Welcomes the State Party’s further progress with the implementation of the
recommendations of the 2015 joint ICOMOS/IUCN Reactive Monitoring mission, but

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 notes that some of these recommendations remain to be fully implemented, and
reiterates its request to the State Party to finalize, as a matter of priority, the on-going
process to designate Permanent Timber Production Zone Land (PTPZL) and Future
Potential Production Forest Land (FPPFL) within the property as reserves;
Commends the State Party for the completion of the 'Cultural Values Assessment of the
2013 Extension Area to the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area’ that more than
doubles the number of registered Aboriginal sites in the extension area, and also
reiterates its request to the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre details of
how the cultural values of the additional areas relate to the Outstanding Universal Value
(OUV) of the property;
Also takes note of the finalization and release of the Tasmanian Wilderness World
Heritage Area Tourism Master Plan and requests the World Heritage Centre and the
Advisory Bodies to review this Plan in light of their earlier comments, and in particular to
verify whether this Tourism Master Plan:
a) Is fully aligned with the 2016 Management Plan for the property,
b) Includes more specific guidance regarding the protection of the OUV of the
property, including more details on how the wilderness values of the property
should be considered in decision-making processes related to tourism
management,
c) Considered the parallel Expression of Interest process for tourism development
projects and how the latter may be affected by the Plan, and
d) Advances the implementation of the Detailed Plan for a Comprehensive Cultural
Assessment in order to be able to take into account all relevant expressions of
cultural heritage, including those not yet identified;
Notes with serious concern the impacts of the 2018-2019 fires at the property, including
localized losses of some vegetation types, and urges the State Party to develop, in line
with its commitment, a comprehensive Fire Management Plan for the property as a
matter of priority;
Also urges the State Party to avoid any development at the property before the Detailed
Plan for a Comprehensive Cultural Assessment is implemented, reminds the State Party
of the importance of carrying out impact assessments, and to submit to the World
Heritage Centre, for review by the Advisory Bodies, details of any project that may affect
the property’s OUV, in accordance with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines;
Also requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 February 2022, an updated report on the state of conservation of the property and the
implementation of the above, for review by the Advisory Bodies.

76. Trang An Landscape Complex (Viet Nam) (C/N 1438bis)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.76

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decisions 38 COM 8B.14, 40 COM 7B.67 and 42 COM 7B.62, adopted at its
38th (Doha, 2014), 40th (Istanbul/UNESCO, 2016) and 42nd (Manama, 2018) sessions
respectively,

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 Welcomes the actions taken by the State Party in addressing the Committee’s requests,
including the removal of inappropriate infrastructure within the property, the regulation of
local development initiatives, improvements to conservation and management, the
establishment of an ad hoc Management and Scientific Advisory Committee, the active
scientific cooperation for the property at the international and national levels, capacity
enhancements for the staff of the Management Authority, and increased budgetary
allocations;
Noting that visitation continues to increase beyond previous estimates, urges the State
Party to expedite the proposed study to determine the sustainable carrying capacity of
the property, and requests the State Party to ensure the protection of the property’s
Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) is at the core of this study and that its findings are
strictly enforced, especially regarding limits on visitation at ‘hot spots’ and throughout the
property and the offer of alternative itineraries for visitors;
Also requests the State Party to ensure that existing management tools and new
Decrees and Regulations are aligned in order to allow for a proactive approach to the
overall management of the property by the Management Board, notably by:
a) Ensuring a balanced approach to tourism, heritage management and nature
conservation as a whole, with appropriate expertise within the Management Board,
b) Applying a clearer reporting protocol concerning any major new development
within the property and ensure the necessary prior consultation with the World
Heritage Centre and Advisory Bodies, in accordance with Paragraph 172 of the
Operational Guidelines;
Notes the conclusions and recommendations of the 2019 joint World Heritage
Centre/ICOMOS/IUCN Reactive Monitoring mission to the property and also urges the
State Party to instigate a well-resourced programme for the progressive implementation
of the mission recommendations, particularly with respect to:
a) Further improvements to governance and management,
b) Comprehensive and proactive planning, beyond project-level assessments, to
ensure a systematic monitoring of natural and cultural values,
c) A regular review of priorities to determine budget and human resource allocation,
d) A documentation system for built and moveable heritage and a storage system for
moveable heritage,
e) The development of an overall interpretation plan and public outreach strategy,
f) Continued international cooperation,
g) A survey of the natural landscape, geodiversity and biodiversity, archaeological
elements of different historical periods, and moveable heritage, and
h) The involvement of the local community in site management;
Also welcomes the State Party’s assurances that a Strategic Environmental Assessment
(SEA) and a Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) will be undertaken for any major
developments within the property and its buffer zones, and reiterates its request to the
State Party to use these tools to assess both the individual and cumulative impacts of
current and planned developments, with a special focus on potential impacts on the OUV
of the property, in line with the IUCN and ICOMOS guidelines on impact assessments;
Further urges the State Party to finalize the Management Plan for the property, as a
matter of high priority, in line with the recommendations of the 2019 Reactive Monitoring
mission, and to ensure the integration of biodiversity conservation into the management
and decision-making processes;

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 Further requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 December
2022, 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
46th session.

EUROPE AND NORTH AMERICA

77. Natural and Cultural Heritage of the Ohrid region (Albania/North Macedonia)
(C/N 99)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.77

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B.Add,
Recalling Decisions 43 COM 7B.36 and 43 COM 8B.9, adopted at its 43rd session
(Baku, 2019),
Welcomes the efforts that have been made by both States Parties to start addressing
the recommendations of the Committee, and notes in particular the improvements in
legal processes and management structures, the temporary suspension of building
permits in North Macedonia and the demolition of some illegal structures in both North
Macedonia and Albania as well as the creation of the Transboundary Watershed
Management Committee and the commitment to initiate a transboundary dialogue on the
Struga to Lin section of the European corridor VIII railway project;
Considers that while some decisions and missions’ recommendations over the past six
years have been addressed, several have only been partly or insufficiently implemented,
and a number of them not addressed at all;
Expresses utmost concern at the findings of the 2020 joint World Heritage
Centre/ICOMOS/IUCN Reactive Monitoring mission that:
a) Regarding North Macedonia, there has been insufficient action to halt the slow
erosion of the attributes of the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) in the urban
fabric and the wider landscape arising from inappropriate conservation,
reconstruction and development, or to re-consider alternative outcomes for major
projects relating to railway and road development,
b) Regarding Albania, the acute vulnerabilities that were noted at the time of the
extension of the property have not been curtailed and new projects and new
developments are being planned that could be highly detrimental to the already
compromised lake shore and the Lin peninsula;
Notes with grave concern the conclusions of the 2020 mission, which considered that tall
buildings close to the lake, the poor architectural quality of the built environment
(especially in the main towns of Ohrid, Struga, and Pogradec (buffer zone), but also
along the coast outside urban centres), and the inappropriate and excessive use of the
coastal zone for tourism infrastructure, have all had a highly negative impact on OUV of
the property;
Takes note of the ongoing process for the proclamation of Lake Ohrid as a Monument of
Nature in North Macedonia, including the development of a Valorization study, as well
as a preliminary decision to declare the Studenčišča Marsh a nature park, and requests
the State Party of North Macedonia to ensure that these processes are fully integrated

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 with other relevant management and planning processes and are aimed at strengthening
the overall management of the property, including through the establishment of
functioning management structures;
Notes with concern that in spite of recent initiatives, the management system appears
still not to be fully mandated to maintain OUV due to conflicting priorities, poor
implementation of the legal framework and little involvement of civil society, all of which
have combined to fragment the management system;
Also considers that halting and reversing the degradation that is now facing the property,
which reflects the cumulative impact of inappropriate changes and lack of conservation
over many years, will take considerable concerted efforts over a long timespan, and that,
while the immediate actions to halt certain activities are welcomed, these are insufficient
and can only be seen as the beginning of a much longer integrated and strategic process,
which remains to be defined;
Further considers that this legacy of erosion of the attributes over decades, combined
with the continuing impact of the development in both parts of the transboundary
property, represent actual and potential danger to the property according to
Paragraphs 179 and 180 of the Operational Guidelines;
Urges the two States Parties to develop a detailed Strategic Recovery Plan with an
associated phased action plan that sets out clearly defined aims and outcomes to
mitigate threats to OUV with a set of agreed actions including a timeframe both in the
short and longer term as well as a phased action plan, based on the full
recommendations of the 2020 mission, and which would provide an overarching
transboundary political and institutional framework for addressing the severe and
multiple threats facing to the property; and to present the Strategic Recovery Plan to the
Advisory Bodies and the World Heritage Centre in February 2023;
Finally requests the States Parties to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February
2022 a progress report, and by 1 February 2023, an updated joint report on the state of
conservation of the property, including a report on the progress made in the
implementation of the above for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its
46th session, with a view to considering, in case of the confirmation of the potential
or ascertained danger to its Outstanding Universal Value, the possible inscription
of the property on the List of World Heritage in Danger.

LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN

78. Ancient Maya City and Protected Tropical Forests of Calakmul, Campeche
(Mexico) (C/N 1061bis)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.78

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decisions 38 COM 8B.16 and 42 COM 7B.63, adopted at its 38th (Doha, 2014)
and 42nd (Manama, 2018) sessions respectively,
Commends the State Party for the extensive conservation and management programme
that was implemented during the 2018-2019 period and includes actions that are
essential to the preservation of the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property;

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 Welcomes the finalization of a new integrated Management Plan for the property and its
buffer zone and reiterates its request to the State Party to provide adequate financial
resources for its effective implementation;
Takes note of the zoning of the property and its buffer zone proposed in the new
Management Plan and requests the State Party to monitor and assess the effectiveness
of the established zoning in addressing its previous requests and to submit the results of
such assessment to the World Heritage Centre for examination by the Advisory Bodies;
Acknowledges the State Party’s assurances that the Committee’s recommendations
regarding the delimitation of the property and its buffer zone to include additional and
relevant cultural sites are being considered, and also requests the State Party to keep it
informed of any further action in this regard;
Recommends the State Party to strengthen documentation and monitoring procedures
for all structures, and particularly the excavated tunnels for which it is recommended to
develop specific conservation plans;
Further requests the State Party to consider the recommendations made in the July 2020
ICOMOS technical review and to submit to the World Heritage Centre updated detailed
information about the Tren Maya project and its trajectory, and to ensure that all potential
impacts of the project on the OUV of this and other properties in the broader region are
adequately assessed through appropriate Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs)
and Heritage Impact Assessments (HIAs), as per Paragraph 172 of the Operational
Guidelines, and strongly requests to submit them for review by the Advisory Bodies as
soon as they are available, before making any decisions that would be difficult to reverse;
Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 December
2022, an updated report on the state of conservation of the property and the
implementation of the above, including a specific assessment of the effectiveness of the
established zoning both within the property and its buffer zone in addressing previous
Committee requests, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its
46th session.

NATURAL PROPERTIES

AFRICA

79. W-Arly-Pendjari Complex (Benin/Burkina Faso/Niger) (N 749)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.79

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B.Add,
Recalling Decision 41 COM 8B.3, adopted during its 41st session (Krakow, 2017),
Expresses its deepest condolences to the families of the guards killed in the line of duty
and to all the staff of the national administrations in charge of the management of the
property;
Takes note of the strengthening of the operational capacity of the eco-guards and their
numbers, and the organization of joint surveillance patrols with the defence and security

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 forces and considers that this collaboration should be reinforced over a longer period in
view of the security situation in the region;
Expresses its grave concern with regard to the increasing insecurity in the region and
the property, in particular the presence of armed terrorist groups who operate in the
property, causing the evacuation of the management staff of the Arly and W Parks in
Burkina Faso, and leading to an increase in illegal activities (poaching, transhumance,
gold panning), endangering the lives of the surveillance staff of the Park and integrity of
the property;
Also considers that in the light of increasing insecurity and the resulting relative absence
of management presence in the two Arly and W components of the property in Burkina
Faso, the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property may be affected if the
current security measures taken are not effective;
Expresses its concern with regard to the impacts of transhumance in the property, and
requests the States Parties to implement the Development and Management Plans
(PAG) for the ecological blocks of the property strictly respecting the defined zonings;
Congratulates the States Parties of Benin, Burkina Faso and Niger for the signature in
May 2019 of the Tripartite Agreement concerning the harmonized management of the
protected areas of the transnational W-Arly-Pendjari Complex, and encourages them to
implement the provisions of this Agreement;
Warmly welcomes all the activities undertaken in the consensual definition of the buffer
zone for the W National Park in Niger, and also requests the Niger State Party to submit
the new map to the World Heritage Centre through the procedure of a minor modification
to the boundaries of the property to ensure a coherent approach to the buffer zones of
the whole W-Arly-Pendjari Complex;
Noting the technical and financial difficulties, further requests the States Parties of Benin
and Burkina Faso to submit to the World Heritage Centre a new map of the boundaries
of the buffer zone on the scale of 1:50 000 by 1 December 2022 for examination by the
World Heritage Committee at its 46th session;
Regrets that no information on the results of the different inventories carried out have
been provided and therefore requests furthermore the States Parties to make available
this information to the World Heritage Centre as soon as possible for examination by
IUCN;
Welcomes the efforts deployed firstly to incorporate the climatic considerations into the
efficient management of the property, and secondly to mitigate the effects by
implementing adaptive activities, and also encourages the States Parties to continue
their efforts with the technical and financial partners involved in these initiatives;
Requests moreover the States Parties to invite, as soon as possible, a joint World
Heritage Centre/IUCN reactive monitoring mission to the property to evaluate its current
state of conservation;
Finally requests the States Parties to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 February 2022, an updated joint report on the state of conservation of the property
and the implementation of the above, for examination by the World Heritage Committee
at its 45th session.

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80. Okavango Delta (Botswana) (N 1432)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.80

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decisions 38 COM 8B.5 and 42 COM 7B.89, adopted at its 38th (Doha, 2014)
and 42nd (Manama, 2018) sessions respectively,
Warmly welcomes the increased cooperation between the States Parties of Botswana,
Angola and Namibia through the Permanent Okavango River Basin Water Commission
(OKACOM), in particular the initiation of the process to conduct a comprehensive
Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) in order to assess impacts of developments
in the Cubango-Okavango River Basin (CORB) at the strategic level and at the
landscape scale, as was requested by the Committee, and the development of a basin-
wide Environmental Monitoring Framework;
Encourages the States Parties of Angola, Botswana and Namibia on their initiative to
review the feasibility of a transboundary or -national extension of the property to include
key areas of the CORB, which would contribute to a better protection of the Outstanding
Universal Value (OUV) and in particular the integrity of the property;
Reiterates the importance of an adequate protection of the CORB to ensure the long-
term survival of the property and considers that any development in the watershed, which
would lead to significant water abstraction or pollution, has a high potential to impact the
OUV of the property;
Expresses concern about the granting of oil exploration licenses in environmentally
sensitive areas within the Okavango river basin in northwestern Botswana and
northeastern Namibia that could result in potential negative impact on the property in
case of spills or pollution;
Urges the States Parties of Botswana and Namibia to ensure that potential further steps
to develop the oil project, which include the use of new exploration techniques, are
subject to rigorous and critical prior review, including through Environmental Impact
Assessment (EIA) that corresponds to international standards, including an assessment
of social impacts and a review of potential impacts on the World Heritage property, in
line with the IUCN World Heritage Advice Note on Environmental Assessment, and
requests that all such assessments are submitted to the World Heritage Centre, for
review by IUCN;
Appreciates the efforts to revise the Okavango Delta Management Plan (ODMP) and its
submission to the World Heritage Centre, and also requests the State Party to finalise
the plan following IUCN’s review;
Also appreciates the on-going efforts to control invasive alien species that threaten the
ecological integrity of the property, and further requests the State Party to include control
strategies and a comprehensive monitoring plan in the revised ODMP;
Also recalling that veterinary cordon fences create a major impediment to wildlife
migrations, expresses its concern that an EIA has not yet been undertaken in this regard,
and reiterates its request to the State Party to continue efforts to rationalize veterinary
cordon fencing, removing them when possible;
Also reiterates its requests to the State Party to:
a) Complement the EIA for the Mohembo bridge project with a specific assessment
of the potential impacts of the construction and use of the bridge and the road on
the property’s OUV, and submit it to the World Heritage Centre for review by IUCN,

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 b) Submit the results of the 2019 aerial wildlife surveys to the World Heritage Centre
and set up a regular monitoring programme of wildlife populations using the 2019
data as a baseline,
c) Take measures to ensure that all wastewater generating facilities in the property
comply with national wastewater pollution standards and avoid any effluent
disposal methods that could impact the OUV of the property, ensuring regular
monitoring of water quality;
Requests furthermore the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 February 2022, 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
45th session.

81. Simien National Park (Ethiopia) (N 9)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.81

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decisions 41 COM 7A.13 and 42 COM 7B.91, adopted at its 41st (Krakow,
2017) and 42nd (Manama, 2018) sessions respectively,
Welcomes the progress made by the State Party in responding to past Committee
decisions and the 2017 Reactive Monitoring mission recommendations, including the
submission of a draft 2020-2029 General Management Plan (GMP) for the enlarged
Simien Mountains National Park, a draft monitoring protocol for the populations of Walia
ibex, Ethiopian wolf and gelada, and a draft Tourism Development Plan, and requests
the State Party to:
a) Ensure that the GMP fully considers the protection of the Outstanding Universal
Value (OUV) of the property under both criteria (vii) and (x) as the primary objective
of management for the Simien Mountains National Park and its buffer zone,
b) Integrate measures to ensure quality control in the implementaion of the draft
species monitoring protocol,
c) Develop a Tourism Management Plan to guide the monitoring and management of
proposed tourism developments, and impacts from increased visitors;
Expresses its utmost concern that some of the new lodges are proposed inside the
Simien Mountains National Park and reiterates its request to the State Party to ensure
that all new lodge developments are located outside the boundary of Simien Mountains
National Park;
Considers that the Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) of the proposed lodges do
not sufficiently consider the OUV of the property in their respective site selection or
project design, and therefore urges the State Party not to permit these developments to
proceed in their current locations and also requests the State Party to submit EIAs for all
proposed lodges, ensuring they are in line with the IUCN World Heritage Advice Note on
Environmental Assessment, and in particular consider their visual impact on the property;
Notes with concern the high impacts of the 2019 fires on the OUV of the property and
further requests the State Party to provide further information on the affected area and
impact on the OUV, to monitor the recovery of vegetation, and to submit the fire
management strategy to the World Heritage Centre as soon as it is available;

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 Also welcomes the continued implementation of the Grazing Pressure Reduction
Strategy that has resulted in a decline in area grazed by livestock, and requests
furthermore the State Party to ensure that the previously reported revised grazing
strategy is aligned with the GMP and to submit this to the World Heritage Centre for
review by IUCN;
Further welcomes the ongoing financial and technical support from the Austrian and
German Governments for the management of the property, community tourism and
alternative livelihoods;
Also reiterates its request to the State Party to continue its ongoing support to the
livelihoods and well-being of the relocated Gich community while ensuring that the
highest standards are applied, especially in support of vulnerable households and
individuals;
Appreciates the State Party’s confirmation of its intention to submit a proposal for a
Significant Boundary Modification for the entire Simien Mountains National Park, and
further reiterates its request to the State Party to simultaneously formalize the buffer
zone and harmonize the currently differing names of the Simien Mountains National Park
and the property, and also encourages the State Party to request technical advice from
the World Heritage Centre and IUCN as needed;
Notes the further delay in completing the alternative road aiming at reducing disturbance
of the existing main road in important afro-alpine habitats, and urges again the State
Party to complete this overdue project, and to submit the EIA for the part of the new road
crossing the Simien Mountains National Park to the World Heritage Centre for review by
IUCN as soon as possible;
Also appreciates that the re-alignment of the power transmission line, which currently
affects the property’s exceptional natural beauty and conditions of integrity, will be
subject to an EIA, and requests moreover the State Party to assess the visual and
ecological impacts on the property and the Simien Mountains National Park, and to
submit the EIA to the World Heritage Centre for review by IUCN before any activities
begin;
Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 December 2022, 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
46th session.

82. Lake Malawi National Park (Malawi) (N 289)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.82

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decisions 38 COM 7B.92 and 42 COM 7B.93 adopted at its 38th (Doha, 2014)
and 42nd (Manama, 2018) sessions, respectively,
Welcomes the finalization of the Management Plan and development of a fish monitoring
protocol as well as the enhanced patrol efforts in and around the property;
Notes with concern however, that the threats facing the property are continuing and
requests the State Party to secure and allocate additional funds to ensure the full
implementation of the Management Plan and provide detailed information on
management activities;

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 Takes note of the information provided on the cancellation of oil exploration block 4
overlapping with the property, and also requests the State Party to confirm that no further
oil exploration activities will be permitted in this block;
Expresses its utmost concern for the continuation of oil exploration activities in blocks 2
and 3 covering a large part of Lake Malawi, which pose a potentially severe risk to the
lake ecosystem and the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property, and further
requests the State Party to provide more details on the status of these exploration
activities and to ensure that an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), developed in
accordance with the highest international standards and in line with the IUCN World
Heritage Advice Note on Environmental Assessment, is submitted to the World Heritage
Centre for review by IUCN before exploratory drilling is permitted;
Requests furthermore the State Party to provide further details of the proposed new
tourism facilities at Cape Maclear, and ensure an EIA is conducted in line with the IUCN
World Heritage Advice Note on Environmental Assessment and submitted to the World
Heritage Centre for review by IUCN before any decision is taken;
Regrets that no monitoring data has been submitted to determine the state of
conservation of key species and reiterates its request to the State Party to provide up-
to-date and scientifically verifiable monitoring data;
Also expresses its concern on the potential impacts by industrial and illegal artisanal
fishing methods on fish stocks in the lake and on the OUV of the property and notes the
importance of moving towards more sustainable fishing practices in the entire lake to
ensure the long-term protection of the OUV;
Thanks the African Development Bank and the governments of the Netherlands and
Norway for their financial support to the property;
Also reiterates its request to the State Party to examine, in consultation with the States
Parties of Mozambique and the United Republic of Tanzania, the feasibility of
establishing a buffer zone and extending the boundaries of the property to strengthen its
integrity, which also takes into consideration the new Key Biodiversity Area (KBA)
designations;
Requests moreover the State Party to invite a joint World Heritage Centre/IUCN Reactive
Monitoring mission to the property to assess its state of conservation in relation to the
fisheries and tourism management, law enforcement, wildlife monitoring, oil exploration
and to explore the possibility of including the new KBAs as an extension to the property;
Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 December 2022, 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
46th session.

83. Djoudj National Bird Sanctuary (Senegal) (N 25)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.83

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
2. Recalling Decision 35 COM 7B.4, adopted at its 35th session (UNESCO, 2011),
3. Welcomes the education, information and awareness-raising actions initiated by the
State Party and its partners with a view to better involvement of the communities in the

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 management of the property and encourages the State Party to continue this
collaboration;
4. Expresses its deepest concern at the proliferation of agricultural and agro-industrial
projects in the buffer zone of the property resulting in pollution of the waters of the
property and a new proliferation of various invasive species, which constitute a potential
threat to the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property, and requests the State
Party:
a) That no new project be developed near the property without first carrying out an
Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) or a Strategic Environmental
Assessment (SEA) and submitting it to the World Heritage Centre, for examination
by IUCN, in order to assess the impacts, including cumulative ones, of these
projects, in accordance with paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines and the
IUCN Advisory Note on World Heritage and Environmental Assessment,
b) To take immediate emergency measures to intercept the flow of pollutants into the
watershed and define a plan for water pollution control and control of invasive
species;
5. Takes note of the actions initiated by the State Party and its partners to improve the
management of the property and combat the proliferation of invasive species, and also
requests the State Party to ensure that any intervention measures taken do not threaten
the OUV of the property;
6. Notes with satisfaction the adoption of the Development and Management Plan for the
property (2017-2022), the monitoring efforts that have enabled the arrest of several
poachers and the seizure of their equipment, and requests the State Party to strengthen
management measures, by implementing Land Use and Allocation Plans to eradicate
threats affecting the property;
7. Expresses concern about the appearance of the epidemic of avian influenza in Senegal
and Mauritania which has caused a high mortality of juvenile white pelicans within the
property, and encourages the State Party and its partners to apply the orientations of the
Scientific Task Force on Avian Influenza and Wild Birds in their efforts to contain the
epizootic, and further requests the State Party to monitor the impacts on the OUV and
provide a report to the World Heritage Centre;
8. Thanks the donors who continue to support the conservation of the property, in particular
the Governments of Luxembourg and Norway;
9. Regrets that the State Party has not provided any information on the results of ecological
monitoring, in particular on trends in populations of resident and migratory birds, and
further requests that it continue its efforts to improve the monitoring and protection of
species characteristic of the OUV, and to inform the World Heritage Centre accordingly;
10. Additionally requests the State Party to invite a joint World Heritage Centre/IUCN
Reactive Monitoring mission to assess the state of conservation of the property, in
particular the impacts of the proliferation of invasive species and water pollution related
to the multiplication of agro-industrial projects in the buffer zone of the property on the
OUV of the property, and assess whether the conditions for a new inscription of the
property on the List of World Heritage in Danger are met;
11. Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 February 2022, 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
45th session.

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84. Cape Floral Region Protected Areas (South Africa) (N 1007bis)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.84

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decision 42 COM 7B.94, adopted at its 42nd session (Manama, 2018),
Welcomes the confirmation that a sustainable financing mechanism is now in place for
all three management authorities of the property to ensure its effective management;
Notes with concern the delay in finalizing the management plans for all 13 clusters of the
property, which further delays the development of the requested Integrated Management
Plan (IMP), that should ensure a common management framework and objectives for
the entire property in line with the defined Outstanding Universal Value (OUV), and urges
again the State Party to accelerate the process;
Appreciates that the development of an Environmental Management Framework has
now begun, which will propose additional buffer zones around each cluster and will guide
the future development of a Spatial Development Framework which will cover strategic
spatial planning and guide land use in the area;
Notes with concern the fires which affected the Table Mountain component of the
property and requests the State Party to report on the impacts of the fire on the state of
conservation of the property;
Requests the State Party to clarify the location of the permanent housing identified for
the resettlement of the communities affected by fire and flooding, and demonstrate that
there will be no impact on the OUV of the property;
Also requests the State Party to ensure the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for
the proposed Interpretative Centre at Baviaanskloof Nature Reserve component of the
property, which was mentioned in the State Party report, to be submitted to the World
Heritage Centre for review by IUCN before any decision is taken that may be difficult to
reverse in accordance with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines;
Further requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 December 2022, an updated report on the state of conservation of the property and
the implementation of the above.

85. Rwenzori Mountains National Park (Uganda) (N 684)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.85

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decision 42 COM 7B.95, adopted at its 42nd session (Manama,2018),
Notes with satisfaction the conclusion of the 2019 Reactive Monitoring mission that the
Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property has been maintained;
Notes however with concern the assessment of the Reactive Monitoring mission that the
proposed cable car project would impact both the scenic value of the property, as well
as its fragile ecosystems and biodiversity, and if approved, would constitute a clear case
of ascertained danger to the OUV, in line with Paragraph 180 of the Operational
Guidelines and therefore, urges the State Party not to further pursue this project;

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 Expresses concern about the results of the 2019 elephant census raising questions on
the viability of the population and also urges the State Party to assess the viability of the
remaining elephant population within the property and to develop an action plan for its
conservation, which includes re-establishing the wildlife corridors between the property
and the neighbouring National Parks in Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the
Congo;
Notes the increasing number of hydropower projects in the vicinity of the property and
requests the State Party to undertake a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) for
the Rwenzori water catchment, including the property, to assess the indirect and
cumulative impacts on the OUV arising from the existing and planned small scale run-
of-river hydropower infrastructures and to ensure that Environmental Impact
Assessments (EIA) for any future small scale hydropower development proposed in the
catchment of the property, fully assess the potential impacts in relation to the OUV in line
with the IUCN World Heritage Advice Note on Environmental Assessment;
Also requests the State Party to inform the World Heritage Centre about any plans to
reopen the Kilembe mine, and that a detailed EIA, in line with the IUCN World Heritage
Advice Note on Environmental Assessment, be carried out and submitted to the World
Heritage Centre before taking any decision that would be difficult to reverse;
Further requests the State Party to implement the recommendations of the 2019 mission,
in particular to:
a) Revise the Tourism Strategy for the property to ensure that it fully considers the
protection of its OUV and prioritize low impact tourism activities that utilize existing
infrastructures and facilities,
b) Revise the General Management Plan to fully address the OUV of the property,
and ensure coordination with other strategies and studies, including the requested
tourism strategy and SEA,
c) Develop and implement a wildlife monitoring plan to ensure the regular monitoring
of key wildlife species as recognized in the Statement of OUV for the property.
Such a plan should follow standardized census methodologies that is repeatable
to allow the monitoring of population trends;
Requests furthermore the State Party to monitor the impacts of climate change on the
OUV of the property and submit a disaster risk management plan and climate change
adaptation plan to the World Heritage Centre once it is available;
Requests moreover the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 December 2022, 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
46th session.

86. Serengeti National Park (United Republic of Tanzania) (N 156)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.86

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decisions 35 COM 7B.7, 38 COM 7B.94 and 42 COM 7B.96 adopted at its
35th (UNESCO, 2011), 38th (Doha, 2014) and 42nd (Manama, 2018) sessions
respectively,

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 Reiterates its utmost concern about the proposed dam projects upstream of the property
in the Mara river basin, which could have a negative impact on the Outstanding Universal
Value (OUV) of the Serengeti National Park and Kenya Lake System in the Great Rift
Valley World Heritage properties;
Welcomes the efforts of the States Parties of the United Republic of Tanzania and Kenya
to start developing a transboundary Joint Water Allocation Plan (JWAP) for the Mara
Basin and notes that it is crucial that this plan ensures the permanent character of the
Mara River is retained, taking into account potential changes in rainfall patterns in the
region including as a result of climate change;
Requests the States Parties of the United Republic of Tanzania and Kenya to submit to
the World Heritage Centre as soon as possible, and before the Reactive Monitoring
mission takes place, an update on the status of all dam projects in the Mara River basin
and urges them not to make any decisions on infrastructure development that could
affect the water flow into the Mara River before the JWAP is agreed and the impacts on
the OUV of the property are thoroughly assessed;
Also welcomes the progress made to expand the National Park to include the
ecologically important Speke Gulf, and that a boundary modification will be submitted
upon completion in line with the provisions in the Operational Guidelines;
Regrets that the State Party did not submit the various documents requested in Decision
42 COM 7B.96 and also urges the State Party to submit the following documents as
soon as possible, and before the Reactive Monitoring mission:
a) The approved 2014-2024 Management Plan for the property, including details of
any changes to the zonation of the property,
b) The Route Option Selection Report and the feasibility study and preliminary
design, including a map of the proposed alignments,
c) The Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) and the Comprehensive
Transport and Trade System Development Master Plan;
Takes note that the State Party will maintain the northern road traversing the property as
a gravel road under Tanzania National Parks (TANAPA) management but also requests
the State Party to confirm its previous commitment to reserve the road mainly for tourism
and administrative purposes (Decision 35 COM 7B.7) and to abandon the construction
of the proposed northern highway (Decision 38 COM 7B.94);
Also takes note of the confirmation by the State Party that no “major infrastructure” is
planned in the property until at least 2030, and further requests the State Party to ensure
that the cumulative impact of any development, including tourism infrastructure is
assessed before they making decisions on individual projects;
Notes with appreciation the invitation from the State Party for a joint World Heritage
Centre/IUCN Reactive Monitoring mission to the property, and the cooperation of the
State Party of Kenya in the organization of the mission, however, also regrets that the
mission was postponed due to global pandemic concerns and reiterates its request that
the mission, be organized as soon as the sanitary situation allows and:
a) Ensure it also meets with representatives of the State Party of Kenya to assess
threats posed by the dams proposed upstream of the property in Kenya,
b) Review the 2014-2024 Management Plan,
c) Analyze the documents and decisions related to the Southern Bypass Road,
d) Assess any other developments that may impact the property’s OUV;
Encourages continued dialogue between the States Parties of the United Republic of
Tanzania and Kenya, with the support of the World Heritage Centre and IUCN, on the

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 opportunities to extend the property with the contiguous transboundary landscape of
“The African Great Rift Valley – The Maasai Mara” (Kenya) on the Tentative List;
Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 December
2022, 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
46th session.

ARAB STATES

87. Banc d’Arguin National Park (Mauritania) (N 506)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.87

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decision 42 COM 7B.98, adopted at its 42nd session (Manama, 2018),
Commends the State Party for the efforts made and requests it to pursue them, in
particular by finalizing and implementing the 2020-2024 development and management
plan, which should be transmitted to the World Heritage Centre for examination;
Welcomes the abandonment of the relocation project for villages threatened by climate
change and the development of an alternative project aimed at “improving the resilience
of indigenous populations and the ecosystems of the Banc d’Arguin”, as well as the State
Party’s efforts to develop sustainable community ecotourism respecting the Outstanding
Universal Value (OUV) of the property;
Welcoming the measures taken to protect endangered species, in particular concerning
shark fishing and the implementation of sustainable fishing practices, and nevertheless
taking note of the various actual and potential threats to the OUV of the property reported
by the State Party, also requests it to continue and strengthen its monitoring and
management, including fishing, in particular within the framework of the 2020-2024
development and management plan;
Notes with concern that the Strategic Environmental and Social Assessment (SESA) on
the development of the town of Chami raises numerous and significant potential threats
to the property and its OUV, requiring strict control of the development, implementation
of mitigation measures or prohibition of certain activities and reiterates its request to the
State Party to ensure that any development in the town of Chami is first subject to an
Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) submitted to the World Heritage Centre, in
accordance with the IUCN World Heritage advise note on Environmental Assessment
before any decision of approval;
Further requests the State Party not to approve a development that could have a
negative impact on the OUV of the property and urges the State Party to follow the
recommendations of the Banc d’Arguin Scientific Council (CSBA), including on the
removal of gold mining sites from the borders of the Banc d’Arguin National Park and on
the treatment of contaminated sludge and waste in order to avoid their dissemination in
the property;
Regrets that the State Party has not yet transmitted to the International Maritime
Organization (IMO) the national navigation data required to consider a possible
designation of a Particularly Sensitive Sea Area (PSSA), and requests furthermore the

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 State Party to send it as soon as possible in order to explore the technical feasibility of
the possible designation, before submitting a final application;
Also regrets that the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) of the oil
exploration project of block C19 near the property was not transmitted to the World
Heritage Centre before the start of operations, in accordance with Paragraph 172 of the
Operational Guidelines, and requests moreover the State Party to:
a) ensure the implementation of the mitigation measures identified by the CSBA to
avoid any indirect impact on the OUV of the property during the exploration phase,
b) undertake a new ESIA respecting international standards and good practices
before authorizing to proceed to an operational phase to assess the impacts of the
OUV of the property, in accordance with the IUCN World Heritage advise note on
Environmental Assessment, and submit it to the World Heritage Centre for review,
in accordance with the Operational Guidelines;
c) ensure that the IUCN evaluation of the Terms of Reference for an ESIA for a
proposed exploration project in the Mauritanian Exclusive Economic Zone is taken
into account;
Considering the location of the water extraction field of the Tasiast mine, the studies on
the potential hydrogeological impacts and on the OUV of the property and the
reservations made by the CSBA also requests moreover the State Party to undertake a
larger-scale strategic technical assessment of the hydrological system in relation to the
property;
Also notes with concern the outbreaks of avian influenza in the Diawling National Park
and the Djoudj National Bird Sanctuary (Senegal) and also requests furthermore the
State Party to closely monitor the bird populations and implement the guidance provided
by the Scientific Task Force on Avian Influenza and Wild Birds to contain the epizootic
and avoid any outbreaks in the property, in close cooperation with the State Party of
Senegal;
Recalls that the addition of possible new criteria would require the presentation of this
request as a new nomination, in accordance with Paragraph 166 of the Operational
Guidelines, and the application of procedures specific to a new nomination, and invites
the State Party to engage in dialogue with the World Heritage Centre and IUCN on the
issue of the attributes;
Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 February 2022, 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
45th session.

88. Socotra Archipelago (Yemen) (N 1263)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.88

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
2. Recalling Decisions 42 COM 7B.100 and 43 COM 7B.1, adopted at its 42nd (Manama,
2018) and 43rd (Baku, 2019) sessions respectively,
3. Welcomes the State Party’s ongoing commitment to strengthen management measures
in collaboration with international partners in spite of significant capacity constraints due
to ongoing insecurity in Yemen;

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4. Noting with concern the clashes in Socotra in May 2020, expresses its utmost concern
about the continued impact of insecurity in mainland Yemen on the overall management
capacity of the property;
5. Acknowledges the continued efforts to manage Invasive Alien Species (IAS) but notes
that the effectiveness of implemented management measures in relation to the
Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property remains unclear and, also recalling
the high level of endemism in the property and the potentially devastating impacts of IAS
on its OUV, requests the State Party to further strengthen the capacity to enforce
biosecurity measures;
6. Taking note of the information provided by the State Party that no violation of
uncontrolled developments has been recorded in sensitive areas and that authorities are
engaging with developers in the buffer zone, however also notes with concern that
development continues in the buffer zone in the absence of Environmental Impact
Assessments (EIA) due to enforcement capacity constraints, and urges the State Party
to:
a) Halt any ongoing development in the property or buffer zone that may have a
potential impact on the OUV of the property and refrain from allowing further
development until the potential impact on the OUV has been assessed, in line with
the IUCN World Heritage Advice Note on Environmental Assessment, and the
assessments submitted to the World Heritage Centre for review by IUCN, prior to
taking any decisions that would be difficult to reverse, in accordance with
Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines,
b) Provide a map of all new developments that have been constructed in the property
and its buffer zone since inscription,
c) Evaluate the impacts on OUV of existing infrastructure developments that have not
undergone EIAs and submit the results to the World Heritage Centre for review by
IUCN, in order to consider an appropriate response to any such impacts,
d) Ensure that appropriate environmental standards to regulate activities in the
property and its buffer zone are incorporated into the updated Conservation Zoning
Plan and that their enforcement is ensured;
7. Reiterates its concern that insufficient information is provided to determine the current
state of conservation of the property’s OUV;
8. Reiterates its utmost concern about the multiple reported threats to the OUV of the
property including uncontrolled development, unsustainable use of natural resources,
climate change, plastic pollution, lack of sustainable funding and the absence of
adequate biosecurity measures to avoid the introduction of IAS, and considers that all
these factors represent a potential danger to the OUV of the property;
9. Regrets that the invited joint World Heritage Centre/IUCN Reactive Monitoring mission
to the property could not yet be undertaken due to the ongoing security situation in
Yemen and logistical constraints, and reiterates its requests that the mission take place
as soon as possible, to assess the current state of conservation of the property, in
particular in relation to the above-mentioned threats, and to determine whether the
property meets the conditions for inscription on the List of World Heritage in Danger;
10. Further recalling the State Party’s intention to hold a technical meeting following the
mission focused on how to ensure the protection of the property’s OUV while also
promoting appropriate sustainable development for the people of Socotra, also requests
the World Heritage Centre, in collaboration with the Advisory Bodies, to facilitate a
technical meeting with the Yemeni authorities, IUCN and relevant stakeholders to identify
priorities for the protection and management of the OUV of the property.

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11. Further requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 February 2022, 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
45th session, with a view to considering, in case of the confirmation of potential or
ascertained danger to its Outstanding Universal Value, the possible inscription of
the property on the List of World Heritage in Danger.

ASIA-PACIFIC

89. Gondwana Rainforests of Australia (Australia) (N 368bis)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.89

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
2. Expresses its utmost concern about the unprecedented fires that affected more than half
of the property, which is not normally subject to recurring fire events, and severely
affected some of its components and some attributes of its Outstanding Universal Value
(OUV);
3. Welcomes the information provided by the State Party regarding the immediate
management responses across different components of the property, the assessment of
impacts and the plans for longer-term actions, including funding commitments to ensure
long-term recovery, and requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre,
for review by IUCN, an update on the process made assessing the impacts of fires on
the OUV of the property and its recovery prospects as soon as any new significant
information becomes available;
4. Recalling Decision 41 COM 7, which reiterated the importance of States Parties
undertaking the most ambitious implementation of the Paris Agreement of the United
Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), notes with concern that
climate change is recognized as an increasing threat to the property and also welcomes
the efforts of the State Party to build understanding of projected changes as a result of
climate change in relation to the property’s OUV and to strengthen climate and disaster
resilience;
5. Appreciates the efforts made through the Royal Commission into National Natural
Disaster Arrangements to look at lessons learned and to develop recommendations on
how to strengthen emergency management and climate and natural disaster risk
reduction and implement reforms based on the experience made, and encourages the
State Party to share the lessons learned with other States Parties to the Convention
facing similar threats, promoting knowledge exchange on fire management strategies at
natural World Heritage properties;
6. Also requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 December 2022, 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
46th session.

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90. Great Barrier Reef (Australia) (N 154)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.90

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B.Add,
Recalling Decisions 39 COM 7B.7 and 41 COM 7B.24, adopted at its 39th (Bonn, 2015)
and 41st (Krakow, 2017) sessions, respectively,
Commends the State Party for the strong and continued efforts to create conditions for
the implementation of the Reef 2050 Long-term Sustainability Plan (Reef 2050 Plan),
including through unprecedented financial commitments;
Notes with the utmost concern and regret the conclusions of the 2019 Great Barrier Reef
Outlook Report (2019 GBR Outlook Report) that the long-term outlook for the ecosystem
of the property has further deteriorated from poor to very poor, that the deterioration of
the ecological processes underpinning the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the
property has been more rapid and widespread than was previously evident, and that the
property has suffered significantly from mass coral bleaching events in 2016, 2017 and
2020;
Also notes with the utmost concern that despite many positive achievements, progress
has been largely insufficient in meeting key targets of the Reef 2050 Plan, in particular
the water quality and land management targets, as evidenced by the conclusions of the
2017-2018 and 2019 Reef Quality Report Cards;
Noting the conclusion of the 2019 GBR Outlook Report that climate change remains the
most serious threat to the property, and recognizing that action by the international
community and all States Parties to the Convention is urgently required to address
threats from climate change, considers that actions to build resilience of the property and
address other factors remain of utmost importance;
Urges the State Party to ensure that the revised Reef 2050 Plan, expected to be finalized
in 2021, fully incorporates the conclusions of the 2019 GBR Outlook Report that
accelerated action at all possible levels is required to address the threat from climate
change, in accordance with the Paris Agreement on Climate Change (2015), and to
urgently create opportunities for recovery of the property, in particular with regard to
water quality;
Requests the State Party to invite a joint World Heritage Centre/IUCN Reactive
Monitoring mission centred around ensuring that the revised Reef 2050 Plan addresses
the threat posed to the property by climate change and determines a pathway for
accelerated actions in other areas affecting the conservation of the property;
Also recalling Decision 41 COM 7 in which the Committee ‘reiterate[d] the importance of
States Parties undertaking the most ambitious implementation of the Paris Agreement
of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) by “holding
the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2°C above pre-industrial
levels and by pursuing efforts to limit the global average temperature increase to 1.5°C
above pre-industrial levels, recognizing that this would significantly reduce the risks and
impacts of climate change”’, strongly invites all States Parties to undertake actions to
address Climate Change under the Paris Agreement consistent with their common but
differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities, in the light of different national
circumstances, that are fully consistent with their obligations within the World Heritage
Convention to protect the OUV of all World Heritage properties;
Further requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 February 2022, an updated report on the state of conservation of the property and the

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 implementation of the above, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its
45th session.

91. The Sundarbans (Bangladesh) (N 798)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.91

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B.Add,
Recalling Decisions 41 COM 7B.25 and 43 COM 7B.3, adopted at its 41st (Krakow,
2017) and 43rd (Baku, 2019) sessions respectively,
Notes with satisfaction the conclusion of the 2019 Reactive Monitoring mission that the
property’s Outstanding Universal Value (OUV), including its hydrological and ecological
processes and its biodiversity, remains present;
Notes that possible impacts from large-scale industrial developments may result in a high
risk for the property’s OUV if no further measures are taken based on a comprehensive
assessment of existing and possible future negative factors and pressures;
Considers that the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) for the South-West
region of Bangladesh should provide an adequate planning instrument to ensure that all
future large-scale industrial development in the vicinity of the property will not adversely
impact the OUV;
Welcomes the substantial efforts to enhance the protection of the property’s OUV
through the implementation of various conservation measures, including a new initiative
to establish a long-term ecological monitoring system with a view to building climate
resilience;
Appreciates the close cooperation between the State Party, UNESCO and the Advisory
Bodies in strengthening proactive planning for the management of the property in the
framework of the UNESCO/Netherlands Funds-in-Trust, and encourages the State Party
to continue active dialogue and engagement with UNESCO, the Advisory Bodies and
other relevant stakeholders to complement its efforts to strengthen management of the
property;
Also welcomes the State Party’s progress in implementing action points agreed at the
first meeting of the India-Bangladesh Joint Working Group in 2016, and requests the
States Parties of Bangladesh and India to undertake a coordinated effort, notably to
strengthen integration of the consideration of the hydrology of the property and that of
the Sundarbans National Park in India in bilateral cooperation;
Also notes with satisfaction that the State Party has not given environmental clearance
or permission for any large-scale industrial development adjacent to the property since
the adoption of Decision 41 COM 7B.25;
Further notes with satisfaction that 20 large-scale (Red Category) enterprises within the
Sundarbans Ecologically Critical Area are under rigorous compliance monitoring and that
approved dredging activities on the Pashur River are operating in accordance with the
Environmental Management Plans, further welcomes the finalization of the National Oil
and Chemical Spill Contingency Plan (NOSCOP), which includes the provision of funding
and human resources for its implementation in order to prevent and mitigate negative
impacts from shipping operations, and also requests the State Party to further develop
an effective localized contingency plan covering the property to ensure immediate and
coordinated actions to mitigate impacts in case of emergency;

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 Noting that the 2019 Reactive Monitoring mission report was made available only on 16
June 2021, further requests the State Party to fully implement all the recommendations
made by the 2019 Reactive Monitoring mission and previous Committee decisions;
Welcomes furthermore the efforts made by the State Party to advance the SEA for the
South-West region, now scheduled for completion in August 2021, urges the State Party
to ensure that the findings of the SEA form the basis for future decision making on
development that may impact the OUV of the property, and requests moreover the State
Party to submit the final SEA, including the strategic environmental management plan,
to the World Heritage Centre for review by IUCN and subsequent examination by the
Committee at its 45th session;
Also notes the ongoing expansion and dredging operations near Mongla Port would
require additional maintenance dredging and are likely to increase traffic on the Pashur
River, and also urges the State Party to ensure that no further decision is made for any
new large-scale industrial and/or infrastructural development, which may influence the
OUV of the property, until the SEA for the South-West region of Bangladesh is
completed;
Expresses satisfaction on the progress made by the State Party in addressing issues
raised by the 2016 Reactive Monitoring mission over the construction of the Rampal
power plant, but notes with concern that the development of the large scale industrial
projects could potentially impact the property’s OUV and should not proceed before the
completion of the SEA in line with Paragraph 118bis of the Operational Guidelines;
Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 February 2022, 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
45th session.

92. Keoladeo National Park (India) (N 340)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.92

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decision 42 COM 7B.68, adopted at its 42nd session (Manama, 2018),
Regrets that the State Party did not invite the IUCN Reactive Monitoring mission
requested in its Decision 42 COM 7B.68, and reiterates its request to the State Party to
urgently invite this mission to the property, to take place prior to the next session of the
Committee, to assess its state of conservation and the progress made in addressing
issues of water provision and invasive alien species;
Expresses its utmost concern that the issue of insufficient water delivery remains
unresolved to date and, noting the State Party’s efforts towards improving water flow to
the property, strongly urges the State Party to decide on a sustainable and reliable
solution to secure and sustain the 550 mcft annual minimum water flow to the property
required to sustain its the basic ecological function, including through concrete measures
to ensure adequate flow from Panchna, Chambal and Govardhan projects;
Requests the State Party to ensure that a stringent water quality monitoring mechanism
is in place before any effluent is diverted from the sewage water treatment plants in
Bharatpur city into the property, so as to avoid any contaminated water being diverted to
the property, and to ensure there is no negative impact on its Outstanding Universal
Value (OUV);

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 Welcomes the issuance of a final notification declaring an Eco-Sensitive Zone around
the property and the State Party’s assurances that a consultative process is ongoing for
the development of a Zonal Master Plan, and encourages the State Party to consider
formalizing the Eco-Sensitive Zone as a World Heritage buffer zone by submitting a
proposal for a Minor Boundary Modification, in accordance with Paragraph 164 of the
Operational Guidelines;
Also welcomes the State Party’s continued efforts to address invasive alien species
within the property and its intention to incorporate an eradication strategy into the revised
Management Plan, which should also address the abovementioned water flow issues,
and also requests the State Party submit an electronic copy of the revised draft to the
World Heritage Centre by 1 February 2022 for review by IUCN before it is finalized;
Further requests the State Party to provide recent bird census data and analyses,
including population trends for both heronry and waterfowl, and also reiterates its request
to the State Party to clearly document the long-term approach and methodology of
systematic bird population monitoring in the pending revised Management Plan;
Also noting the potential health risks to wildlife and people caused by the disposal of
cattle carcasses near the property, requests furthermore that the State Party immediately
prevent any further disposal;
Requests moreover the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 December 2022, 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
46th session.

93. Komodo National Park (Indonesia) (N 609)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.93

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decision CONF 202 21B.11, adopted at its 26th session (Budapest, 2002),
Takes note that an Integrated Tourism Master Plan is being developed and requests the
State Party to provide detailed information on how the Outstanding Universal Value
(OUV) of the property will be safeguarded in the design of the Plan, and how plans to
significantly increase tourism at the property reflect the stated intention to move away
from mass tourism and can thus ensure the protection of the OUV;
Notes with satisfaction the research activities and long-term monitoring of the Komodo
dragon, which show a stable population trend, and urges the State Party to continue
regular population censuses and implement management measures in the context of
proposed tourism increase;
Notes with concern the different tourism infrastructure projects undertaken and planned
in the property and, also recalling that it should be informed, via the World Heritage
Centre, of any major restoration or new construction before making any decision that
would be difficult to reverse, in accordance with Paragraph 172 of the Operational
Guidelines, also requests the State Party to revise the Environmental Impact
Assessment (EIA) for the tourism infrastructure projects on Rinca Island in line with the
IUCN World Heritage Advice Note on Environmental Assessment, and to resubmit it to
the World Heritage Centre for review by IUCN as a matter of urgency, in line with
Paragraph 118bis of the Operational Guidelines, and to submit further information on
other attributed tourism concessions in the property as well as its revised zoning plan;

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 Also urges the State Party to halt all tourism infrastructure projects in and around the
property that have the potential to impact on its OUV until the revised EIA is submitted
and reviewed by IUCN;
Further requests the State Party to invite a joint World Heritage Centre/IUCN Reactive
Monitoring mission to the property to assess the impact of ongoing development on the
OUV of the property and review its state of conservation;
Also notes with concern the lack of operational equipment and technical capacity to
manage the property’s marine area, and requests furthermore the State Party to urgently
strengthen marine management and law enforcement capacities in the property, with a
specific emphasis on controlling illegal fishing activities and boat anchoring, and to
allocate a sufficient budget for marine research, monitoring, education and compliance
with marine regulations;
Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 February 2022, 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
45th session.

94. Lorentz National Park (Indonesia) (N 955)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.94

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decisions 41 COM 7B.29 and 43 COM 7B.9, adopted at its 41st (Krakow,
2017) and 43rd (Baku, 2019) sessions respectively,
Reiterates its concern about the potential impacts of the Habema-Kenyam road and also
expresses concern that the State Party report indicates that this road is part of the “Trans-
Papuan Highway” project and that the implementation of mitigation measures for the
Habema-Kenyam road has been halted whilst the road remains open for public use;
Urges the State Party to:
a) Submit details of the mitigation measures that have been undertaken and that are
planned for the Habema-Kenyam road to the World Heritage Centre,
b) Close the road for public use until mitigation measures are fully implemented,
c) Provide clarifications to the World Heritage Centre on the “Trans-Papuan Highway”
and its potential impacts on the property’s Outstanding Universal Value (OUV),
especially its integrity, including a detailed map, a copy of the Environmental
Impact Assessment (EIA) as well as the foreseen mitigation measures, as a matter
of priority and before any further work is undertaken;
Also expresses concern about the new zoning plan of the property, which foresees a
special use zone where a wide range of activities are permitted, including roads,
cultivation and airport construction, and reminds the State Party that activities in any of
the zones within the property that may impact on its OUV must be subject to an EIA,
conducted in line with the IUCN World Heritage Advice Note on Environmental
Assessment, and be submitted to the World Heritage Centre for review by IUCN before
any decision is made that would be difficult to reverse, in accordance with Paragraph 172
of the Operational Guidelines;

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 Takes note of the preliminary findings of the Nothofagus tree survey along the Habema-
Kenyam road and requests the State Party to submit the full findings when it becomes
available;
Also requests the State Party to ensure that fire management, including climate change-
related aspects, is incorporated into the Management Plan for the property, in order to
prevent fire-related Nothofagus dieback;
Appreciates the ongoing patrolling activities within the property and encourages the State
Party to continue these efforts;
Regrets that the IUCN Reactive Monitoring mission to the property could not yet be
invited due to security concerns and reiterates its request to the State Party to invite this
mission as soon as feasible to assess, prior to the next session of the Committee, the
state of conservation of the property, in particular the state of the road projects in the
property, their impacts on the OUV and the effectiveness of new zoning of the property
to ensure the long-term conservation of the property’s OUV;
Further requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 February 2022, 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
45th session.

95. Western Tien-Shan (Kazakhstan/Kyrgyzstan/Uzbekistan) (N 1490)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.95

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decision 42 COM 7B.69, adopted at its 42nd session (Manama, 2018),
Welcomes the submission of a joint report on the state of conservation of the property
by the three States Parties and their efforts to strengthen transboundary management of
the property, including through the signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the
management and protection of the property, and reiterates its request to the three States
Parties to complete the establishment of the joint steering committee to ensure the
implementation of the MoU;
Takes note of the information provided on the changes in the protection regime and the
management system of the components of the property in Uzbekistan, but considers that
the information provided does not sufficiently clarify whether the new protection status
and management system would guarantee the effective conservation of the Outstanding
Universal Value (OUV) of the property;
Notes with utmost concern the excision of a substantial part of Sayram-Ugam National
Nature Park in Kazakhstan from the property and its subsequent inclusion in the buffer
zone, as these significant changes introduced to the zoning and protection regime of this
protected area could affect the property’s OUV, including its conditions of integrity;
Requests the States Parties to invite a joint World Heritage Centre/IUCN Reactive
Monitoring mission to assess the changes in the management regime of the above-
mentioned components of the property in the Chatkal State Biosphere Reserve in
Uzbekistan and the Sayram-Ugam National Nature Park in Kazakhstan, to evaluate
whether these changes represent a potential danger to the property’s OUV and integrity
and to verify whether any new threats to the components in Kyrgyzstan have emerged

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 since inscription, and encourages the States Parties to discuss the progress regarding
the finalization of the Statement of OUV for the property;
Also reiterates its request to the States Parties to review and rationalize the boundaries
of the components of the property and their buffer zones to ensure that they fully
correspond to criterion (x), follow ecological principles and address connectivity, exclude
areas originally included for their paleontological values while also considering the
potential to meet criterion (ix), and to develop, as a matter of priority, a joint proposal for
a significant boundary modification, in accordance with Paragraph 165 of the Operational
Guidelines, and also encourages the States Parties to seek further advice from IUCN on
the proposal before submitting it to the World Heritage Centre;
Also requests the States Parties to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 December 2022, an updated joint report on the state of conservation of the property
and the implementation of the above, for examination by the World Heritage Committee
at its 46th session.

96. Sagarmatha National Park (Nepal) (N 120)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.96

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decisions 41 COM 7 and 42 COM 7B.70, adopted at its 41st (Krakow, 2017)
and 42nd (Manama, 2018) sessions respectively,
Noting with concern the reported impacts of increasing visitor numbers on the property,
welcomes the State Party’s intention to develop a Tourism Management Plan and
requests the State Party to:
a) Undertake a visitor carrying capacity study to establish an appropriate carrying
capacity for the property, especially during the peak season, and use the findings
to inform the Tourism Management Plan,
b) Address how monitoring and regulation of tourism-related helicopter traffic within
the property and the nationally designated buffer zones of the Park can be
strengthened to reduce impacts,
c) Ensure that the Tourism Management Plan aligns with the 2016-2020
Management Plan for the property and its next iteration;
Also recalling its previous concerns regarding the range of serious threats that the
Kongde View Resort, located within the property, poses to its Outstanding Universal
Value (OUV), expresses concern over the Supreme Court ruling in favour of the resort
and urges the State Party to develop a detailed environmental plan to mitigate the
impacts of the resort, submit this plan to the World Heritage Centre for review by IUCN,
and take any necessary measures to monitor its implementation;
Also welcomes the State Party’s decision to request a revision of the draft Environmental
Impact Assessment (EIA) for the optical fibre project based on the comments provided
by IUCN, and also requests the State Party to submit a revised EIA to the World Heritage
Centre for further review by IUCN before making any decision that may be difficult to
reverse, in accordance with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines;
Emphasizing the distinction between a zonation scheme and a buffer zone, reiterates its
request to the State Party to develop a zonation system, notably as a means of ensuring
appropriate provisions for enclave villages located within the property;

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 Notes with satisfaction that there are currently no reported cases of illegal collection of
firewood from within the property and encourages the State Party to continue its
monitoring efforts in that regard and to reflect this and associated interventions in the
next iteration of the Management Plan, as appropriate;
Also notes with concern the reported poaching of Himalayan musk deer within the
property and further requests the State Party to review and strengthen measures to
prevent any further poaching;
Appreciates the steps taken by the State Party to consult with local communities
regarding the formalization of the nationally designated buffer zone of the National Park
as a buffer zone to the property, and also encourages the State Party to continue this
dialogue with the aim of formalizing a buffer zone, with the support of local people and,
in due time, to submit to the World Heritage Centre a proposal for a minor boundary
modification for review by the Committee, in line with Paragraph 164 of the Operational
Guidelines;
Also notes with concern the increasing impacts of climate change on the OUV of the
property and the wellbeing of local communities and requests furthermore the State Party
to further monitor the impacts of climate change on the OUV of the property, to
strengthen efforts towards building resilience at the property level, and to develop and
implement a climate adaptation strategy, which should be integrated into the revised
management plan;
Requests moreover the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 December 2022, 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
46th session.

97. Dong Phayayen-Khao-Yai Forest Complex (Thailand) (N 590rev)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.97

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decisions 40 COM 7B.90 and 41 COM 7B.32, adopted at its 40th
(Istanbul/UNESCO, 2016) and 41st (Krakow, 2017) sessions respectively,
Commends the State Party for its continued active leadership in enhancing international
cooperation on illegal logging and trade of Siamese Rosewood;
Notes with satisfaction that the implementation of the Action Plan to Prevent and
Suppress Illegal Logging and Trade of Siamese Rosewood in Dong Phayayen-Khao Yai
Forest Complex 2014-2019 has reportedly resulted in a reduction of recorded cases
relating to the illegal logging of Siamese Rosewood;
Requests the State Party to redefine the indicators for the Action Plan, ensuring
adequate means of verification to accurately measure the effectiveness of its
implementation, as per the recommendations of the 2016 Reactive Monitoring mission;
Appreciates the State Party’s commitment to develop a new joint Action Plan on
Protected Areas and Transboundary Biodiversity Conservation Landscape Management
(2019-2022) in cooperation with Cambodia and other international partners, and
encourages the States Parties to ensure that the current cooperative efforts are
sustained;

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 Also notes with satisfaction that no new case of resort development has been recorded
inside the property, and that the process to amend the National Park Act and the Wildlife
Protection and Reservation Act has been initiated to improve community participation in
protected area management, and also requests the State Party to closely monitor how
this new legislation may affect the integrity of the property and ensure that appropriate
measures are taken to continue preventing any illegal encroachment within the property;
Further notes with satisfaction the State Party’s continued commitment and efforts to
avoid any negative impact on the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property
from the ongoing expansion of Highway 304 and the construction of the Huay Samong
Dam, and further requests the State Party to ensure that the mitigation measures and
monitoring of impacts continue in the post-construction phase to mitigate any adverse
impact on the property’s OUV;
Welcomes the Cabinet resolution to halt the further expansion of Highway 348 and seek
alternative options to review the necessity and suitability of constructing dams and
reservoirs inside the property and to cancel the Lam Prayathan dam project in view of
potential negative impacts on the OUV of the property, but notes with utmost concern
reports of the renewed development of several dam projects within and adjacent to the
property, and reiterates its request to the State Party to permanently cancel plans for any
construction of dams with reservoirs inside the property’s boundaries;
Requests furthermore the State Party to undertake a Strategic Environmental
Assessment (SEA) for the river basin, including the property, to inform management and
future development proposals at the basin level, and that any proposals for dam projects
around the property that may impact on its OUV be suspended until the SEA has been
completed and reviewed by the World Heritage Centre and IUCN;
Requests furthermore the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 February 2022, 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
45th session.

98. Ha Long Bay (Viet Nam) (N 672bis)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.98

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decision 38 COM 7B.72, adopted at its 38th session (Doha, 2014),
Commends the State Party for addressing many of the previously identified conservation
issues and the 2018 IUCN Advisory mission, and welcomes the overall progress in
reinforcing the management and conservation framework, educational activities and
waste management;
Requests the State Party to continue implementing all the recommendations of the 2018
mission, taking into account the outcomes of the management effectiveness review, in
particular:
a) The recommendations concerning visitor management, including conducting a
carrying capacity study,
b) The submission of details on the measures implemented for wastewater and solid
waste management, including results of the water quality assessment in and
around the property, details of the existing industries, including coal and cement

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 industries operating within the property, its buffer zone and within the biophysical
catchment area;
Also requests the State Party to finalize and implement the revised Management Plan
as an integrated management tool, with particular attention given to:
a) Ensuring the plan is based on a catchment-wide approach for the holistic protection
of the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property,
b) Including tourism management measures based on the carrying capacity study to
avoid overcrowding inside and in the vicinity of the property, and thus address
impacts of increasing tourism pressures on the OUV of the property,
c) Providing a clear governance framework for development projects, especially for
multi-sectoral developments that include infrastructure, maritime operations, urban
activities and resource extraction,
d) Ensuring that any social measures having socio-economic impacts, such as
relocation projects, are voluntary and in line with the 2015 Policy Document on the
integration of a Sustainable Development perspective into the processes of the
World Heritage Convention, and that they socio-cultural rights of local communities
are preserved;
Encourages the State Party to seek advice from the World Heritage Tourism Programme
and prepare a Sustainable Tourism and Development Strategy for the property, for
review by the World Heritage Centre and IUCN;
Further requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, for review by
IUCN, a map with a clear indication of the current boundaries of the property and its
buffer zone, including details on the use and management regime within the buffer zone,
in line with paragraph 164 of Operational Guidelines;
Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 December 2022, 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
46th session.

EUROPE AND NORTH AMERICA

99. Ancient and Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians and Other Regions of
Europe (Albania, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Germany, Italy, Romania,
Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Ukraine) (N 1133ter)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.99

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B.Add,
Recalling Decisions 42 COM 7B.71 and 43 COM 7B.13, adopted at its 42nd (Manama,
2018) and 43rd (Baku, 2019) sessions respectively,
Takes note of the findings of the 2019 joint World Heritage Centre/IUCN Reactive
Monitoring mission, and requests the States Parties of Albania and Romania to
implement all mission recommendations, and all States Parties of this property to jointly
implement the following mission recommendations:

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 a) Conduct on-the-ground assessments in the buffer zones and component parts
where impactful forestry interventions such as clear-cuts and shelterwood cutting
have been permitted, to ascertain the extent to which the effective protection of the
respective components might be compromised and the Outstanding Universal
Value (OUV) negatively affected,
b) Enhance the connective and protective functions of the buffer zones and
strengthen the integrity of the property by minimizing the use of forestry
interventions;
c) Ensure that any interventions avoid interference with the natural processes of the
beech forest ecosystem taking into account the natural expansion of their surface
and to strengthen their resilience,
d) Support undisturbed natural processes in all components and their buffer zones
through natural regeneration, pro-forestation, aging of forest stands beyond
conventional rotation ages, and to not take any decision that may affect the
dynamics of such processes after external natural or anthropogenic events, such
as fire, within or near the property’s components;
Welcomes the strict protection applied by the State Party of Albania in its respective
components and their buffer zones, and invites other States Parties of this transnational
property to consider this approach in the revision of buffer zone management as well as
the on-going development of a Guidance document for the buffer zones of the property,
in order to ensure that all buffer zones of the property serve as a functional additional
layer of protection in line with the Operational Guidelines;
Appreciates the identification and protection of 2,000 ha of forests in the buffer zones of
the Romanian components, however, noting with utmost concern that the current
management of the Romanian components’ buffer zones does not meet the
requirements of the Operational Guidelines and may have negative effects on the
integrity of the property, urges the State Party of Romania to fulfil its intention to limit
interventions in buffer zones and approve new dedicated World Heritage national
legislation aimed at safeguarding the OUV of the property;
Notes with concern the potential widening and paving of a forest track crossing the
property and its buffer zone (national road 66A) as well as potential future activities
related to hydropower facilities in the buffer zone in Domogled National Park in Romania,
and thus also urges the State Party of Romania to abandon plans to upgrade the national
road 66A inside and/or nearby the property, due to the potential impact of this project on
the property’s integrity and its OUV;
Also welcomes the amendment of the Act on Nature and Landscape Protection of
Slovakia expanding non-intervention regimes, and notes that the State Party of Slovakia
has submitted a significant boundary modification for its components of the property,
which has been subject to the evaluation process;
Notes with serious concern the level of forestry operations which are currently
permissible in the buffer zones of the property, and requests the States Parties of Spain,
Romania, Germany, Italy and Ukraine to provide full and up to date details of these
activities to the World Heritage Centre by 1 December 2021, in order to make clear all
the locations and the full list of potentially affected component parts and buffer zones,
and to convene, in conjunction with the other States Parties, a subsequent technical
workshop with IUCN and the World Heritage Centre to consider the means by which
concerns over these activities could be resolved;
Reiterates its request in Decision 41 COM 8B.7 that special emphasis shall be given to
appropriate buffer zone management in order to support undisturbed natural processes
with special emphasis on dead and decaying wood, also notes the submission of the
“Guidance document on buffer zone management and buffer zone zonation” for review

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 by the World Heritage Centre and IUCN and further urges the States Parties to ensure
that interventions are minimised in the meantime, and that the buffer zone Guidance is
based on a strict and precautionary approach;
Finally requests the States Parties to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 February 2022, an updated joint report on the state of conservation of the property
and the implementation of the above, for examination by the World Heritage Committee
at its 45th session.

100. Białowieża Forest (Belarus, Poland) (N 33ter)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.100

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B.Add,
Recalling Decision 43 COM 7B.14, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
Notes with satisfaction that forest management activities in the property, including
logging, have remained at a very low scale, and only limited to the active management
zone, as recommended by the 2018 Reactive Monitoring mission;
Notes the confirmation by the State Party of Poland that the recently approved
amendments to the Forest Management Plans (FMPs) for the Bialowieza and Browsk
Forest Districts are in line with the recommendation of the 2018 mission and only allow
for limited forest management activities in the active management zone for strictly
necessary safety measures and for measures necessary to implement Natura 2000
requirements;
Urges the State Party of Poland to accelerate the development of an overall
Management Plan for its part of the property, which places the protection of the
property’s Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) as its central objective, taking into
account the recommendations of the 2018 mission, and stresses that this Management
Plan should guide the development of other management documents, including the new
2022-2031 FMPs, to ensure that they are in line with the protection of the OUV of the
property;
Also urges the State Party of Poland to ensure that any forest operations in the property,
including those that might be envisaged in the new 2022-2031 FMPs, comply with the
management prescriptions included in Decision 43 COM 7B.14, in line with the 2014
Nomination file and the recommendations of the 2018 mission, and encourages the State
Party of Poland to seek further advice from IUCN on the development of the new FMP
to ensure that these requirements are met, before approving them;
Requests the State Party of Belarus to finalize the updating of the Managemnet Plan for
its part of the property, to submit a draft to the World Heritage Centre, for review by IUCN
before its final approval and, noting with satisfaction the strengthening of its legal status,
to ensure that the relevant wildlife and forest management plans are updated, based on
the updated MP;
Also requests the States Parties of Belarus and Poland, to define a common goal and
objectives for the entire property based on the protection of the property’s OUV as part
of the preparation of a Transboundary Integrated Management Plan (TIMP), which
should be subsequently integrated in the Management Plans of both parts of the
property;

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 Also encourages the States Parties to engage technical expertise from the World
Heritage Centre and IUCN to support the development of the TIMP and the Management
Plans for the Polish and Belarusian parts of the property through appropriate
mechanisms, such as an Advisory mission;
Welcomes the assurances provided by the State Party of Belarus that no wolf hunting
will be carried out in its component of the property, as well as the on-going efforts to
restore the hydrological regime of the property but expresses concern about reported
new drainage works inside the property and further requests the State Party of Belarus
to provide updated information on this matter;
Requests furthermore the State Party of Poland to ensure that the necessary follow-up
measures are put in place for the Narewkowska road, including monitoring of the number
of vehicles using the road, and, if any negative impacts from the increased use of the
road are observed, that further consideration is given to establishing the necessary
restrictions to minimize the impacts;
Finally requests the States Parties to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February
2022, an updated joint report on the state of conservation of the property, on the
implementation of the above and the recommendations by the 2018 mission, for
examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 45th session.

101. Pirin National Park (Bulgaria) (N 225bis)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.101

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decision 42 COM 7B.72, adopted at its 42nd session (Manama, 2018),
Notes the Supreme Administrative Court’s final rejection of the Ministry of Environment
and Water’s decision that no Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) is needed for
the new Management Plan for Pirin National Park, and requests the State Party to:
a) Complete the SEA as a matter of priority, ensuring it includes a specific
assessment of potential impacts of the new Management Plan on the Outstanding
Universal Value (OUV) of the property, including from potential development in
areas located within its buffer zone, and to submit the SEA to the World Heritage
Centre for review by IUCN,
b) Based on the SEA results, develop the new Management Plan including to ensure
it comprehensively addresses all potential threats to the OUV of the property and
clearly outlines how the management objectives, zoning and land use within Pirin
National Park will contribute to enhancing the OUV of the property and preventing
any degradation of its integrity, to take into account the relevant recommendations
of the IUCN 2018 Advisory mission in the above process to consult with the NGOs
and other stakeholders that have concerns regarding the content and
implementation of the draft new Management Plan, and to submit a draft to the
World Heritage Centre for review by IUCN;
Also notes the Court’s decision to repeal the amendments introduced by the Council of
Ministers to the current Management Plan for Pirin National Park and welcomes the
confirmation by the State Party that no further action on development plans linked to the
previous amendments have been undertaken in compliance with the Court’s decision;

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 Also requests the State Party to develop a long-term strategic approach for all plans and
programmes related to the property, buffer zone and the broader region, which is agreed
among all relevant stakeholders including municipalities, and which ensures that any
potential future development is harmonized, coordinated and consistent with regulations
protecting the property’s OUV and integrity, and the Operational Guidelines;
Further notes the approval of a number of Investment Proposals including for additional
water supply from reservoirs located within the property, and further requests the State
Party to ensure that the potential impacts of these projects on the OUV of the property
have been thoroughly assessed and to submit assessments to the World Heritage
Centre for review by IUCN;
Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 December 2022, 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
46th session.

102. Gros Morne National Park (Canada) (N 419)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.102

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decision 42 COM 7B.73, adopted at its 42nd session (Manama, 2018),
Welcomes the establishment of the Federal-Provincial Land Use Committee to
collaboratively manage activities in and around the property, and strongly encourages
the State Party to strengthen the mandate of this Committee to assign it decision-making
powers pertaining to any future oil and gas licenses in the vicinity of the property;
Acknowledging the continued “pause” on hydraulic fracturing outside the property,
reiterates its request to the State Party to ensure that long-term, substantive measures
are introduced to prevent future oil and gas licenses being awarded in the vicinity of the
property, and before the “pause” on hydraulic fracturing outside the property is lifted;
Also reiterates its request to the State Party to clarify when a full assessment of the
Newfoundland and Labrador Hydraulic Review Panel’s recommendations will be
completed, and to submit the final analyses when available to the World Heritage Centre;
Also acknowledging the vast size of the Gulf of St Lawrence and its multi-jurisdictional
spread, but considering the ecological connectivity of the Gulf with the property, requests
the State Party to closely monitor any proposed and planned exploratory activity in the
Gulf of St Lawrence that has the potential to impact on the Outstanding Universal Value
(OUV) of the property;
Notes with concern that the upgrade project of the Western Brook Pond was completed
without sufficient Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) or stakeholder consultation
and also requests the State Party to ensure the restoration of any damaged vegetation
and landscape;
Further requests the State Party to re-asses the impacts of the multiple upgrade and of
the maintenance projects currently underway within the property on the OUV and other
natural values of the property and to review the projects to ensure the visitor
infrastructure remains non-intrusive and blends in with the landscape of the property;
Further reiterates its request to the State Party to invite, if the “pause” on petroleum
exploration in the vicinity of the property is discontinued, a joint World Heritage

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 Centre/IUCN Reactive Monitoring mission to the property to assess the risks to the
property’s OUV;
Requests furthermore the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 December 2022, an updated report on the state of conservation of the property and
implementation of the above.

103. Plitvice Lakes National Park (Croatia) (N 98bis)

Decision 44 COM 7B.103

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decision 42 COM 7B.74, adopted at its 42nd session (Manama, 2018),
Welcomes the on-going efforts of the State Party to implement decisions of the
Committee and the recommendations of the 2017 joint World Heritage Centre/IUCN
Reactive Monitoring mission, and requests the State Party to continue these efforts,
including specifically the timely completion of the Strategic Environmental Assessment
(SEA) as part of the process of amending the Spatial Plan for the property;
Also welcomes the progress made by the State Party to address the issue of wastewater
management and water supply, but notes that the investment projects to bring a long-
term solution for the water pollution and unsustainable water use problems still remain
at the planning phase and therefore, urges the State Party to accelerate the
implementation of these projects and to include in future reporting to the Committee the
results of the on-going monitoring of water quality and use;
Also recalling that the inadequate water supply and drainage system, water pollution
risks and continued exponential growth of visitation at the property represented a
potential danger to the property’s Outstanding Universal Value (OUV), in line with
Paragraph 180 of the Operational Guidelines, considers that, until it can be confirmed
that the solutions developed by the State Party have been effective in addressing these
threats, the OUV of the property remains vulnerable;
Takes note of the establishment of a new visitor management system but reiterates that
visitor management in the property should be based primarily on minimizing threats to
the property’s OUV, including directly linking the carrying capacity to the associated
attributes, and also requests the State Party to carefully monitor visitation and associated
impacts and to introduce further mitigation measures, including caps on visitor numbers
where required;
Further requests the State Party to pursue the planned by-pass to relocate the state road
outside the property;
Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 December
2022 an updated report on the state of conservation of the property and the
implementation of the above, including detailed information confirming the evolution of
visitor numbers and associated impacts, as well as an assessment of the effectiveness
of the newly introduced visitor management system in addressing the exponential
visitation growth and confirming the completion of the wastewater treatment project.

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104. Durmitor National Park (Montenegro) (N 100bis)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.104

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decision 43 COM 7B.19, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
Welcomes that the State Party has started implementing the recommendations of the
2018 mission, including reorienting the property’s management to favour sustainable
tourism and reconsidering the proposed boundary modification in line with the
recommendations of the 2005 and 2018 missions, as well as the process of establishing
a buffer zone for the property;
Requests the State Party to further consult with the World Heritage Centre and IUCN
before enacting any revision of the boundaries of the National Park under national law
as well as on the proposed buffer zone for the property;
Also recalling that an expansion of ski infrastructure developments inside the property
would constitute an ascertained danger to the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the
property, in line with Paragraph 180 of the Operational Guidelines, also welcomes the
State Party’s decision to suspend all plans for a potential expansion of ski zones inside
the property until the 2019 joint World Heritage Centre/IUCN Advisory mission provides
recommendations on possible next steps;
Takes note of the conclusions of the 2019 Advisory mission that the proposed expansion
of the Savin Kuk ski area inside the property would represent a serious conservation
issue resulting in likely direct impacts on natural habitats and visual impacts on the
property, also requests the State Party to implement all mission recommendations, jointly
with the recommendations of the 2018 mission, in particular not to expand the Savin Kuk
ski zone in terms of scope and capacity, prohibiting new ski runs and lifts and ensuring
that any modernisation of existing ski lifts remains within exactly the same limited area
closely following the existing routes;
Notes with utmost concern, however, that the proposed amendments to the Spatial Plan
for Durmitor National Park still foresee the possibility of expanding ski areas and
infrastructures inside the property and that further tourism infrastructure developments
within the property are continuing to be considered, and therefore, reiterates its request
not to pursue with the construction of tourism infrastructure inside the property as this
might have a negative impact on its OUV, and to develop a sustainable tourism
management strategy for the property in line with the recommendations of the 2018 and
2019 missions;
Appreciates that the State Party continuously monitors downstream impacts of the
construction of the Bar-Boljare motorway, but notes with concern the negative impacts
on the Tara river, and requests furthermore the State Party to confirm the status of key
species contributing to OUV, including the status of the Danube Salmon, and any other
downstream impacts precipitating inside the property;
Further recalling its Decision 29 COM 7B.21 and the conclusion of the 2005 Reactive
Monitoring mission that the hydroelectric power plant project “Buk Bijela” would
constitute a potential threat to the property, expresses its concern about the revival of
the project in Bosnia and Herzegovina, though at a significantly smaller scale, and
potential negative impacts on attributes of OUV of the property, such as the rich fish
fauna of Tara River, including the endangered Danube Salmon, and therefore, requests
moreover the State Party of Bosnia and Herzegovina to assess jointly with the State
Party of Montenegro any potential impacts on the OUV of the property and to submit an

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 updated Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), in line with IUCN’s Advice Note on
Environmental Assessment to the World Heritage Centre, for review by IUCN;
Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 December 2022, 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
46th session.

105. Central Sikhote-Alin (Russian Federation) (N 766bis)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.105

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decision 42 COM 7B.84, adopted at its 42nd session (Manama, 2018)
Welcomes the submission of an Integrated Management Plan (IMP) for the property, but
considers that management of the components of the property will need to be further
consolidated and therefore requests the State Party to establish a Coordinative Council
for integrated management of all component parts, as foreseen in the IMP, as a matter
of priority, and to complete the tasks listed in the Joint Action Plan of the IMP;
Also welcomes the establishment of the Council of Indigenous Minorities, and the
continued collaboration and dialogue with indigenous peoples, as well as efforts to
showcase and preserve the traditional way of life in the Bikin National Park, and
encourages the State Party to continue this work;
Further welcomes the progress on finalizing the designation of a buffer zone around the
Bikin River Valley component, however notes with concern that the current proposal
appears to suggest only a very narrow buffer zone, and that large-scale logging activities
and the associated increase in forest roads along the boundaries of the Sikhote-Alin
Strict Nature Reserve are negatively affecting the property’s Outstanding Universal
Value (OUV) and leading to greater risk of poaching and forest fires, and also requests
the State Party to:
a) Further develop a proposal for an adequate formal buffer zone for the Bikin River
Valley component, in line with the recommendations of the 2018 IUCN Evaluation
and Decision 42 COM 8B.9,
b) Establish at the same time a formal buffer zone for the Sikhote-Alin Strict Nature
Reserve within which logging activities are prohibited, and strengthen the
regulation of logging activities in the vicinity of the property beyond the buffer zone,
c) Ensure that the process of designating an adequate buffer zone for the property is
undertaken in a coordinated manner across all components,
d) Submit the proposal for a consolidated buffer zone through a Minor Boundary
Modification procedure, in conformity with Paragraphs 163 and 164 of the
Operational Guidelines;
Welcomes furthermore the State Party’s commitment to increase the territory of the
Sikhote-Alin Strict Nature Reserve and further requests the State Party to provide further
information on this process and how it would address the recommendations made by the
Committee regarding the connectivity of the Amur tiger habitat;
Also notes with concern the increase in access routes, unregulated tourism and
recreational use of the property leading to potential negative impacts on its OUV, and

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 therefore requests furthermore the State Party to regulate tourism and recreational
activities within the property and its buffer zones and prepare a tourism management
strategy that clearly defines the type of activities permitted and outlines how impacts of
tourism and recreational use will be monitored and controlled;
Requests furthermore the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 December 2022, 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
46th session.

106. Golden Mountains of Altai (Russian Federation) (N 768rev)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.106

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decision 43 COM 7B.26, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
Regretting that the State Party did not provide sufficiently elaborated information on the
different points raised by the Committee in its previous Decision,
Welcomes the restated confirmation by the State Party that the Altai gas pipeline would
pass around the property, however reiterates its request to the State Party to provide
additional information on the exact alternative route of the pipeline, and to continue to
update the World Heritage Centre on the status of the project, also recalling that any
decision to route the Altai gas pipeline through the property would constitute a clear case
for inscription of the property on the List of World Heritage in Danger, in line with
Paragraph 179 of the Operational Guidelines;
Notes the information about the delineation and demarcation of water protection zones
of Lake Teletskoye, but noting with concern that half of the lake remains without
appropriate legal protection regime and that the State Party has not provided any
information on the proposed extension of the Strict Nature Reserve to ensure legal
protective status over the entire Lake Teleskoye, recalls its strong support for this
initiative and urges the State Party to provide further information on its status;
Also reiterates its request to the State Party to provide detailed information about the
exact location of the proposed tourism infrastructure at Lake Teletskoye and not to
approve the project until an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) has been
undertaken, including a specific assessment of potential impacts on the Outstanding
Universal Value (OUV) of the property, in line with IUCN’s Advice Note on Environmental
Assessment;
Also recalling its established position that mining is incompatible with World Heritage
status, also urges the State Party to ensure that any current or proposed mining
operations within the Brekchiya or Maly Kolychak deposits are subject to a full EIA, which
specifically assesses the potential impact on the property’s OUV, in line with IUCN’s
Advice Note on Environmental Assessment, and to submit these EIAs to the World
Heritage Centre for consideration by IUCN, once available;
Encourages again the States Parties of the Russian Federation, Kazakhstan and
Mongolia to continue consolidating efforts to engage in transboundary conservation
measures, including within the framework of the World Heritage Convention;

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 Requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 December 2022,
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 46th session.

107. Lake Baikal (Russian Federation) (N 754)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.107

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decisions 39 COM 7B.22, 40 COM 7B.97, 41 COM 7B.6 and 42 COM 7B.76,
adopted at its 39th (Bonn, 2015), 40th (Istanbul/UNESCO, 2016), 41st (Krakow, 2017)
and 42nd (Manama, 2018) sessions respectively,
Notes with utmost concern several proposed amendments to existing legislation and new
laws, which would significantly weaken the existing regulatory framework in terms of
requirements for impact assessments and allowable levels of pollutants, and considers
that the scale of this weakening of the regulatory provisions, at the time when the
property’s ecological conditions continue to deteriorate, is such that, if all proposed
changes proceed, the property would face potential danger in line with Paragraph
180(b) i) and iv) of the Operational Guidelines;
Requests the State Party to undertake a comprehensive review of all proposed
legislative changes and their interdependencies, that could potentially affect the property
and urges the State Party not to approve any changes that would weaken the existing
protection regime of the property and strengthen the Law on the Protection of Lake Baikal
to ensure that the protection of the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property
can be guaranteed through a cross-sectoral approach;
Notes the information provided by the State Party that no damage has been observed
on the environment as a result of measures taken on water level fluctuations, but regrets
that its request to undertake a complete and comprehensive Environmental Impact
Assessment (EIA) of the impacts of existing water use and management regulations on
the OUV of the property has not been implemented;
Urges again the State Party to revoke all amendments introducing changes of the limits
on fluctuation and not to introduce any further regulatory changes providing for further
extension of the range of allowed water level fluctuation until the impacts of all existing
water use and management regulations on the OUV of the property are fully understood
through a complete and comprehensive EIA and also requests the State Party to submit
the EIA to World Heritage Centre for review by IUCN;
Also regrets that no information has been provided by the State Party regarding the
remediation of the former Baikalsk Pulp and Paper Mill (BPPM) site, nor regarding the
planned EIA for this process, and reiterates its request to the State Party to develop and
submit this EIA including an assessment of possible options for the future uses of the
site and their potential impacts on the OUV of the property, for review by IUCN, and also
urges the State Party to ensure that the best possible options are chosen in terms of
selection of technologies and implementing entities;
Regrets once again that the State Party did not submit either the results of the EIAs for
each Special Economic Zone (SEZ) located within or overlapping with the property or a
Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) for all SEZs regarding existing and future
developments and their cumulative impacts on the OUV of the property, and further

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 urges the State Party to complete these assessments as a matter of priority and to submit
them to the World Heritage Centre, for review by IUCN, as soon as they are available;
Expresses concern about the reported increase of illegal constructions on the lake shore,
even within protected areas and urges furthermore the State Party to address this threat
as a matter of urgency;
Welcomes the draft action plan to improve the system for forest fire protection within the
property, and also reiterates its request to the State Party to also provide an update on
the assessment of impacts of forest fires on the lake ecosystem;
Takes note of the information provided by the State Party of Mongolia that the Terms of
Reference for the Regional Environmental Assessment for the proposed Shuren and
Orkhon hydropower projects have been finalized, and further requests the State Party to
clarify how this process will be linked with the development of a transboundary SEA, as
requested by the Committee;
Acknowledges the further progress on the planned study on the impacts of the Egiin Gol
hydropower plant project (EGHPP) on the biodiversity of the property, and further
reiterates its request to the State Party of Mongolia to take into account the findings and
recommendations of the 2015 mission, especially regarding assessing impacts on the
habitats of endangered migratory freshwater species of the Selenga/Lake Baikal
complex, and to submit this study to the World Heritage Centre, for review by IUCN, as
soon as it is available;
Reiterates furthermore its request to the States Parties of Mongolia and the Russian
Federation to implement the recommendations of the 2015 mission as well as the
requests in Decisions 39 COM 7B.22, 40 COM 7B.97, 41 COM 7B.6 and 42 COM 7B.76,
and to jointly develop a transboundary SEA for any existing and planned hydropower
and water management projects ensuring that its results guide the elaboration of EIAs
of any specific individual projects, including the planned Shuren hydropower and Orkhon
river projects;
Requests furthermore the State Party of the Russian Federation to invite a joint World
Heritage Centre/IUCN Reactive Monitoring mission to the property to review the threat
posed to it by the different legislative changes, the existing and proposed developments
in the SEZ and the remediation plans for the former BPPM, ensuring that, given the
complexity of the issues, the mission members can meet with all the relevant national
and regional authorities and has access to all relevant legislative documents, including
the abovementioned comprehensive review of recent legislative changes, which should
be compiled prior to the mission;
Requests moreover the States Parties of the Russian Federation and Mongolia to
organize a meeting, through appropriate means, with the Reactive Monitoring mission
team to allow the mission to assess the full range of issues potentially affecting the
hydrological and ecological conditions of the property;
Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 February 2022, 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
45th session, with a view to considering, in the absence of substantial progress in
addressing the above, the possible inscription of the property on the List of World
Heritage in Danger.

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108. Virgin Komi Forest (Russian Federation) (N 719)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.108

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decision 42 COM 7B.78, adopted at its 42nd session (Manama, 2018),
Welcomes the efforts made by the State Party to enforce visitor management in the
Pechoro-Ilychskiy Nature Reserve component of the property and requests the State
Party to develop a sustainable tourism management strategy for the entire property to
ensure that tourism is effectively managed across all components;
While noting the suspension of the mining license granted to the ZAO ‘Gold Minerals’
company for exploration and extraction at the Chudnoe gold deposit and the partial
removal of mining equipment from the area, expresses its utmost concern that the State
Party confirms that it has been considering to modify the boundaries of the Yugyd Va
National Park (YVNP) to allow for mining in the area and reiterates its established
position that mining exploration and exploitation are incompatible with World Heritage
status and urges the State Party to:
a) unequivocally revoke the mining exploration and exploitation licenses granted for
the Chudnoe gold deposit, as requested in previous Committee decisions and
refrain from changing the boundary of YVNP to allow for mining,
b) clarify the presence, and ensure the complete removal, of the ZAO ‘Gold Minerals’
company’s equipment from the property, including any remaining large sized
equipment,
c) continue to restore the areas damaged by mining activities undertaken in 2011 and
2012;
Also recalling previous concerns regarding budgetary constraints for the implementation
of the property’s Integrated Management Plan for the 2017-2031 period, and also
requests the State Party to ensure that sufficient financial and human resources are
available for the implementation of the Plan and to report on this in its next report;
Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 December
2022, an updated report on the state of conservation of the property for examination by
the World Heritage Committee at its 46th session.

109. Volcanoes of Kamchatka (Russian Federation) (N 765bis)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.109

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B.Add,
Recalling Decisions 40 COM 7B.100 and 42 COM 7B.79, adopted respectively at its
40th (Istanbul/UNESCO, 2016) and 42nd (Manama, 2018) sessions,
Notes with concern the conclusions of the 2019 Reactive Monitoring mission that the
threats and management issues to the property, which were identified by the 2007
monitoring mission, have not diminished and that little progress has been achieved in
implementing previous recommendations and considers that urgent measures are

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 therefore needed to avoid impacts on the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the
property;
Expresses its utmost concern about the confirmation by the State Party that the
boundaries of the South Kamchatka Nature Park have been modified at national level,
thereby removing the legal protection of part of the property, and recalls that such
removal of the legal protection of part of the property constitutes a clear potential danger
to the property in line with Paragraph 180(b) (i) of the Operational Guidelines;
Requests the State Party to invite a joint World Heritage Centre/IUCN Reactive
Monitoring mission to the property;
Also expresses its serious concern about the proposed tourism resort project “Three
Volcano Park”, which is planned to be partially constructed inside the South Kamchatka
Nature Park component of the property, and requests the State Party not to permit any
construction of such kind and scale neither inside the property nor immediately adjacent
to the property, if such construction could have negative impact on the property’s OUV,
which should be assessed as part of an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for
each proposed project, in line with IUCN’s World Heritage Advice Note: Environmental
Assessment;
Welcomes the information that the plans for the construction of a hydro-electric power
station in the vicinity of the Kronotsky State Nature Reserve (KSNR) and for the
construction of a fish channel in KSNR to connect Kronotskoye Lake with the sea have
been rejected, and notes with satisfaction the confirmation by the State Party that both
projects have been deemed fundamentally unacceptable;
Also notes with concern that the new zoning of the different components of the property
has greatly diminished the area of the property benefiting from a strict protection regime
and also requests the State Party to reconsider this zoning approach and to substantially
increase the area within the property under a strict protection regime in order to meet the
requirements of the protection of the OUV, as recommended by the 2019 mission;
Further requests the State Party to also fully implement all other recommendations of
the 2019 mission, including in particular:
a) Develop an Integrated Management Plan (IMP) to guarantee a holistic and
integrated management approach for the entire property, and ensure that all
components have a management plan, including a zoning plan and a buffer zone,
which guarantee the protection of the OUV,
b) Take immediate measures to address uncontrolled tourism in the property and to
better regulate tourism,
c) Develop a Tourism Development Master Plan including considerations for
alternative areas outside of the property for touristic leisure activities in order to
channel the tourist inflow,
d) Ensure that all projects planned in or near the property, including potential mining
projects, are subject to a rigorous EIA and fully assess the potential impacts in
relation to the OUV in line with the IUCN World Heritage Advice Note on
Environmental Assessment and submit these to the World Heritage Centre for
review by IUCN before a decision is taken which is difficult to reverse,
e) Further strengthen efforts to combat any form of poaching in the property, including
illegal salmon poaching,
f) Continue to develop baseline ecological monitoring information on key wildlife
populations such as salmon, brown bear, snow sheep and reindeer;
Further notes with concern the potential pollution event in the marine environment
surrounding the property and requests furthermore the State Party to provide more

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 information regarding the issue in order to be able to evaluate its potential impacts on
the OUV of the property;
Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 February 2022, 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
45th session.

110. Western Caucasus (Russian Federation) (N 900)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.110

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B.Add,
Recalling Decisions 32 COM 7B.25, 42 COM 7B.80 and 43 COM 7B.18, adopted at its
32nd (Quebec City, 2008), 42nd (Manama, 2018) and 43rd (Baku, 2019) sessions
respectively,
Welcomes the confirmation that plans to build large ski facilities in the property in the
basins of the Mzymta, Urushten and Malaya Laba rivers have been rejected but notes
with concern that the construction of a “mountain resort” at Lagonaki Plateau is being
considered and requests the State Party to provide more details on the planned resort,
and that an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) to be submitted to the World
Heritage Centre before any decisions are made, in line with Paragraph 172 of the
Operational Guidelines;
Reiterates its position that the construction of large-scale infrastructure within the
property, including on Lagonaki plateau, would constitute a case for inscription of the
property on the List of World Heritage in Danger, in line with Paragraph 180 of the
Operational Guidelines and urges the State Party to confirm that no infrastructure is
planned within the inscribed property;
Also welcomes the information provided to the World Heritage Centre by the State Party
during the present session of the World Heritage Committee, stating that there will be no
exclusion of three enclaves on the Lagonaki Plateau area from the property, and
requests the State Party to submit an updated boundary clarification, taking into account
the comments provided by the World Heritage Centre and comprising high resolution
maps that meet the current technical requirements, for review by the World Heritage
Centre;
Also requests the State Party to clarify the current legal protection regime of the whole
Lagonaki Plateau, in order to ensure that all areas within the World Heritage property as
inscribed benefit from the required level of protection;
Noting with serious concern that land plots, located in the Sochi Federal Wildlife Refuge
and Sochi National Park, continue to be leased for a large-scale investment project,
reiterates its request to the State Party not to permit any construction of large-scale
infrastructure in the Sochi Federal Wildlife Refuge and Sochi National Park immediately
adjacent to the property, given the high likelihood that such construction could have a
negative impact on the property’s OUV, and further requests the State Party to submit
an EIA, in line with the IUCN World Heritage Advice Note on Environmental Assessment,
for review by IUCN before any investment project is considered;
Requests furthermore the State Party to provide clarification on Resolution No. 97 of the
Government of the Republic of Adygeya of 21 May 2020, which allegedly enables the

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 establishment of an economic zone inside the property where logging and the
construction of linear facilities would be possible;
Also urges the State Party not to conduct any further works on the road to Lunnaya
Polyana and reiterates the assessment of the 2012 mission on this road project, which
stressed that it should be ensured that all infrastructure facilities, even if deemed
necessary for management and research purposes, have no negative impacts on the
OUV and that an EIA should be submitted to the World Heritage Centre before any final
decision is taken on this development, in line with Paragraph 172 of the Operational
Guidelines;
Requests moreover the State Party to invite a joint World Heritage Centre/IUCN Reactive
Monitoring mission to evaluate whether the property meets the conditions for inscription
on the List of World Heritage in Danger with regards to the following issues, in line with
Paragraph 180 of the Operational Guidelines:
a) The scale of impacts from invasive alien species (IAS) on the OUV of the property
and whether they represent an ascertained danger to the OUV of the property,
b) The creation of the biosphere polygon and the changes in status of the nature
monuments included in the property has affected the legal protection of these
areas,
c) Whether the envisaged infrastructure and road development projects inside and
near the property and their cumulative impacts represent a potential danger to the
OUV of the property;
Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 February 2022, 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
45th session, with a view to considering, in case of confirmation of potential or
ascertained danger to its OUV, the possible inscription of the property on the List
of World Heritage in Danger.

LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN

111. Iguazu National Park (Argentina) (N 303)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.111

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decision 42 COM 7B.83, adopted at its 42nd session (Manama, 2018),
Welcomes the approval and formal adoption of the new Management Plan for the
property;
Notes the reported significant increase in visitor numbers since 2000 and requests the
State Party to continue its efforts to monitor the visitation and carrying capacity, as
foreseen in the Management Plan, and, to further strengthen measures to regulate visitor
numbers;
Also welcomes the confirmation that there are no further plans to pave or modify the
National Route 101 inside the property, and reiterates its request to the State Party to
develop a long term management plan for the RN 101 with the National Routes Authority

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 and other relevant national authorities to implement control and conservation initiatives,
and to confirm that there are no plans for extension or further paving of the road outside
the property, which might potentially affect its Outstanding Universal Value (OUV);
Also requests the State Party to complete the identification and demarcation of the buffer
zone for the Iguazú National Park, and to develop and submit a Minor Boundary
Modification, as per Paragraphs 163 and 164 of the Operational Guidelines, in order to
formally establish a buffer zone for the property;
While welcoming the continued collaboration with the State Party of Brazil, regrets that
no specific cooperation occurred to jointly assess the potential impacts of the new Baixo
Iguaçu hydropower plant, and also reiterates its request to the States Parties of
Argentina and Brazil to cooperate on the development of a comprehensive overall
monitoring system both for aquatic fauna and water flow, which would provide oversight
and ensure compliance with the requirements and action plans prescribed for the
hydropower project, thus assessing their effectiveness in mitigating adverse impacts on
the OUV of the two properties;
Further requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 February 2022, an updated report on the state of conservation of the property and the
implementation of the above.

112. Iguaçu National Park (Brazil) (N 355)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.112

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decision 42 COM 7B.84, adopted at its 42nd session (Manama, 2018),
Expresses its utmost concern that the Baixo Iguaçu hydropower plant (HPP) is now in
full operation without the submission of a specific assessment of the project’s impacts
on the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property to the World Heritage Centre,
and requests the State Party to provide updated information on compliance with the
specific operational requirements established for the operation of the HPP, particularly
ensuring agreed minimum water flows and reduced fluctuations, and to report on these
results;
Takes note of the on-going monitoring programmes by the HPP operator and the Chico
Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation (ICMBio), and also requests the State
Party to:
a) Review the monitoring programmes to ensure that all potential impacts of the HPP
on the property’s OUV and integrity are being monitored and expand the
ichthyofauna monitoring sub-programme to include all relevant species,
b) Ensure that all negative impacts observed through monitoring are adequately
addressed, including impacts from water pollution,
c) Ensure that the monitoring results are used to regulate action plans for mitigation,
adaptive management and the operation of the HPP;
Regrets that no specific cooperation occurred with the State Party of Argentina to jointly
assess the potential impacts of the new HPP, and reiterates its request to the States
Parties of Argentina and Brazil to cooperate on the development of a comprehensive
overall monitoring system both for aquatic fauna and water flow, which would provide
oversight and ensure compliance with the requirements and action plans prescribed for

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 the hydropower project, thus assessing their effectiveness in mitigating adverse impacts
on the OUV of both properties;
Welcomes programmes such as the Biodiversity Corridor Consolidation to reconnect the
property with isolated fragments of the surrounding forest and the Natural Resource
Inspection Programme to strengthen the fight against illegal activities, and also requests
the State Party to continue these programmes and report on their outcomes;
Expresses grave concern on the potential legislative implication of the two Bills (new
PL 984/2019 and unarchived PLC 61/2013) under consideration, which propose the
reopening of the Colono Road, and which could, if approved, create the conditions to re-
inscribe the property on the List of World Heritage in Danger, in line with Paragraph 180
of the Operational Guidelines and urges the State Party to ensure the continued closure
of Colono Road;
Also welcomes the elaboration of the updated Management Plan for the Iguaçu National
Park, as well as the establishment of the National Programme for Monitoring Biodiversity
(‘Monitora’), and further requests the State Party to submit the Monitora programme
results and provide information on the progress of improving tourist access opportunities
from local municipalities other than Foz do Iguaçu;
Requests furthermore the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 December 2022, 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
46th session.

113. Galapagos Islands (Ecuador) (N 1bis)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.113

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decision 42 COM 7B.85 adopted at its 42nd session (Manama, 2018),
Welcomes the continued efforts by the State Party to address the Committee’s previous
requests and the recommendations of the 2017 IUCN Reactive Monitoring mission, and
requests the State Party to address all pending mission recommendations, in particular
the recommendations related to biosecurity and to rigorously ensure that biosecurity
measures are enforced and fully funded;
Also welcomes the efforts to make Galápagos plastic free, and encourages the State
Party to pursue those efforts and to share its results widely with other properties;
Noting with serious concern the continued growth of tourism and commercial flights to
the property, despite the commitment made by the State Party to promote a zero growth
model for tourism, reiterates its requests to the State Party to develop and implement a
clear tourism strategy that ensures that suitable measures are sustained in the long term
as permanent regulations, with a clear action plan with urgent measures to achieve the
zero growth model, including maintaining the moratorium on construction of new tourism
projects and the limits on the number of flights, and to submit this strategy and action
plan to the World Heritage Centre for review;
While noting the increased marine surveillance operations, reiterates its concern that
ongoing illegal, unregulated and unreported (IUU) fishing in and around the property
continues to represent a threat to its Outstanding Universal Value (OUV), further
welcomes the 2020 “Joint Declaration by the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of the Republic

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 of Chile, the Republic of Colombia, the Republic of Ecuador and the Republic of Peru”
expressing the intent of these States Parties to take actions to jointly address this issue
and requests the State Party to continue to strengthen its collaboration and actions within
the Eastern Tropical Pacific Marine Corridor network as well as with other States Parties
whose fishing vessels are illegally targeting migratory species that are part of the
property’s OUV;
Calls upon all States Parties to take all possible steps to ensure that fishing fleets
operating under their flags do not impact the OUV of the property;
Also noting that an investment plan is being developed for yellow-fin tuna fishing within
the Galápagos Marine Reserve (GMR) to attract funding to improve management and
the commercialization system for tuna fishing in the Galápagos, also recalling that
commercial fishing is prohibited in the GMR, requests furthermore the State Party to
clarify its intentions regarding commercialisation, particularly concerning fishing
regulations within the GMR;
Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 December 2022, 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
46th session.

114. El Pinacate and Gran Desierto de Altar Biosphere Reserve (Mexico) (N 1410)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.114

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B.add,
Recalling Decision 37 COM 8B.16, adopted at its 37th session (Phnom Penh, 2013),
Expresses its utmost concern with regard to the construction of a border wall by the State
Party of the United States of America between the property and the adjoining Organ Pipe
Cactus National Monument and the Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge located on
the territory of the United States of America;
Considers that the construction of the border wall will have negative impacts on the
integrity of the property and that the presence of a physical barrier will negatively affect
the wider ecological connectivity and movement of key wildlife populations, such as the
Sonoran Pronghorn and the Bighorn Sheep, which constitute important attributes of the
Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property;
Notes with great concern that construction works on the wall are underway and have
been partially completed and that no Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) of this
project has been submitted to the World Heritage Centre, in line with Paragraph 172 of
the Operational Guidelines;
Also recalling Paragraph 15 of the Operational Guidelines, urges the State Party of the
United States of America to halt any further works on the border wall between the
property and the adjacent protected areas in the United States of America and requests
the State Party of the United States of America to collaborate with the State Party of
Mexico, in conformity with Paragraph 118bis of the Operational Guidelines, in order to
conduct an assessment of impacts that the construction works might have already had
on the OUV of the property, and to develop appropriate measures to ensure the
restoration of ecological connectivity and also requests the State Party to submit a
progress report to the World Heritage Centre for review by IUCN;

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 Reiterates its Decision 37 COM 8B.16, which encouraged the States Parties of Mexico
and the United States of America to strengthen cooperation on the conservation and
management of the shared Greater Sonoran Desert Ecosystem, building upon the
existing agreements and working relationships at all levels, with a view to the possible
formal establishment of a transboundary protected area;
Finally requests the State Party of Mexico, in cooperation with the State Party of the
United States of America, to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2022,
a report on the state of conservation of the property and the implementation of the above,
for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 45th session.

115. Coiba National Park and its Special Zone of Marine Protection (Panama)
(N 1138rev)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.115

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decision 43 COM 7B.28, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
Welcomes the finalization of Terms of Refence and initiation of a bidding process for the
preparation of a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) for the property and its zone
of socio-economic influence;
Also welcomes the suspension of the plans to rehabilitate the airport landing strip within
the property and the confirmation that this project will therefore not be considered by the
SEA, however, requests the State Party to clarify whether this project has been
completely abandoned or only suspended;
Also recalling its request to the State Party to suspend the implementation of any new
tourism infrastructure or other development projects within the property, including those
envisaged in the Public Use Plan (PUP), until the SEA has been completed and
submitted to the World Heritage Centre for review by IUCN, also requests the State Party
to clarify the status of other projects foreseen in the PUP and to ensure that the results
of the SEA, once available, are fully taken into account in the future management of the
property;
Takes note of the ongoing monitoring and control activities following the removal of feral
livestock from the property and encourages the State Party to continue these until the
complete absence of feral livestock can be confirmed;
Notes the additional information provided by the State Party regarding the fishing
regulations adopted in 2018 for the Special Zone of Marine Protection (SZMP) of the
property, however, reiterates its requests to the State Party to further improve the fishing
regulations for the SZMP, in line with the recommendations of the 2014 and 2016
missions, by:
a) Establishing additional no-take zones, including the Hannibal Bank Habitat
Protection Zone, considering their critical importance as replenishing areas,
b) Reconsidering the current approach to commercial fishing within the SZMP in line
with regulations in place for Coiba National Park, in order to further reduce
pressures from fishing on the property;
Notes with satisfaction the expansion of the vessel monitoring system to the SZMP, but
also reiterates its request to the State Party to ensure the provision of adequate
resources for the efficient enforcement of fishing regulations throughout the property,

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 and the full functioning of the monitoring system envisaged for the SZMP, and to align
this system with the existing monitoring activities within Coiba National Park;
Further welcomes the initiative by the State Party to invite an IUCN Advisory mission to
the property to help further refine the fishing regulations and provide advice on their
implementation and also encourages the State Party to continue consultations with the
World Heritage Centre and IUCN on this matter and facilitate the mission to be
undertaken once conditions allow;
Further requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 December 2022, 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
46th session.

116. Pitons Management Area (Saint Lucia) (N 1161)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.116

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decision 42 COM 7B.84, adopted at its 42nd session (Manama, 2018),
Welcomes the State Party’s continued dialogue with stakeholders to ensure compliance
with the Limits of Acceptable Change (LAC) regulations, but regrets that the regulations
have not yet been integrated into the legal and regulatory framework of Saint Lucia due
to funding constraints, and urges the State Party to ensure that funding for this integration
is actively pursued and secured, including through considering existing international
financing mechanisms;
Taking note of the confirmation that the Freedom Bay Development Project has not
noticeably progressed since the last state of conservation report, also regrets that no
information was provided on the Sugar Beach Development Project, and reiterates its
request to the State Party to ensure that these and any other projects being considered
for implementation are fully compliant with the provisions of the LAC study;
Also welcomes that the revision of the 2003 Management Plan is planned for 2020 and
reiterates its request to the State Party to fully reflect the conclusions of the LAC study
in the planned revision of the Management Plan, and to submit the draft revised
Management Plan to the World Heritage Centre, for review by IUCN, once available;
Takes note of the confirmation that no geothermal development activities are currently
taking place and that any future projects will include an Environmental and Social Impact
Assessment (ESIA), and also reiterates its request to the State Party to ensure that the
property remains off-limits for any future geothermal development activities and that any
potential impacts from activities outside the property are assessed through a
comprehensive ESIA, in line with the State Party’s commitment, and submitted to the
World Heritage Centre for review by IUCN, in conformity with Paragraph 172 of the
Operational Guidelines;
Noting the State Party’s continued commitment to undertaking the demarcation of the
boundaries of the property, encourages it to continue its efforts in this regard, and also
urges it to:
a) Formalize the status of the buffer zone of the World Heritage property as a ‘formal
buffer zone’ through a Minor Boundary Modification, in conformity with
Paragraphs 163 and 164 of the Operational Guidelines,

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 b) Clearly define the types of activities permitted in this buffer zone, ensuring their
compatibility with the conservation of the property’s Outstanding Universal Value
(OUV);
Appreciates the State Party’s collaboration projects, its efforts to increase community
engagement and capacity building for monitoring, and also encourages the State Party
to continue this work and report on its results, including any updates on actions to
decrease land degradation and eradicate invasive alien species;
Requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 December 2022,
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 46th session.

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7B.II. REPORTS ON THE STATE OF CONSERVATION OF
PROPERTIES INSCRIBED ON THE WORLD HERITAGE LIST
INITIALLY FORESEEN TO BE EXAMINED BY THE WORLD
HERITAGE COMMITTEE IN 2021

CULTURAL PROPERTIES

AFRICA

117. Asmara: a Modernist City of Africa (Eritrea) (C 1550)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.117

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B.Add,
Recalling Decision 43 COM 7B.104, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
Commends the ongoing activities aimed at building the capacity of stakeholders at the
property in order to enhance the skills and knowledge to safeguard its OUV;
Acknowledges the progress made on the Urban Conservation Master Plan (UCMP) and
the Asmara Planning and Technical Regulation (APTR), but requests the State Party to
work with its consultants to finalize these documents in order to submit them as soon as
possible to the World Heritage Centre for review by the Advisory Bodies;
Also requests the State Party to complete the process of designation of the Property as
a Protected Site within the framework of the Cultural and Natural Heritage Proclamation
of 2015 in order to provide a framework for the implementation of the UCMP and for the
safeguarding of the property;
Further reiterates its request for the development of a financial strategy through the
foreseen Local Economic Development Plan, linked to the UCMP, for funding the
necessary conservation and management activities;
Congratulates the State Party for the steps taken for capacity building, and encourages
it to continue in these efforts both in regard to managing the historic urban landscape
and to the physical conservation of this important modern heritage;
Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 December 2022 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
46th session.

118. Rock-Hewn Churches, Lalibela (Ethiopia) (C 18)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.118

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B.Add,

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 Recalling Decision 43 COM 7B.105, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
Acknowledges the information provided on the restoration projects implemented at the
Bete Gabriel-Rafael and Beta Golgotha/Mikael churches, particularly the applied minimal
intervention approach for roof conservation on these churches not covered by shelters;
Welcomes the overall aims of the Sustainable Lalibela Project being developed as part
of a bilateral Ethiopian-French project, particularly the focus on capacity building and
formal scientific education in conservation-restoration and archaeological research;
Also welcomes the development of a dismantling methodology for the existing shelters,
notes that the existing shelters have successfully protected the churches from further
damages but do not meet the new engineering norms and need considerable
strengthening of counterweights; and urges the State Party to apply modifications to the
existing protective shelters to comply with the revised national construction norms,
keeping the temporary character of these shelters until their subsequent dismantling;
Also notes that the rock pathology research undertaken in the framework of the feasibility
study of the bilateral Ethiopian-French project is recommending, on the basis of the
scoriaceous basaltic composition of the rock into which the churches are carved and its
susceptibility to water penetration, the complete external protection of all churches and
their immediate surroundings by permanent shelter constructions; and that such shelters
would either need to be bound to the ground by massive counter weights or anchored
into the rock;
Further notes that three anchor based options for the design of shelters were explored
and that, based on the recommendations of the scientific committee and the local
community to implement the canopy option which would allow to cover all three groups
of churches and ensure a long-term conservation and preservation of the site while
restoring the damaged parts, the Steering Committee has adopted the canopy option
and requested UNESCO and the Advisory Bodies to support in principle the use of rock
anchors for new shelters;
Further welcomes the results of the feasibility study, including the involvement of the
local community in the various studies, and the selection of a solution that puts them at
the centre;
Requests the State Party, in order to allow final validation of the solution, to provide:
a) The Final Preliminary Design of the canopy option and the detailed restorations
planned,
b) The results of the environmental and social impact study including the Heritage
Impact Assessments,
c) The reports of the additional studies recommended by the scientific committee
(geotechnical, hydrological and other studies deemed necessary),
which should all be submitted to the World Heritage Centre for review by the Advisory
Bodies before any decision to realize the solution is taken;
Further welcomes the dialogue that has developed between the State Party, the French
authorities and the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies on the emerging bi-
lateral project, and encourages the State Party to continue this dialogue to support the
development of a conservation plan;
Also requests the State Party to present a people-centred approach to preserving the
property, including participatory management in the church structures' conservation-
restoration, and acknowledging the active role the churches have as a living heritage for
the local communities;

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 Takes note of the relevant data on the mitigation measures and modifications applied to
the existing temporary shelters submitted by the State Party, including the
comprehensive study for the conservation of the Group II area that allows for removing
the current shelter at Bete Lebanos;
Also urges the State Party to ensure the operationalization of the Local Advisory
Committee, according to the Reserved Area regulation, to revise the 2014 Management
Plan, and to submit it to the World Heritage Centre, along with the cadaster maps
including all management and planning provisions for the property;
Requests furthermore the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, for review
by the Advisory Bodies, a Vision Statement on growth and development, in line with the
2015 Policy for the Integration of a Sustainable Development Perspective into the
Processes of the World Heritage Convention, that reflects and respects the Outstanding
Universal Value of the property and serves as a guiding principle for the revised Structure
Plan of Lalibela and a Local Development Plan for the property and its buffer zone,
issued by the national and regional authorities, which should both be submitted to the
World Heritage Centre for review by the Advisory Bodies;
Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February
2022, 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
45th session.

119. Aapravasi Ghat (Mauritius) (C 1227)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.119

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decision 43 COM 7B.108, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
Welcomes the submission and adoption of the updated Management Plan (2020-2025),
and the adoption of the “Area Action Plan for Urban Heritage Area: Buffer Zone of the
Aapravasi Ghat World Heritage Property (AAP 01)”, which includes provisions for impact
assessments where development proposals may negatively impact the Outstanding
Universal Value (OUV) of the property;
Also welcomes the commitment of the State Party to undertake and submit for review an
overarching Heritage Impact Assessment and Visual Impact Assessment (HIA/VIA) on
the buffer zone developments, as well as constituent HIA/VIAs on the individual
developments before projects are implemented;
Reiterates its request to the State Party to develop a framework for stakeholder
consultation in all matters that may affect the OUV of the property, including for impact
assessment procedures;
Requests the State Party to provide information to the World Heritage Centre on future
archival and archaeological research on the Parc à Boulets;
Also requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 December 2022, 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
46th session.

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120. Island of Saint-Louis (Senegal) (C 956bis)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.120

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decision 43 COM 7B.110, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
Notes with satisfaction the efforts made by the State Party, in particular for the ongoing
rehabilitation of the Cathedral and the Heritage House, as well as for the effective
governance of the property and the fund-raising efforts;
Appreciates the progress made to establish an inventory of the private heritage and its
rehabilitation, and requests the State Party to regularly update the inventory with
continuous illustrated documentation to ensure a better appreciation of the ongoing
developments and transformations of the urban fabric;
Recommends that the State Party establish a Conservation and Management Plan which
also includes risk management, an updated action plan integrating the various authorities
in charge and in particular the future Heritage House, as well as participatory
coordination at the community level;
Acknowledges the efforts made to improve and enhance the property through the
development of the former Place Faidherbe, renamed by the Saint-Louis municipality
Place Baya-Ndar, and the Avenue Jean Mermoz, expresses its concern about the
potential impacts of a traffic closure on the former Place Faidherbe, diverting and
increasing traffic density on other parts of the island, in particular on the wharves that
may be weakened therefrom, and also recommends that the State Party carry out an
impact study of the development project of the former Place Faidherbe, to consider
whether mitigation measures may be necessary;
Regrets that the State Party did not submit the development projects and an analysis of
their impact on the property before their implementation for examination by the Advisory
Bodies, and reminds the State Party to submit to it all major projects for examination by
the Advisory Bodies in accordance with paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines, to
ensure that they do not have a negative and irreversible impact on the Outstanding
Universal Value of the property;
Further recommends that the State Party provide more detailed information concerning
the rehabilitation and extension project of the Grand Mosque (plans, sections, analysis
demonstrating that the project complies with the regulations in force set out in the
Safeguarding and Enhancement Plan of Saint-Louis and analysis of the project's impact
on the authenticity of the property);
Takes note of the Grand Tortue Ahmeyim (GTA) gas project by the oil and gas company
BP in Senegal and Mauritania presented at a meeting with the World Heritage Centre,
ICOMOS and IUCN on 28 January 2021, and also requests the State Party to submit to
the World Heritage Centre in particular the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment
(ESIA) for examination by the Advisory Bodies to assess the potential impact of the
project on the property;
Taking into account the many major projects underway or under preparation at the
property and the significant ongoing transformations, further requests that the State Party
invite a World Heritage Centre/ICOMOS/ICCROM Reactive Monitoring mission to the
property to assess the general state of conservation of the property and the progress
made in the implementation of the recommendations of the 2017 mission;

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 Requests furthermore the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 December 2022, 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
46th session.

121. Fossil hominids sites of South Africa (South Africa) (C 915bis)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.121

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decision 43 COM 7B.111, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
Commends the State Party for the efforts made towards the conservation of the property,
in particular as regards to the continued monitoring of the Fossil Hominid Sites of
Sterkfontein, Swartkrans, Kromdraai and Environs (FHSSSKE) component and the
process initiated to develop similar risk prevention strategies for other components, the
gazette of water quality targets and the extensive ground and surface water quality
monitoring results provided for the FHSSSKE component, and encourages the State
Party to continue efforts in this direction;
Acknowledges the continued implementation and extension of the Short-Term Solution
(STS) to prevent a future Acid Mine Discharge event as well as continued water quality
monitoring and finalisation of water quality targets, but regrets the limited progress made
in developing the required Long-Term Solution (LTS) for the Western Basin Treatment
Works, and the requested Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA);
Supports the extension of the STS, but requests the State Party to:
a) Augment the STS to allow for sufficient capacity to deal with high-rainfall events
and submit details of these measures to the World Heritage Centre for review by
the Advisory Bodies,
b) Submit the design specification and the EIA for the second phase of the Western
Basin Treatment Works (LTS) for review by the Advisory Bodies within the three-
year STS extension period and before implementation thereof;
Reiterates its request to the State Party to:
a) Finalize the Integrated Management Plan (IMP) under preparation in conformity
with recommendations of the Advisory Bodies and the World Heritage Centre,
b) Extend the Risk Prevention Strategy to the Taung Skull Fossil site and the
Makapan Valley components of the property and incorporate these into the IMP,
c) Submit the IMP and Risk Prevention Strategy to the World Heritage Centre for
review as soon as possible,
d) Address the bacteriological pollution from the municipal wastewater effluent on the
Fossil Hominid Sites of Sterkfontein, Swartkrans, Kromdraai and Environs
component of the property;
Also requests the State Party to submit designs and all impact assessments as well as
the Heritage Management Plan/s for the visitors’ facilities and infrastructure upgrades at
the Taung Skull Fossil site and the Makapan Valley components of the property to the
World Heritage Centre for review by the Advisory Bodies before any further
implementation of these projects;

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 Further requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 December 2022, 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
46th session.

122. Koutammakou, the Land of the Batammariba (Togo) (C 1140)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.122

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decision 43 COM 7B.112, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
Acknowledges the efforts undertaken by the State Party and its partners to improve the
state of conservation of the site since the bad weather of 2018, in particular through the
implementation of the project “Improving the state of conservation of Koutammakou, the
Land of the Batammariba” funded by the Government of Norway, and encourages the
State Party to continue the efforts undertaken;
Welcomes the organization by the State Party and its partners of activities to raise
awareness and strengthen the resilience of local communities, the establishment of a
community museum, the continuation of reforestation actions, the promotion of activities
contributing to the preservation of intangible heritage, the creation of a team of specialists
to develop geographical and topographical maps of the site, the application of the
provisions related to architecture and town planning of Ministerial Decree
N°0147/MCTL/CAB/SG/DPPCT of 20 March 2007 and discussions with national
technical partners to ally traditional architecture with improved local materials;
Notes with satisfaction the legal and legislative measures taken by the State Party for
the creation of the Koutammakou Conservation and Promotion Service (SCPK), and
requests the State Party to provide this service with sufficient human and financial
resources for the effective conservation, management and protection of the property;
Also requests the State Party to finalize the management plan for the property integrating
a risk management plan and a conservation plan (procedures, practical guidelines,
constructive cultures, traditional materials, constructive systems, etc.) as well as an
updated map clarifying the delimitation of the perimeter of the property and its buffer
zone, and submit them as soon as possible to the World Heritage Centre for examination
by the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies before their validation;
Reiterates its concern about the growing development of urban pressure inside and near
the property which may have a negative impact on the cultural landscape of
Koutammakou, and recommends that the urban dimension of the property be fully
reflected in the policies, measures and tools adopted for the conservation of the latter,
drawing if necessary on the approach taken by the Recommendation concerning the
Historic Urban Landscape (2011);
Thanks the donors who continue to support the conservation of the property, in particular
the Government of Norway through its contribution to the World Heritage Fund;
Reiterates its request to the State Party to provide more details on the restoration
measures of the Sikien underway, in particular with regard to the extent of the restoration
works, the state of progress of the works, the location of the restored Sikien, types of
work undertaken, and construction materials and systems;

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 Further requests the State Party to submit, in accordance with Paragraph 172 of the
Operational Guidelines, the documents and architectural projects for the offices of the
new town hall of Kéran 3 in Nadoba to the World Heritage Centre for evaluation by the
Advisory Bodies;
Takes note that the State Party was unable to invite the joint World Heritage
Centre/ICOMOS/ICCROM reactive monitoring mission requested in its Decision
43 COM 7B.112 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and reiterates the need for this mission
to be carried out as soon as circumstances allow in order to fully assess the state of
conservation of the property, assess the state of the restoration of the Sikien, analyze
the possible threat of urban pressure growing in and near the property to its Outstanding
Universal Value (OUV), review the regulations intended to control this pressure and to
make recommendations to the Committee on the proposal to consider Nadoba city
centre as a “tolerated zone”;
Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 December 2022, 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
46th session.

ARAB STATES

123. Kasbah of Algiers (Algeria) (C 565)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.123

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decision 43 COM 7B.40, adopted at its 43rd sessions (Baku, 2019),
Takes note of the efforts made by the State Party to improve the management and the
state of conservation of the property, and commends it for the quality of the conservation
and restoration work carried out which, in some cases, involved the participation of the
civil society;
Expresses its concern about the recent collapse of residential buildings and the
progressive degradation of forty-three buildings in the property and urges the State Party
to continue to take the necessary measures in this regard by adopting an inclusive
approach and an integrated and coordinated management of the physical and socio-
economic interventions to guarantee the safeguarding of the social and economic fabric
without which the Kasbah would be “deprived” of its inhabitants and urban functions;
Encourages in this regard the State Party to take into consideration the social and
economic dimension of the safeguarding of the property by accompanying the restoration
works of the buildings with measures aimed at encouraging the reopening of businesses
and workshops or the creation of new activities;
Invites the State Party to share with the World Heritage Centre as soon as it is drawn up,
the final report regarding the results of the excavation and analysis of archaeological
discoveries since 2013 as part of the Place des Martyrs metro station project, aimed at
reconciling the imperatives of urban development with the need to preserve the
Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property;

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 Notes with satisfaction the efforts made by the State Party in the implementation of the
recommendations of the international experts meeting on the safeguarding of the Kasbah
organized in January 2018, and the implementation of an Interministerial Council under
the auspices of the Prime Minister’s office, to coordinate a multisectoral planning of urban
development integrating heritage conservation issues and socio-economic revitalisation
to ensure that all urban planning includes the Kasbah within the city of Algiers as a whole;
Also takes note that a rehabilitation and safeguarding strategy of the property was
recommended at the first meeting of the Interministerial Council regarding the property
and also invites the State Party to take into account an approach focused on the
Recommencation concerning the Historic Urban Landscape (2011), in order to define a
comprehensive framework to support the effective implementation of the Permanent
Plan for the Protection, Safeguarding and Valorisation of the Safeguarded Sector
(PPSMVSS) and the conduct of all other actions to improve the state of conservation of
the property; and recommends the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre
and the Advisory Bodies this strategy as soon as it has been established for examination;
Reminds the State Party of the need to inform the World Heritage Centre of any new
developments planned on the property and to carry out impact assessments on the
property before undertaking or authorising major restorations or new constructions that
could alter the OUV of the property, in accordance with Paragraph 172 of the Operational
Guidelines;
Requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 December 2022,
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 46th session.

124. Tipasa (Algeria) (C 193)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.124

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decision 43 COM 7B.41, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
Takes note of the progress being made by the State Party to improve the safety, security,
monitoring, maintenance, and documentation of the property, and reiterates its
recommendation that the lighting system be reviewed to ensure the most appropriate
solution possible is being implemented;
Reiterates its request to the State Party to finalize and provide an electronic copy of the
updated Management Plan for review by the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory
Bodies;
Requests the State Party to revise the proposed port development project in light of the
recommendations of the 2017 joint World Heritage Centre/ICOMOS Advisory mission
and the mitigation measures suggested in the impact assessment;
Encourages the State Party to invite a joint World Heritage Centre/ICOMOS Advisory
mission to the property, in order to advise on long-term solutions for reinforcing the cliff
under the West Archaeological Park and related issues within the proposed port
development project;
Also encourages the State Party to resume the studies for the maritime extension to the
buffer zone and for addressing rainwater pooling as soon as the sanitary situation allows
activities to be safely undertaken on site;

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 Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 December 2023, 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.

125. Qal’at al-Bahrain – Ancient Harbour and Capital of Dilmun (Bahrain) (C 1992ter)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.125

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decision 43 COM 7B.42, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
Notes that the State Party remains committed to incorporating new codes within the
amended Prime Ministerial Edict No. 28 of 2009: Zoning Regulations for Construction,
but that this process is ongoing and is not expected to be completed for some years;
Reiterates its request that the State Party also pursue signed memoranda of
understanding with the owners of lands located within the area designated for the
extension of the property, in order to improve its management and conservation;
Also reiterates its request that final designs and details of construction methods for the
proposed tunnel to Nurana Island be submitted for review by the World Heritage Centre
and the Advisory Bodies, prior to the commencement of any on-site works;
Notes with concern that unlawful land reclamation has occurred within a significant visual
corridor that is part of the buffer zone of the property, and requests the State Party to
advise the World Heritage Centre once the required remedial works are completed;
Also requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 December 2024, 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
48th session.

126. Ancient Thebes with its Necropolis (Egypt) (C 87)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.126

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B.Add,
2. Recalling Decision 43 COM 7B.43 adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
3. Welcomes the intention of the State Party to consider establishing a unit focused on
preparing Heritage Impact Assessments (HIA) and encourages the State Party to build
upon the 2019 and 2021 HIA workshops in the framework of the capacity building
initiative that the World Heritage Centre will implement with support from France during
2021;
4. Notes the findings and recommendations of the 2021 UNESCO Advisory mission and
requests the State Party to implement its recommendations, and to prepare a unified and
comprehensive Management Plan for the property, addressing risk preparedness and
sustainable tourism;

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5. Regrets that four sphinxes from the Karnak Temple were transferred to Tahrir Square in
Cairo, without prior preparation of a HIA, and without notification of the World Heritage
Centre in conformity with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines, and also
requests the State Party to conduct an evaluation of the situation of the four sphinxes
after six months, in accordance with the recommendations of the 2021 mission;
6. Reiterates its requests to the State Party to complete HIAs for proposed projects,
following the 2011 ICOMOS Guidelines on HIAs for Cultural World Heritage Properties,
prior to carrying out any further work within the property, which may affect it, and to
submit these HIAs and relevant project documentation to the World Heritage Centre for
review by the Advisory Bodies, in conformity with Paragraph 172 of the Operational
Guidelines, before making any decisions that would be difficult to reverse;
7. Also notes information provided by the State Party regarding implementation of the
recommendations of the 2017 joint World Heritage Centre/ICOMOS Reactive Monitoring
mission, and urges the State Party to fully implement and report on the mission
recommendations as a matter of urgency, and to advise whether technical support for
the monitoring of the climatic conditions of the tombs in the Valley of the Kings is
required;
8. Also regrets that the State Party has not fully complied with requests expressed by the
Committee in its previous Decisions and considers that the continuing absence of the
Management Plan, and pressures of tourism are exerting a growing impact on the
Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property, and therefore also urges once again
the State Party to expedite the finalization of the Management Plan, incorporating a
Conservation Plan and a comprehensive Tourism Management Plan, and to revise the
2030 Masterplan for the property to integrate conservation of OUV across all projects
within the property;
9. Also reiterates its previous requests for the State Party to provide:
a) Comprehensive documentation on the lighting and security cameras project, with
full details regarding its implementation,
b) A detailed report on the completed underground water project, including design
and implementation,
c) A report on the flood channeling and Flood Emergency Plan established for the
Valley of the Kings and the Valley of the Queens,
d) Full details of restoration and rehabilitation works at the Temple of the Apt, the
Temple of Medinet Habu, the Ramesseum, and the Temple of Seti I,
e) Full details of works undertaken to facilitate access for the disabled at Karnak,
f) Details of any other infrastructure, development or conservation projects proposed
within property or its buffer zone prior to making any irreversible decisions or
commencing works;
10. Further requests the State Party to invite a joint World Heritage Centre/ICOMOS
Reactive Monitoring mission to the property, to evaluate the property’s state of
conservation, assess implementation of the recommendations from the 2017 and 2021
missions, and review ongoing and planned projects and assess how they may affect the
property’s OUV;
11. Encourages the State Party to continue the exchanges with ICOMOS and the World
Heritage Centre to finalize the Retrospective Statement of OUV;
12. Requests furthermore the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 December 2022, 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
46th session.

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127. Memphis and its Necropolis – the Pyramid Fields from Giza to Dahshur (Egypt)
(C 86)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.127

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B.Add,
2. Recalling Decision 43 COM 7B.45 adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
3. Commends the State Party on the progress made in relation to capacity building and
compliance with the requirements and processes of the World Heritage Convention and
Operational Guidelines, the improved state of conservation of Saqqara including
continued archaeological research, excavations and discoveries, which underscore the
Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property, and the comprehensive work
undertaken by the Egyptian authorities to open new museums;
4. Notes the findings and recommendations of the 2021 UNESCO Advisory mission and
requests the State Party to implement the recommendations of the mission report,
including the preparation of a unified and comprehensive Management Plan for the
property;
5. Also notes with concern that, works are proceeding on the Ring Road project through
the Giza Plateau, and reiterates its request to the State Party to review the reasons and
necessity for the project, and to complete necessary studies so that alternatives can be
fully considered, and further notes strong concern at the potential impact of any solution
outside a tunnel;
6. Notes furthermore the previous Committee Decision that any project should only
progress once all requested technical reports and subsequent Heritage Impact
Assessments (HIAs) have been positively reviewed by the Advisory Bodies and
appropriate mitigation measures and procedures for monitoring have been agreed, and
reiterates its previous request to the State Party to:
a) Complete a comprehensive archaeological assessment, incorporating results from
remote sensing,
b) Ensure that, following the review by the World Heritage Centre and Advisory
Bodies, the final comprehensive ‘archaeological assessment report’ and the
previous technical reports on traffic management and design details, inform the
preparation of the engineering designs for the tunnel project,
c) Finalize the HIA for the project, following the ICOMOS Guidance on HIAs for
Cultural World Heritage Properties;
7. Expresses regret that the Giza Pyramids Plateau Development Project has been
completed without referral to the World Heritage Centre in accordance with
Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines, and prior to consideration of the potential
buffer zone for the Giza component of the property, but acknowledges that the project
may improve protection of the property and visitor experiences;
8. Also reiterates its previous request to the State Party to submit to the World Heritage
Centre, as soon as possible and in accordance with Paragraph 172 of the Operational
Guidelines, a detailed document providing comprehensive information about the
proposed Pyramids Security Project;
9. Further reiterates its previous request to the State Party to further strengthen the
protection and management of the property, with particular regard to its Retrospective
Statement of Outstanding Universal Value (SOUV), and by reviewing its boundaries,

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 defining a buffer zone and submitting a Minor Boundary Modification request, in line with
Paragraphs 163-164 of the Operational Guidelines;
10. Also requests the State Party to consult the World Heritage Centre and ICOMOS
regarding any proposed modification of boundaries, for both the property and the buffer
zone, which should also have regard to the RSOUV, and to submit the above-mentioned
Minor Boundary Modification request;
11. Takes note with satisfaction that the State Party would welcome a joint World Heritage
Centre/ICOMOS Reactive Monitoring mission to the property as soon as possible to
evaluate the property’s state of conservation and to review the ongoing and planned
projects, including road projects, and assess how they may affect the property’s OUV,
having particular regard to:
a) The Pyramids Security Project,
b) The proposed Ring Road project through the Giza Plateau,
c) The Giza component of the property, and the impact of increasing urban pressure
in Cairo,
d) The appropriate boundary and buffer zone for the Giza component of the property,
and further requests the State Party to provide the relevant documentation on all planned
and ongoing projects, including a detailed HIA for each project, to the World Heritage
Centre for review by the Advisory Bodies prior to the mission;
12. Welcomes the intention of the State Party to consider establishing a unit focused on
preparing HIAs and encourages the State Party to build upon the 2019 and 2021 HIA
workshops in the framework of the capacity building initiatives that the World Heritage
Centre is implementing with the support of projects funded by Netherlands Funds in Trust
and the Government of France;
13. Requests furthermore the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 December 2022, 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
46th session.

128. Baptism Site “Bethany Beyond the Jordan” (Al-Maghtas) (Jordan) (C 1446)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.128

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B.Add,
Recalling Decisions 39 COM 8B.10, 40 COM 8B.50, 41 COM 7B.79, 43 COM 7B.46
adopted at its 39th (Bonn, 2015), 40th (Istanbul/UNESCO, 2016), 41st (Krakow, 2017)
and 43rd (Baku, 2019) sessions respectively;
Commends the State Party on the development of the Earthquake Response
Preparation Plan, updated design and construction guidelines for the buffer zone, signed
formal commitments with the Christian denominations, and expanded landscape
protection within and beyond the buffer zone;
Requests the State Party to clarify the scope of the Earthquake Response Preparation
Plan and whether it is intended to address all disasters such as floods as well, which
may require additional measures, and advise as to how this plan is integrated within the
property’s Management Plan;

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 Also requests the State Party to submit the Master Plan for the whole buffer zone,
addressing the issues noted in Decision 43 COM 7B.46, when completed, for review by
the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies, and urges the State Party to
consider undertaking a visual landscape analysis of the potential impacts on the Jordan
River landscape area (the nature reserve) of various development options for the new
churches to clarify the decisions on building height, mass and revegetation strategies;
Further requests the State Party to submit the revised Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA)
for completed and new buildings in the buffer zone in accordance with Decision 43 COM
7B.46, based on the adopted Statement of Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) and
considering the updated design and construction guidelines, the visual landscape
analysis requested above, the reduction of the maximum building height limit, and the
cumulative impacts of building development;
Welcomes the State Party’s efforts to report on issues on the western bank of the Jordan
River relating to protection of the OUV of the property, however, reiterates the need to
ensure the preservation of important vistas and views by all concerned parties;
Requests furthermore the State Party to update the Management Plan to reflect the
adopted Statement of OUV, as well as other matters that have changed since the plan
was developed, such as the Earthquake Response Preparation Plan;
Requests moreover the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 December 2022, 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
46th session.

129. Um er-Rasas (Kastrom Mefa’a) (Jordan) (C 1093)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.129

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decision 43 COM 7B.47, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
Congratulates the State Party on continuing to implement the Management Plan for Um
er-Rasas and, while acknowledging that the Management Plan contains sections that
underpin the development of the previously-requested Conservation Plan including a
detailed work-plan, Public Use Plan and archaeological research policy, reiterates its
request that these aspects of site management be explored in more detail;
Encourages the State Party to further refine and elaborate the priority ranking of the
Implementation Action Plan within the 2017 Management Plan in order to provide a
balanced and practical list of priorities for work programs prior to the finalisation of the
previously requested Conservation Plan and incorporated work-plan;
Also reiterates its request that the State Party submit the final conservation project
proposal for the Stylite Tower as soon as possible for review by the World Heritage
Centre and Advisory Bodies, and urges the State Party to continue monitoring the
conservation situation closely;
Notes the inclusion of the survey of the Castrum in the current work program, but
reiterates its concern that the urgent conservation work at the Castrum identified in the
Management Plan does not appear to have taken place (including urgent conservation
work to the south wall and the already excavated gates and walls), and also urges the
State Party to undertake all needed temporary and reversible consolidation interventions

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 of the fragile attributes across the whole property while planning for longer-term
conservation;
Welcomes the State Party’s undertaking to invite a joint World Heritage Centre/ICOMOS
Advisory mission to support the finalization of outstanding projects when COVID-19
restrictions allow;
Also notes the State Party’s decision, after expert consideration, to confirm that existing
property and buffer zone boundaries are appropriate for the protection of the property’s
Outstanding Universal Value (OUV), and also encourages the State Party to continue to
review the boundaries of the buffer zone in keeping with the 2017 Management Plan
and, if necessary, propose minor boundary modifications;
Requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 December 2022,
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 46th session.

130. Byblos (Lebanon) (C 295)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.130

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decisions 42 COM 7B.56 and 43 COM 7B.48, adopted at its 42nd (Manama,
2018) and 43rd (Baku, 2019) sessions respectively,
Acknowledges that the Centre for Research and Conservation of Lebanese Cultural
Heritage has become operational, and encourages the State Party to carry out further
capacity building activities in order to develop the centre as an internationally-
acknowledged research and educational facility on archaeological conservation and
management practices;
Notes that all works on the ‘Diplomatic Club’ touristic beach resort project adjacent to the
property have been suspended, as requested in its previous Decision, and that no further
archaeological investigations have been conducted since;
Reiterates its concern that the project in its current form is not suitable, and also notes
that any enhancement of the direct surroundings of the archaeological area must ensure
appropriate environmental and archaeological outcomes for the World Heritage property,
and that any project planned adjacent to the excavated areas should be subject to a
Heritage Impact Assessment prior to any construction;
Also notes the efforts of the State Party to clarify the extent of the property at the time of
inscription, and requests the State Party, in consultation with the Advisory Bodies, to
elaborate and submit a Minor Boundary Modification, in line with Paragraphs 107 and
164 and Annex 11 of the Operational Guidelines;
Urges the State Party to implement the recommendations of the 2018 mission report,
with particular attention to the following:
a) Exploring synergies with the UNESCO 2001 Convention on the Protection of the
Underwater Cultural Heritage and the UNESCO 2003 Convention for the
Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage,
b) Developing a management plan with provisions for sustainable tourism,
conservation activities, and regular maintenance,

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 c) Establishing a national data management strategy that ensures making
documentation and inventory information available for site management and
research at the local level,
d) Considering the Historic Urban Landscape (HUL) approach for integrating the
management plan with the urban development for the old town of Byblos;
Also encourages the State Party to submit an International Assistance request to support
efforts in the elaboration of needed management tools;
Invites the State Party to inform the Committee, through the World Heritage Centre, of
any future plans for major restoration or new construction projects that may affect the
Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property, in accordance with Paragraph 172
of the Operational Guidelines;
Also requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 December 2022, 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
46th session.

131. Ouadi Qadisha (the Holy Valley) and the Forest of the Cedars of God (Horsh Arz
el-Rab) (Lebanon) (C 850)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.131

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decision 43 COM 7B.49, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
Welcomes the information provided on the Management Committee and its activities;
Notes that a revision of the property and buffer zone boundaries has been temporarily
halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and requests the State Party to pursue its
finalization in close consultation with the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies
as soon as the situation allows, and to submit it as a Minor Boundary Modification, in line
with Paragraph 164 of the Operational Guidelines;
Also notes that the “Rehabilitation and Valorization of Ouadi Qadisha” project has
completed its first phase and that a second phase has been validated to be implemented
in 2021, and encourages the State Party to propose more awareness-raising activities
and sustainable solutions within the framework of this project;
Reiterates its request to the State Party to ensure the implementation of the Action Plan
for the World Heritage property in a holistic manner, ensuring the integration of
sustainable development components, and to inform the World Heritage Centre on the
progress;
Also welcomes the actions taken to avoid new projects affecting the authenticity of the
property, and also reiterates its request to the State Party to submit to the World Heritage
Centre, for evaluation by the Advisory Bodies, detailed information and a Heritage Impact
Assessment (HIA) for any project that may have an impact on the Outstanding Universal
Value, authenticity and integrity of the World Heritage property, before making any
decisions that would be difficult to reverse, in conformity with Paragraphs 118bis and
172 of the Operational Guidelines;
Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 December 2022, an updated report on the state of conservation of the property and

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 the implementation of the above, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its
46th session.

132. Tyr (Lebanon) (C 299)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.132

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
2. Recalling Decisions 37 COM 8B.45, 39 COM 7B.54, 41 COM 7B.83, and 43 COM 7B.50
adopted at its 37th (Phnom Penh, 2013), 39th (Bonn, 2015), 41st (Krakow, 2017) and
43rd (Baku, 2019) sessions respectively,
3. Taking note of the establishment of a partial agreement between the primary
stakeholders (DGA, Municipality of Tyre) for the creation of municipal parking within the
Archaeological Zone, encourages the State Party to submit the details of this
arrangement and design details to the World Heritage Centre for review by the Advisory
Bodies;
4. Urges the State Party to implement the decisions adopted by the World Heritage
Committee, in particular Decisions 39 COM 7B.54, 41 COM 7B.83 and 43 COM 7B.50,
and in line with the reporting requirements under the World Heritage Convention;
5. Requests the State Party to submit as a priority the revised Management Plan
Framework to the World Heritage Centre for review by the Advisory Bodies and to
expedite completion and implementation of the Management Plan; and also urges the
State Party to continue its efforts to provide sufficient resources to the property to ensure
regular maintenance in the long term, including vegetation control, fire prevention and
the safeguarding of the mosaics, based on successful practices established through the
Baalbek and Tyre Archaeological Project;
6. Reiterates its request to the State Party to implement the 2018 Reactive Monitoring
mission recommendations, with particular attention to the following:
a) Establish a comprehensive management strategy for the property that covers all
aspects of documentation, conservation and monitoring, summarizing the
knowledge on techniques and procedures in a manual, with an updated Action
Plan, as a core component of the future Management Plan for the property,
including:
(i) Approaches to improving current maintenance practices concerning
vegetation, drainage and sewage control through appropriate preventive
measures,
(ii) Principles of minimal interventions in the conservation of mosaics and
structures as lessons learnt from the pilot projects,
(iii) A monitoring protocol to be available for scientific conservation research and
to enable evaluation of the efficacy of conservation measures,
(iv) A comprehensive presentation strategy for the property to reflect the actual
understanding of its values as reflected in the various architectonic
technologies and funerary practices of past generations, as well as
conservation challenges,
b) Consider integrating the Management Plan with regional and urban development
and traffic-mobility plans to manage the development pressures in the long term;

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7. Also reiterates its request to the State Party to revise the proposed boundary of the
property, identify a buffer zone and develop regulations and procedures for the protection
of the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property in accordance with Decision
37 COM 8B.45, and to submit a Minor Boundary Modification, in line with
Paragraphs 107, 164 and Annex 11 of the Operational Guidelines, for review by the
Advisory Bodies;
8. Further reiterates its request to the State Party to establish a maritime protection zone
around the seashores of Tyre;
9. Reiterates furthermore its request to initiate an in-depth study of traffic and the urban
road network, and to submit this study to the World Heritage Centre for examination by
the Advisory Bodies, and reminds the State Party of its obligations to submit, in
accordance with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines, details for proposed road
and infrastructure projects at the property, including Heritage Impact Assessments (HIA)
for the Coastal Highway and other planned major infrastructure projects, conducted in
accordance with the ICOMOS Guidance on HIAs for Cultural World Heritage Properties;
10. Also requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 February 2022, a progress report and by 1 December 2022, 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 46th session.

133. Ksar of Ait-Ben-Haddou (Morocco) (C 444)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.133

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
2. Recalling Decision 43 COM 7B.51, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
3. Notes that the submitted 2020-2030 management plan meets the requests previously
expressed by the Committee by covering a longer period than initially foreseen and by
integrating the Historic Urban Landscape (HUL) approach as an additional tool for the
sustainable management of the property, and provides a good basis for further work,
and encourages the State Party to request the World Heritage Centre to provide
technical support for the planned workshops in order to train and build the capacity of
the participants in the management of the site with tools and guidance for the
implementation of the HUL approach;
4. Also notes that the idea to create a special account for conservation has been
abandoned due to the difficulties related to the diversity of ownership status and land
tenure within the property;
5. Further notes that the footbridge received a positive evaluation from ICOMOS prior to its
construction, and that the objectives of its construction are met, namely an increase in
the number of residents living within the property, ease of access for tourists and for the
installation of basic infrastructure for the community, the creation of income-generating
activities for the population, and the opening up of the surrounding villages in the event
the Wadi el-Maleh overflows;
6. Finally notes that the documents concerning the additional phases of the restoration
project of the dwellings are being finalised, and requests the State Party to submit them
to the World Heritage Centre prior to the start of the works, in accordance with
Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines, for examination by the Advisory Bodies;

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7. Also encourages the State Party to complete the 2020-2030 management plan to:
a) Integrate an assessment of the physical condition of the property,
b) Clarify the specific management system between the stakeholders and decision
making process,
c) Highlight the policies used for the management and conservation of the property,
d) Detail the action plans, assess the priorities of the timetable, refer to those
responsible for each activity and to the budgets and resources associated with
each activity and/or project, and notably specify whether the policy of territorial
decentralisation allowing the development of local strategies for the protection of
heritage resources and the renewed interest of investors and other planned
activities provide adequate alternative financing solutions for the conservation of
the property;
8. Recognizing the significant efforts made since 2006 to improve the conservation of the
property and mitigate the factors affecting its Outstanding Universal Value, in particular
the implementation of tools to ensure its proper management, nevertheless also requests
the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 December 2022, an updated
report on the state of conservation of the property.

134. Rabat, Modern Capital and Historic City: a Shared Heritage (Morocco) (C 1401)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.134

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B.Add,
Recalling Decision 43 COM 7B.44 adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
Expresses its appreciation for the efforts undertaken by the State Party in addressing its
previous recommendations, and the recommendations of the 2018 joint World Heritage
Centre/ICOMOS/ICCROM Advisory mission, particularly with regard to providing full
details of ongoing and planned major restoration and development projects with related
Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) studies;
Welcomes the Technical Workshop that was held to provide training and capacity
reinforcement on tools and guidance for implementing the Historic Urban Landscape
approach and the elaboration of HIAs;
Notes the measures taken to minimise the impact of the Mohammed VI Tower as
recommended by the 2018 mission, and acknowledges that these have delivered some
benefits, although not sufficient to mitigate the overall scale and context of this
development;
Considers that solutions proposed for the interface between the extension of the Rabat-
Ville Railway Station and the historic wall are the most appropriate in architectural and
technical terms, and notes that details of the project to restore the original station building
will be submitted to the World Heritage Centre, for review by the Advisory Bodies;
Also acknowledges that enhanced processes are needed for future development and
conservation projects to minimise potential impacts, and also welcomes the steps taken
so far, such as the integration of the Management Plan into the Spatial Development
Plan, and the workshop held on HIAs;
Encourages the State Party to continue the ongoing exchange and dialogue established
with the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies, and requests it to continue to

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 submit information on ongoing and planned projects which may affect the Outstanding
Universal Value of the property, in line with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines;
Notes with appreciation the invitation from the State Party for the requested World
Heritage Centre/ICOMOS Advisory mission to the property, scheduled to be carried out
in March/April 2021, but postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and recommends
that this mission be carried out as soon as circumstances permit;
Also requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February
2022, 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
45th session.

135. Birthplace of Jesus: Church of the Nativity and the Pilgrimage Route, Bethlehem
(Palestine) (C 1433)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.135

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B.Add.2,
Recalling Decision 43 COM 7A.28, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
Commends the State Party for the continued implementation of the high-quality
conservation work at the Church of the Nativity and the planning for the elaboration of a
risk preparedness plan, and encourages the State Party to pursue its efforts to secure
resources for the remaining necessary interventions;
Takes note of the preparation by the State Party of the Mobility Study – Transport and
Mobility Strategy for the Conurbation of Bethlehem, and the Marketing Policies and Plan
for Star Street and urges the State Party to implement the Mobility Strategy as soon as
practicable;
Welcomes the rehabilitation of Star Street and its branches, and requests the State Party
to submit additional information, specifically with regards to:
a) Moving the main visitor car parking adjacent to the Action Club roundabout,
b) Using matching materials in repairs following removal of inappropriate additions
and mechanical and electrical services, based on the principle of minimum
intervention,
c) Design guidance for shopfronts,
d) Avoiding uniformity in shopfront colours, and avoiding the use of billboards without
further justification,
e) Conformity with the recommendations of the ICOMOS technical review of 2019;
Also welcomes the development and implementation of a unified signage strategy for
cultural and tourist sites, and also requests the State Party to provide further information
in this regard;
Further requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 December 2023, an updated report on the state of conservation of the property and
the implementation of the above.

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136. Historic Jeddah, the Gate to Makkah (Saudi Arabia) (C 1361)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.136

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decision 42 COM 7B.58, adopted at its 42nd session (Manama, 2018),
Commends the State Party for continuing to develop the database for the property to
encompass additional layers, and encourages it to pursue its efforts in this regard to
ensure that all attributes relating to the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the
property are included within this database;
Takes note of the establishment of the Jeddah Historic District (JHD) programme, and
welcomes the substantial efforts of the State Party in undertaking the preparation of a
number of strategic documents and plans, including a Masterplan, in addition to
implementing conservation and rehabilitation projects;
Acknowledges the State Party’s efforts in the implementation of the Historic Urban
Landscape (HUL) approach to the management and urban regeneration of the property
and also encourages it to continue sharing information with the World Heritage Centre
in that regard;
Requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, for review by the
Advisory Bodies, the complete version of the documents provided in the report,
particularly:
a) The Regeneration and Development Plan (Masterplan),
b) Complete technical information on conservation/restoration projects,
c) The Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) framework for the Masterplan,
d) The complete integrated conservation strategy, design guidelines, and restoration
manual,
e) The risk management and prevention plan for the property;
Reminds the State Party of the need to inform the World Heritage Centre in due course
about any major development project that may negatively impact the OUV of the
property, before any irreversible decisions are made, in line with Paragraph 172 of the
Operational Guidelines;
Also requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 December 2022, 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
46th session.

137. Rock Art in the Hail Region of Saudi Arabia (Saudi Arabia) (C 1472)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.137

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decision 43 COM 7B.53, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),

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 Commends the State Party on the resolution of the masking works issue due to be
implemented in 2021, and on the continued development of visitor infrastructure and
monitoring systems;
Acknowledges the proposed expansion of the buffer zone of the Jabal Umm Sinman
component, but reiterates its previous recommendation that the buffer zone boundary be
increased by 1.0 to 1.5 kilometres to the west and south of the component, in order to
prevent any visual impact on the integrity of the property, and that any impediments to
such action be indicated;
Reminds the State Party to submit the boundary modification proposal in accordance
with Paragraph 164 and Annex 11 of the Operational Guidelines;
Requests the submission of all plans, projects and strategies to be undertaken within the
property, in particular project proposals and associated Heritage Impact Assessments
(HIAs) for the further development of visitor and monitoring infrastructure, in accordance
with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines;
Also requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 December 2022, an updated report on the state of conservation of the property and
the implementation of the above.

138. Medina of Sousse (Tunisia) (C 498bis)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.138

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Acknowledges the State Party’s efforts in the protection, conservation and rehabilitation
of the property;
Notes with concern the potential threats posed to the property due to the absence of a
safeguarding and valorisation plan (PSMV) and coordination, absence of a consultation
framework concerning interventions, urban pressure and densification, social and
economic factors, visual impact on the integrity of the property, loss of traditional
knowledge, and alteration of building elements and materials;
Requests the State Party to finalise, adopt and implement the PSMV in order to ensure
the conservation and management of the property, including tourism management, and
coordination among stakeholders;
Also requests the State Party to seek mechanisms and opportunities to integrate the
PSMV into the urban development plan of the City of Sousse to address the
management and conservation of the property in an integrated and coordinated manner,
and in line with the 2011 UNESCO Recommendation on the Historic Urban Landscape;
Encourages the State Party to invite a joint World Heritage Centre/ICOMOS/ICCROM
Advisory mission to the property, as soon as conditions allow, to provide advice and
discuss with all relevant authorities and stakeholders the steps to define a
comprehensive framework to redress conservation and management issues and ensure
the sustenance of the Outstanding Universal Value of the property;
Reminds the State Party of its obligation to submit information on major projects to the
World Heritage Centre, in compliance with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines,
for examination by the Advisory Bodies before any irreversible decisions are made;

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 Further Requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 December 2022, 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
46th session.

ASIA-PACIFIC

139. Angkor (Cambodia) (C 668)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.139

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B.add,
Recalling Decision 38 COM 7B.8, adopted at its 38th session (Doha, 2014),
Takes note with satisfaction that the national authorities have been undertaking activities
in the field of conservation and management for numerous archaeological and hydraulic
structures and for the natural environment of the property, benefitting from the expertise
of the International Coordinating Committee for the Safeguarding and Sustainable
Development of Angkor (ICC-Angkor) and strong support of a number of international
partners;
Commends the State Party for not pursuing the reported project for the construction of a
tourist complex on the area immediately outside the buffer zone of the property, following
the technical review of the ICC-Angkor, and acknowledges with satisfaction that the
extension project of the existing International Airport of Siem Reap has not been
approved, noting however that the State Party opted for a new International Airport far
from the property, and requests the State Party to provide technical documents to the
World Heritage Centre, if alternative proposals are to be considered for both cases, for
review by the Advisory Bodies, at the earliest opportunity;
Also requests the State Party to provide the World Heritage Centre with information
about any major restoration and proposed project with potential impact on the
Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property, in line with Paragraph 172 of the
Operational Guidelines, including detailed information on Heritage Impact Assessments
(HIAs) prepared in conformity with the 2011 ICOMOS Guidelines on HIAs for World
Heritage cultural properties, for review by the Advisory Bodies, before any decision is
made that would be difficult to reverse;
Also notes the elaboration of the Tourism Development Plan in order to diversify the
tourism offer; encourages the State Party to seek advice from the UNESCO World
Heritage and Sustainable Tourism Programme and update the sustainable Tourism
Development Plan for the property to provide an over-arching principles to guide the
scale, scope and nature of future tourism projects in relation to how they might support
the integrity and authenticity of the property; and further requests the State Party to
submit the draft Tourism Development Plan, and the updated sustainable Tourism
Development Plan, to the World Heritage Centre for review by the Advisory Bodies;
Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 December
2022, an updated report on the state of conservation of the property, including the overall
situation of the management framework, presenting the major management tools,
guidelines and plans under application, and the implementation of the above, for review
by the Advisory Bodies.

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140. Temple Zone of Sambor Prei Kuk, Archaeological Site of Ancient Ishanapura
(Cambodia) (C 1532)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.140

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decisions 41 COM 8B.15 and 43 COM 7B.56, adopted at its 41st (Krakow,
2017) and 43rd (Baku, 2019) sessions respectively,
Notes with satisfaction that the property now has its own International Coordinating
Committee as an extension of the International Coordination Committee for Angkor (ICC-
Angkor) and benefits from regular reviews within this framework and from long-standing
expertise;
Commends the State Party for the progress made in implementing the Committee’s
previous recommendations, and requests the State Party to continue to its progress by:
a) Consolidating the documentation of the attributes of Outstanding Universal Value
(OUV) of the property, ensuring that the Statement of the OUV, documentation,
mapping and condition assessments are incorporated in the management system,
b) Finalising the draft Conservation Manual for Sambor Prei Kuk and regularly
updating it with new elements and lessons learnt to support the implementation of
urgent and long-term conservation work,
c) Further refining the Management Plan through the development of a systematic
Risk Response and other necessary management components, including
measures to monitor built structures, the natural environment and visitors at the
property, and by continuing to identify adequate resources for all planned actions,
d) Continuing to assess the carrying capacity of each of the temple zones,
incorporating the outcomes into tourism planning and revising the Tourism
Management Plan, including actions, timeframes and resources for the property,
e) Continuing to implement anti-looting measures,
f) Ensuring the effectiveness of the monitoring system through regular reporting on
the conservation and restoration works, risk data, settlement patterns, ancient
hydraulic structures, visitor satisfaction, community involvement, and broader
environmental indicators,
g) Considering the long-term possibility of extending the property’s boundaries, once
the inscribed area has been fully documented and assessed,
h) Continuing to develop capacity-building programmes for a variety of audiences;
Encourages the State Party to improve the conditions of artefacts discovered at the
property and gradually improve their interpretation and exhibition for educational and
outreach purposes;
Also requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 December 2022, 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
46th session.

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141. Historic Centre of Macao (China) (C 1110)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.141

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decision 43 COM 7B.57, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
Welcomes the education and awareness-raising initiatives pursued by the State Party
regarding the history of the property and its encouragement of the conservation and
celebration of the property’s Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) and other heritage
values;
Takes note of further progress made towards the finalisation of the comprehensive
Protection and Management Plan for the property and the development of the Master
Plan of the Macao Special Administrative Region (2020-2040), which will assist with the
integration of cultural heritage protection into urban planning and development, and
reiterates its request to the State Party to submit the Management Plan to the World
Heritage Centre for review by the Advisory Bodies as soon as possible and prior to its
adoption and implementation;
Reiterates its concern that potential new developments may impact adversely on the
OUV of the property, and therefore also welcomes the advice from the State Party about
the ongoing role of Heritage Impact Assessments (HIAs) in conserving the OUV of the
property, and encourages the State Party to ensure that potential impacts of new
developments, including visual impacts, continue to be evaluated through the
preparation of HIAs that comply with the 2011 ICOMOS Guidance on HIAs for Cultural
World Heritage Properties;
Also notes that the unfinished high-rise building at 18-20 Calçada de Gaio will be
completed to its existing height, but requests that the design of the upper floors of this
building be revised to be more transparent and less bulky to lessen their visual impact,
and also requests the State Party to undertake a detailed urban design and conservation
planning study for the length of the Avenida do Dr. Rodrigo Rodrigues, taking into
account existing site conditions, legal and planning constraints, HIA requirements, and
to consider a potential reduction of the current maximum height limit and a moratorium
on the approval of new constructions until the outcomes of this study have been formally
adopted;
Also reiterates its request to the State Party to liaise with the World Heritage Centre and
the Advisory Bodies regarding the aforementioned Master Plan and major projects in the
New Urban Zones, such as the underground/undersea transit line, and to follow the
recommendations of the Management Plan to ensure that any development project
supports rather than endangers the property and its OUV;
Further requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 December 2022, 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
46th session.

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142. Borobudur Temple Compounds (Indonesia) (C 592)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.142

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recognizing the measures taken by the State Party in preserving the Outstanding
Universal Value (OUV) of Borobudur Temple Compounds as a World Heritage property,
Takes note that there are developments within the Borobudur Temple Compounds;
Recognizes that development projects outside the property area and its buffer zone are
needed to support local communities and conservation activities, and that in order to do
so, the projects should be sustainable and support the OUV of the property;
Notes that development projects for tourism facilities are planned and that some works
have been commenced within and around the property, and that some of these works
have been paused, but welcomes the efforts made by the State Party to develop a
Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) for the proposed development projects and a
Management Plan (MP) for the property;
Requests the State Party to continue to pause work on major development projects
within and around the property to enable collaborative engagement with the World
Heritage Centre and ICOMOS;
Also requests the State Party to submit the Integrated Tourism Management Plan of
Borobudur-Yogyakarta-Prambanan (ITMP BYP) and the Borobudur Visitor Management
Plan (BVMP) to the World Heritage Centre for review by ICOMOS to ensure that the
development of the proposed projects within and around the property will not negatively
impact the OUV of the property;
Encourages the State Party to engage in phased dialogue and consultation with the
World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies on further assessments of these projects
and the development of the Management Plan through capacity-building assistance,
virtually or in person as the situation allows, as the MP will define how the property and
its setting develop in future;
Further requests the State Party to review and revise the projects and update the HIA,
taking into account the advice of the preliminary ICOMOS Technical Review, and to
submit the updated HIA to the World Heritage Centre for review by ICOMOS;
Also welcomes the notification from the State Party that it will establish an integrated
management body covering the whole of the Borobudur National Strategic Area, based
on the Law of the Republic of Indonesia Number 11 of 2010;
Also encourages the State Party to develop specific HIA mechanisms for development
or restoration projects planned within and around the property, in conformity with the
ICOMOS Guidance on Heritage Impact Assessments for World Heritage cultural
properties;
Further encourages the State Party to inform the World Heritage Centre of any project
that may have a negative impact on the OUV of the property, in accordance with
Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines, and to submit HIAs and associated
documents for review by the Advisory Bodies before making any decision that would be
difficult to reverse;
Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 December 2022, an updated report on the state of conservation of the property and

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 the implementation of the above, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its
46th session.

143. Cultural Landscape of Bali Province: the Subak System as a Manifestation of the
Tri Hita Karana Philosophy (Indonesia) (C 1194rev)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.143

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decision 43 COM 7B.63, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
Commends the State Party for the progress made with the implementation of its previous
decisions and encourages continued work to implement effective mechanisms for the
management and protection of the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property;
Welcomes in particular the updates provided by the State Party concerning its current
priorities for this property and the various financial, cultural and physical measures that
are planned and implemented by Bali Province and the Tabanan and Gianyar Regencies
to support farming communities and increase the resilience and sustainability of the
farming landscape, and requests the State Party to monitor the uses of recent provisions
for Customary Villages to access new income opportunities to support subak activities;
Also welcomes the State Party’s indication that the draft National Strategic Area Spatial
Plan should be completed by the end of 2021, and also encourages the State Party to
finalise the process of designating the property as a National Strategic Area as soon as
possible;
Notes that the State Party is currently developing technical guidelines on Heritage Impact
Assessments (HIA) that will apply to all of Indonesia’s cultural World Heritage properties,
further encourages the State Party to carry out the work in conformity with the ICOMOS
Guidance on HIAs for World Heritage cultural properties, and also requests the State
Party to continue developping specific HIA mechanisms that are linked to the property’s
management system and can explicitly address the need for the ongoing protection of
the OUV of the cultural landscape;
Further requests the State Party to conduct HIAs for all new development within the
property and its setting, particularly at Jatiluwih, and to provide documentation on new
development proejcts and the associated HIAs to the World Heritage Centre for review
by the Advisory Bodies, in accordance with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines,
before making any decision that would be difficult to reverse;
Requests furthermore the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 December 2022, 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
46th session.

144. Meidan Emam, Esfahan (Iran, Islamic Republic of) (C 115)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.144

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,

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 Recalling Decision 43 COM 7B.64 adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
Appreciates the efforts made by the State Party with the elaboration of the outlines of
the Conservation and Management Plan (CMP) of the property, the Disaster Risk
Management Plan (DRMP), and the submission of a detailed report on the past structural
intervention to the Ali Qapu edifice and requests the State Party to submit:
a) The final version of the outline of the CMP and a full draft of this plan,
b) The draft DRMP, including also:
(i) an indication of actual first response measures showing the sequential
actions and organizational planning, including the division of roles and
responsibilities among stakeholders,
(ii) planning for specific anti-earthquake measures for the Ali Qapu edifice and
other built structures of the Meidan Emam;
Also appreciates the progress achieved with investigations into the water and sewage
system of the property and its buffer zones as part of the DRMP, and reiterates its
request that the State Party to submit the complete programme of works to the World
Heritage Centre for review of the Advisory Bodies as soon as possible;
Also reiterates its request that the State Party submit to the World Heritage Centre the
final plan towards the development of spatial structures for the motorized and pedestrian
access to the property, for review by the Advisory Bodies, as soon as possible and before
any decision is made that would be difficult to reverse or any further works are carried
out, in line with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines, in view of a possible
reorganization of motorized and pedestrian circuits around the property;
Also requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 December 2022, 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
46th session.

145. Sassanid Archaeological Landscape of Fars Region (Iran, Islamic Republic of)
(C 1568)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.145

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decision 43 COM 7B.65, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
Takes note of the progress accomplished by the State Party, and requests that it
continue working on the issues identified in previous decisions, including:
a) Completing, as a matter of urgency, the integrated conservation and management
plan for the property,
b) Continuing to implement conservation works for the component sites in poor
condition, at risk of serious deterioration, or at risk of collapse,
c) Completing the programme of geophysical surveys for Ardashir Khurreh in order
to identify areas of archaeological sensitivity, and ensuring that agricultural
practices are not taking place in archaeologically sensitive areas,

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 d) Revising the boundary that encompasses the two components in the Bishapur
region, as request at the time of inscription, together with proposed regulations for
the revised buffer zones;
Notes the State Party’s intention to develop plans for risk preparedness and disaster
mitigation along with a monitoring strategy in 2021, and also requests that these plans,
along with the draft integrated management plan, be submitted to the World Heritage
Centre for review by the Advisory Bodies;
Further requests the State Party to formalise the changes to the boundaries and buffer
zone of the components in the Firuzabad region along with the proposed regulations for
the buffer zones by submitting a proposal for a minor boundary modification to the World
Heritage Centre, accompanied by maps and a copy of the regulations for the buffer zone,
in line with paragraphs 163-164 and Annex 11 of the Operational Guidelines;
Requests furthermore the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 December 2022, an updated report on the state of conservation of the property and
the implementation of the above.

146. Vat Phou and Associated Ancient Settlements within the Champasak Cultural
Landscape (Lao People's Democratic Republic) (C 481)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.146

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decision 43 COM 7B.68 adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
Notes that the updating of the Management Plan has been progressing and requests the
State Party to provide by 1 February 2022 a final draft to the World Heritage Centre,
with a more mission/challenge-oriented approach, to inform all activities concerning the
property and for review by the Advisory Bodies;
Notes with concern the reported lack of funds for the implementation of the road network,
including Roads 14A and 14B, and encourages the State Party to keep exploring options
to mobilise the necessary resources and complete the pending work;
Reiterates its requests that the State Party submit to the World Heritage Centre an
updated topographic map of the property as inscribed in 2001, for its subsequent
examination by the Committee, by 1 February 2022;
Notes with regret that the water supply extension project undertaken by Champasak
Water Supply State Enterprise was not halted, but instead completed in 2019 without the
Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) requested in its previous decision; also notes that
there has been no report on the full application of the mitigation measures suggested in
the HIA for the Champasak Water Supply project (WSP) submitted in 2018; and therefore
requests the State Party to:
a) Provide the report on the state of implementation of the mitigation measures
suggested in the HIA on the WSP,
b) Consider the formal establishment of a legal framework requiring that appropriate
Impact Assessments be carried out proactively for all development projects that
could have potential impacts on the Outstanding Universal Value of World Heritage
properties in the Lao PDR;

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 Further requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 December 2022, 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
46th session.

147. Great Burkhan Khaldun Mountain and its surrounding sacred landscape
(Mongolia) (C 1440)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.147

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decision 43 COM 7B.69, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
Commends the State Party for its actions in establishing a functioning management
authority for the property and addressing its requests recorded in previous decisions;
Takes note of the timely submission of the draft Management Plan by the State Party to
the World Heritage Centre, and requests the State Party to take the recommendations
of the ICOMOS Technical Review into consideration, notably when finalising the
Management Plan so as to include:
a) A system to monitor of the state of conservation, protection and management of
the property and its buffer zone through the use of key indicators,
b) A strengthened tourism development and visitor control policy and plans for the
property and its buffer zone,
c) A detailed short- and mid-term action plan with timetable, actions, priorities and
duration, estimated budget and sources, implementing agencies and monitoring
indicators;
Also requests the State Party to provide the World Heritage Centre with information
about any restoration and proposed project and its potential impact on the OUV of the
property, in line with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines, including detailed
information on Heritage Impact Assessments (HIAs) prepared in conformity with the
2011 ICOMOS Guidelines on HIAs for World Heritage cultural properties, for review by
the Advisory Bodies;
Further requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 December
2022, a report on the state of conservation of the property and the implementation of the
above, including the final draft of the Management Plan, for review by the Advisory
Bodies.

148. Lumbini, the Birthplace of the Lord Buddha (Nepal) (C 666rev)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.148

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decision 43 COM 7B.71, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
Notes the finalization of the Integrated Management Framework (IMF) for the property,
but regrets that, despite multiple requests, the IMF has not been formally adopted by the

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of the World Heritage Committee
 State Party, and therefore reiterates its urgent request to the State Party to adopt and
implement the IMF as a matter of priority;
Notes with concern that development activities continue to be undertaken within the
property and its buffer zone prior to notification and submission of documentation to the
World Heritage Centre, and also reiterates its request to the State Party to complete
Heritage Impact Assessments (HIAs) for any proposed project, following the 2011
ICOMOS Guidelines on HIAs for Cultural World Heritage Properties, prior to carrying out
any further work within the property or in adjacent areas identified as having potential
archaeological significance, and to submit these HIAs and relevant project
documentation to the World Heritage Centre for review by the Advisory Bodies, in
conformity with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines, as soon as possible and
before making any decisions that would be difficult to reverse;
Expresses its continuing concern about the Lumbini World Peace City initiative and its
potential impacts on the property, the Buddhist Meditation Hall located within the Lumbini
Kenzo Tange Master Plan Area, and the ongoing need for a clear strategy and concrete
further actions to protect the Greater Lumbini Area and its wider setting, including but
not limited to Tilaurakot and Ramagrama, and to reduce the increasing industrial activity
in the vicinity of the property;
Takes note of different phases of the UESCO/Japanese Funds-In-Trust project for the
preservation of the property particularly progress made in archaeological research,
capacity-building and awareness raising activities, together with an International
Scientific Committee (ISC) established under the project, strongly encourages the State
Party and other partners to take a holistic approach to focus efforts on the protection and
management of the sacred site as a priority and to mitigate the potential or ascertained
danger to the property’s Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) and the wider setting;
Requests the State Party to invite a joint World Heritage Centre/ICOMOS Reactive
Monitoring mission to the property as requested in Decision 43 COM 7B.71 to assess its
overall state of conservation, review the IMF and all ongoing studies and development
proposals, and consider both the strategic approach to the Greater Lumbini Area, and
the implications of the Lumbini World Peace City, in line with the protection of OUV of
the property;
Also requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 February 2022 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
45th session.

149. Baroque Churches of the Philippines (Philippines) (C 677bis)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.149

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decision 43 COM 7B.74 adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
Welcomes the substantial efforts made by the State Party to develop relevant
documents, including an Archaeological Impact Assessment (AIA), a Heritage Impact
Assessment (HIA) and the Intramuros Conservation Management Plan (CMP), to
evaluate the potential impacts of the proposed Binondo-Intramuros Bridge (BIB) project
on the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property;

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of the World Heritage Committee
 Notes with concern that the BIB project could have indirect and long-term impacts on the
OUV of the property, and requests the State Party to:
a) Reconsider the design of the BIB, its location and the possibility of a ‘no-project
option’, having regard to the ICOMOS Technical Review and the recommendations
and mitigation measures of the AIA and HIA, such as converting the surrounding
streets and roads of the San Agustin Church into pedestrian areas, conducting
structural assessment of the Church and adapting the design of the bridge
approach to the character of Intramuros,
b) Revise and update the HIA for the BIB project,
c) Expand the AIA for the BIB project in accordance with the findings of the ICOMOS
technical review,
d) Revise the CMP to facilitate long-term management and conservation of all the
attributes that convey the significance of the property,
e) Provide further information regarding the proposed reconstruction of the Baluarte
de Santo Domingo,
f) Submit revised documentation for the BIB project, including updated AIA, HIA and
CMP to the World Heritage Centre for further review by ICOMOS before any
decision is made that would be difficult to reverse or any substantial progress made
with project implementation;
Encourages the State Party to provide information to the public regarding the project and
communicate with stakeholders, including heritage experts and local communities, to
develop a robust management structure that ensures the conservation of the property;
Also requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 December 2022, 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
46th session.

150. Rangiri Dambulla Cave Temple (Sri Lanka) (C 561)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.150

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
2. Recalling Decision 43 COM 7B.75, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
3. Regrets that the State Party did not submit a report on the state of conservation of the
property by the deadline of 1 December 2020, as requested by the Committee in the
aforementioned Decision;
4. Welcomes nonetheless the efforts and progress made by the State Party to improve the
overall state of conservation and management of the property;
5. Urges the State Party to continuously implement the Revised Golden Temple of
Dambulla Management Plan (2019-2026) with further refinement as recommended by
ICOMOS through the Technical Review;
6. Requests the State Party to submit the conservation approaches and related reports
arising from the implementation of the immediate and short-term priorities identified in
the 2019 Management Plan to the World Heritage Centre for review by the Advisory
Bodies;

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of the World Heritage Committee
7. Urges again the State Party to finalize a Visitor Management Strategy, including a
Tourism Management Strategy and a Pilgrim Management Strategy, and submit it to the
World Heritage Centre for review by the Advisory Bodies;
8. Also requests the State Party to invite a joint World Heritage Centre/ICOMOS Reactive
Monitoring mission to the property, as requested in Decision 43 COM 7B.75, to assess
the state of conservation of the property, and in particular the implementation of the
revised Management Plan, the ongoing work to document and conserve the property,
progress with the Visitor Management Strategy and the proposed minor boundary
modification to expand the property’s buffer zone;
9. Further requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 December
2022, an updated report on the state of conservation of the property and the
implementation of the above, for examination by the Committee at its 46th session.

EUROPE AND NORTH AMERICA

151. Historic Centres of Berat and Gjirokastra (Albania) (C 569bis)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.151

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
2. Recalling Decision 43 COM 7B.79, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
3. Notes the implementation of the Law “On Cultural Heritage and Museums” and
subsequent development of by-laws to create various cultural heritage councils to
strengthen and improve the conservation and management of the property, the
restoration and maintenance work undertaken during 2019 and 2020 to the built fabric
of the property, and the implementation of the monitoring indicators and establishment
of a system for building approvals in the management of the property and its buffer
zones;
4. Welcomes the submission of the various project proposals of the Project for Integrated
Urban Development (PIUTD)-component, apart from the by-pass road for Gjirokastra
and, noting that the PIUTD project has tourism development as central aim, requests the
State Party to:
a) take into account the comments and recommendations provided by ICOMOS to
improve the projects presented in Annexes 3, 4, 5, 8 and 9 of its state of
conservation report, for the further development of the project proposals and
before their implementation,
b) await further review by the Advisory Bodies of the projects presented in the
Annexes 6 and 7 of its state of conservation report before taking any further
decisions about their implementation;
c) diversify its development plans, to stimulate a broad resilient economic basis for
the future of the property;
5. Reiterates its request to the State Party that the Integrated Management Plan (IMP) be
completed urgently taking on-board the previous requests of the Committee and be
submitted to the World Heritage Centre for review by the Advisory Bodies before its
implementation;

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6. Also notes the information received from the State Party in line with Paragraph 172 of
the Operational Guidelines about new plans for a by-pass road in Gjirokastra and further
notes third party reports that this by-pass road is already under construction, and
therefore urgently requests the State Party to halt construction of the by-pass until such
a time as a Reactive Monitoring mission has been able to visit the property to assess if
the project has caused or will cause any damage to its Outstanding Universal Value;
7. Further requests the State Party to invite a joint World Heritage
Centre/ICOMOS/ICCROM Reactive Monitoring mission to the property to assess
progress made in the state of conservation of the entire property, provide guidance on
the development of the IMP, evaluate the efficacy of development controls and
monitoring indicators, and assess the Gjirokastra by-pass project;
8. Encourages the State Party to continue providing the World Heritage Centre any
development proposals before their official approval, in line with Paragraph 172 of the
Operational Guidelines, for review by the Advisory Bodies;
9. Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February
2022, 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
45th session.

152. The Architectural Work of Le Corbusier, an Outstanding Contribution to the

Modern Movement (Argentina, Belgium, France, Germany, India, Japan,
Switzerland) (C 1321rev)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.152

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B.Add,
Recalling Decision 42 COM 7B.18 adopted at its 42nd session (Manama, 2018),
Welcomes the creation of a forum of knowledge and documentation exchange by the
Standing Conference, which further strengthens its capacity to inform decisions on
monitoring, conservation and potential impacts of development projects;
Notes that a number of States Parties are currently using Heritage Impact Assessments
(HIAs) to analyse possible impacts of development projects on the Outstanding Universal
Value (OUV) of the property, and encourages States Parties to strengthen the impact
assessment approach across all component sites by introducing HIA procedures, in line
with the 2011 ICOMOS Guidance on HIAs for Cultural World Heritage Properties, in
order to assess any potentially adverse impact on the OUV of each component site and
on the OUV of the serial property as a whole;
Requests the State Party of India to submit any additional available information on the
Heating, Ventilation and Air-Conditioning (HVAC) Ancillary Structure, the “Holistic
development of the Punjab and Haryana High Court” and the multi-level basement
parking projects, by 1 February 2022 for review by the Advisory Bodies, and to develop
an HIA to assess the potential individual and cumulative impacts of all planned
developments within the boundaries and buffer zone of the Capitol Complex, including
the multi-level parking structure, and to submit it to the World Heritage Centre for review
by the Advisory Bodies along with the project documentation; and also encourages the
State Party of India to finalize the Conservation Plan for Chandigarh;

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of the World Heritage Committee
 Also notes the continued lack of specific protection measures for the Maison Guiette
buffer zone and also requests the State Party of Belgium to put in place protection that
is tailored to the specific needs of the component;
Further requests the States Parties to inform the World Heritage Centre of ongoing or
planned projects or activities within and surrounding the property, in accordance with
Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines, and to submit associated documentation
for review by the Advisory Bodies before making any decision that would be difficult to
reverse;
Finally requests the States Parties to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 December 2022, 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
46th session.

153. Historic Centre of Sheki with the Khan’s Palace (Azerbaijan) (C 1549rev)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.153

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decision 43 COM 8B.36, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
Welcomes the impressive work that has been undertaken over the past two years to
develop an ambitious and aspirational suite of management documents consisting of a
revised Management Plan, a new Conservation Master Plan, a new Urban Regeneration
Plan, an Emergency Plan, and manuals for Restoration and Infill Design;
Particularly welcomes the focus of the Urban Regeneration Plan on the ‘preservation of
the main attributes of garden city concept including gardens and water system’ ensuring
and encouraging ‘public participation in the planning and implementation of urban
regeneration strategies’, as well as the overall scope of the documents;
Also welcomes the upgrading of the Yukhari Bash Reserve to national status, with the
resulting additional protection and resources for staff;
Notes that although the management documents have now been approved and
submitted, given the complexity of their implementation, some measures would need
reviewing to ensure their effectiveness, and requests the State Party to:
a) Re-assess and re-frame the urban protection zones to provide a clearer
explanation of what they aim to protect across the city, not just in areas visible to
visitors, in relation to the parameters of the ‘planned, productive garden city’ such
as the design and form of dwellings, and the use of gardens framed by a network
of irrigation canals,
b) Ensure the urban zones, respect the property boundaries and clearly define
differences between the property and its buffer zone, by strengthening protection
within the property and making modifications, where necessary, to the boundaries
of zones,
c) Define more clearly how development threats to the surrounding forest, which has
a crucial and symbiotic role as the backdrop to the city, will be managed,
d) Provide more details of the monitoring system in relation to potential gradual
degradation of urban landscape and architectural details that cumulatively provide
coherence to the garden city, and how the system will inform management,

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 e) Consider how the recommendations of the Restoration Manual might be more
carefully worded in relation to the use of non-traditional materials and structural
stabilization methods for the restoration of traditional houses, in order to ensure
that the authenticity of the ensemble is not weakened cumulatively over time;
Urges the State Party to consider the above listed specific weaknesses of the plans
before implementation becomes entrenched in order to optimise the benefits of the huge
efforts that have been put into the development of the management documents;
Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 December 2022, 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
46th session.

154. Ancient City of Nessebar (Bulgaria) (C 217)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.154

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decision 43 COM 7B.81, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
Takes note of the progress of the State Party in implementing previous Committee
decisions and mission recommendations, but notes with concern that some urgent
matters are yet to be addressed as further detailed below;
Urges the State Party to devise a strategy for the future of Nessebar, based on the
sustainable, compatible and equitable development of the town and the property’s
Outstanding Universal Value (OUV), and to submit it to the World Heritage Centre for
review by the Advisory Bodies;
Reiterates its request to the State Party to:
a) establish as a matter of high priority a high-level inter-ministerial or steering
committee, supported by a working group and by all relevant institutions, tasked
with the development of an OUV-based shared vision for Nessebar to align all
present and future decisions, plans and projects for the property’s conservation,
enhancement and development,
b) finalize, adopt and implement the Conservation Management Plan which
incorporates an updated Sustainable Tourism Management Plan, the Detailed
Development Plan and the General Development Master Plan, including guidelines
for urban design, based on the OUV of the property, as well as continue enforcing
the existing protection regimes,
c) continue to allocate financial and human resources required for effective
implementation of the updated Conservation Management Plan and updated
General Development Master Plan,
d) continue to implement the recommendations of the 2018 joint World Heritage
Centre/ICOMOS Reactive Monitoring mission as well as all previous mission
recommendations that are yet to be addressed;
Requests the State Party to promptly finalize, approve and implement the General Plan
for the Organisation of the Traffic in the Ancient City of Nessebar and to monitor its
application and outcomes;

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 Takes note with satisfaction of the results of the underwater archaeological investigations
and also requests the State Party to promptly finalize the research necessary for a future
Minor Boundary Modification request, per Paragraphs 163 and 164 of the Operational
Guidelines, to include all underwater archaeological remains of the ancient town;
Also takes note of the proposal of the State Party to convert the recommended ICOMOS
Advisory mission to the property into online workshops to be held in 2021, and invites
the State Party and ICOMOS to agree on a suitable period for this activity;
Further requests the State Party to invite a joint World Heritage Centre/ICOMOS
Reactive Monitoring mission to the property to take place in 2022, or as soon as the
sanitary situation allows, to assess its state of conservation and ascertain the progress
made by the State Party in implementing the Committee’s decisions and missions’
recommendations;
Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 December
2022, an updated report on the state of conservation of the property, and submit to the
World Heritage Centre for review by the Advisory Bodies, the Conservation Management
Plan, Detailed Development Plan and General Development Master Plan for
examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 46th session, with a view to
considering, in the absence of substantial progress, the possible inscription of
the property on the List of World Heritage in Danger.

155. Upper Middle Rhine Valley (Germany) (C 1066)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.155

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decision 43 COM 7B.83, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
Commends the State Party for its progress made to update the Management Plan of the
property, as well as conducting a study that will facilitate impact assessments related to
the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) and attributes of the property, and requests the
State Party to ensure that:
a) the Management Plan includes a thorough inventorying of the attributes of the
property and its constituent parts, or makes provision for a short-term creation of
such an inventory as baseline for impact assessments,
b) the document includes a shared vision by stakeholders for the protection and
management of the property,
c) the Management Plan is adequately embedded in the national and federal legal
system,
d) the draft consolidated document is submitted to the World Heritage Centre, for
review by the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies, in order to ensure
that its recommendations and comments can be appropriately taken into account
in the final document;
Notes the delay of the planning process for a permanent river crossing and reiterates its
request to the State Party to involve the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies,
at the earliest possible stage in the appraisal of options undertaken in a wide regional
strategic context, but focusing on developing solutions for local needs, and before any
decisions are taken;

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 Also notes the State Party’s efforts to reduce rail related noise pollution, especially from
freight trains and encourages the State Party to continue to find long-term solutions for
diverting these trains from the property;
Notes with concern that a wind farm in Boppard-Weiler and two turbines near
Wiebelsheim, in the setting of the property, were granted approval, despite the findings
of the line of sight study of the project, which considered them incompatible with the OUV
of the property; and, in order to avoid adverse impact from these projects to the OUV of
the property, urges the State Party to:
a) Find legally grounded solutions that will allow the refusal of applications for wind
energy projects which would potentially have a negative impact on the OUV of the
property and its attributes,
b) Declare a temporary moratorium on wind energy developments in the buffer zone
and setting of the property,
c) Develop a strategic spatial framework for wind energy developments that is based
on a sensitivity mapping for the property, its attributes, its buffer zone and its wider
setting, related to the OUV of the property (including potential visual impacts), and
which can form the basis of wind energy development siting in the future,
d) Ensure that the developed spatial framework is assessed through a Strategic
Environmental Assessment that provides means for looking at cumulative impacts
and enables to address them at the earliest stage of decision making,
e) Ensure that the above documents are submitted to the World Heritage Centre for
review by the Centre and the Advisory Bodies;
Further notes that a number of projects are planned or proposed for approval, which
have the potential to impact on its OUV, therefore, also requests the State Party to keep
the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies informed of all major project design
options planned for implementation within the property, its buffer zone and its wider
setting in line with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines, and ensure that impact
assessments are carried out for these and that irreversible decisions are not taken before
the relevant documentation has been reviewed by the World Heritage Centre and the
Advisory Bodies;
Welcomes the cancellation of the hotel project on the Loreley plateau, and further
requests the State Party to develop an appropriate spatial framework for the future use
of the Loreley plateau, based on a thorough assessment of the relevant attributes that
convey OUV and supporting their critical contribution to it, and test this spatial framework
through an independent Visual Impact Assessment and Heritage Impact Assessment
(HIA) before the framework is given legal status and any new proposals are developed
following on from the framework;
Notes furthermore that the joint World Heritage Centre/ICOMOS Reactive Monitoring
mission has been postponed to September 2021, if the sanitary conditions will allow it;
and nevertheless encourages the State Party not to make any final or irreversible
decisions for major projects before the planned mission has visited the property, and to
provide in the meantime a status update on the extension of the Koblenz cable car
operating permit to the World Heritage Centre;
Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 December 2022, 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
46th session.

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156. Archaeological Areas of Pompei, Herculaneum and Torre Annunziata (Italy) (C 829)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.156

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decision 43 COM 7B.85, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
Commends the efforts of the State Party to progress on the management system of the
property and to resolve issues related to inadequate human resources capacities and
funding, additionally, for resubmitting the proposal for the revision of the buffer zone in
accordance with Paragraphs 163-164 of the Operational Guidelines;
Welcomes the updating process for the Management Plan of the property, as well as the
intention for upgrading the document to become basis of a participatory management
approach on regional and local levels, and encourages the State Party to:
a) Ensure that the document will serve as a strategic management tool that is
continued to be accompanied with short-, medium- and long-term action plans,
b) Submit the draft Management Plan for review by the World Heritage Centre and
the Advisory Bodies, before its finalization and approval;
Also welcomes further progress made on stabilizing and improving the state of
conservation of the structures and decorative surfaces of the property, and the efforts of
the State Party to put in place stable cycles of maintenance routine, as well as to upgrade
visitor access and experience, and requests future updates as conservation works are
completed on the buildings that were noted as being in danger during the 2013 Reactive
Monitoring mission;
Also commends the State Party for progress on the hydrogeological works at Pompei
that should resolve the issue with the ineffective drainage system, and the use of
associated archaeological surveys stabilizing the excavation profiles to enhance the
knowledge both about the property and its excavation history;
Notes that the legal proceedings related to administrative aspects of the project at Porta
Nola have been concluded, but regrets that that the detailed design plans of the planned
storage facility have not been submitted to the World Heritage Centre as requested by
Decision 43 COM 7B.85 of the Committee, and therefore, reiterates its requests to the
State Party to provide the design plans together with the planned timeline of the project
as soon as possible and before any commitments have been taken,including any new
tender process, for review by the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies;
Considers that the submitted design plans for the visitor centre at Torre Annunziata
should be further revised in line with the 2019 ICOMOS Technical Review, and also
requests the State Party to continue suspending the construction works and provide the
full revised design plan for review by the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies;
Reminds the State Party to inform or update the World Heritage Centre in due course
about any major development project that may negatively impact the Outstanding
Universal Value of the property, before any irreversible decisions are made, in line with
Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines;
Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 December 2023, 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.

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157. Krzemionki Prehistoric Striped Flint Mining Region (Poland) (C 1599)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.157

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decision 43 COM 8B.29, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
Takes note of the progress accomplished by the State Party, and requests it to continue
working on the issues identified at the time of inscription by:
a) Taking appropriate and immediate measures to attenuate the negative impact of
the working limestone quarry in the Korycizna buffer zone,
b) Finalizing as soon as possible the process of creating the Cultural Park, in order
to make the buffer zones effective,
c) Specifying in detail how the land development plans, which are a condition for the
establishment of the Cultural Park, will ensure that the buffer zones provide an
additional level of protection for the property, in conformity with Paragraphs 103 to
107 of the Operational Guidelines,
d) Further developing and strengthening the Management Plan by:
(i) continuing its implementation in order to ensure effective protection of the
property,
(ii) including Heritage Impact Assessment methodology in the management
system of the property, to ensure that any programme or project relating to,
or having an impact on, the property, such as any potentially planned mining
activities, is evaluated in terms of its impacts on the property’s Outstanding
Universal Value and the associated attributes,
(iii) ensuring the long-term funding of the archaeological research programme,
(iv) guaranteeing that the research objectives of the programme are adequate in
view of the conservation plan;
Also requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 December 2022, an updated report on the state of conservation of the property and
the implementation of the above, for review by the World Heritage Centre and the
Advisory Bodies.

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

Decision: 44 COM 7B.158

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decision 43 COM 8B. 31, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
Takes note of the progress accomplished and welcomes the efforts of the State Party in
particular to classify the whole property as a National Monument, to establish institutional
links between the two municipalities and other stakeholders for fire prevention and
firefighting, to complete a vegetation study and to commit to the removal of the terrace
bar;

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 Requests nevertheless, the State Party to continue working on the issues identified at
the time of inscription by:
a) Completing an inventory of heritage elements of the property,
b) Developing additional monitoring indicators to address the state of conservation of
the park and the woodland,
c) Closely monitoring urban expansion/developments that may have an impact on the
property, including within and beyond the buffer zone, as a specific action in the
revision of the Braga Master Plan,
d) Closely monitoring the threat of fire, through the continuation of the ‘Intermunicipal
Sacromontes Programme’, or similar programmes,
e) Carrying out Heritage Impact Assessments of proposed developments within the
property, also with regard to their potential cumulative impact, particularly those in
relation to the ‘Programme to Improve the Visitation of the Sanctuary of Bom Jesus
do Monte’, in accordance with Paragraph 118bis of the Operational Guidelines, for
submission to the World Heritage Centre in advance of the proposed
developments,
f) Updating the Management Plan to include:
(i) a revised Action Plan, detailing all the proposed actions in the property with
an associated timetable,
(ii) a detailed Conservation Plan, as the basis for a well-planned and long-term
conservation approach,
(iii) bearing in mind the focus on visitor experience, a Tourism Management Plan
that includes actions, time schedules and dedicated resources,
(iv) 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,
(v) 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;
Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 December 2023, 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.

159. Cultural and Historic Ensemble of the Solovetsky Islands (Russian Federation)
(C 632)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.159

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decision 43 COM 7B.88, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
Welcomes the on-going development of the Master Plan for the property, as well as its
focus on detailed considerations of the key attributes of the Outstanding Universal Value
(OUV) and on the needs of the religious, secular and pilgrim/visitor communities;

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 Notes that the Plan will ultimately encompass the whole Archipelago, with the first phase
being concentrated on the main monastic complex and adjacent Solovetsky settlement,
and that its main outputs will be revisions to protection zones and spatial regulations that
will guide future land use and development plans, and the development of a
Management Plan for the property;
Also notes that the development of the Master Plan receives advisory assistance from
ICOMOS, and encourages the State Party to continue this process of dialogue and to
submit the final Master Plan and the Management Plan, once they are approved by the
Advisory Bodies, to the World Heritage Centre;
Notes with satisfaction that the outline framework of the Plan is already being used in
relation to how projects are planned and designed, such as for the new jetties and
associated timber passenger reception building, and for a proposed airport building, and
that details of these projects and associated Heritage Impact Assessments (HIAs) have
been regularly submitted to the World Heritage Centre for review by ICOMOS, and also
encourages the State Party to continue this process;
Notes with appreciation the beneficial impact of the now-active Fund for the Conservation
and Development of the Solovetsky Archipelago, which, together with the Master Plan’s
development, appears to have revitalized and coordinated the way the property develops
forward planning, with the high-level engagement of the Orthodox Church, the
Arkhangelsk Region, the Republic of Karelia, and national ministries and departments;
Further notes the extensive draft list of conservation projects that are being developed,
not just for the monastic structures but also for service buildings, vernacular buildings,
and the extensive canal and lake system, and requests the State Party to submit further
details on how the restoration and conservation projects for the main monastic buildings
will include improved supervision, processes and materials, following the halting of
inappropriate work;
Also requests the State Party to submit details for the repair and restoration project of
the largely destroyed, early-19th-century Saint Petersburg Hotel to the World Heritage
Centre for review by the Advisory Bodies at the earliest stage possible, given its
prominence near the Monastery;
Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 December 2022, 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
46th session.

160. Kizhi Pogost (Russian Federation) (C 544)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.160

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decision 43 COM 7B.89, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
Congratulates the State Party on the completion of the exemplary restoration of the
Church of the Transfiguration and on the implementation of a continued monitoring
programme of the structures within the boundaries of the property;
Commends the State Party for:
a) The establishment of the All-Russian Centre for Wooden Architecture
Conservation at the Kizhi Open Air Museum, funded by the State Party,

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 b) The legal protection of the forested areas of the buffer zone visible from the
property,
c) The continuous scientific research undertaken by the State Party and the Kizhi
Open Air Museum,
d) The ongoing development of a Master Plan for the property and Kizhi Island, taking
into consideration the advice of the Advisory Bodies for the configuration of the
entrance to the property, as well as the decision to put on hold any construction
projects on the island, including the new entrance facility, until agreement has been
reached on the details of the Master Plan,
e) Progress made in tourism planning and development with focus on the
beneficiation of the local community according to the Management Plan for the
property;
Welcomes the development of four alternative strategies for the restoration of the Church
of the Intercession, including commitments to assess these through a Heritage Impact
Assessment (HIA) that focusses on the impact on the Outstanding Universal Value
(OUV) of the property, and requests the State Party to submit the HIA, a description of
the alternative strategies and technical details for the restoration to the World Heritage
Centre for review by the Advisory Bodies, before any final decisions on the approach or
technical details of the restoration are made;
Also welcomes the establishment of a working group to coordinate activities on the
sustainable development of the property, its buffer zone and the larger area;
Acknowledges the invitation from the State Party for an ICOMOS Advisory mission to
visit the property, notes that this mission was delayed due to the global COVID-19
pandemic, and also requests that the mission shall be organized as soon as the sanitary
conditions will allow it in order to evaluate progress made by the State Party in tourism
development and buffer zone planning and developments, including the Master Plan for
Velikaya Guba;
Also acknowledges the efforts taken by the State Party to prioritize improvements to the
healthcare facilities of the custodians of the property, the staff of the Kizhi Pogost
Museum, and further requests that the State Party continue to prioritize the improvement
of the custodians’ living conditions;
Reiterates its requests to finalize the Sustainable Development Plan for the buffer zone
and its wider territory to create sustainable conditions for the long-term appropriate
settlement of the buffer zone in harmony with and in support of the attributes and OUV
of the property and to submit the plan to the World Heritage Centre for review by the
Advisory Bodies;
Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 December 2022, 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
46th session.

161. Palace of Westminster and Westminster Abbey including Saint Margaret’s Church
(United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland) (C 426bis)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.161

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,

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 Recalling Decision 43 COM 7B.94 adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
Welcomes the progress reported by the State Party with the updating of planning and
regulatory documents for the property, including addressing and incorporating the
findings of the 2017 joint ICOMOS/ICCROM Reactive Monitoring mission, and the weight
afforded to the protection of the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV);
Notes the significant progress with the New London Plan and the Westminster City Plan,
and requests that:
a) the monitoring provisions in Chapter 12 of the New London Plan be strengthened
to address the World Heritage status of the property and protection of OUV,
b) the Westminster City Plan be further reviewed to address key potential
development sites, and be more-closely aligned with the New London Plan,
consistent with the recommendations of Historic England, and in consultation with
the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies, prior to the finalization and
adoption of these important documents;
Also notes the progress made towards an updated Management Plan for the property
and the State Party’s confirmation that it will be submitted to the World Heritage Centre
for review by the Advisory Bodies prior to adoption;
Further notes the information provided by the State Party regarding major conservation
works planned through the Restoration and Renewal Project for the Palace of
Westminster, and reiterates its request to the State Party to submit details, including the
detailed conservation plan for the Palace of Westminster, and Heritage Impact
Assessments (HIAs) prepared in conformity with the ICOMOS Guidelines on HIAs for
Cultural World Heritage Properties, to the World Heritage Centre for review by the
Advisory Bodies, before any decision is taken or any approval is issued;
While strongly supporting the concept of a Holocaust Memorial and Learning Centre in
London, re-iterates its serious concerns that the proposed location in Victoria Tower
Gardens, would have an unacceptable adverse impact on the Outstanding Universal
Value (OUV) of the property and therefore, also reiterates its request to the State Party
to pursue alternative locations and/or designs;
Also welcomes the updated database for tall buildings and advice regarding use of 3D
modelling systems and also requests the State Party to advise on how these tools may
contribute to the identification, prevention and management of the cumulative impacts of
new tower buildings that may negatively affect the OUV of the property, and to the
delineation of an appropriate buffer zone for the property;
Further welcomes the role of the national heritage advisor, Historic England, in all levels
of decision-making, but particularly in addressing the ongoing threat to this property
posed by cumulative impacts, especially from high-rise development projects in the
immediate and wider setting of the World Heritage property that may have a negative
impact on its OUV, and further requests the State Party to ensure that the legal
framework allows for the provided advice to more strongly influence planning decisions
in favor of fully protecting the OUV of World Heritage properties;
Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 December 2022, 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
46th session.

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 LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN

162. Qhapaq Ñan, Andean Road System (Argentina, Bolivia (Plurinational State of),
Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru) (C 1459)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.162

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B.Add,
Recalling Decision 42 COM 7B.33, adopted at its 42nd session (Manama, 2018),
Commends the six States Parties for their work, with collaboration and support of the
UNESCO/Japanese Funds-in-Trust for the Preservation of the World Cultural Heritage
(JFIT), particularly for the high level of participation of the indigenous peoples and local
communities on the activities conducted, through the workshops and meetings held, and,
the tools developed such as the “Manual for the Conservation of Archaeological
Structures in Earth and Stone”;
Expresses its appreciation for the commitment of the Technical Committee and its
continuous coordinated work despite the ongoing pandemic circumstances, and
acknowledges the transfer in 2019 of the Pro Tempore Secretariat, from Argentina to
Bolivia, as an expression of political coordination to guarantee the long-term
management of the property;
Notes with appreciation the diagnosis on the progress of the implementation of the
Management System undertaken by the six States Parties and the preparation of the
"Glossary of Concepts and Technical Terms of Management for the Qhapaq Ñan,
Andean Road System, World Heritage” concerning a standardization of common
vocabulary, and strongly encourages the six States Parties to continue working in a
coordinating manner, to address the management challenges of the property;
Requests the States Parties to finalize and validate the updated document of the
International Management System, and submit it for review by the World Heritage Center
and the Advisory Bodies as soon as it is available;
Also takes note of the finalization of the Management Plans of 4 sections corresponding
to Peru (Puente Q'eswachaka; Cusco - La Raya Section (Cusco - Desaguadero),
Ollantaytambo. Lares - Valle Lacco section, and Vitkus Section –Choquequirao), and
also requests the States Parties to follow a common methodology and framework for the
remaining local management and conservation plans that need to be submitted;
Also commends the States Parties for the development of two mobile applications:
“Kamayuq” for the monitoring and evaluation of risks, and “AYLLU” for the monitoring of
state of conservation, as strategies towards a comprehensive conservation and
management system of the property, and also encourages them to continue with their
development and to adopt and implement them when the tools are fully tested;
Further requests to fully implement the documents approved and adopted at the
international workshop on risk preparedness and disaster management, held in Cusco
in October 2018;
Takes note of the 'Action Program for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural
Heritage Associated with Qhapaq Ñan' document, and similar actions that strengthens
the monitoring system for the property, and further encourages the States Parties to
continue their efforts towards the implementation of a complete operating monitoring
system;

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 Also takes note of the advances on the definitions of attributes that are the base of the
Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property, and the Terms of Reference for the
elaboration of Heritage Impact Assessments (HIAs), and requests furthermore the States
Parties to submit the document “Common Guidelines for the realization of Heritage
Impact Assessments” for review by the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies;
Recalls that any major infrastructure or major project need to be properly assessed in
terms of their possible impacts on the property’s OUV, authenticity and integrity, and the
necessity to develop and submit the corresponding Heritage Impact Assessments (HIAs)
of the projects for review by the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies before
any projects are approved or works undertaken, and recommends to the State Party of
Peru to consider the recommendations made by ICOMOS regarding the construction of
the Chinchero-Cusco International Airport;
Requests moreover the States Parties to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 December 2022, an updated joint report on the state of conservation of the property
and the implementation of the above, for examination by the World Heritage Committee
at its 46th session.

163. Brasilia (Brazil) (C 445)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.163

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decision 43 COM 7B.96, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
Welcomes the renewal of the Technical Support Agreement between the National
Historic and Artistic Heritage Institute (IPHAN) and the Government of the Federal
District (GDF), and the activities and projects related to the conservation and eventual
restoration of heritage buildings and sites, and to the promotion and interpretation of the
property;
Notes with satisfaction that the draft Preservation Plan for the Urban Ensemble of Brasilia
(PPCUB) was evaluated by IPHAN in December 2019 and is currently being revised by
the State Secretariat for Urban Development and Housing (SEDUH), and requests the
State Party to submit the plan, once revised, together with IPHAN’s technical opinion, to
the World Heritage Centre for review by the Advisory Bodies;
Notes that a timeframe for the elaboration of the Management Plan and the constitution
of the Management Committee is proposed, but also requests the State Party to
envisage the conclusion of both actions by the end of 2021, so that the Management
Plan can be approved and put in place;
Notes with concern that new projects that could jeopardise the Outstanding Universal
Value (OUV) of the property and its attributes are proposed, urges the State Party to halt
the ongoing processes of discussion and elaboration of projects until a clear
management and legal framework, based on the preservation of the OUV and the
attributes that convey it, is in place, and further requests the State Party to ensure that
major interventions to the property are first reviewed as defined in Title IV of IPHAN
Ordinance 421/2018 and approved by the Technical Support Group, and to keep the
World Heritage Centre informed of any potential projects that may negatively impact the
OUV of the property, in line with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines;
Also urges the State Party to fully implement the recommendations of the 2012 joint
World Heritage Centre/ICOMOS Reactive Monitoring mission;

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 Requests furthermore the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 December 2022, 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
46th session.

164. Churches of Chiloé (Chile) (C 971bis)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.164

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decisions 43 COM 7B.97 and 43 COM 8B.51, adopted at its 43rd session
(Baku, 2019),
Notes the progress made by the State Party in the identification and protection of the
buffer zones, despite the difficulties related to the Covid-19 pandemic, and requests it to:
a) Proceed as soon as possible with the submission of the proposed buffer zones of
Castro, Achao, Rilan, Aldachildo and Dalcahue churches as a minor boundary
modification, and conclude the identification of a buffer zone for Caguach,
b) Review the delimitation of the buffer zones of Chonchi and Tenaún after finalising
the complete protection of all the property’s buffer zones,
c) Consider the Committee’s request to review the delimitation of Quinchao and San
Juan, both rural areas, to include a larger surrounding landscape and reinforce the
setting of these important components through stronger valuation of its topography
and vegetation,
d) Consider the protection of Castro’s wider environment and its exceptional heritage
and landscape elements;
Also requests the State Party, after concluding the delimitation of the buffer zones, to
complete and submit Intervention Guidelines for all Typical Zones of the property to the
World Heritage Centre;
Welcomes the advances made on the preliminary studies for the Integrated Management
Plan (IMP), and urges the State Party to complete the draft IMP and submit it to the
World Heritage Centre for review by the Advisory Bodies before it is approved;
Commends the State Party for the emergency structural works carried out in Iglesia
Jesús Nazareno of Caguach, the conservation actions to be undertaken on five
churches (San Juan, Castro, Ichuac, Detif, Caguach), and the efforts to take into
consideration the archaeological findings in the construction of the Castro by-pass;
Notes with appreciation the ongoing initiatives regarding administrative and legal issues
and economic resources, the important inventories on the Chilota School of Religious
Architecture and the Religious Imagery of the Property, and, in particular, the preparation
of a Risk Management Plan, which is of fundamental importance considering the great
vulnerability of the property’s wooden architecture, and also requests the State Party to
submit the Risk Management Plan for review by the World Heritage Centre and the
Advisory Bodies;
Reiterates its extreme concern and regret, as expressed in its earlier decisions,
particularly Decision 41 COM 7B.59, that the construction of the shopping mall in Castro
was completed without significant modifications to its design and that to date no
mitigation measures have been undertaken or reported, and further requests the State

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 Party to urgently submit the designs and mitigation measures selected following the
planned architectural competition for review by the World Heritage Centre and the
Advisory Bodies, prior to their implementation;
Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 December 2022, 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
46th session.

165. Historic Quarter of the Seaport City of Valparaíso (Chile) (C 959rev)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.165

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
2. Recalling Decision 43 COM 7B.98, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
3. Notes with satisfaction that the Interinstitutional Roundtable for the Interamerican
Development Bank (IDB) Technical Cooperation with the Historic Quarter of the Seaport
City of Valparaíso World Heritage property has been established and has been working
in alongside the IDB’s Technical Cooperation working group in 2019 and 2020, and
requests the State Party to submit information on its further developments and results,
especially on the identification of a management model and implementation strategy and
roadmap, for review by the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies;
4. Encourages the State Party to finalize the Risk Management Plan for the property and
submit it for review by the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies;
5. Notes with appreciation that regional agencies dealing with heritage protection have
been established and that initiatives oriented to restoration and conservation of elevators
and historic buildings are in place;
6. Notes that the National Monuments Council has expressed several observations
regarding the “Improving Accessibility to Valparaíso’s Port” project and that these will
need to be considered by the project’s responsible party before the environmental
evaluation process is finalised, and also requests the State Party to ensure that
appropriate corrective measures are adopted;
7. Also notes the information provided by the State Party on various projects in the buffer
zone and vicinity of the property, and further requests the State Party to submit:
a) Complete information and documentation on the Paseo Barón (formerly Paseo del
Mar) for review by the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies,
b) Information on the progress of the construction process of the Terminal 2 project
and on the implementation of mitigation and compensation measures,
c) Information on any new development project or major intervention that may have
an impact on the OUV of the property before any decision is taken that would be
difficult to reverse, in accordance with Paragraph 172 of the Operational
Guidelines;
8. Requests furthermore the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 December 2022, 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
46th session.

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166. Humberstone and Santa Laura Saltpeter Works (Chile) (C 1178bis)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.166

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B.Add,
Recalling Decision 43 COM 7A.49, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
Welcomes the efforts undertaken for the conservation and sustainable management of
the property, and takes note with satisfaction of the measures carried out by the State
Party to finalize the Management Plan 2021-2025 and pending conservation
measures/actions as addressed in the 2018 ICOMOS Advisory mission report;
Encourages the State Party to continue its efforts to strengthen heritage institutions in
the country’s regions, and to establish a Law on Cultural Heritage with an updated
approach to heritage conservation in order to ensure the conservation of the World
Heritage property;
Requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 December 2022,
an updated report on the state of conservation of the property and the implementation of
the above, for review by the Advisory Bodies.

167. Port, Fortresses and Group of Monuments, Cartagena (Colombia) (C 285)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.167

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decision 43 COM 7B.99, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
Commends the State Party for the advances achieved despite the context of the COVID-
19 pandemic;
Takes note of the efforts of the State Party to strengthen the capacity of local authorities,
particularly the Institute of Heritage and Culture of Cartagena (IPCC), and requests that
these efforts be continued by the State Party;
Also takes note of the implementation of the Special Management and Protection Plan
(PEMP) for the Walled Enclosure and San Felipe Castle since 2018, and encourages
the State Party to continue these efforts;
Regrets that the finalization and approval of the other two PEMPs envisaged for the
property, as well as the delimitation of the property’s boundaries and establishment of
buffer zones, have still not been completed, and urges the State Party to finalize and
approve the PEMPs as an absolute priority;
Also requests the State Party to submit a Minor Boundary Modification in accordance
with Paragraphs 163-164 of the Operational Guidelines to clarify the limits as follow up
to the Retrospective Inventory process and to establish buffer zones, immediately
following the completion and approval of the PEMPs for the property;
Expresses its strong concern regarding the impact of the Aquarela project on the
attributes that sustain the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property, and also
urges the State Party to avoid any further damage and to work towards the demolition of
the existing building as the main mitigation measure;

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 Further requests the State Party to address concerns regarding gentrification and
changing social dynamics, public access to the property, and social appropriation of
heritage in the corresponding PEMPs under development for the property, in order to
protect its integrity;
Requests furthermore the State Party to implement fully the recommendations of the
2017 ICOMOS Advisory mission, giving particular attention to management
effectiveness, management structures, and conservation action plans, including the
preparation of a Conservation Plan for the Historic Centre of Cartagena;
Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 December 2022, 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
46th session.

168. Archaeological Site of Panamá Viejo and Historic District of Panamá (Panama)
(C 790bis)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.168

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decisions 37 COM 8E, 37 COM 7B.100, 40 COM 8B.34, 41 COM 7B.63, and
43 COM 7B.101, adopted at its 37th (Phnom Penh, 2013), 40th (Istanbul/UNESCO,
2016), 41st (Krakow, 2017), and 43rd (Baku, 2019) sessions, respectively,
Welcomes the State Party’s efforts and social initiatives undertaken, including the
Economic Reactivation Plan with the aim to support local communities, and encourages
the authorities to continue its implementation to the extent possible;
Commends the State Party for the renovation of the legal and institutional framework,
and requests the submission of the relevant documentation (texts of the laws) and an
explanation of the impact of these changes on the protection of the property;
Also commends the State Party for its close collaboration with the developers of building
projects, and also encourages the State Party to strengthen this collaboration and
community outreach, especially in view of the legal changes that will entail a more
inclusive heritage protection;
Also requests the State Party to finalize the study of the viewsheds and a visual corridor
analysis for Panama Viejo;
Further requests the State Party to finalize, approve and submit to the World Heritage
Centre for review, together with descriptions of their impact on the property and a
timeframe for their finalization, the following planning tools:
a) The Panama Viejo Landscape Action Plan,
b) The Natural Disaster and Risk Management Plan,
c) The Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Plan,
d) The updated Archaeological Site Management Plan of Panama Viejo,
e) The Land Use Plan for the District of Panama;
Notes with regret that no information has been offered concerning the development and
implementation of a Heritage Impact Assessment procedure as a standard for
interventions on cultural heritage in wider settings, and furthermore requests the State

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 Party to explore its inclusion, for example, in the Land Use Plan for the District of Panama
and the updated Archaeological Site Management Plan of Panama Viejo;
Requests moreover the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 December 2022, 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
46th session.

169. Historic Centre of Lima (Peru) (C 500bis)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.169

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decision 43 COM 7B.102, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
Acknowledges the efforts of the State Party to address the recommendations of the
Committee and of the 2017 Advisory mission, and invites the State Party to continue the
implementation actions that are in progress;
Also acknowledges the training courses and advances to improve Heritage Impact
Assessment (HIA) management and its regulations, but notes with concern that, despite
repeated requests, the HIAs and mitigation measures for the complex transportation
system that is being implemented, which may have a considerable impact on the
Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property, have not been concluded;
Reiterates its request that appropriate HIAs be undertaken for all components located
within the property or its buffer zone and submitted to the World Heritage Centre for
review by the Advisory Bodies once they become available, particularly regarding:
a) The conclusion and mitigation measures for the High-Capacity Segregated
Corridor (COSAC) stations of Ramon Castilla, Tacna, Unión, Colmena, 2 de Mayo,
Quilca, España, Central and Caquetá,
b) The conclusion of the stations of Metro Line 2,
c) The development of the stations of Metro Line 3,
d) The Linea Amarilla road upgrading and extension;
Welcomes the approval of the Master Plan of the Historic Centre 2019-2029 (with a view
to 2035), and the implementation of Interinstitutional Working Groups, and strongly
recommends that the State Party maintain regular working groups that include
stakeholders representing civil organizations from the social, economic and technical
sectors regarding their contribution on the implementation of the Master Plan and the
development of the Historic Centre of Lima and to consider the integration of the Urban
Renewal Programme within an integrated Social-Economic Development Plan;
Notes the development of the Urban Renewal Programme, and requests that the projects
that represent an impact on the property’s OUV are submitted to the World Heritage
Centre for review, such as the project for reconversion of empty lands in the district of
Rimac and the Rimac River Special Landscape Project;
Also notes the ongoing restoration works for Convent San Francisco, also recommends
careful observation of the international preservation and intervention criteria, and also
requests the State Party to submit the final restoration project, as well as the preliminary
project for the enhancement of San Francisco Square, to the World Heritage Centre for
review by the Advisory Bodies;

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 Also welcomes the decision to discard the previous proposal of the cable car to the Cerro
San Cristobal, and further requests the State Party to submit the new proposal and its
HIA to the World Heritage Centre for review, before further development of the project;
Encourages the State Party to submit a Minor Boundary Modification proposal that will
include within the property’s boundaries a number of monuments that are currently
located in its buffer zone, as recommended by the 2017 Advisory mission;
Strongly encourages the State Party to constitute an autonomous authority and, given
its large experience, consider PROLIMA for this role;
Requests furthermore the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 December 2022, 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
46th session.

MIXED PROPERTIES

AFRICA

170. Maloti-Drakensberg Park (Lesotho, South Africa) (C/N 985bis)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.170

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B.Add,
Recalling Decisions 39 COM 7B.33, 41 COM 7B.38 and 43 COM 7B.38, adopted at its
39th (Bonn, 2015), 41st (Krakow, 2017) and 43rd (Baku, 2019) sessions respectively,
Appreciates the confirmation by the States Parties that conservation interventions for the
rock art sites will be limited to addressing immediate and urgent vulnerabilities only, and
the commitment by the State Party of South Africa to undertake Environmental and
Heritage Impact Assessments in line with IUCN and ICOMOS guidelines for the
proposed cableway in the immediate vicinity of the property and for a proposed shale
gas, gas and oil exploration within the newly proposed buffer zone in South Africa, and
to submit the impact assessments to the World Heritage Centre, for review by the
Advisory Bodies before making any decisions that may be difficult to reverse in
accordance with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines;
Takes note that the appeal lodged by the management authority over the petrol filling
station within the property’s buffer zone in South Africa was rejected, but also recalling
the concerns that were raised in relation to the potential negative impacts on the
Outstanding Universal Value (OUV), requests the State Party of South Africa to provide
further details on how the potential impacts of the petrol filling station were mitigated
during construction and the measures that have been put in place during the operational
phase to ensure the continued protection of the OUV;
Reiterates its request to the States Parties to complete the revision of the Joint
Management Plan of the property, using it as an umbrella to harmonize the management
system, to submit the Plan to the World Heritage Centre for review, and to report on its
implementation;

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 Also reiterates its request to the State Party of Lesotho to expedite the finalization of the
Biodiversity Resources Management Bill and to submit a copy to the World Heritage
Centre;
Notes the submission of a request for a Minor Boundary Modification to formalize the
buffer zone to the south of the Sehlabathebe National Park in South Africa, and also
requests the States Parties to formalize this submission with a joint letter by both States
Parties, so that it can be transferred for evaluation by the Advisory Bodies;
Further requests the States Parties to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 December 2022, 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
46th session.

171. Ngorongoro Conservation Area (United Republic of Tanzania) (C/N 39bis)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.171

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B.Add,
Recalling Decision 43 COM 7B.39, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
Welcomes the efforts of the State Party to combat wildlife poaching, the establishment
and maintenance of a digital database for cultural and archaeological sites and attributes,
continued engagement with local communities and support for alternative livelihoods,
and the establishment of a monitoring and evaluation unit in the Ngorongoro
Conservation Area Authority (NCAA) to focus on ensuring compliance of impact
assessment processes;
Also welcomes the development of the work plan for the implementation of the 2017 and
2019 mission recommendations and previous Committee Decisions, but regrets that
activities are only partially represented and that they lack detail on their implementation
status, therefore requests the State Party to revise the work plan to include all
recommendations of previous missions and keep the World Heritage Centre informed of
its progress with implementation;
Also requests the State Party to provide information on the spread of invasive species,
the status of agricultural activities in the property and on its efforts to address these
threats to the property, including through stakeholder awareness-raising;
Reiterates its request to the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre the
feasibility study for the southern bypass route including maps of the considered route
options,
Notes the current suspension of the upgrading of the Lodoare Gate to Golini main road
through the property and also reiterates its request to the State Party to fully implement
the 2017 mission recommendations concerning the road and submit to the World
Heritage Centre, for review by the Advisory Bodies, the action plan to manage road use,
and the results of archaeological investigations and baseline ecological and
environmental data before starting the upgrading works;
Notes with concern the results of the ICOMOS/ICCROM technical review concluding that
the Laetoli Hominin Footprints Museum and proposed new science/education centre
would impact adversely on the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV), further requests the
State Party to define clearer conservation approaches for the footprint site and for the
overall archaeological landscape before any decisions are made on presentation of the

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 footprints or a museum building, and requests furthermore that an update be provided
on progress made;
Requests moreover the State Party to ensure the General Management Plan (GMP) for
the property is finalized in consultation with, and with the free prior and informed consent
as appropriate of local stakeholders and rightsholders, and also reiterates its requests to
the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre the draft GMP for review by the
Advisory Bodies, including:
a) A Cultural Heritage Conservation Strategy, in particular for the palaeo-
anthropological sites, including providing human and financial resources for this
process,
b) Reconsideration of the current compartmentalized approach to the governance of
the property to ensure that the natural and cultural attributes of the property will be
managed, protected and presented in an integrated approach, with a framework
for stakeholder engagement,
c) An Interpretation Strategy for the property with a clear vision to ensure the
protection of the OUV, integrity and authenticity of the property and that contributes
to conservation activity,
d) Integrated policies and guidelines on tourism carrying capacity,
e) Specific monitoring and enforcement mechanisms to ensure compliance with the
conclusions and mitigation measures of validated impact assessment studies,
f) Mechanisms for traffic monitoring, including regulation of speed and driving
behaviour,
g) The proposed Multiple Land Use Model (MLUM) Review;
Reiterates its concern over the continued conflicts with the communities living in the
property, including the challenges resulting from the significant increase in the number
of people residing in the property since its inscription, and considers that there is the
need for an equitably governed consultative process to identify long term sustainable
interdisciplinary solutions to address these issues, with participation of all rightsholders
and stakeholders, consistent with international norms and the policies of the Convention;
Recommends that the State Party invite an Advisory mission by the World Heritage
Centre and the Advisory Bodies to the property to consider, in consultation with the
relevant stakeholders and rightsholders, the proposed review of the MLUM, as well as
the voluntary resettlement scheme, and the zonation of the property, and consider
whether the current approaches are sufficient to address these crucial issues and to
provide advice on the way forward;
Also recalling that the 2019 mission noted concerns for the cumulative and gradual
intensification of threats to the OUV of the property, further reiterates its request to the
State Party to undertake a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) to evaluate the
current and future impacts of developments across all sectors in the region, including the
property and the Serengeti ecosystem so that the findings can inform management, and
submit the SEA to the World Heritage Centre for review by the Advisory Bodies;
Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 December
2022, 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
46th session.

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 LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN

172. Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu (Peru) (C/N 274)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.172

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B.Add,
Recalling Decisions 37 COM 7B.35, 39 COM 7B.36, 41 COM 7B.36 and 43 COM 7B.37,
adopted at its 37th (Phnom Penh, 2013), 39th (Bonn, 2015), 41st (Krakow, 2017) and
43rd (Baku, 2019) sessions respectively,
Welcomes the development of strategic management documents for the property,
including a Comprehensive Strategy of the Amazonian Access and a Strategic Vision for
the future management of the Historic Sanctuary of Machu Picchu/National
Archeological Park of Machu Picchu (SHM-PANM);
Noting the planned approval of a new Master Plan for the property in 2021 and the need
for a new SHM Public Use Plan for 2022, requests the State Party to ensure their
development is effectively harmonized with existing strategies, visions, operational
plans, regulations and sanction measures, and to ensure their effective implementation
to protect and manage the cultural and natural heritage of the property;
Also welcomes the completion of the review of the 2015 carrying capacity study and the
setting of visitor limits based on the defined carrying capacity to preserve the Outstanding
Universal Value (OUV) of the property, and also requests the State Party to implement
measures to effectively manage visitation, in line with the carrying capacity to ensure the
OUV of the property;
Also welcomes the information on the new Visitor Centre and encourages the State Party
to finalize the Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) and the Environmental Impact
Assessment (EIA), and to continue the information campaign in order to gain the support
of the local population;
Also noting the development of the International Airport Chinchero-Cusco 60 km from
the property, further requests the State Party to ensure that the potential impacts of all
infrastructure developments, including indirect and cumulative impacts such as
increased tourism pressure, are appropriately assessed, in line with ICOMOS and IUCN
impact assessment guidance documents, and also that visitation to the property is
regulated based on the established carrying capacity of the property;
Requests furthermore the State Party to undertake the Studies on Alternative
Transportation to the Ilaqta based on the established carrying capacity and OUV of the
property, prior to any decisions regarding new transportation projects;
Reiterates its request for the State Party to ensure that any major infrastructure transport
project, such as airports, railways, cable cars, tunnels and roads, are rigorously
assessed at an early stage of planning in terms of their impact on the property’s OUV,
on its wider setting and on the proposed future Machu Picchu-Choquequirao Biosphere
Reserve, and that the corresponding Heritage Impact Assessments (HIAs) of the projects
be submitted for review by the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies before
any projects are approved or works undertaken;
Notes further progress towards a proposal for a Machu Picchu-Choquequirao Biosphere
Reserve and also encourages the State Party to continue this process when COVID-19
conditions allow;

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 Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 December 2022, 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
46th session.

NATURAL PROPERTIES

AFRICA

173. Dja Faunal Reserve (Cameroon) (N 407)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.173

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B.Add,
Recalling decisions 33 COM 7B.1, 34 COM 7B.1, 35 COM 7B.1, 36 COM 7B.1, 40 COM
7B.79 and 43 COM 7B.29 adopted at its 33rd (Seville, 2009), 34th (Brasilia, 2010), 35th
(UNESCO, 2011), 36th (Saint Petersburg, 2012), 40th (Istanbul/UNESCO, 2016) and
43rd (Baku, 2019) sessions respectively;
Welcomes the efforts made by the State Party and its partners to improve the efficiency
of the management of the property;
Thanks the donors who continue to support the conservation of the property, in particular
the European Commission through the Central African World Heritage Forest Initiative
(CAWHFI) and the Government of Norway through its contribution to the World Heritage
Fund;
Reiterates its greatest concern at the low numbers of characteristic species of the
Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property and the persisting signs of poaching
within the property, and requests the State Party to intensify surveillance efforts, law
enforcement of wildlife crime, community awareness and popularization of community
alternatives to poaching, and initiate a new wildlife census no later than 2023 by
considering the same methodological approach as in 2018 to assess trends in these
flagship populations;
Welcomes the efforts undertaken to implement the recommendations of the UNESCO
advisory mission to assess the impacts of the activities of the Sud-Cameroun Hévéa
company (SUDCAM) on the property, and urges the State Party to ensure that SUDCAM
continues to implement sustainable and responsible production standards in the rubber
sector, in particular independent certification of the latex processing plant in order to
comply with international environmental standards;
Expresses its great concern regarding the conclusions of the UNESCO advisory mission
on the Mekin hydroelectric dam according to which the Environmental and Social Impact
Assessments (ESIA) did not consider all of the infrastructure related to the project and
were not undertaken in accordance with the IUCN World Heritage Advice Note on
Environmental Assessment, and that the construction of the dam has generated
significant environmental damage; and urges the State Party to implement all the
recommendations of this mission;

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 Takes note of the finalization of the Development Plan (2020-2024) for the property and
its peripheral zone, and reiterates its request to create a buffer zone for the property, in
consultation with the local populations and the various entities involved, in line with the
recommendation of the International Advisory Council on Biosphere Reserves to include
the rural complexes and forest concessions which adjoin most of the property, as well
as the classification of the concession returned by SUDCAM in the forest domain of the
State while observing sustainable usage regimes;
Also urges the State Party and its partners to continue efforts to maintain ecological
connectivity with the other protected areas of the Dja-Odzala-Minkébé tri-national
landscape (TRIDOM) in order to guarantee the long-term integrity of the property, in
particular through the implementation of the tentative agreement to take into account the
migration corridors of large mammals in the process of drawing up the Regional Planning
and Sustainable Development Scheme (SRADDT) for the South and East Regions, and
development plans and environmental and social management plans (ESMP) of private
sector operators crossed by the corridors;
Notes with concern that no information has been provided on the status of the GEOVIC
mining project in the vicinity of the property, reiterates its request to the State Party not
to authorize this project before an evaluation of its potential impacts on the OUV of the
property, in accordance with the IUCN World Heritage Advice Note on Environmental
Assessment, and reiterates its request to the State Party to transmit all available
documents relating to this project to the World Heritage Centre for consideration by
IUCN;
Expresses concern about the proliferation of development projects near the property, in
particular the Integrated Development and Planning Programme of the Dja Mining Loop
and the Adjacent Border Area (PADI-DJA) and further urges the State Party to ensure
that no exploration or mining permits around the property are granted without carrying
out an Environmental and Social Impact Assessment, to finalize the Strategic and Social
Environmental Evaluation (SSEE) confirmed in Decision 40 COM 7B.79 as well as the
SRADDT of the South and East Regions, and submit them to the World Heritage Centre
for examination by IUCN;
Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 February 2022, 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
45th session.

174. Sangha Trinational (Cameroon, Central African Republic, Congo) (N 1380rev)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.174

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B.Add,
Recalling Decision 43 COM 7B.30, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
Welcomes the efforts made by the States Parties and their partners with a view to
improving management efficiency through the consolidation of transboundary
cooperation, the updating of the development plans for the components of the property,
the harmonization of management and surveillance tools, capacity building of
surveillance teams as well as monitoring of legal proceedings;
Warmly welcomes the continuation of dialogue with indigenous and local populations,
the training of personnel responsible for the application of the law in the issues of human

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 rights and the rights of indigenous peoples, the establishment of several legal and
operational provisions. for the recognition of their rights as well as their involvement in
the management of the property, and taking note of the concerns raised in the
independent review of human rights issues launched by WWF International, requests
the States Parties to ensure that any concerns are addressed in accordance with
relevant international standards, the World Heritage and Sustainable Development
Policy, and taking into account the recommendations of the independent review;
Notes with concern the decrease in patrol efforts due in part to the impact of the COVID-
19 pandemic and the persistence of illegal activities, including poaching, gold panning
and illegal logging, and also requests the States Parties to continue current efforts to
protect mammal species, to strengthen its actions to eliminate any illegal activity within
the property and to ensure the ecological restoration of degraded sites;
Further requests the States Parties to harmonize the census of animal populations in
order to obtain, in accordance with the scale of the property, precise and comparable
data over time on the characteristic species of Outstanding Universal Value (OUV);
Also welcomes the decision of the non-renewal of the three mining permits by the State
Party of Cameroon in the buffer zone, expresses its concern with regard to the reported
creation, with the support of the United States Agency for International Development
(USAID), of an artisanal mining area near the property in the Central African Republic,
and while noting the clarification from the Embassy of the United States of America that
the project is located outside the buffer zone of the property and aims to reduce the
pressure on the protected areas, further requests the State Party of the Central African
Republic to urgently clarify the potential impacts of this project on the OUV of the
property;
Recalls its established position on the fact that oil and gas exploration and / or
exploitation are incompatible with World Heritage status, a policy supported by the
commitments made by industry leaders, such as Shell and Total, not to undertake such
activities at World Heritage properties, and also urges the State Party of Congo to
immediately cancel any petroleum permits that would encroach on the property;
Notes the status quo of the development project of the waterway for navigation on the
Sangha and further requests the States Parties not to undertake this activity without a
full Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) being carried out in accordance with the
IUCN World Heritage Advice Note: Environmental Assessment, and submitted to the
World Heritage Committee before any project approval;
Regrets that the States Parties have not provided any information concerning the EIA of
the Ouesso-Bangui road and the state of progress of the said project, and reiterates its
request to the States Parties to ensure that the construction of the road does not begin
until the EIA is completed and submitted to the World Heritage Centre for review by
IUCN;
Also welcomes the commitment of the States Parties to define strategic guidelines to
minimize the effects of forestry activities on ecological connectivity and encourages the
States Parties to promote certification that minimizes the impacts on biodiversity of all
forest concessions in the area;
Reiterates its deep concern regarding the potential impacts on the OUV of the property
by the two concessions in the buffer zone in the Central African Republic, and further
requests the State Party of the Central African Republic to submit to the World Heritage
Committee EIAs evaluating adequately the potential impacts of concessions for
consideration, in accordance with IUCN World Heritage Advice Note: Environmental
Assessment, and to prioritize certification of the two concessions;
Also requests the States Parties to continue to implement all the recommendations of
the 2016 reactive monitoring mission;

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 Finally requests the States Parties to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 December 2022, 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
46th session.

175. Kenya Lake System in the Great Rift Valley (Kenya) (N 1060rev)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.175

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decisions 35 COM 8B.6, 39 COM 7B.5, 41 COM 7B.21 and 43 COM 7B.33,
adopted at its 35th (UNESCO, 2011), 39th (Bonn, 2015), 41st (Krakow, 2017) and 43rd
(Baku, 2019) sessions respectively,
Notes with concern the impacts of the unusually high water levels in all components of
the property, which is attributed to heavy rainfall, potentially as a result of climate change
and exacerbated by the increasing deforestation, sewage loads and degradation of the
catchments, and requests the State Party to monitor the impact on the Outstanding
Universal Value (OUV) of the property and to consider potential adaptation measures
and to develop a wastewater management strategy;
Welcomes the finalization of the Lake Bogoria National Reserve Management Plan
2019-2029, developed through wide community participation including with the Endorois
Welfare Council, but also notes with concern the proposed zonation scheme, which could
permit the construction of ecolodges along approximately half of the lake’s shoreline and
allow any type of visitor facility in the reserve’s buffer zone, and reiterates its request to
the State Party to develop and implement strict and clear regulations to prohibit
developments in close proximity to fragile habitats and in the critical buffer zone to the
property;
Notes with appreciation the State Party’s work to redefine the boundaries of Lake
Elementaita Wildlife Sanctuary to ensure the inclusion of riparian habitat in response to
the lake level rise, in consultation with the community and stakeholders, and its
commitment to developing a proposal for a minor boundary modification;
Specifically recalling Decision 35 COM 8B.6 requesting the State Party to improve the
ecological connectivity between the Lake Nakuru and Elementaita components through
wildlife corridors such as the Soysambu Conservancy, encourages the State Party to
strongly consider the possible extension and formalization of the buffer zone between
Lakes Elementaita and Nakuru to restore connectivity and further strengthen their
protection, in consultation with local stakeholders and rights-holders;
Also requests the State Party to integrate any changes or findings from the boundary
modification exercise in the revision of the management plans for Lake Elementaita
Wildlife Sanctuary and Lake Nakuru National Park, and also ensure sensitive areas are
protected from developments;
Also reiterates its request to the State Party to ensure a co-ordinated management
system of the three components of the property in accordance with Paragraph 114 of the
Operational Guidelines;
Further notes with concern that the construction of the Olkaria-Lessos-Kisumu power
transmission line proposed near Lake Elementaita has proceeded while there remains
significant concern for the potential impacts of the project on the OUV of the property,
urges the State Party to halt any further development of the transmission line until the

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 African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA) on-the-spot appraisal mission has taken
place and its recommendations made available, and encourages the State Party to
continue its consultation with the Secretariat of AEWA, the World Heritage Centre and
IUCN in addressing this issue;
Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 February 2022, 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
45th session.

176. iSimangaliso Wetland Park (South Africa) (N 914)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.176

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B.Add,
Recalling Decisions CONF 209 VIII.A.1, 27 COM 7B.6 and 28 COM 15B.5, respectively
adopted at its 23rd (Marrakesh, 1999), 27th (UNESCO, 2003) and 28th (Suzhou, 2004)
sessions,
Noting with concern the clearing and burning of swamp forests for subsistence
agriculture in the property, requests the State Party to continue to monitor the situation
and to continue its dialogue with the local communities to resolve outstanding issues and
to ensure that no further damage takes place;
Also noting with concern the significant drop in average water levels in Lake Sibaya since
the time of inscription, welcomes the reported efforts to develop a holistic approach to
mitigate water loss in Lake Sibaya system in consultation with all stakeholders, and also
requests the State Party to assess the effectiveness of these efforts and strengthen its
management responses where considered necessary;
Also welcomes the reported objection of the management authority to the proposed
prospective mining and offshore exploratory drilling activities outside of the property, and
further requests the State Party to ensure any activity that has the potential to negatively
impact on the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property is subject to an
Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), undertaken in line with the IUCN World
Heritage Advice Note on Environmental Assessment, to inform decision-making;
Also recalling that ecological restoration is an important management objective of the
Lake St. Lucia Estuary and key to maintaining the property’s OUV, notes with concern
that the artificial breaching of the estuary in January 2021 departs from the management
plan and scientific advice, and further welcomes the decision to commission an
independent Panel of Experts that will review all the relevant studies, recommendations
and decisions taken in relation to the breaching of Lake St. Lucia Estuary mouth, and
urges the State Party to ensure that the work of this Panel be guided by the objective of
protecting the OUV of the property and submit the findings of the Panel to the World
Heritage Centre;
Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 February 2022, 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
45th session.

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177. Mosi-oa-Tunya / Victoria Falls (Zambia, Zimbabwe) (N 509)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.177

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B.Add,
Recalling Decisions 18 COM IX, 41 COM 7B.22 and 43 COM 7B.34, adopted
respectively in its 18th (Phuket, 1994), 41st (Baku, 2019) and 43rd (Krakow, 2017)
sessions,
Welcomes the further progress of the two States Parties in strengthening the joint
management of the transboundary property, including the organisation of joint patrols
and monitoring, and the continued efforts to control the invasive alien plant species;
Notes its utmost concern over the increasing tourism infrastructure development
pressure within and around the property, including the start of the construction of the
Mosi-oa-Tunya Livingstone Resort Hotel within the buffer zone of the property, contrary
to its request to abandon the proposal, urges the States Parties to halt further activities
until further consultation with the World Heritage Centre and IUCN has taken place, all
relevant Environmental and Social Impact Assessments (ESIAs) have been submitted
to the World Heritage Centre and reviewed by IUCN, and the potential impacts of the
infrastructure developments on the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property
have been adequately assessed;
Notes with concern the likely negative impacts of the Batoka Gorge Hydro Electric
Scheme (BGHES) on the OUV, also urges the State Party to not proceed if the proposal
will encroach on the property or has the potential to impact on the OUV, and reiterates
its request to the States Parties to submit the completed ESIA to the World Heritage
Centre for review by IUCN before making any decisions on the project;
Requests the States Parties to provide details of the planned Strategic Environmental
Assessment (SEA), including its scope, to the World Heritage Centre, and strongly
encourages the States Parties to seek early inputs and technical guidance from IUCN in
undertaking the SEA;
Also requests the States Parties to provide a summary of the key findings of the analysis
undertaken earlier on the water flow, rainfall and upstream activity data in order to inform
management, and the measures subsequently taken to ensure water abstraction from
the Zambezi River continues to be adapted in the face of climate change;
Takes note that the joint World Heritage Centre/IUCN Reactive Monitoring mission could
not take place due to the COVID-19 restrictions but that the States Parties have invited
the mission, and further requests that the mission takes place as soon as possible in
order to assess the potential threat posed to the property’s OUV by the growing tourism
development pressure in and around the property, the potential impacts of BGHES, to
review the regulations to control this pressure and to make recommendations to the
Committee on the proposed boundary modification;
Requests furthermore the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 February 2022, 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
45th session.

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178. Mana Pools National Park, Sapi and Chewore Safari Areas (Zimbabwe) (N 302)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.178

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B.Add,
Recalling Decision 42 COM 7B.97 adopted at its 42nd session (Manama, 2018),
Welcomes the State Party’s continued actions to further strengthen its anti-poaching
measures, including through the sufficient resourcing for the mobilisation of its operation
units, ongoing collaboration with the State Party of Zambia, community involvement
initatives, and the further expansion of the use of Spatial Monitoring and Reporting Tool
(SMART);
Takes note that data from satellite collaring of elephants to track their movements have
shown that they are not crossing over into Zambia and that these findings are being
further examined, requests the State Party to ensure the outcomes inform future
management of elephants and the property, and to keep the World Heritage Centre
informed of its progress;
Reiterates its request to the State Party to:
a) Report on the outcomes of habitat surveys, and provide data on poaching and
other available conservation indicators,
b) Complete the review of the General Management Plan, and submit it to the World
Heritage Centre once it is available, for review by IUCN,
c) Keep the World Heritage Centre informed of its progress in finalizing the
Memorandum of Understanding for the Lower Zambezi-Mana Pools National Parks
Trans-Frontier Conservation Area, and to request technical advice from the World
Heritage Centre and IUCN as needed;
Also recalling that the State Party had previously reported its decision to suspend
commercial sport hunting from not only Sapi Safari Area and the northern part of
Chewore Safari Area, but also from the buffer zone to promote the recovery of wildlife
species, also reiterates its request to the State Party to clarify the extent of the area
referred to as the buffer zone, which has not yet been formally adopted by the
Committee;
Also takes note of the locations of the tourism concessions and also requests the State
Party to ensure that all proposals are subject to an Environmental Impact Assessment
(EIA) in line with IUCN World Heritage Advice Note on Environmental Assessment,
including a specific assessment of impacts on the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV)
of the property and the EIA submitted to the World Heritage Centre, for review by IUCN
before approval of the projects;
Reiterates its concern that the proposed Kangaluwi and Chisawa opencast mine in
Lower Zambezi National Park could have serious impact on the OUV of the property and
urges once again the State Party of Zambia to provide an update to the World Heritage
Centre on the status of the mining project and not to go forward with this project, in line
with its Decision 38 COM 7B.97;
Further reiterates its request to the State Party to continue to uphold its commitment to
ensure regular monitoring of the effectiveness of the environmental and monitoring plans
of the Vine Camp lodge, and to report to the World Heritage Centre on the monitoring
and mitigation activities;

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 Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 December 2022, 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
46th session.

ARAB STATES

179. Sanganeb Marine National Park and Dungonab Bay – Mukkawar Island Marine
National Park (Sudan) (N 262rev)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.179

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decision 42 COM 7B.99, adopted at its 42nd session (Manama, 2018),
Welcomes the finalization and adoption of the Integrated Management Plan (IMP) for the
property by the Wildlife Conservation General Administration, however regrets that its
implementation has been delayed due to financial constraints and COVID-19-related
closure of the property, and requests the State Party to submit the finalized IMP to the
World Heritage Centre, and ensure its implementation, including to secure adequate
funding, as soon as possible;
Also recalling the reported activities of international dive operators causing damage to
coral reefs, disturbance to wildlife, and negative impacts on visitor experience, also
welcomes the progress made to establish formal rules and regulations for dive operators,
fines, and awareness raising activities in consultation with local dive operators and
stakeholders, and also requests the State Party to continue its efforts, including by:
a) Establishing a clear code of conduct for diving operations in the property,
b) Establishing effective communication with dive operators, both national and
international, to raise awareness about the established rules and regulations and
encourage best practice in line with international standards,
c) Establishing appropriate mechanisms, such a licensing system, to avoid violations,
d) Ensuring regular patrolling to monitor any vessels operating within either
component of the property;
Notes with appreciation the various expert workshops held in 2018 and 2019, and
encourages the State Party to implement the expertise shared and to continue building
the management capacity for the property through training and knowledge exchange
opportunities;
Also notes with appreciation the planned declaration of Sha'ab Roumi as Sudan's third
Marine Protected Area (MPA) and the intention to propose this for inclusion as part of
the property, and reiterates that any proposed extensions should follow the appropriate
procedures for boundary modification and/or re-nomination as per the Operational
Guidelines, and also encourages the State Party to seek technical advice from IUCN if
required;
Also regrets that the State Party has not provided further information on the reported
permissions given by the Red Sea State for the development of a resort inside the limits
of the property, and urges the State Party to provide information on this issue, and to

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 inform the World Heritage Centre of any intention to undertake or authorize new
constructions which may affect the Outstanding Universal Value of the property, before
making any decision that would be difficult to reverse, in accordance with Paragraph 172
of the Operational Guidelines;
Further requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 December 2022, 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
46th session.

ASIA-PACIFIC

180. Greater Blue Mountains Area (Australia) (N 917)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.180

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B.Add,
Recalling Decision 43 COM 7B.2, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
Expresses its utmost concern about the unprecedented fires that affected large parts of
the property and significantly impacted some areas and habitats, and commends the
State Party for its immediate fire-fighting responses, including those targeting specific
attributes of the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property, such as the Wollemi
pine stands;
Welcomes the information provided by the State Party regarding the immediate
management responses to the 2019-2020 bushfires, including the assessment of direct
and indirect impacts, plans for longer-term actions and the consideration of funding
commitments to ensure long-term recovery, and requests the State Party to submit to
the World Heritage Centre, for review by IUCN, an update on the process of assessing
the impacts of fires on the OUV of the property and its recovery prospects, as soon as
this significant information has been collated;
Takes note of the information provided by the State Party regarding the ongoing
preparation of the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the project proposal to raise
the Warragamba Dam wall, reiterates its request to the State Party to ensure, in line with
its commitments, that the current process to prepare the EIS fully assesses all potential
impacts on the OUV of the property and its other values, including Aboriginal cultural
heritage, and also requests the State Party to thoroughly assess whether raising the wall
could exacerbate bushfire impacts on the property and affect the medium- and longer-
term recovery prospects of key species and habitats within the predicted temporary
inundation areas, and to submit the EIS to the World Heritage Centre, for review by
IUCN, prior to its final approval;
Notes the initiation of an assessment of the cumulative impacts of existing and planned
mining projects in the vicinity of the property, including a specific assessment of all
stressors that present a risk to the property’s OUV, and the confirmation regarding the
development of the airspace and flight path design for the Western Sydney Airport and
its subsequent environmental assessment, and further requests the State Party to submit
the results of these processes to the World Heritage Centre, for review by IUCN, as soon
as they become available;

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 Also welcomes the continued development of a revised Strategic Plan for the property
and the confirmation that this plan will undergo consultation with the Aboriginal
communities and be subject to the necessary environmental assessment, and also
reiterates its request to the State Party to ensure that potential threats to the property
from activities outside its boundaries, in particular mining activities, are fully considered
in the development of this management framework;
Encourages the State Party to consult IUCN for advice on the development of the EIS
planning documents prior to their finalisation, as well as on the development of longer-
term bushfire recovery plans for the property’s OUV;
Also recalling Decision 41 COM 7, adopted at its 41st session (Krakow, 2017), which
reiterated the importance of States Parties undertaking the most ambitious
implementation of the Paris Agreement of the United Nations Framework Convention on
Climate Change (UNFCCC), notes with concern that climate change is recognized as an
increasing threat to the property, and further welcomes the efforts of the State Party to
develop an understanding of projected changes resulting from climate change in relation
to the property’s OUV and to strengthen climate and disaster resilience;
Appreciates the efforts made through the Royal Commission into National Natural
Disaster Arrangements to look at lessons learned, develop recommendations on how to
strengthen emergency management as well as climate and natural disaster risk
reduction, and to implement reforms based on experience, and also encourages the
State Party to share the lessons learned with other States Parties to the Convention
facing similar threats, promoting knowledge exchange on fire management strategies at
natural World Heritage properties;
Requests furthermore the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 December 2022, 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
46th session.

181. South China Karst (China) (N 1248bis)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.181

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decision 43 COM 7B.4 adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
Welcomes the State Party’s continued progress towards an integrated, coordinated
management system for the property, including the ongoing implementation of the 2016-
2025 Conservation and Management Plan of South China Karst World Natural Heritage
Site (CMP-SCK) and the positive results reported to date;
Notes with appreciation the measures taken by the State Party to address any negative
impact on the buffer zone of the Libo Karst component from the Guiyang-Nanning High-
speed Railway, currently under construction, but reiterates its request to the State Party
to address potential impacts of the project, including invasive alien species, on the
Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property;
Noting that tourism is a major source of income for local communities, including
Wukeshu, requests the State Party to ensure the sustainable development of the tourism
industry at the property, which mitigates the potential for negative impacts on the
property’s OUV;

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 Also notes with appreciation that a visitor carrying capacity was established for the
property and that the operation of the Guiyang-Nanning High-speed Railway will be
managed within these limits, and also requests the State Party to ensure that the
distribution of visitor pressure is monitored and sustainably managed;
Also welcomes the efforts to formulate strict working procedures in order to positively
engage with local communities during relocation programmes in Wukeshu Village and
the State Party’s commitment to adhering to the 2015 Policy Document on the Integration
of a Sustainable Development Perspective into the Processes of the World Heritage
Convention and other relevant international standards in case of any future relocation;
Encourages the State Party to seek advice from the UNESCO World Heritage and
Sustainable Tourism Programme and prepare a Sustainable Tourism and Development
Strategy for the property, for review by the World Heritage Centre and IUCN;
Further requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 December 2022, an updated report on the state of conservation of the property and
the implementation of the above, for review by the Advisory Bodies.

182. Three Parallel Rivers of Yunnan Protected Area (China) (N 1083bis)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.182

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decisions 37 COM 7B.12 and 43 COM 7B.5, adopted at its 37th (Phnom Penh,
2013) and 43rd (Baku, 2019) sessions respectively,
Appreciates the clarification of the institutional responsibilities for ecological restoration
in post-mining sites and the development of new plans and guidelines for
implementation, and requests the State Party to provide more details on the active and
passive restoration measures which are being taken, to seek further advice from IUCN
to facilitate natural regeneration in high altitudes, and to ensure that adequate
surveillance and law enforcement measures are applied to prevent any reoccurrence of
illegal mining activities;
Urges the State Party to further improve and finalise the Strategic Environmental
Assessment (SEA), in line with international best practices and the IUCN World Heritage
Advice Note on Environmental Assessment, and to ensure that the SEA includes an
assessment of indirect and cumulative impacts of both the upstream and downstream
catchments of Nujiang, Lancang and Jinsha Rivers, so that the results can inform
management and decision making for future developments;
Noting the State Party’s request for further advice on the improvement and finalisation
of the SEA, encourages the State Party to invite an IUCN Advisory mission to that effect;
Welcomes the progress achieved at the national and provincial levels to strengthen
environmental protection and promote sustainable development, but reiterates its
requests to expedite the development of the Conservation Management Plan (CMP) and
Management Effectiveness Assessment (MEA) system in line with the recommendations
of the 2013 Reactive Monitoring mission, and requests the State Party to submit the
updated draft CMP to the World Heritage Centre for review by IUCN;
Urgently requests the State Party to also implement the other recommendations of the
2013 IUCN Reactive Monitoring mission, and specifically to establish a monitoring
system for all mining and prospecting activities between the Hong Shan and the Haba

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 Snow Mountain components of the property in order to understand risks and impacts,
particularly with regard to landscape connectivity and wildlife;
Notes with concern the possible direct, indirect and cumulative impacts on the property’s
Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the proposed power transmission line project
through the Gaoligongshan National Nature Reserve component of the property, and
also recalling the recommendation of the 2013 Reactive Monitoring mission to avoid the
construction of transmission infrastructure within the property and its buffer zones, also
requests the State Party to explore an alternative option that will not impact the OUV of
the property;
Further requests the State Party to ensure the development of a holistic plan on power
generation and electricity transmission that ensures the protection of the property’s OUV;
Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 December 2022, 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
46th session.

183. Wulingyuan Scenic and Historic Interest Area (China) (N 640)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.183

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decision 43 COM 7B.6, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
Welcomes the State Party’s ongoing efforts to manage impacts on the property, including
integrated water management, and its commitment towards effective protection and
management measures in the future;
Notes the updated information that the infrastructure projects approved and undertaken
to date by the State Party relate to minor improvements to existing facilities, and
therefore do not appear to pose a threat to the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of
the property;
Also notes that no new road has been constructed within the property since 2015, but
recalls its previously expressed concern that road construction continues to be allowed
in principle, and therefore requests the State Party to confirm that no new road
development will be permitted within the property in the future;
Regrets that the State Party did not submit the 2005-2020 Overall Plan of Wulingyuan
Scenic and Historic Interest Area and reiterates its request to the State Party to submit
the revised draft Overall Plan to the World Heritage Centre for review by IUCN as soon
as it is available;
Also welcomes the finalisation of the Sustainable Tourism and Development Strategy of
the property, in line with the conclusions and suggestions provided through a pilot study
on World Heritage and Sustainable Tourism in Wulingyuan, commissioned by the World
Heritage Centre and implemented by the World Heritage Institute of Training and
Research for the Asia and the Pacific Region (WHITR-AP/Shanghai), a Category 2
Centre under the auspices of UNESCO;
Also recalls that visitation numbers to the property were increasing every year prior to
the COVID-19 pandemic, and also requests the State Party to provide information on
how clear and quantifiable tourism carrying capacity limits will be established in the

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 Overall Plan and how they will be implemented, in order to ensure visitation does not
negatively impact the property once the tourism market recovers at the property;
Also recalling its request that the State Party ensure that any relocation programme is
implemented in line with the 2015 Policy Document on the Integration of a Sustainable
Development Perspective into the Processes of the World Heritage Convention and that
effective consultation, fair compensation, access to social benefits and skills training,
and the preservation of cultural rights are guaranteed, notes with appreciation the State
Party’s efforts to positively engage with local communities;
Further requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 December 2022, an updated report on the state of conservation of the property and
the implementation of the above, for review by the Advisory Bodies.

184. Great Himalayan National Park Conservation Area (India) (N 1406rev)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.184

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decisions 38 COM 8B.7, 40 COM 7B.88 and 43 COM 7B.8, adopted at its
38th (Doha, 2014), 40th (Istanbul/UNESCO, 2016) and 43rd (Baku, 2019) sessions
respectively,
Welcomes the State Party’s continued commitment to significantly enlarging the property
and encourages the State Party to increase its efforts to entitle the necessary status and
designations to the protected areas considered for inclusion in the extension in order to
advance the process;
Acknowledges the efforts to ensure the meaningful involvement of local stakeholders in
the governance and management of the property, and reiterates its request to the State
Party to ensure that this involvement is also secured in the process of enlarging the
property;
Also reiterates its request to the State Party to conduct an assessment of the impacts
from existing resource use on the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property, in
particular grazing and the collection of medicinal plants, to help establish a basis for
decision making;
Requests the State Party to provide an update on the current status of livestock grazing
in Tirthan Wildlife Sanctuary and plans to phase out grazing, in light of the decision not
to re-categorise the wildlife sanctuary as a national park;
Appreciates the positive results of the Management Effectiveness Evaluation (MEE) for
the Great Himalayan National Park (GHNP), Sainj and Tirthan Wildlife Sanctuaries and
also requests the State Party to fully address the management deficiencies identified in
the 2018-2019 MEE Report, especially in relation to the immense human pressure in the
Wildlife Sanctuaries, and the absence of systematic wildlife monitoring across the
property;
Also welcomes the development of a technical assessment of the Hindu Kush Himalaya
as defined by the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD),
in support of Decision 38 COM 8B.7, through collaboration between the States Parties,
ICIMOD, IUCN and other partners, and recommends that this be made widely available
upon publication and considered by the relevant States Parties with a view to identifying
potential areas for nomination to the World Heritage List in this region, including potential

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 serial nominations/extensions, possibly by making use of upstream advice as defined in
the Operational Guidelines;
Considering the lack of sufficient information on a large number of issues, further
requests the State Party and managers of the property to engage in dialogue and
consultation with the World Heritage Centre and IUCN in 2021 in order to consider the
implementation of the present decision, virtually or in person as the situation allows;
Requests furthermore the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 December 2023, an updated and comprehensive 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.

185. Manas Wildlife Sanctuary (India) (N 338)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.185

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decisions 35 COM 7A.13, 36 COM 7B.10, 41 COM 8B.36 and 43 COM 7B.7,
adopted at its 35th (UNESCO, 2011), 36th (Saint Petersburg, 2012), 41st (Krakow, 2017)
and 43rd (Baku, 2019) sessions respectively,
Commends the State Party for its continued efforts against poaching and the absence of
any reported rhino poaching since 2017, and notes with satisfaction that the rhino
population continues to grow;
Notes with concern that poaching and other wildlife crime still persist within the property,
and requests the State Party to continue implementing anti-poaching measures and
scaling up such efforts, where possible and necessary;
Reiterates its concern that agricultural encroachment remains a serious threat to the
integrity of the property, despite the State Party’s actions, and also requests the State
Party to strengthen its efforts to identify long-term solutions to address this issue and
respect the social, economic and cultural rights of indigenous peoples and local
communities and improve their livelihoods, in line with the 2015 Policy Document on the
Integration of a Sustainable Development Perspective into the Processes of the World
Heritage Convention;
Welcomes the progress made by the State Party towards the finalization of an Action
Plan for sustainable management of the grassland-woodland ecosystems and the
implementation of a scientific habitat management protocol on the ground, and urges the
State Party to finalize and implement the Action Plan as soon as possible in order to
prevent further spread of invasive species, as noted by the Committee in Decision
43 COM 7B.7;
Also commends the States Parties of India and Bhutan for their enhanced cooperation
to better protect flagship species moving across national boundaries between the
property and the adjacent Royal Manas National Park, and further requests the States
Parties to further strengthen their cooperation;
Reiterates the importance of the conservation of the larger landscape for the integrity
and long-term viability of the property, notably to increase its adaptability to climate
change, and reiterates its encouragement to the State Party to:
a) Submit a revised proposal for the extension of the property that does not include
any established cropland or permanently encroached areas within the nominated

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 property and to include full details on the relationships with stakeholders and/or
rights-holders related to the cropland areas within Manas National Park,
b) Conduct, with the State Party of Bhutan, a joint feasibility study on a possible
transboundary extension of the property, in line with the aforementioned decisions;
Deeply regrets that, despite its repeated requests since 2012, the State Party of Bhutan
has not provided information on the status of the Mangdechhu hydroelectric project nor
submitted a copy of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) to address the project’s
potentially significant impact on the property’s Outstanding Universal Value (OUV), notes
with utmost concern that the project has already been completed, and also deeply
regrets that the State Party of India did not inform the Committee of the project prior to
its implementation, despite the provisions of Paragraph 172 of the Operational
Guidelines;
Also urges the States Parties of India and Bhutan to:
a) Submit as soon as possible a copy of the EIA for the Mangdechhu hydroelectric
project to the World Heritage Centre for review by IUCN, which should include an
assessment of the project’s impact on the property’s OUV, notably its integrity,
b) Provide details on the Environmental Management Plan (EMP) and the measures
taken to ensure that any impact on the OUV is being avoided, for review by IUCN,
c) Report on the implementation of the EMP and the monitoring of potential impacts
on the OUV of the property;
Requests furthermore the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 December 2022, 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
46th session.

186. Shiretoko (Japan) (N 1193)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.186

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decisions 41 COM 7B.30 and 43 COM 7B.10, adopted at its 41st (Krakow,
2017) and 43rd (Baku, 2019) sessions respectively,
Welcomes the national focus on climate change adaptation through the enactment of the
2018 Climate Change Adaptation Act, which will facilitate the development of an adaptive
management strategy for the property, and requests the State Party to submit the final
strategy to the World Heritage Centre for review by IUCN and to ensure that full support
is provided for its implementation and the ongoing protection of the Outstanding
Universal Value (OUV) of the property;
Also welcomes the continued cooperation between the States Parties of Japan and the
Russian Federation to survey the Western Steller Sea Lion population, reiterates its
concern however regarding the ongoing culling of the sea lions, given the continued
absence of population data, and therefore urges the States Parties to accelerate the
development of a population dynamic model, to the extent possible, in order to inform
population management;
Urges again the State Party to reconsider, reduce or eliminate if necessary the current
levels of culling of the Western Steller Sea Lion population, taking international advice

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 into consideration and adopting a precautionary approach until accurate and
comprehensive data on this subspecies become available;
Appreciates the revision of the Long-Term Monitoring Plan to improve monitoring of
climate change-driven impacts, but also requests the State Party to ensure that the
attributes of the property’s OUV are fully reflected in the Long-Term Monitoring Plan to
ensure aquatic biodiversity, specifically the salmonid species and marine mammals, are
all included and monitored;
Also takes note of the State Party’s response to the 2019 IUCN Advisory mission’s
recommendations, and also encourages the State Party to:
a) Take measures to improve the representation of biological variables in river
ecosystems, to enhance the current understanding of river restoration approaches
and options,
b) Consider alternative methodologies to capture large wooden debris as a way to
better balance river restoration needs with the fishery stakeholders’ concerns,
c) Continue to monitor the impacts of the riverbed path pilot project, especially in
relation to erosion, fish passage and disturbance to the benthic habitat, and take
prompt remedial actions in relation to any identified impacts, as necessary, based
on comprehensive scientific understanding;
Further requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 December 2022, 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
46th session.

187. Landscapes of Dauria (Mongolia, Russian Federation) (N 1448)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.187

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B.Add,
Recalling Decision 41 COM 8B.6, adopted at its 41st session (Krakow, 2017),
Notes with utmost concern that the construction of the Onon-Ulz dam on the Ulz River,
upstream of the property in Mongolia, has commenced without prior notification to the
World Heritage Committee, despite the provisions of Paragraph 172 of the Operational
Guidelines, and could impact the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property by
modifying the natural flow regimes of the river and lake levels;
Urgently requests the State Party of Mongolia to halt any further activities associated
with the Onon-Ulz dam project until an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) that
includes an assessment of potential impacts on the OUV of the property has been
submitted to the World Heritage Centre and reviewed by IUCN, in line with Paragraphs
118bis and 172 of the Operational Guidelines;
Welcomes the continued coordination between the States Parties through the framework
of the China-Mongolia-Russia International Protected Area Agreement (DIPA) to
manage transboundary conservation issues relating to the wider steppe ecosystem in
which the property is located, and also requests the States Parties of Mongolia and the
Russian Federation to further strengthen their coordination for the management of the
property;

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 Encourages the States Parties to consider, possibly jointly with the State Party of China,
a potential future expansion of the transboundary World Heritage property in order to
cover additional areas of forest steppe and critical habitats, notably for migratory birds
and the Mongolian gazelle;
Also welcomes the confirmation that there is currently no mining exploration or
exploitation activity within the boundaries of the property or its buffer zone and the
commitment made by the State Party of Mongolia not to allow any future mining
operation within the Mongolian components of the property or their buffer zones;
Takes note that the management plans of the Mongolian components of the property are
being revised, further requests the State Party of Mongolia to submit these revised
management plans to the World Heritage Centre prior to adoption, and also encourages
the State Party of Mongolia to strengthen its resources and capacities for the effective
implementation of the updated management plans, once they are finalized;
Finally requests the States Parties to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 February 2022, an updated joint report on the state of conservation of the property
and the implementation of the above, for examination by the World Heritage Committee
at its 45th session.

188. Chitwan National Park (Nepal) (N 284)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.188

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B.Add,
Recalling Decision 43 COM 7B.11, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
Welcomes the ongoing efforts to combat rhinoceros poaching, but notes with concern
the recent poaching of four rhinoceros as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic impacts on
surveillance and urges the State Party to actively continue its efforts to address poaching
and illegal trafficking;
Also welcomes the continued confirmation by the State Party that the alternative
alignment of the East-West Electrified Railroad will be located outside the property, and
that Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) will be completed, requests the State
Party to provide a detailed map of the alignment when it is available, and reiterates its
request that the State Party ensure that all potential impacts on the Outstanding
Universal Value (OUV) of the property are fully assessed by the EIA, in line with the
IUCN Advice Note on Environmental Assessments;
Further welcomes the confirmation that the recommendations of the 2016 IUCN Reactive
Monitoring mission regarding the Thori-Madi-Bharatpur road have also been
implemented outside the property, and also requests the State Party to continue this
implementation in line with the mission recommendations;
Reiterates its concern that other infrastructure projects continue to pose a threat to the
property, including the proposed Terai Hulaki Highway, the China-India Trade Links of
Province-3 (now Bagmati Province) and Province-4 (now Gandaki Province), the Madi-
Balmiki Ashram road and the Malekhu-Thori road; acknowledges the decision to halt the
construction of a seven-kilometer stretch of the proposed alignment of the Terai Hulaki
Highway that would cross the buffer zone and further requests the State Party to confirm
that any potential impact of the highway on the OUV of the property has been
appropriately assessed before taking any decision to proceed;

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 Also notes that no decision has been taken regarding the China-India Trade Links of
Province-3 (now Bagmati Province) and Province-4 (now Gandaki Province), the Madi-
Balmiki Ashram road and the Malekhu-Thori road and also reiterates its request to the
State Party not to approve any other new roads or the reopening/upgrading of old roads
passing through the property;
Reiterates its position that, if any of the aforementioned road and railway developments
was to proceed through the property, it would represent a potential danger to the OUV
of the property, in accordance with Paragraph 180 of the Operational Guidelines, and
thus form a clear basis for the inscription of the property on the List of World Heritage in
Danger;
Also recalling its request to the State Party to provide clarification regarding the report
that Gajendra Dham is no longer located within the boundaries of Chitwan National Park,
following a revision of boundaries in 2016 and its demarcation on the ground, also notes
with concern the reported transfer of 1.818 ha from the Gajendra Mokchhya Dham of
Tribeni into the buffer zone and of 2,063 ha from the Padampur site in the buffer zone
into the national park, and further recalling that any proposed change to the boundaries
of a property must first be submitted to the World Heritage Centre through a boundary
modification process in line with Paragraphs 163-165 of the Operational Guidelines,
requests furthermore the State Party to:
a) Provide detailed information on the legal protection status of the property, including
provisions for visitor management at Gajendra Dham, and the implementation of
the recommendations of the 2016 mission, and notably to develop, in collaboration
with the Chitwan National Park Office and the responsible authorities at Gajendra
Dham, develop a management plan for Gajendra Dham which should include:
(i) An appropriate zonation scheme to set aside areas for spiritual practices and
for nature conservation,
(ii) Appropriate limits on any further construction of facilities, beyond the normal
maintenance works, and
(iii) Adequate measures to minimize impacts from the large number of pilgrims
visiting the site annually, including a waste management plan and provisions
to allow only daytime ritual activities under the observation of the Chitwan
National Park Office,
b) Submit a proposal for a boundary modification to the World Heritage Centre in line
with the Operational Guidelines, if it wishes to amend the boundaries of the
property;
Notes with concern the alleged human rights abuses related to Chitwan National Park
raised by UNESCO and through the Independent Panel report on human rights
commissioned by the World Wildlife Fund International, and requests moreover the State
Party to provide a full response regarding its considerations of the findings of this report
and to implement actions to address the issues raised, in conformity with relevant
international norms and the 2015 Policy Document for the Integration of a Sustainable
Development Perspective into the Processes of the World Heritage Convention;
Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 December
2022, 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
46th session.

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189. Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park (Viet Nam) (N 951bis)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.189

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decision 43 COM 7B.12, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
Welcomes the efforts of the State Party to implement the recommendations of the 2018
Reactive Monitoring mission, including a new Directive by the Quang Bing Provincial
People’s Committee, which requires all provincial authorities to strengthen conservation
and promotion of World Heritage values, the elaboration of a sustainable forest
management plan (2021-2030), a Biodiversity Conservation Plan (vision 2040) and a
plan for conservation and promotion of heritage values;
Appreciates the undertaking of a pilot project for the eradication of the invasive plant
Merremia boisiana, and requests the State Party to develop a clear strategy and action
plan that is sufficiently resourced to address the threat posed by the 14 previously
reported invasive species identified within the property, and to submit to the World
Heritage Centre, for review by IUCN, the strategy and action plan along with the findings
of the M. boisiana pilot project and future plans to cope with its further spread;
Takes note of the State Party’s proposal to assess the tourism capacity within the
property’s caves, and reiterates its requests to the State Party to take the necessary
measures to avoid a further increase in the number of visitors to the caves located within
the property and not to approve nor implement any future infrastructure project in or near
the caves that could impact the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property;
Also welcomes the confirmation provided by the State Party that cable car projects are
no longer under consideration, and reminds the State Party to submit to the World
Heritage Centre, for review by IUCN, detailed information for any large-scale tourism
and/or development project that may have the potential to impact on the OUV of the
property, including any Environmental Impact Assessment, before works commence or
any irreversible decision is made, in accordance with Paragraph 172 of the Operational
Guidelines;
Also reiterates once more its request to the State Party to revise and update the 2010-
2020 Sustainable Tourism Development Plan and its integration with other key
management tools, as suggested by the 2018 Reactive Monitoring mission, to enhance
governance based on the overarching principles of sustaining and preserving the OUV
of the property by paying careful attention to the balance between tourism development
and biodiversity conservation, as well as increased benefit sharing among stakeholders;
Further reiterates its request to the State Party to establish an effective mechanism to
engage a wider range of stakeholders in the management and valorisation of the
property;
Acknowledges the State Party’s continued efforts to address poaching and other illegal
activities in the property, but considering that a significant reduction in wildlife populations
was previously reported, also requests the State Party to further intensify law
enforcement, patrolling and monitoring efforts, with a particuar focus on the perimeter
and high-risk areas within the property, and to take proactive anti-poaching measures to
urgently reverse this concerning trend;
Reiterates furthermore its request that the State Party fully implement the
recommendations of the 2018 Reactive Monitoring mission, in particular by integrating
and harmonizing the various management and conservation plans and tools under a
concerted vision of governance, and by clarifying the functional zoning of the property;

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 Further welcomes the continued cooperation with the State Party of the Lao People’s
Democratic Republic for the preservation of biodiversity notably in the transboundary
protected area, and for the future nomination of Hin Nam No national protected area
jointly with the property in Viet Nam;
Further requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 December 2022, 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
46th session.

EUROPE AND NORTH AMERICA

190. Wood Buffalo National Park (Canada) (N 256)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.190

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B.Add,
Recalling Decisions 39 COM 7B.18, 41 COM 7B.2 and 43 COM 7B.15, adopted at its
39th (Bonn, 2015), 41st (Krakow, 2017) and 43rd (Baku, 2019) sessions respectively,
While welcoming the important State Party investment in the Wood Buffalo National Park
Action Plan and its commitment to enhance the relationship and collaboration with First
Nations and Métis, expresses its utmost concern that the major overarching threats and
risks stemming from areas outside the property identified by the 2016 Reactive
Monitoring mission have not been met with effective management responses, in
particular the threats to the Peace Athabasca Delta (PAD) and thereby to the
Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property due to:
a) The absence of effective inter-jurisdictional water governance,
b) The continuation of hydropower development in the absence of clarity on flow
regulation that considers OUV,
c) The continued absence of an adequate risk assessment for the large tailings ponds
upstream of the property despite new information on major risks;
Notes that the federal land manager of the property (Parks Canada Agency) has very
limited authority beyond the property even though all major threats are outside the
property’s boundaries, and also expresses its utmost concern about:
a) The temporary suspension of oil sands monitoring at a time when the footprint of
the oil sands continues to grow,
b) The findings by the Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC), including
consistent evidence of seepage of oil sands processed water (OSPW) from tailings
ponds into groundwater within the Athabasca watershed,
c) The intention to consider releasing OSPW into the Athabasca River,
d) The confirmation of an imminent threat to the recovery of wood bison due to
disease risks and industrial activities;
Requests the State Party to allocate adequate resources and establish mechanisms to
enable effective coordinated management between the federal and provincial
governments for the property and the adjacent existing and new provincial protected

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 areas, and strongly encourages the State Party to further exploration of innovative
conservation governance and management models in both the provincial parks and the
federal national park;
Reiterates its encouragement to the State Party to consider the designation of a buffer
zone for the property, in particular towards the advancing development frontier;
Takes note of the State Party announcement to dedicate substantial additional funding
to the implementation of the Action Plan over a three-year period and strongly requests
the State Party to ensure adequate and reliable resourcing beyond the three-year term;
Also takes note of third party information, including reports from First Nations, regarding
ongoing challenges by the State Party in the involvement of stakeholders and rights-
holders;
Reiterates its request the State Party to fully implement all mission recommendations as
soon as possible, in particular to:
a) Adopt a clear and coherent policy and guidance to enable the transition to a
genuine partnership with First Nations and Métis communities in the governance
and management of the property,
b) Conduct environmental flows assessments to the highest international standards
for the Peace, Athabasca and Slave Rivers as they pertain to the health of the
PAD, in order to identify water flows needed to sustain the ecological functioning
of the PAD under the circumstances of existing and planned future dams and water
withdrawals,
c) Conduct a systematic risk assessment of the tailings ponds of the Alberta Oil
Sands region with a focus on risks to the PAD, and submit this report to the World
Heritage Centre, for review by IUCN, in accordance with Paragraph 172 of the
Operational Guidelines,
d) Expand the scope of monitoring and project assessments to encompass possible
individual and cumulative impacts on the OUV of the property and in particular the
PAD;
Notes with regret that, despite the State Party’s important efforts to date, progress has
been insufficient in addressing the Committee requests, and regretting that the property
continues to face severe threats with its conservation status having not improved since
the 2016 mission and the conditions of OUV declining, considers that the property likely
meets the criteria for inscription on the List of World Heritage in Danger in conformity
with Chapter IV.B of the Operational Guidelines;
Also requests the State Party to invite, as soon as possible, a joint World Heritage
Centre/IUCN Reactive Monitoring mission to the property to assess its state of
conservation, in particular in relation to the above-mentioned threats, and to confirm
whether the property meets the conditions for inscription on the List of World Heritage in
Danger, and to recommend the measures necessary to address the threats to its OUV;
Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February
2022, an updated report on the state of conservation of the property, including a pathway
to address the governance challenges and multiple threats impeding the effectiveness
of the implementation of the Action Plan and a broader response to the growing threats
to the OUV of the property, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its
45th session, with a view to considering, in case of confirmation of potential or
ascertained danger to its OUV, the possible inscription of the property on the List
of World Heritage in Danger.

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191. Doñana National Park (Spain) (N 685bis)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.191

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B.Add,
Recalling Decisions 37 COM 7B.27, 38 COM 7B.79, 39 COM 7B.26, 41 COM 7B.9 and
43 COM 7B.20 adopted at its 37th (Phnom Penh, 2013), 38th (Doha, 2014), 39th (Bonn,
2015), 41st (Krakow, 2017) and 43rd (Baku, 2019) sessions respectively,
Appreciates the State Party’s continued efforts to reduce groundwater usage from the
Doñana aquifer, including through continued inspections, use of Earth Observation
technologies, and closures of illegal wells and illegally irrigated farmlands, however,
expresses its utmost concern that despite these efforts three water bodies have officially
been declared as overexploited and that the Court of Justice of the European Union (EU)
considers that the excessive abstraction of groundwater in the Doñana natural area
infringes the EU Habitats Directive;
Notes the conclusion of the 2020 joint World Heritage Centre/IUCN/Ramsar Reactive
Monitoring mission that the values for which the property has been inscribed under both
the World Heritage Convention and the Ramsar Convention on wetlands are still present
but that there remains scientific uncertainty about the impacts of the wider eco-
hydrological dynamics of Doñana and the potential future risks of the impacts of climate
change on the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property;
Requests the State Party to implement all recommendations of the 2020 mission, in
particular to:
a) Increase the resources available to the Guadalquivir Hydrographical
Confederation; continue the urgent implementation of the Special Management
Plan of the Irrigation Zones located to the North of the Forest Crown of Doñana;
ensure that projects including water transfers, dam extensions, and licensed
groundwater abstraction have no negative impact on the OUV; and also
encourage, incentivize and provide financial support if needed for the adoption of
sustainable agriculture practices by farmers of the Doñana area,
b) Relocate within three years the most eastern wells that provide water for the
Matalascañas tourist resort,
c) Undertake an increased research effort to understand the relationship between the
hydrology and ecology of the area, including the construction of an eco-
hydrological model of the property which can inform management actions and
actions to increase the resilience of the property under climate change,
d) Create a strategic plan that defines conceptually the extent to which a reduction in
water consumption is required in response to climate change impacts to conserve
and protect the OUV of the property, and the extent to which alterations to the OUV
and ecological character of the wetland ecosystem due to climate change can be
expected, along with any adaptation and mitigation measures that can be
implemented to maintain the conditions of integrity of the property and increase its
resilience,
e) Finalize the retrospective Statement of OUV (rSOUV) as soon as possible and
develop a clear set of fixed indicators to monitor the state of conservation of the
OUV, and report on those indicators in future state of conservation reports,

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 f) Present an updated Strategic Environmental Assessment for the Guadalquivir
River Basin to ensure that it includes a specific chapter on the OUV of the property,
and submit it to the World Heritage Centre,
g) Continue honoring the previously made commitment to remove any deep dredging
from the revised Guadalquivir Basin Hydrological Plan (2021-2027),
h) Demonstrate great caution with regards to re-opening the former Aznalcóllar mine,
and ensure that systematic risk preparedness and emergency action plans take
into account the property and submit these analyses for review by IUCN, as soon
as they become available and before a decision on re-opening the mine is made,
i) Put in place a systematic monitoring of the possible impacts and risk assessments
of Rincon-2 and Marismas-3 on the hydrology and OUV, include a summary of
those findings in future state of conservation reports, and ensure that the individual
and cumulative impacts on the property’s OUV of any development or
infrastructure project in or near the property are thoroughly assessed in conformity
with IUCN’s World Heritage Advice Note on Environmental Assessment,
j) Establish an official World Heritage buffer zone around the property that includes
the Natural Park (Ramsar Site), Natura 2000 sites and other established protected
areas in the immediate water catchment of the property which underpins its OUV;
Also requests the World Heritage Centre and IUCN, in cooperation with the State Party,
to finalize the rSOUV for the property for adoption at the next session;
Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 December 2022, 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
46th session.

192. Gough and Inaccessible Islands (United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern
Ireland) (N 740bis)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.192

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decision 42 COM 7B.81, adopted at its 42nd session (Manama, 2018),
Welcomes the progress made in 2019 regarding preparations for the implementation of
the house mouse (Mus musculus) eradication programme on Gough Island in 2020,
however regrets that COVID-19 restrictions resulted in the postponement of the
programme’s implementation, and requests the State Party to ensure the full
implementation of the programme, including to secure adequate funding, as a matter of
priority as soon as conditions allow;
Reiterates its request to the State Party to keep the World Heritage Centre informed on
the results of the house mouse eradication programme and on actions to avoid collateral
impact on any non-target species, and in particular those that are components of the
property’s Outstanding Universal Value (OUV);
Appreciating that progress has been made to limit the spread of the invasive plant
procumbent pearlwort (Sagina procumbens), also requests that the State Party fully
implement the eradication programme for this species, and also reiterates its request to
the State Party to submit the review of the effectiveness of the eradication programme
to the World Heritage Centre as soon as it is available;

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 Encourages the State Party to continue sharing its experience on invasive alien species
eradication and island ecosystem management practices to promote knowledge
exchange with other States Parties facing similar challenges;
Further requests the State Party to provide an update on the state of conservation of the
property’s values relating to biodiversity, including population dynamics of the species
that are part of its OUV, and on any risks determined from the sunken fishing vessel on
the OUV of the property;
Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 December 2022, 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
46th session.

LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN

193. Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System (Belize) (N 764)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.193

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B.Add,
Recalling Decision 43 COM 7B.21, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
Welcomes the further progress reported by the State Party in addressing most of the
previously raised concerns regarding pending legislative improvements, including the
official approval of the amended Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) regulations,
which now specifically include consideration of the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV)
of the property and the adoption and implementation of a new Fisheries Resources Act
and associated policy and strategy documents;
Also welcomes the State Party’s confirmation that the land tenure verification process
has been completed and requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre
the final legislation for the designation as strict mangrove reserves of the remaining
public lands within the property, identified through this process, as soon as it is adopted;
Congratulates the State Party for further improving the management of the property since
its removal from the List of World Heritage in Danger at its 42nd session in 2018, and
concludes that the reported progress, particularly the finalization of the land verification
process and the final approval of the amended EIA regulations, has now almost fully
resolved the pending issues noted at that time;
Also requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre detailed information
on the current status of the project “Cargo extension and construction of the cruise
terminal and cruise tourism village” and its possible impacts on the OUV of the property,
including any relevant EIAs, for review by IUCN, and to ensure that no activity, including
dumping of dredged materials at sea, is allowed to proceed if it can result in negative
impacts on the property;
Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 December 2022, an updated report on the state of conservation of the property on the
implementation of the above.

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194. Cerrado Protected Areas: Chapada dos Veadeiros and Emas National Parks
(Brazil) (N 1035)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.194

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decisions 43 COM 7B.22 and 43 COM 8B.42, adopted at its 43rd session
(Baku, 2019),
Expresses its concern about the increasing number of intense fires in the property and
its surroundings, and regrets that no information on the impacts of the fire of October
2020 was provided by the State Party;
Welcomes the measures taken by the State Party to ensure that management of the
property is further harmonized and focused on the Outstanding Universal Vale (OUV) of
the property;
Notes the measures taken towards the revision of the management plan for the Chapada
dos Veadeiros National Park (PNCV), but also regrets that no information has been
provided regarding whether the development of an overarching Management Plan for
the conservation units comprising the Chapada dos Veadeiros component of the
property has been considered;
Requests the State Party to expedite the finalization of the Management Plan for the
PNCV and to ensure that adjoining conservation units comprising the Chapada dos
Veadeiros component of the property are considered in this process to ensure further
harmonization of management approaches across the entire property, and to submit the
revised Plan to the World Heritage Centre;
Takes note of further measures taken by the State Party in clarifying land tenure in the
property through the land regularization process, but further regrets that no information
was provided regarding the timeframe for the completion of this work, and urges the
State Party to clarify the timeframe and to finalise this process, as a matter of priority;
Also welcomes the ongoing consolidation of the Integrated Fire Management within the
property, also requests the State Party to ensure ongoing implementation of the
Integrated Fire Management approach and continue to build capacities to respond to
fires in the long-term across all conservation units comprising the property and
encourages the State Party to evaluate the effectiveness of the Integrated Fire
Management approach in reducing the frequency and impacts of intense fires ;
Further requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 December 2022, an updated report on the state of conservation of the property and
the implementation of the above.

195. Pantanal Conservation Area (Brazil) (N 999)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.195

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B.Add,
Expresses its utmost concern that severe drought since 2019 has resulted in wildfires
that have impacted around 4.3 million hectares, around 32% of the wider Pantanal
biome, which includes the property, resulting in negative impacts on biodiversity, climate

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 and the local economy, and affecting sensitive forest areas and various species of fauna
that are attributes of the property’s Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) including
threatened species;
Acknowledging that an assessment of the specific impacts of the wildfires on the property
has not yet been possible, requests the State Party to assess the impacts of the wildfires
on the OUV of the property and to submit this to the World Heritage Centre when
available;
Welcomes the reported response measures taken by Federal, State and Municipal
government authorities in collaboration with the Chico Mendes Institute, private sector,
NGOs and volunteers to address the fires, assess impacts and strengthen future fire-
fighting capacity as part of a new national strategy and, noting also the potential for
climate change to further exacerbate extreme weather conditions such as drought and
resulting wildfires, also requests the State Party to actively continue management
measures to address any impacts of wildfires on the OUV of the property and facilitate
the recovery of impacted fauna and flora, as well as to further strengthen fire prevention
and mitigation measures;
Recognising the impacts of fires on a number of natural World Heritage properties,
encourages the State Party to exchange knowledge and best practice of fire
management strategies in natural World Heritage properties with other States Parties of
the Convention facing similar threats;
Further requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 February 2022, 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
45th session.

196. Area de Conservación Guanacaste (Costa Rica) (N 928bis)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.196

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decision 43 COM 7B.24, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
Welcomes the refusal in 2020 of the proposed Interoceanic Dry Canal project following
an appeal by the project proponents;
Notes with appreciation that no industrial infrastructure of any kind has been permitted
within the property, and also welcomes the confirmation that the property remains off-
limits to industrial development infrastructure, as provided for under national legislation;
Further welcomes that Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) for proposed
infrastructure projects in the vicinity of the property are now required to include
consideration of potential negative impacts on the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV)
of the property;
Welcomes furthermore the recommendations made by the Regional Directorate of the
Área de Conservación Guanacaste (ACG) to the National Environmental Technical
Secretariat (SETENA), requesting the developers of the “Santo Tomás Beach” hotel
project to elaborate an EIA of the project during its pre-feasibility phase, and requests
the State Party to submit the document, for review by the World Heritage Centre and the
Advisory Bodies, once finalized;

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 Noting the measures taken to build capacity on conducting Strategic Environmental
Assessments (SEA), reiterates its request to the State Party to develop an SEA before
considering of any further renewable energy projects in order to identify the best means
to harmonize renewable energy initiatives and biodiversity conservation objectives,
considering the multiple existing and proposed projects and development pressures near
the property;
Takes note of the current measures to mitigate the effects of the Inter-American highway,
including the inter-institutional cooperation, and encourages the State Party to ensure
continued measures along the sections of the highway within and bordering the property,
and to ensure similar activities are integrated into the upgrading of Ecological National
Route 918, whilst reiterating its request that the State Party explore all future options to
mitigate the impacts of the highway on the property, including the feasibility to improve
National Road 4 as an alternative route;
Also encourages the State Party to continue the development of Minor Boundary
Modification (MBM) to include the new Bahía Santa Elena Marine Management Area
within the property and also recommends the State Party to consider the wider terrestrial
area referred to as the Conservation Area or “protected block” for inclusion in the
property in order to harmonize the boundary of the property with other existing
management units across the terrestrial and marine environment;
Welcomes moreover the confirmation that the State Party is continuing to develop the
National System of Conservation Areas to create effective wider protection of the
property, and further encourages the State Party to continue consolidating the integration
of conservation considerations into the wider landscape and seascape to ensure
effective buffering of impacts on the World Heritage property;
Also takes note of the strategies and instruments elaborated to address the issue of
climate change, and encourages furthermore the State Party to continue its efforts in this
regard to minimize the negative impacts of climate change, such as the development of
a “Regional Plan for Adaptation to Climate Change for the Guanacaste Conservation
Area”;
While acknowledging the current human and financial capacity limitations, also requests
the State Party to fully implement all recommendations of the 2018 Reactive Monitoring
mission to the property;
Further requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 December
2022, 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
46th session.

197. Talamanca Range-La Amistad Reserves / La Amistad National Park (Costa Rica,
Panama) (N 205bis)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.197

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Recalling Decision 43 COM 7B.25, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
Welcomes the States Parties’ ongoing efforts to combat illegal activities within the
property, despite the COVID-19 pandemic, including through strengthened institutional
arrangements and patrols in bilateral cooperation;

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of the World Heritage Committee
 Notes the measures taken to ensure effective transboundary management of the La
Amistad International Park area of the property, including the finalization and adoption
of the General Management Plan for the La Amistad International Park in Costa Rica
and encourages the State Party of Panama to finalise the Management Plan for the
Panamanian area of the property by mid-2021 to ensure protection is consistent across
this contiguous transboundary area of the property, and requests the States Parties to
submit these plans for review by the World Heritage Center and IUCN ;
Reiterating its position that any development of new hydropower projects prior to the
finalization and adequate review of the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) for
the entire property would represent a danger to the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV)
of the property in line with Paragraph 180 of the Operational Guidelines, also welcomes
that the construction project of the Changuinola II (CHAN II) dam has not been re-
activated to date and also notes the State Party’s reaffirmed commitment to its
obligations under the Convention and its confirmation that, should re-activation of the
project be considered again, prior consultations with the World Heritage Centre would
be undertaken;
Regrets that the SEA for the entire property was not completed in 2019 as requested by
the Committee and also requests the States Parties to finalize the SEA for the entire
property in 2021 and submit it to the World Heritage Centre, for review by IUCN, as soon
as it becomes available and the latest by 1 February 2022;
Further notes the efforts of the State Party of Panama to monitor activities of the CHAN I
dam and the Bonyic dam, and further requests the State Party to continue these efforts
to establish long-term monitoring programmes for the projects, and use the findings to
design appropriate mitigation measures to ensure the OUV of the property is not
negatively impacted, and consider the monitoring processes and findings into the overall
SEA for the entire property;
Requests furthermore the States Parties to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 December 2022, an updated joint report on the state of conservation of the property
and the implementation of the above, for examination by the World Heritage Committee
at its 46th session.

198. Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve (Mexico) (N 1290)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.198

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B.Add,
Recalling Decision 43 COM 7B.27, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
Expresses its great concern regarding the death of local conservationists, allegedly
linked to their work to protect the property and fight illegal logging, and expresses its
most sincere condolences to their families;
Notes with utmost concern that illegal logging activities in the property have substantially
increased and that measures towards surveillance of illegal activities have been further
curtailed due to limitations imposed by the global COVID-19 pandemic, and urges the
State Party to significantly increase surveillance measures as a matter of priority in order
to halt the illegal logging in the property;
Welcomes the ongoing commitment by the State Party in implementing the
recommendations of the 2018 IUCN Reactive Monitoring mission to the property; and
the advances on the update of the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve Management

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of the World Heritage Committee
 Programme with a participatory approach, and requests the State Party to submit it for
review by the IUCN once completed;
Regrets that, whilst the Angangueo mining project remains de facto prohibited, no
updated information on the status of the project and the current situation regarding
mining concessions within the property and its buffer zone has been provided, and also
urges again the State Party to ensure that no mining activities are permitted within the
property, and to implement other recommendations of the 2018 mission related to this
issue;
Also welcomes the ongoing trinational cooperation between the States Parties of
Canada, Mexico and the United States of America, and also requests the three States
Parties to consolidate and build upon measures to conserve the butterfly through these
means, with a particular focus on minimizing the loss and to restoring native milkweed
species in the United States of America;
Noting the information regarding the strategies for adaptation to climate change
implemented in the property and the wider region, also notes that Monarch butterfly
colonies continue to occur outside the property, and given their susceptibility to climate
change amongst other threats, encourages again the State Party to consider developing
a proposal for an extension of the property in order to ensure that all areas consistently
occupied by overwintering colonies are appropriately protected and to increase the
potential of the property to effectively conserve its Outstanding Universal Value under
changing climatic conditions;
Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 December 2022, 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
46th session.

199. Canaima National Park (Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of) (N 701)

Decision: 44 COM 7B.199

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B.Add,
Welcomes the information provided by the State Party regarding different conservation
and management activities in the property, many of which continued despite the
difficulties posed by the global COVID-19 pandemic;
Notes the clarifications provided by the State Party regarding the recently established
National Strategic Development Zone “Arco Minero del Orinoco” (ZDENAMO), including
that it does not spatially overlap with the property, but expresses its concern that, despite
the establishment of a 1-km buffer between ZDENAMO and the property, some areas
foreseen for mining activities are located in close vicinity to the northern border of the
property and that it remains unclear whether a specific assessment of possible negative
impacts of mining activities on the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property
has been undertaken;
While welcoming the information that most of the property remains intact, notes with
concern the confirmation by the State Party that some illegal mining activities occur in
the property as concluded by the State Party based on its analysis of satellite images;
Considering that, based on the available information and as also confirmed by the State
Party, it is difficult to assess the current extent and status of such illegal activities in the
property and to conclude whether any impacts on the OUV of the property might have

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of the World Heritage Committee
 occurred, requests the State Party to invite a joint World Heritage Centre/IUCN Reactive
Monitoring mission to the property to:
a) Assess, including through on-the-ground visits where feasible, the degree to which
the property’s OUV, including its integrity, might have been affected by illegal
mining activities,
b) Review the planned and ongoing legal mining activities in the parts of ZDENAMO
located in the vicinity to the northern border of the property and assess whether
they might result in any potential negative impacts on the OUV of the property and
provide advice to the State Party in ensuring that assessment of possible impacts
on the OUV of the property is integrated into existing national regulations for
mining;
Also requests the State Party to submit an official proposal for clarification of boundaries
of the property within the framework of the Retrospective Inventory, according to
Paragraphs 163-165 of the Operational Guidelines concerning Minory Boundary
Modifications and to provide further information on the proposals for futher expansion of
the Canaima National Park;
Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 December 2022, 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
46th session.

7B.III. OMNIBUS

Decision: 44 COM 7B.200

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
Takes note with satisfaction of the measures taken by the States Parties concerned to
address its previous requests to mitigate the threats on the Outstanding Universal Value
of the following World Heritage properties:
 The Great Wall (China) (C 438)
 Comoé National Park (Côte d’Ivoire) (N 227)
 Taï National Park (Côte d’Ivoire) (N 195)

Encourages the States Parties concerned to pursue their efforts to ensure the
conservation of World Heritage properties;
Recalling the benefits to States Parties of systematically utilizing Heritage Impact
Assessments (HIAs) and Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) in the review of
development projects, encourages States Parties to integrate the EIA/HIA processes into
legislation, planning mechanisms and management plans, and reiterates its
recommendation to States Parties to use these tools in assessing projects, including
assessment of cumulative impacts on the Outstanding Universal Value of properties, as
early as possible and before any final decision is taken;
Reminds the States Parties concerned to inform the World Heritage Centre in due course
about any major development project that may negatively impact the Outstanding
Universal Value of a property, before any irreversible decisions are made, in line with
Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines.

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of the World Heritage Committee
7C. DRAFT UPDATED POLICY DOCUMENT ON THE IMPACTS OF
CLIMATE CHANGE ON WORLD HERITAGE PROPERTIES

Decision: 44 COM 7C

The World Heritage Committee,

Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7C,
Recalling Decisions 40 COM 7, 41 COM 7, 42 COM 7 and 43 COM 7.2, adopted at its
40th (Istanbul/UNESCO, 2016), 41st (Krakow, 2017), 42nd (Manama, 2018) and 43rd
(Baku, 2019) sessions respectively,
Takes note with satisfaction of the wide range of climate change-related activities
undertaken by the World Heritage Centre, in collaboration with the Advisory Bodies;
Thanks the State Party of the Netherlands for having funded the project to update the
2007 Policy Document on the impacts of Climate Change on World Heritage properties,
and expresses its gratitude to all the experts and representatives of States Parties, of
the World Heritage Centre and of the Advisory Bodies who contributed to the meetings
of the Technical Advisory Group;
Takes note with appreciation that a wide diversity of stakeholders of the World Heritage
Convention (States Parties, site managers, Advisory Bodies, World Heritage Centre and
representatives of local communities, indigenous peoples, academics, NGOs and civil
society) were able to contribute to the updating process through the online consultation
launched by the World Heritage Centre;
Takes note of the new title proposed for the updated Policy Document to become “Policy
Document for Climate Action for World Heritage”;
Endorses the draft "Policy Document on Climate Action for World Heritage”, as
presented in Annex 1 of Document WHC/21/44.COM/7C, and requests the World
Heritage Centre, in consultation with the Advisory Bodies, to revise it by incorporating
views expressed and amendments submitted during the extended 44th session and, as
appropriate, to consult Committee members, especially concerning the following points:
a) the fundamental principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and
respective capabilities (CBDR-RC), which is one of the basic pillars of United
Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC),
b) the alignment of climate change mitigation actions with the CBDR-RC and the
Nationally Determined Contributions accepted under the UNFCCC and the Paris
Agreement, except on an entirely voluntary basis,
c) the need for support and capacity-building assistance, as well as the
encouragement of technology transfer and financing from developed to developing
countries;
Recalls Decision 41 COM 7 and reiterates the importance of States Parties undertaking
the most ambitious implementation of the Paris Agreement of the UNFCCC, and strongly
invites all States Parties to ratify the Paris Agreement at the earliest possible opportunity
and to undertake actions to address Climate Change under the Paris Agreement
consistent with their common but differentiated responsibilities and respective
capabilities, in light of different national circumstances, that are fully consistent with their
obligations within the World Heritage Convention to protect the Outstanding Universal
Value (OUV) of all World Heritage properties;

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of the World Heritage Committee
 Decides to transmit the draft "Policy Document on Climate Action for World Heritage”,
following final revisions, for review and adoption at the 23rd session of the General
Assembly of States Parties to the Convention in 2021;
Also requests the World Heritage Centre, jointly with the Advisory Bodies, once the
"Policy Document on Climate Action for World Heritage” is adopted by the General
Assembly of the States Parties and within the available resources, to elaborate proposals
for specific changes to the Operational Guidelines that would be required to translate the
principles of this Policy Document into actual operational procedures, and to develop
education and capacity-building initiatives that would be needed to enable wide
implementation of this Policy Document, and calls on States Parties to contribute
financially to this end;
Further requests the World Heritage Centre, in parallel with the processes outlined in
Paragraph 10, to convene a panel of experts drawn from the ad-hoc Working Group,
World Heritage Centre, the Advisory Bodies and other qualified experts in the field of
climate science and heritage to meet by March 2022 and also calls on State Parties to
contribute financially to this end;
Requests furthermore the World Heritage Centre, jointly with the Advisory Bodies, and
subject to available resources, to consider preparing a Guidance Document to facilitate
effective implementation of, and support for, the actions, goals and targets of this Policy
Document, which could include indicators and benchmarking tools for measuring and
reporting progress towards achieving the World Heritage Climate Action Goals, and
further calls on States Parties to support this activity through extrabudgetary funding;
Encourages the States Parties, the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies to
disseminate widely the "Policy Document on Climate Action for World Heritage”, once
adopted, through appropriate means to the World Heritage community and the broader
public, including in local languages, and to promote its implementation;
Recommends that the "Policy Document on Climate Action for World Heritage” be
interpreted in the context of the UNFCCC, the Paris Agreement (2015) and the United
Nations 2030 Agenda for sustainable development, and in conjunction with the Policy
Document for the integration of a sustainable development perspective into the
processes of the World Heritage Convention (2015);
Urges States Parties and all stakeholders of the Convention to urgently integrate climate
change mitigation and adaptation actions in risk preparedness policies and action plans,
in order to protect the OUV of all World Heritage properties, in line with the "Policy
Document on Climate Action for World Heritage”;
Further recommends that World Heritage-related Category 2 Centres and UNESCO
Chairs prioritize issues related to the implementation of the "Policy Document on Climate
Action for World Heritage” within their capacity-building and research initiatives;
Finally requests the World Heritage Centre, in consultation with the Advisory Bodies, to
present a progress report on the implementation status of the "Policy Document on
Climate Action for World Heritage” at its 48th session, after four years of implementation.

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of the World Heritage Committee
8. ESTABLISHMENT OF THE WORLD HERITAGE LIST AND OF THE
LIST OF WORLD HERITAGE IN DANGER

NOMINATION PROCESS

Decision: 44 COM 8

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/8,
2. Recalling Decisions 35 COM 9A, 40 COM 11, 42 COM 5A, 42 COM 8, 42 COM 8B.24, 43
COM 8 and 43 COM 12 adopted at its 35th (UNESCO Headquarters, 2011), 40th
(Istanbul/UNESCO Headquarters, 2016), 42nd (Manama, 2018) and 43rd (Baku, 2019)
sessions respectively, as well as Resolutions 18 GA 8 and 22 GA 9 adopted by the General
Assembly at its 18th (UNESCO, 2011) and 22nd (UNESCO, 2019) sessions respectively,
REFLECTION ON SITES ASSOCIATED WITH MEMORIES OF RECENT CONFLICTS AND OTHER
NEGATIVE AND DIVISIVE MEMORIES
3. Expresses its appreciation for the work of experts from all regions that participated in the
Meeting in Paris, to the experts that have prepared the independent study, the Advisory
Bodies and the World Heritage Centre for their work on the reflection on sites associated with
recent conflicts;
4. Takes note that some properties associated with memories of recent conflicts have been
previously inscribed on the World Heritage List on an exceptional basis and also takes note
of the outcomes of the detailed reflection process in which some experts considered that
sites associated with recent conflicts do not relate to the purpose and scope of the World
Heritage Convention and its Operational Guidelines;
5. Takes note of the meeting of the African experts and the Inter-Ministerial meeting hosted by
South Africa, 6-9 April 2021, which reviewed the reports and the recommendations of the
experts meeting of the sites associated with recent conflicts and other negative and divisive
memories, (Paris, 4-6 December 2019), the ICOMOS updated paper on sites associated with
memories of recent conflicts and the World Heritage Convention (ICOMOS 2020) and the
study on sites associated with recent conflicts and other negative and divisive memories
(Beazley and Cameron, 2020), concluded that sites associated with memories of recent
conflicts do relate to the purpose and scope of the World Heritage Convention and its
Operational Guidelines;
6. Further takes note of the experts’ suggestion that sites associated with memories of recent
conflict which may not demonstrate the Outstanding Universal Value could be considered by
other international fora;
7. Acknowledging the persistent divergent views among States Parties, experts, the Advisory
Bodies and the World Heritage Centre regarding how sites associated with memories of
recent conflicts relate to the purpose and scope of the World Heritage Convention and its
Operational Guidelines,
8. Considering that it pertains to the States Parties, by means of the statutory bodies of the
Convention, to express themselves on the definition of possible eligibility criteria for certain
typologies of sites, such as sites that may be considered sites associated with memories of
recent conflicts;

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of the World Heritage Committee
9. Decides to establish an open-ended working group of States Parties to the Convention, in
order to broaden the scope of the reflections on sites of memories of recent conflicts,
accommodating other views not currently reflected in the existing report, and to consider
whether and how the “sites associated with recent conflicts” relate to the purpose and scope
of the World Heritage Convention;
10. Requests this open-ended working group of States Parties to incorporate the outcomes of all
the reflections in their final report, to be presented for consideration by the 45th session of
the World Heritage Committee, and to keep the General Assembly of the States Parties
informed;
11. Calls on States Parties to the Convention to contribute to the work of this open-ended
working group, including through voluntary contributions;
ANALYSIS OF THE GLOBAL STRATEGY
12. Welcomes the independent study analysing the impact of the Global Strategy on the World
Heritage List and notes its findings, which serve as a basis for a reflection on the Global
Strategy to be undertaken on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the World Heritage
Convention in 2022;
CRITERIA TO ASSESS THE IMPACT OF PAR. 61 OF THE OPERATIONAL GUIDELINES
13. Endorses the proposed criteria to be used to assess the impact of the application of the
mechanism foreseen in Paragraph 61 of the Operational Guidelines in view of its
examination at its 45th session;
BUFFER ZONES
14. Urges States Parties to ensure that well designed, effectively legally protected and managed
buffer zones are considered when submitting nominations;
PROTECTING SITES OF POTENTIAL OUTSTANDING UNIVERSAL VALUE IN MARINE AREAS
BEYOND NATIONAL JURISDICTION
15. Also takes note of the ongoing reflection on means to preserve sites of potential Outstanding
Universal Value in marine areas beyond national jurisdiction.

8A. TENTATIVE LISTS SUBMITTED BY STATES PARTIES AS OF 15 APRIL 2021,

IN CONFORMITY WITH THE OPERATIONAL GUIDELINES

Decision: 44 COM 8A

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/8A,
2. Stressing the importance of the process of revision and updating of Tentative Lists, as a tool
towards regional harmonisation of the World Heritage List and long-term planning;
3. Encourages States Parties to seek as early as possible upstream advice from the World
Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies during the development or revision of their
Tentative Lists as appropriate;
4. Commends the World Heritage Centre, ICOMOS, IUCN, and ICCROM for the preparation
of a guidance document for States Parties on the development or revision of their Tentative
Lists;
5. Takes note of the Tentative Lists presented in Annexes 2 and 3 of this document.

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of the World Heritage Committee
8B. NOMINATIONS TO THE WORLD HERITAGE LIST

I. CHANGES TO NAMES OF PROPERTIES INSCRIBED ON THE WORLD

HERITAGE LIST

Decision: 44 COM 8B.1

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/8B,
2. Approves the name change to Fraser Island as proposed by the Australian authorities. The
name of the property becomes K’gari (Fraser Island) in English and K’gari (Île Fraser) in
French.

Decision: 44 COM 8B.2

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/8B,
2. Approves the name change to the Petroglyphs within the Archaeological Landscape of
Tamgaly as proposed by the Kazakh authorities. The name of the property becomes
Petroglyphs of the Archaeological Landscape of Tanbaly in English and Pétroglyphes
du paysage archéologique de Tanbaly in French.

Decision: 44 COM 8B.3

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/8B,
2. Approves the name change to the Al-Hijr Archaeological Site (Madâin Sâlih) as proposed by
the Saudi Arabian authorities. The name of the property becomes Hegra Archaeological
Site (al-Hijr / Madā ͐ in Ṣāliḥ) in English and Site archéologique de Hegra (al-Hijr / Madā ͐
in Ṣāliḥ) in French.

Decision: 44 COM 8B.4

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/8B,
2. Approves the name change to the Archaeological Ensemble of Tárraco as proposed by the
Spanish authorities. The name of the property becomes Archaeological Ensemble of
Tarraco in English and Ensemble archéologique de Tarraco in French.

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of the World Heritage Committee
II. EXAMINATION OF NOMINATIONS OF NATURAL, MIXED AND CULTURAL
SITES TO THE WORLD HERITAGE LIST PROPOSED FOR EXAMINATION IN
2020 AND 2021

II.A. NOMINATIONS TO BE EXAMINED AT THE EXTENDED 44TH SESSION OF

THE WORLD HERITAGE COMMITTEE SUBMITTED FOR EXAMINATION IN
2020

A. NATURAL SITES

A.1. ASIA - PACIFIC

A.1.1. New Nominations

Decision: 44 COM 8B.5

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Documents WHC/21/44.COM/8B and WHC/21/44.COM/INF.8B2,
2. Taking note of the Note Verbale dated 9 June 2021 issued in Paris by the State Party and
the supplemental information in the form of a non-paper dated 15 July 2021 provided by the
State Party to all the State members of the World Heritage Committee and the UNESCO
Secretariat on the submission made by Japan for inscription on the World Heritage List under
the name of property “Amami-Oshima Island, Tokunoshima Island, Northern part of Okinawa
Island, and Iriomote Island”;
3. Inscribes Amami-Oshima Island, Tokunoshima Island, Northern part of Okinawa Island,
and Iriomote Island, Japan, on the World Heritage List on the basis of criterion (x);
4. Adopts the following Statement of Outstanding Universal Value:
Brief synthesis
Amami-Oshima Island, Tokunoshima Island, the northern part of Okinawa Island, and
Iriomote Island is a terrestrial serial property covering 42,698 ha comprised of five
component parts on four different islands (with Tokunoshima Island having two component
parts). Influenced by the Kuroshio Current and a subtropical high-pressure system, the
property has a warm and humid subtropical climate and is covered mainly with evergreen
broadleaved subtropical rainforests.
The formation of the Okinawa Trough in late Miocene resulted in the separation of a chain
from the Eurasian Continent, forming an archipelago of small islands. Terrestrial species
became isolated on these small islands and evolved to form unique and rich biota. The
islands included in the property support many examples of endemic species of terrestrial
vertebrate groups and plants that were not able to cross between these islands or adjoining
landmasses.
Thus, the property is of high global value for the protection of many endemic and globally
threatened species, and contains the most important and significant remaining natural
habitats for in-situ conservation of the unique and rich biodiversity of the central and southern
part of the archipelago.
Criterion (x): The property contains natural habitats of outstanding importance for in-situ
conservation of the unique and diverse biodiversity of the central and southern part of the

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of the World Heritage Committee
 archipelago in which the property is located. The five component parts constituting the
property are located in one of the 200 ecoregions considered most crucial to the
conservation of global biodiversity. The subtropical rainforests of the property are the largest
remaining in the region and harbour a very rich flora and fauna, boasting at least 1,819
vascular plants, 21 terrestrial mammals, 394 birds, 267 inland water fish, 36 terrestrial
reptiles and 21 amphibians. These include approximately 57% of the terrestrial vertebrates of
the biodiversity hotspot of Japan, including 44% of species endemic to Japan as well as 36%
of Japan’s globally threatened vertebrates.
Among species listed on IUCN Red List of Threatened Species are the Amami Rabbit, only
found on Amami-Oshima and Tokunoshima Islands and the only species in its genus, with no
close relatives anywhere in the world, and the flightless Okinawa Rail, endemic to the
Northern part of Okinawa Island. Spiny rats form an endemic genus consisting of three
species endemic to each of the respective three islands, and the Iriomote Cat, which only
inhabits Iriomote Island.
Speciation and endemism are high for many taxa. For example, 188 species of vascular
plants and 1,607 insect species are endemic within the four islands of the property. Rates of
endemism among terrestrial mammals (62%), terrestrial reptiles (64%), amphibians (86%),
and inland water crabs (100%) are also high. Twenty species are identified as Evolutionarily
Distinct and Globally Endangered (EDGE) species, including the Okinawa Spiny Rat, Ryukyu
Black-Breasted Leaf Turtle, and Kuroiwa’s Ground Gecko.
Integrity
The property is the best representation of the archipelago in which it is located and contains
the richest biota in Japan, one of the world’s biodiversity hotspots. The boundaries of the five
component parts have been carefully selected to ensure that the entire property is strictly
protected and that they capture the key values and demonstrate a generally high degree of
connectivity, wherever it is possible to achieve this. It will be crucial to ensure that buffer
zones are actively managed to support the attributes of the property’s OUV and that activities
such as logging do not create adverse impacts.
The four islands that host the property consist of mountains and hills with intact and
contiguous subtropical rainforests that secure particularly stable habitats for approximately
90% of native species, endemic species and globally threatened species of the central and
southern part of the archipelago. There are important naturally functioning freshwater
systems, but with some natural values that have been impacted by hard, engineered
infrastructure and which could be restored to a more natural function.
The five component parts of the property have intact subtropical forests and other habitats,
including many areas of substantial size. These are selected to include the most important
current and potential distributional areas of endemic species and threatened species, and
are key attributes expressing the Outstanding Universal Value of this property.
Protection and management requirements
The property is under the strictest protection in the Japanese system of nature conservation
areas, and its component parts are designated as Special Protection Zones or Class I
Special Zones managed by the Ministry of the Environment and/or Preservation Zones of
Forest Ecosystem Reserves managed by the Forestry Agency. In addition, the property is
designated as a National Wildlife Protection Area and Natural Monument Protection Area.
The property thus receives adequate management resources and appropriate long-term
protection. Some of the endemic species and/or threatened species of the property, such as
the Amami Rabbit, three species of the Spiny Rat, Okinawa Rail and Iriomote Cat, have been
designated and legally protected as National Endangered Species and/or National Natural
Monuments.
The four islands of the property are inhabited, with residential areas and industrial activities
located close to the habitats for endemic and threatened species. Buffer zones are included

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of the World Heritage Committee
 adjacent to the property, mainly in the Class II Special Zone of a national park and/or the
Conservation and Utilization Zone of a Forest Ecosystem Reserve. In addition, Surrounding
Conservation Areas encompassing the property and the buffer zones are designated under
the Comprehensive Management Plan.
Administrations at all levels, i.e. the Ministry of the Environment, the Forestry Agency, the
Agency for Cultural Affairs, Kagoshima and Okinawa Prefectures, and 12 municipalities,
have established a Regional Liaison Committee to facilitate and coordinate management of
multilayered protected areas and the protection of designated species. They manage the
property according to a Comprehensive Management Plan, which covers conservation
measures not only in the property but also in the buffer zones and surrounding conservation
areas.
Key threats to the property include potential impacts from tourism, posing significant threats
to wildlife in some areas, including Iriomote Island. Further threats include impacts from
invasive alien species such as the small Indian Mongoose and cats, wildlife roadkill and the
illegal collection of wild rare and threatened species. In order to address these threats, the
risks to the property are prevented or mitigated by various measures implemented through
collaboration among related administrative agencies, private organizations and local
communities. In recent years, the tourism industry has increased and sustainable levels of
tourism need to be fully assessed and continuously monitored. Invasive alien species and
roadkill, especially the potentially critical impact of traffic on endangered species including
the Iriomote Cat, need to be kept at an absolute minimum and strictly monitored, and illegal
collection of wild rare and threatened species prevented. There is the need to develop a
comprehensive river restoration strategy in order to transition wherever possible from hard
infrastructure to employ nature-based techniques and rehabilitation approaches. Activities in
the buffer zones, including very limited traditional timber extraction that takes place, also
require continued vigilance and to be strictly limited and monitored.
5. Commends the State Party for its commitment towards the conservation of this property and
for its efforts in revising its original nomination to address questions of integrity;
6. Requests the State Party to take immediate steps to improve the protection and
management of the property, including by:
a) Capping or reducing levels of tourist visitation from current levels, especially on
Iriomote Island, until a critical evaluation of tourism carrying capacity and impacts can
be conducted and integrated into a revised tourism management plan,
b) Urgently reviewing the effectiveness and strengthening if necessary, the traffic
management measures designed to reduce road fatalities of endangered species
(including but not limited to Amami Rabbit, Iriomote Cat, and Okinawa Rail),
c) Developing a comprehensive river restoration strategy in order to transition wherever
possible from hard, engineered infrastructure to employ nature-based techniques and
rehabilitation approaches such as replenishment, vegetation, and the formation of
different habitat types,
d) Capping or reducing logging operations in the buffer zones from current levels, both in
number and combined size of individual harvesting areas, and ensuring that any
logging remains strictly limited to the buffer zones;
7. Also requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 December 2022,
a report on the implementation of the above-mentioned recommendations for review by
IUCN.

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Decision: 44 COM 8B.6

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Documents WHC/21/44.COM/8B and WHC/21/44.COM/INF.8B2,
2. Inscribes Getbol, Korean Tidal Flats, Republic of Korea, on the World Heritage List on the
basis of criterion (x);
3. Takes note of the following provisional Statement of Outstanding Universal Value:
Brief synthesis
The “Getbol” is a natural serial property, comprising four components in the first phase,
located on the eastern shoreline of the Yellow Sea on the southwestern coast of the Korean
Peninsula. The Yellow Sea, lying between the Korean Peninsula and China, hosts one of the
world’s largest and most productive tidal flat ecosystems supporting millions of migratory
waterbirds at the heart of the East Asian-Australasian Flyway (EAAF), whilst providing critical
ecosystem services for people. All four sites support globally important populations of
threatened migratory waterbirds in the EAAF, and unequivocally meet the criterion for
designation as Key Biodiversity Areas (KBA), Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas (IBA),
Biosphere Reserves, Ramsar Sites and East Asian Australasian Flyway Partnership Network
Sites. Thus, this property is a globally significant example of shared natural heritage beyond
national borders.
The four components of the serial property are located along the southwestern coast of the
Korean Peninsula: 1) Seocheon Getbol (6,809 ha; buffer zone 3,657 ha), 2) Gochang Getbol
(5,531 ha; buffer zone 1,880 ha), 3) Shinan Getbol (110,086 ha; buffer zone 67,254 ha), and
4) Boseong-Suncheon Getbol (5,985 ha; buffer zone 1,801 ha). The total area of the four
components is 128,411 ha and their buffer zone is 74,592 ha.
Many human communities along the southwestern coast of the Korean Peninsula have
livelihoods dependent on the harvest of marine resources, often based on indigenous
knowledge. Anthropogenic activity has transformed some of the coastal wetlands. However,
action plans under the legal framework of the Tidal Flat Act adopted in 2019 have been
positively catalysing the restoration of tidal flat ecosystem on partially damaged areas.
International cooperation under IUCN umbrella is progressing as an essential step in
effectively conserving internationally important habitats for migratory birds in the EAAF. The
property, including an extension, will further strengthen the Outstanding Universal Value
inherent in the Yellow Sea and the EAAF.
Criterion (x): Many of the estimated 50 million waterbirds of the East Asian-Australasian
Flyway (EAAF) depend on the Yellow Sea’s coastal wetlands to stage on their annual
migration between nesting areas in eastern Asia to as far north as Siberia and Alaska, and
non-breeding areas to as far south as Australasia. The EAAF spans 22 countries and has the
highest number of migratory waterbird species threatened with extinction, the highest
diversity of migratory species and the highest overall number of birds among the world’s
eight major flyways.
The concentrations of migratory waterbirds using the four component sites are globally
outstanding and represent virtually the full complement of species using the Yellow Sea as a
migration stopover or as wintering sites. These include internationally important numbers of
34 species, eight of which are globally threatened and endemic to the EAAF: Spoon-billed
Sandpiper (Critically Endangered: ‘Asia’s most threatened migratory bird’); Far Eastern
Curlew (Endangered); Black-faced Spoonbill (Endangered); Great Knot (Endangered);
Spotted Greenshank (Endangered); Hooded Crane (Vulnerable); Saunders's Gull
(Vulnerable); and Chinese Egret (Vulnerable).
The property also supports exceptionally high invertebrate biodiversity with a total of 2,169
known species including 375 species of benthic diatoms, 152 species of marine algae, and

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 857 species of macrobenthos. As regards marine invertebrates, the property supports five
threatened and 47 restricted-range species, including the evolutionarily unique tiger crab.
Integrity
The property includes the largest remaining tidal flats and associated wetlands in the
southwestern part of the Korean Peninsula, and is one of the most important sites for
migratory waterbirds in the East Asian-Australasian Flyway (EAAF).
The four components of the serial nomination are representative sites that have Outstanding
Universal Value as natural habitats for internationally threatened waterbird species and for
the conservation of biodiversity.
The boundaries of the four serial components provide adequate protection for migratory birds
by including feeding, breeding, and roosting areas. The property encompasses muddy,
sandy, mixed, and rocky habitats as well as beach, sand spit, and characteristic sediment
body which are widely developed around numerous islands. The stable supply of terrigenous
sediments from the Geumgang River greatly contributes to maintaining these exceptionally
diverse habitats. Consequently, these globally important and irreplaceable habitats support
one of the highest species diversity of waterbirds including threatened species in the EAAF
as well as rich biodiversity of other species living in and on the wetlands.
Protection and management requirements
The Republic of Korea has 100% ownership of the property including the marine buffer
zones. The four component parts of the serial property are protected by law in their entirety
as Wetland Protected Areas (WPAs) under the Wetlands Conservation Act (WCA). Various
other laws and regulations, including the Conservation and Management of Marine
Ecosystems Act, apply in the property and buffer zones, effectively restricting damaging
activities.
The Tidal Flat Act of 2019 (and associated 2019-2023 action plan for tidal flat ecosystem
restoration) halts any further reclamation of tidal flats and represents a progressive shift in
national coastal management policy from coastal reclamation to tidal flat protection and
restoration. This provides a mechanism that further supports the coastal management within
and outside the property. The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries is already overseeing work to
restore mudflats on the southwestern coast of the Korean Peninsula degraded by past
developments.
Traditional fishing activities are allowed to continue at current levels and are subject to self-
governed rules by the fishing cooperatives in accordance with the Fisheries Act and Wetland
Conservation Act. The inherent interests of, and traditional management by the local
communities play an important role in ensuring the effective protection of the property given
that healthy tidal flats underpin many local livelihoods.
Tourism is concentrated in only a few places of the property and its buffer zone (notably
around Suncheon City), whereas many of the more remote areas (many of the smaller
islands) have little or no tourism.
This property has adequate financial and technical resources, including staffing in all
authorities involved, which will be further increased upon inscription. There are many
activities underway by different levels of government, non-governmental organizations and
local communities that support the effective management and enforcement of the WPAs that
make up the property. There are also many measures in place to prevent, reduce and
respond to risks (e.g. those related to natural and anthropogenic disasters.)
The integrated management plan will need to be complemented with more details on specific
management interventions that would be required for supporting and maintaining the OUV,
which will be further enhanced by the State Party as it completes its proposed Phase II with
additional sites.

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4. Underlines the global conservation significance of the East Asian-Australasian Flyway and
the critical importance of the Yellow Sea region habitat for the survival of many species of
waterbirds;
5. Notes that the decision to inscribe the property is made on the understanding that the State
Party is in agreement with the following requests of the Committee, which should be
implemented in time for consideration at its 48th session in order to fully address the
requirements of the Operational Guidelines:
a) Submit a single Phase II nomination to include nine additional components in order to
further strengthen the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of this property, fully taking
into account the evaluation of IUCN,
b) Clearly demonstrate the boundaries of each component in Phase II and proposed
extended boundaries and/or buffer zones of the existing property if necessary to meet
integrity requirements, providing evidence that the boundaries sufficiently cover all
attributes related to the stated OUV,
c) Present an integrated management system and plan to conserve attributes at national
and local levels, including for Phase II,
d) Ensure that there is no further development that would have negative impact on the
attributes of conservation significance in each component of the nominated property;
6. Notes with appreciation the confirmed commitment demonstrated by the State Party and
local authorities to decide to participate in Phase II, as an integral part of the inscribed
property;
7. Encourages the State Party, following Decision 43 COM 8B.3, to further strengthen
collaboration with other concerned States Parties to improve the conservation of critical
habitats within the Eastern Asian-Australasian Flyway in relation to potential future
transnational serial nominations, and/or extensions and, in particular, to coordinate with the
State Party of China in relation to the anticipated Phase II nomination for Migratory Bird
Sanctuaries along the Coast of Yellow Sea-Bohai Gulf of China, potentially through the 2007
Korea-China Agreement on the Protection of Migratory Birds;
8. Requests the State Party to closely cooperate with IUCN to ensure that the future nomination
can satisfy the requirements provided in Paragraph 5 and the target in Paragraph 7 of the
present decision.

A.1.2. Nominations deferred or referred back by previous sessions of the World Heritage
Committee

Decision: 44 COM 8B.7

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Documents WHC/21/44.COM/8B.Add and WHC/21/44.COM/INF.8B2.Add,
2. Recalling Decisions 39 COM 8B.5, 40 COM 8B.11 and 43 COM 8B.5 adopted at its 39th
(Bonn, 2015), 40th (Istanbul/UNESCO Headquarters, 2016) and 43rd (Baku, 2019) sessions
respectively,
3. Inscribes Kaeng Krachan Forest Complex, Thailand, on the World Heritage List on the
basis of criterion (x);
4. Takes note of the following provisional Statement of Outstanding Universal Value:

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 Brief synthesis
The Kaeng Krachan Forest Complex (KKFC) lies in the Tenasserim Range near the border
area of Thailand and Myanmar. The Forest complex covers vast forest areas encompassing
parts of three (3) provinces in the western part of Thailand, namely Ratchaburi, Phetchaburi,
and Prachuap Khiri Khan, and covers four protected areas which are three national parks
and one wildlife sanctuary. Located in the Indo-Malayan ecoregion, the nominated property
encompasses a total area of 408,940 ha. At the macro scale, the complex has rich and
varied biological diversity as a result of the amalgamation of four zoogeographical sub-
regions (Sundaic, Sino-Himalayan, Indochinese and Indo-Burmese), as well as four floristic
provinces (Indo-Burmese or Himalayan, Indo-Malaysian, Annamatic, and Andamanese). In
addition to the macro-diversity, at the micro scale, the diverse geological characteristics and
highly variable topography contribute to exceptionally high habitat diversity per unit area.
Tangible evidence for exceptional biodiversity values is also clearly demonstrated with the
presence of endemic and endangered species. The KKFC also maintains significant
populations of key and valuable species that are recognised as being globally significant and
endangered. IUCN identifies the nominated complex as a regional important area for tiger
conservation landscape, important bird habitats, as well as an important area for elephant
conservation and priority site for Indo-Burma hotspots.
Criterion (x): The nominated property meets this criterion because of its specific location
reflecting the unique mixture of different zoogeographical realms and floristic provinces. It is
the northernmost point for many species from the south and it is the southernmost point for
species from the north. This macro diversity is complemented by a highly variable
topography that brings about many different habitats per unit. The area’s rich biodiversity is
also indicated by the presence of at least 720 known wild animal species, as well as rare and
endemic plant species.
Of flora species, there is Prunus kaengkrachanensis which is a new species reported in 2015
and is found only in the KKFC. Critically endangered species (CR) such as Kamettia
chandeei, Magnolia gustavii, and Aquilaria malaccensis are also found in this complex. For
Magnolia gustavii, it was first reported in 1891 and found in India’s Assam region and the
northern part of Myanmar. Since then, there had been no report of the species for more than
100 years and it was believed that the species was extinct in the wild. However, it was
discovered again in 1998 in KKNP, which is located around 2,000 km. away from the original
discovery area. Geostachys smitinandii (VU) is found only in the KKFC and the Dong
Phayayen – Khao Yai Forest Complex Natural World Heritage site of Thailand. The complex
is also the world’s only home to the plant species Trichosanthes phonsenae, first discovered
there in 2003.
In addition, the complex maintains healthy populations of globally important endangered
wildlife species. Of fauna species, one of the most important evidence is the presence of the
critically endangered species, Siamese crocodile (Crocodylus siamensis), in Kaeng Krachan
National Park (KKNP). The KKNP is one of a few locations in only five countries worldwide
where such species still exist in the wild. This can allow for the natural and pure breed of the
species. Critically endangered species (CR) such as Sunda pangolin (Manis javanica),
Elongated tortoise (Indotestudo elongata), and Asian giant tortoise (Manouria emys) are also
found in this complex. In addition, there are also important populations of other endangered
species such as Banteng (Bos javanicus), Asian elephant (Elephas maximus), tiger
(Panthera tigris), Asiatic wild dog (Cuon alpinus); and vulnerable species such as Asian
black bear (Ursus thibetanus), Asian tapir (Tapirus indicus), southern serow (Capricornis
sumatraensis), Gaur (Bos gaurus) and stump-tailed macaque (Macaca arctoides). A
complete suite of top carnivores has been identified in the area including eight species of
Felidae.

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 Integrity
The KKFC protects the head watersheds of many important rivers such as Phetchaburi, Kui
Buri, Pranburi, Phachi, and Mae Klong Rivers. Some of these rivers provide water to the
Sam Roi Yod National Park (Ramsar Site), which is one of Thailand’s most well-known areas
for water birds. The nominated property encompasses an area of 408,940 ha located in
Ratchaburi, Phetchaburi, and Prachuap Khiri Khan provinces. It is connected to a forest area
in Myanmar with the Tenasserim Ranges as a natural border between the two countries
spanning approximately 292 kilometres from the north to the south of the property.
There are six forest types which cover more than 96% of the nominated area. Dry evergreen
forest covers a majority of the area, about 65%. Other types of the forest are Mixed
Deciduous Forest, Montane Evergreen Forest, Moist Evergreen Forest, Secondary Forest,
and Dry Dipterocarp Forest. The area’s topography is rugged with high mountains in the west
and rolling hills to the east. Elevation ranges between 37 and 1,231 meters above sea level.
The climate is influenced by the north-eastern and south-western monsoon winds. The rainy
season generally starts in mid-May and ends in mid-October. The winter season spans from
mid-October to mid-February while the dry season goes from mid-February to mid-May.
As a result of complex topography, climate and ecosystems, there are more than 700 animal
species reported in the complex, including 4 CR species, 8 EN species, and 23 VU species.
This is an indicator of high habitat suitability for fauna. The biodiversity of flora and fauna is
extremely rich, safe, and sufficient for the species to thrive. The integrity is very much intact
with full protection of the KKFC area under a sound management plan with all relevant laws
and regulations.
Protection and management requirements
The four components comprising the KKFC are well protected under relevant legislations.
The four components include a wildlife sanctuary (Mae Nam Phachi) protected under the
Wildlife Protection and Preservation Act B.E.2535 (1992) and its amendment and three
national parks (Chaloem Phrakiat Thai Prachan, Kaeng Krachan and Kui Buri) protected
under the National Park Act B.E. 2504 (1961) and its amendment. The Kaeng Krachan and
Kui Buri National Parks are connected by Kui Buri Forest Reserve and the Army Reserve
Zone. This corridor is also regarded as a protected area under the Forest Reserve Act B.E.
2507 (1964) and the Military Reserve Zone Act B.E. 2478 (1935). The total area of the
nominated property is 408,940 ha. The main purpose of the protected area designations is to
safeguard and preserve the overall ecological integrity of the area, including the outstanding
wildlife and species values and forested watersheds for Phetchaburi and Prachuap Khiri
Khan provinces. The protected area administration consists of a Superintendent Unit with
one or more deputies for each component as well as patrol stations located in and around
the boundaries.
The adoption of the National Park Act B.E. 2562 (2019) and Wildlife Conservation and
Protection Act B.E. 2562 (2019) represents a significant paradigm shift in Thailand’s
environmental conservation policy to strike a balance between natural conservation and
sustainable utilization of resources. The Acts aim to legally permit local communities to
reside in the property’s protected areas while also being able to make use of forest products
for their sustainable livelihoods. Moreover, the legislations will help promote the participation
of local communities in important decision-making processes related to the KKFC, including
protected area management plan, land tenure survey, and legal mechanisms to enhance
understanding between the local communities and the Thai Government officials concerning
land use.
The management and protection regime continue to apply across the protected areas
comprising the forest complex, regardless of the reduced nominated area, which remains
subject to the same legislation. This also applies to patrols for which the additional
information by the State Party provided details on patrolling areas and frequencies. The
patrols cover about half of KKFC, whilst being concentrated on areas of vulnerability to

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 threats as well as high biodiversity areas. Less accessible areas are patrolled from the air
with targeted drop-in patrol as well as foot patrols.
Thus, the natural values of the nominated property are provided with adequate legal
protection so that protection requirements continue to be met. In addition, the management
capacity and conservation effectiveness of the nominated property also meet the
requirements of the Operational Guidelines.
5. Notes that the decision to inscribe the property is made on the understanding that the State
Party has addressed the issues raised in Decision 43 COM 8B.5, thus fulfilled the
requirements of the Operational Guidelines, and will continue the work in progress on the
following issues:
a) Mutual understanding on the revised boundaries of the property based on agreement
between the States Parties of Thailand and Myanmar,
b) Ensuring related conditions of integrity, protection and management,
c) Ensuring consultations with the local communities on their livelihoods and their active
engagement in management of the property;
6. Notes with appreciation the commitment and continued efforts by the State Party in working
with local authorities and communities in safeguarding the property;
7. Encourages the State Party to identify opportunities to collaborate with the State Party of
Myanmar in transboundary conservation and management of the highly significant nature
conservation values of the region, with a view to consider a future extension of the property;
8. Also encourages the State Party to strengthen dialogue and consultation with IUCN in
preparation for a regular review of the general state of conservation, including expert
missions;
9. Requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre by 1 December 2022 a
report on the implementation of the above-mentioned recommendations for examination by
the World Heritage Committee at its 46th session.

A.2. EUROPE AND NORTH AMERICA

A.2.1. New Nominations

Decision: 44 COM 8B.8

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Documents WHC/21/44.COM/8B and WHC/21/44.COM/INF.8B2,
2. Inscribes the Colchic Rainforests and Wetlands, Georgia, on the World Heritage List on
the basis of criteria (ix) and (x);
3. Adopts the following Statement of Outstanding Universal Value:
Brief synthesis
The property is situated in Georgia, within the Autonomous Republic of Adjara as well as the
regions of Guria and Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti. It comprises a series of seven component
parts, which are located close to each other within an 80 km long corridor along the warm-
temperate and extremely humid eastern coast of the Black Sea. They provide an almost
complete altitudinal series of the most typical Colchic ecosystems running from sea level to
more than 2,500 m above sea level. The main ecosystems are ancient deciduous Colchic

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 rainforests and wetlands – particularly percolation bogs and other mire types of the Colchic
mire region, a distinct mire region within Europe and Eurasia.
The Colchic Rainforests and Wetlands are relict forests, which have survived the glacial
cycles of the ice age. The extremely humid nemoral broad-leaved rainforests comprise a
highly diverse flora and fauna, with very high densities of endemic and relict species. This is
the result of millions of years of uninterrupted evolution and speciation processes within the
Colchic Pliocene refugium. The peatlands of the Colchis mire region, which are closely
interlinked with lowland Colchic rainforests, also reflect the mild and extremely humid
conditions there. These allow for the existence of percolation bogs, the simplest functional
type of mires, only occurring in the Colchis mire region. In addition to percolation bogs, there
is a complete series of other succession stages of mire development in the Colchic wetlands.
Criterion (ix): The property comprises ancient Colchic rainforests with their characteristic
vertical zoning and ecological succession, and wetlands, particularly Colchic mires, with their
supporting processes and succession. A unique combination of influences from three
mountain ranges to the north, east and south, with the Black Sea to the west, plus high
precipitation and a narrow range in seasonal temperature variations results in conditions that
have created outstandingly complex and diverse forest structures, peatland accumulations,
high levels of endemism and intra species diversity.
The Colchic rainforests are highly humid temperate deciduous rainforests, and among the
oldest nemoral broad-leaved forests globally. While they are distinguished from other
temperate forests by their rich evergreen understoreys, they also display a remarkably dense
mosaic of forest types, with 23 forest associations co-existing within an area of only about
200 km2. Together with the Hyrcanian Forests, they are the most important relicts of Arcto-
Tertiary forests in western Eurasia. This peculiar and diverse community, which has survived
the Pleistocene glacial cycles, includes a multitude of relict and endemic species. It reflects
exceptionally constant climatic conditions and is an invaluable example of the manifold long-
term evolutionary processes of forest biota over at least 10-15 million years.
The extensive paludified areas along the Black Sea coast are a result of evolutionary and
ecological processes related to climate variability in an ancient warm-temperate ecoregion
continuously vegetated since the Tertiary period. The exceptional character of the mires has
led to the recognition of a distinct Colchis mire region. Their percolation bogs are of particular
global importance as they do not exist anywhere else in the world. They can be considered
the simplest and hence ideal-typical mire, due to almost permanent water supplied
exclusively by precipitation. Percolation bogs are essential for the functional understanding of
all mires, and hence of terrestrial carbon storage in general.
Criterion (x): The property represents a distinctive area of outstanding biodiversity within the
wider Caucasus Global Biodiversity Hotspot, where a rich flora and fauna adapted to warm-
temperate and extremely humid climate is concentrated. It belongs to one of the two most
important refuge areas of Arcto-Tertiary geoflora in western Eurasia. The property is
characterized by a high level of floral and faunal diversity with significant numbers of globally
threatened species and relict species, which survived the glacial cycles of the Tertiary.
The property is home to approximately 1,100 species of vascular and non-vascular plants, as
well as almost 500 species of vertebrates, and a high number of invertebrate species. It
hosts an extremely high proportion of endemic species for a non-tropical, non-island region.
There are 149 species of plants with a restricted range and almost one third of mammals,
amphibians and reptiles are endemic. The contribution of endemic species to amphibians,
reptiles and mammals of the region is at 28%.
Forty-four globally threatened or near-threatened species of vascular plants, 50 of
vertebrates, and 8 of invertebrates have been recorded in the Colchic Rainforests and
Wetlands. The property also harbors sturgeon species, including the Colchic Sturgeon, and
serves as a key stopover for many globally threatened birds that migrate through the Batumi
bottleneck.

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 Integrity
The component parts of the Colchic Rainforests and Wetlands have been selected based on
a careful regional analysis. The boundaries of component parts incorporate attributes
necessary to convey the Outstanding Universal Value, mostly following natural features such
as mountain ridges. The component parts cover most of the existing mires of the Colchis
mire region, and the best preserved and most representative rainforests. The property
includes more than 90% of the altitudinal range at which Colchic rainforests occur, and the
great majority of typical forest associations. They also comprise a complete successional
series of the mires characteristic of the Colchis mire region. The property as a whole holds
the great majority of the Colchic flora and fauna, and an even greater proportion of the
endemic plant species found in the wider region is concentrated here.
There were significant losses to the Colchic rainforests and mires across the Colchic region
until the late 20th Century. In contrast, the forests and mires inside the property have
remained fully intact both structurally and functionally, as shown by their community structure
and ecological processes. While some of the Colchic mires were slightly degraded by nearby
draining in the past, their current hydrological intactness and resilience is ensured by their
dependence on atmospheric precipitation, high mire oscillation capacity, the stabilizing effect
of the nearby sea, and extensive upstream buffer zones.
Protection and management requirements
The component parts of the property are effectively protected against local anthropogenic
threats. Only small parts of some of the buffer zones are slightly affected by an acceptable
level of traditional natural resource use. All the component parts of the property, and all but
208 ha of the buffer zone, are situated on state-owned land within legally designated
protected areas. These are either strictly protected areas (IUCN Protected Area category Ia),
or those zones of National Parks (IUCN Protected Area category II) that afford the highest
levels of protection. Only a very small part of the property belongs to a protected landscape
(IUCN Protected Area category V). The boundaries of these protected areas are known and
accepted by the local population.
The protected areas that cover the property are managed by the Agency of Protected Areas
of the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia, through its local
Protected Area Administration. Sustainably funded integrated management of the entire
property is required in addition to the implementation of comprehensive management plans
for all four protected areas. Coordination of component areas is enabled as all are managed
by the Agency of Protected Areas. An integrated management framework of the property has
been developed and requires finalization.
There is scope for the protected areas to be expanded further, based on strategic
conservation planning using Key Biodiversity Areas, which may provide an additional layer of
protection to the property, and possibly allow for future extensions to both the property and
buffer zones to be considered. This is particularly important in view of existing and potential
developments in proximity of the property and along the Black Sea coast. Any development
projects need to be subject to rigorous Environmental Impact Assessment procedures, and
should not go ahead in case of potential negative impacts on the property’s Outstanding
Universal Value.
4. Commends the State Party for its commitment to expand the buffer zones of the property
and to consider further enhancement of the conservation of the property by potentially adding
additional areas, especially to protect critically endangered sturgeon through plans for a new
protected area adjacent to the property;
5. Strongly encourages the State Party to submit the proposed extensions of the buffer zones
of the Churia component part towards the North and of the Nabada component part to
support the conservation of the sturgeon population as a minor boundary modification, if
possible, by 1 February 2023;

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6. Requests the State Party to:
a) Continue to assess the feasibility of expanding the buffer zones around component
parts 4, 5, 6, and 7 to ensure that they have higher connectivity, and to provide further
details of the conclusions of this feasibility study to the World Heritage Centre, for
review by IUCN, by 1 December 2022,
b) Continue to assess the feasibility of expanding the buffer zone to protect coastal dunes
that provide a barrier between the unique percolation mires and the Black Sea,
c) Finalize the Joint Management Plan for the entire serial property as a matter of priority
and submit it to the World Heritage Centre for review by IUCN;
7. Acknowledges with thanks the support provided by donors and international development
agencies to the protection and management of the property and encourages these donors to
maintain and, if feasible, strengthen this support to contribute to the effective management
and governance of this property in the long term.

Decision: 44 COM 8B.9

The nomination of Classical Karst, Slovenia, was withdrawn at the request of the State Party.

B. MIXED SITES

B.1. AFRICA

B.1.1. New Nominations

Decision: 44 COM 8B.10

The nomination of Holqa Sof Umar: Natural and Cultural Heritage (Sof Umar: Caves of
Mystery), Ethiopia, was withdrawn at the request of the State Party.

C. CULTURAL SITES

C.1. ARAB STATES

C.1.1. New Nominations

Decision: 44 COM 8B.11

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Documents WHC/21/44.COM/8B and WHC/21/44.COM/INF.8B1,
2. Inscribes Ḥimā Cultural Area, Saudi Arabia, on the World Heritage List on the basis of
criterion (iii);
3. Takes note of the following provisional Statement of Outstanding Universal Value:

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 Brief synthesis
Ḥimā Cultural Area is located in southwest Saudi Arabia on one of the ancient caravan
routes of the Arabian Peninsula. The region contains some of the most significant desert
wells in the Middle East, if not the world. The passage of vast armies and myriad caravans
through the region has resulted in an unequalled historical "library on rock", comprising
massive numbers of rock inscriptions and petroglyphs that reflect Arabia’s history over the
duration of the Holocene period. These spectacular petroglyphs cover a period of at least
7000 years, continuing up to the last 30 years. Most are preserved in pristine condition.
Inscriptions are in different scripts, including Musnad, Aramaic- Nabatean, South-Arabian,
Thamudic, Greek and Arabic.
Criterion (iii): the property bears a unique testimony to a number of ancient traditions over
the span of many millennia, chronicling the history of the Arab people more effectively than
any other place and thus representing a massive outdoor library of that history. The property
bears an exceptional testimony to a long series of cultural traditions, arguably from the
Paleolithic and at the very least to the Neolithic and stretching from then until the present
day. Over this long period the people passing through the region, left a pristine record of
their presence and passage in the form of rock inscriptions and rock art, the former in some
cases describing their lived context and environment, the themes in the rock art reflecting the
changing character of the environment and how they adapted to it.
Integrity
The six component parts that comprise the serial property – possibly containing more than
100,000 petroglyphs – encompass the region’s largest and most significant concentrations of
rock art and rock inscription sites. The great majority of the remaining rock engraving sites
are included in the buffer zone. The property is free from development except for site
protection works and the small township of Ḥimā. The archaeological resources within the
property remain almost totally intact.
Due to the highly arid environment of the Ḥimā Cultural Area and the Bedouin custodianship
since time immemorial, its Outstanding Universal Values have been exceptionally well
preserved. Both the core zones and the buffer zone are of adequate sizes to ensure the
continuing integrity of the Property.
Authenticity
The rock art and rock inscriptions within the property have retained their original location,
setting, materials, ambience, form, and design. To some extent even their traditional function
within a cultural tradition has been preserved, through the continuation of traditional use.
The authenticity of the petroglyphs is clear from their patinated condition, state of weathering
and fractures in rock panels that have been determined to postdate the images. Other
scientific work as well as stylistic similarities with direct-dated rock art elsewhere in Saudi
Arabia also confirm their authenticity. Some engravings have been “refreshed,” as certain
sections have been re-pecked. However, most of these were done in ancient times and could
be considered part of their authenticity, as they manifest the active role these images played
in the lives of people. The rock inscriptions are fresher and brighter than most of the rock art.
There are several different recognizable types of script, the older ones being more patinated.
Some of the inscriptions describe events that occurred at known dates. The location, width
and depth of the wells at Bi’r Ḥimā are original, but the above-ground walling is recent, built
to ensure safety. The network of channels linking the five ancient wells is a recent
restoration.
Protection and management requirements
The property and the buffer zone are in the ownership of the Government of Saudi Arabia.
They are managed and protected by the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National

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 Heritage. The rock art and inscriptions within the property are protected as an archaeological
monument. The property is protected at the highest level within its jurisdiction.
For the effective monitoring, conservation, protection and management of the property, it is
essential that a database of consistent site records for all sites inventoried within the property
and the buffer zone be kept and made internally accessible to staff. The Management Plan
(2018) includes clear sets of objectives and responsibilities identified, though there is a need
for certain specialized staff. The Tourism Management Plan (2018) addresses the potential
growth in tourism in a sensible and practical way. A conservation management strategy
should be created, implemented and integrated into the management plan of the property.
Capacity building is required in the fields of archaeology, heritage management and rock art
conservation in order to implement the monitoring, conservation and management plans and
programs.
Capacity building is required in the fields of archaeology, heritage management and rock art
conservation in order to implement the monitoring, conservation and management plans and
programs.
4. Recommends that the State Party give consideration to the following:
a) Setting up an adequate documentation system and developing an operational and up-
to-date database for the property to ensure monitoring of its state of conservation,
including:
i) Updated maps showing the boundaries of the property component parts, the
buffer zone and precise location of the inventoried heritage sites from the
inscribed areas and buffer zone,
ii) A database of site records for every known rock art and rock inscription site
inventoried in the property and the buffer zone with clear maps, within a GIS,
b) Compiling a list of all attributes of the OUV considering that the list will be
indispensable for the conservation, management and monitoring of the property,
c) Carrying out Heritage Impact Assessments for any projects related to tourism activities
and infrastructure at Najd Khayrān before they are implemented,
d) Creating and implementing a conservation programme and engaging additional staff
with specialist training in heritage management, archaeology and rock art conservation,
e) Creating and implementing a monitoring programme that identifies measurable key
indicators, periodicity and responsible authorities,
f) Undertaking restoration of the above-ground walling for the wells and water channels at
Ḥimā, based on comprehensive archival and archaeological research;
5. Also recommends the State Party to advance archaeological research in the buffer zone, and
to consider the option of extending the property in the future, in case information comes to
light that contribute to the understanding of the property;
6. Requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 December 2022, a
report on the implementation of the above-mentioned recommendations, for examination by
the World Heritage Committee at its 46th session.

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C.2. ASIA-PACIFIC

C.2.1. New Nominations

Decision: 44 COM 8B.12

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Documents WHC/21/44.COM/8B and WHC/21/44.COM/INF.8B1,
2. Inscribes Kakatiya Rudreshwara (Ramappa) Temple, Telangana, India, on the World
Heritage List on the basis of criteria (i) and (iii);
3. Takes note of the following provisional Statement of Outstanding Universal Value:
Brief synthesis
The Great Living Rudreshwara Temple, popularly known as Ramappa Temple, is located in
the village of Palampet, approximately 200km north-east of Hyderabad, in the State of
Telangana. Rudreshwara is the main Shiva temple in a larger walled temple complex, which
includes smaller temples and Mandara structures constructed under the chieftains
Rudradeva and Recharla Rudra. The Rudreshwara (Ramappa) temple stands as a unique
testimony to the highest level of creative, artistic and engineering talents involving various
experimentations in expressive art forms of Kakatiya period (1123-1323 CE).
The temple is built of sandstone with decorated beams and pillars of carved granite and
dolerite with a distinctive and pyramidal Vimana made of lightweight porous bricks, also
known as “floating bricks”.
The sculptures of the Kakatiya Rudreshwara (Ramappa) Temple, especially its bracket
figures, are unique artistic works carved out of the hard dolerite stone giving it a metal like
finish with its lustre intact even after 800 years of construction. These sculptures express
movement and dynamism in form; no human or animal depiction appears static or sedentary.
Every sculpture conveys active movement and illustrates regional dance customs and
Kakatiyan culture.
The Rudreshwara (Ramappa) Temple was created as a harmonious ensemble of the natural
environment, architecture, sculpture, ritual and dance: five elements, which complemented
each other in the defining the temple’s ritual space. It is outstanding evidence of Kakatiyan
cultural, architectural and artistic creations.
The temple is a living memory of the legend of the Kakatiyas who brought a golden era to the
Telugu speaking region of South India.
Criterion (i): Rudreshwara (Ramappa) Temple is a masterpiece of the Kakatiyan style of
temple architecture, representing the unique combination of ingenuity in stone sculpting and
engineering experimentations. The use of sandbox foundation and floating bricks, as well as
thoughtful selection of materials and perfect planning allowed to reduce the load on the
temple structure, make it earthquake resistant and remain intact even after 800 years of
construction.
The sculptures of the Rudreshwara (Ramappa) Temple manifest Kakatiyans' indigenous
geotechnical knowledge in stone chiselling as well as their deep understanding of
construction technologies. These let the Kakatiyans use one of the hardest rocks, give it a
fine lustre finish and allocate the sculptures all over the temple. The sculptural decor of
outstanding beauty and creativity represents the Kakatiyan dance customs, interprets the
regional lifestyle and is based on the Puranic texts.
Criterion (iii): The Rudreshwara (Ramappa) temple is an exceptional testimony of the
Kakatiyan Dynasty and illustrates its artistic, architectural and engineering achievements

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 within the wall temple compound and its wider setting. The efforts of Kakatiyan craftsmen to
interpret and integrate motifs of regional dance customs and Kakatiyan cultural traditions into
sculptural and textual representations in the form of Madanikas, Gaja-Vyalas, motifs on
Kakshasana and other carvings stands out as an exceptional evidence of popular cultural
forms.
The temple demonstrates significantly the architectural evolution illustrating an important
phase of development in the science, technology, and art of temple building and construction
in Deccan India.
Creation of unique Trikutalaya temple form with a Kakshasana in Kakatiyan temples, locating
most of the temples with dynamics of tank and a town or settlement, deploying innovative
techniques in foundation, manufacturing of light weight bricks is best displayed in
Rudreshwara (Ramappa) temple and remains testimony to the Kakatiyan Cultural tradition.
Integrity
The Kakatiya Rudreshwara (Ramappa) temple lies at the center of a walled temple complex
which together with its wider setting retains high visual and functional integrity and
demonstrates a significant relationship with both purpose-built and natural elements, which
enhance and maintain the atmosphere of the temple ceremonies that continue to be
performed in the temple complex to the present day.
Significant architectural and artistic achievements of the temple complex are supported by
the natural features, the artificial Kakatiya-built reservoir and irrigation systems, cultivated
land, smaller temples within the immediate surrounding landscape, thus communicating
Kakatiyan cultural traditions for over 800 years.
The indigenous value held by the innovative construction techniques of building structures
using sand-box technology, light weight porous floating bricks and other traditional methods,
and the commendable sculptural efforts in chiselling the very hard dolerite rocks to get the
everlasting metallic polishes are very well displayed and are intact at Rudreshwara
(Ramappa) Temple, Palampet.
Rudreshwara (Ramappa) temple is well protected from natural disasters due to its
construction techniques and there is no major threat to its Outstanding Universal Value.
The Kameshewara temple located near the Rudreshwara temple within the temple complex
is dissembled and awaiting anastylosis. All works will be carried out in the due course based
on scientific research and conservation program.
Authenticity
The Rudreshwara (Ramappa) Temple maintains the authenticity for form, design,
craftmanship, function and use, material and construction techniques, associated intangible
cultural heritage and displays the building and cultural traditions of the Kakatiya Empire.
The Ramappa Temple was designed to be spacious and functional in each structural
element. The passage serving as Pradakshinapatha was based on the wide of 10-feet socle
Adhisthana. The Kakatiyans used floating bricks to reduce a load of pyramidal Vimana, make
it storied and towering over the temple sanctum sanctorum - Garbhagriha and preceding it
the half hall - Ardha Mandapa. The Sabha Mandapa, representing a central covered hall and
being the most significant part of the temple, was used for multi-purpose: as ritual space, for
political and cultural discourses, it also served as a hall of justice and for entering into treaty
before the Lord Rudreshwara, performing dance and music.
The temple plan form and its spatial organization are intact and untouched. Its function and
traditional management system remain the same nowadays, too: the Rudreshwara
(Ramappa) Temple is a living Brahminical Shiva Temple, following all the authentic Shaiva-
Agama rituals followed and drawing the attention of a large number of people.

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 The Rudreshwara (Ramappa) Temple represents the testimony of Kakatiyan knowledge in
identifying the building materials, their strength, and their expected life. The temple was
erected using five types of local material, like sand for foundation, clay for bricks, dolerite and
sandstone for sculptures, granite for columns and beams. The temple in whole and its
refined decorations, ranging from 6-feet bracket figures, represented by Madanikas and
Gaja-Vyalas (about 40 figures in total), to 6-inch relief thematic sculptures (about 600 in
total), are structurally stable and nearly intact. Some missing floating bricks were
remanufactured after conducting an extensive study, following the same techniques used by
the Kakatiyans in the 13th century.
The surviving rural surrounding witnesses the wise integration of the Rudreshwara
(Ramappa) Temple in its wider natural context and is of remarkable authenticity in setting,
traditional management mechanisms as well as use and function.
Protection and management requirements
Rudreshwara (Ramappa) Temple is the property of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI)
which is mainly responsible for its protection, conservation and management. The buffer
zone of the property will be managed by an Integrated Management Plan (IMP) involving
owners and various stakeholders at different levels.
The property is protected by national level law, the Ancient Monument and Archaeological
Sites and Remains Act, 1958 (AMASR), amended and validated in 2010; Ancient Monument
and Archaeological Sites and Remains Rules, 1959; Ancient Monument and Archaeological
Sites and Remains Rules of 2011 and The Antiquities and Art Treasures Act, 1972 and
Rules, 1973. Decisions pertaining to its conservation, maintenance and management are
governed by the National Conservation Policy for Monuments, Archaeological Sites and
Remains, 2014. Being designated as an “Ancient Monument” of National Importance, the
ancient site is protected by a well-defined buffer of 300 meters comprising Prohibited Area
measuring 100 meters in all directions from the limits of the protected monument, and further
beyond it, a Regulated Area of 200 meters in all directions, from the limits of the Prohibited
Area. All activities in the areas adjacent to the ancient site remain subject to prohibition and
regulation in the respect prohibited and regulated areas as per provisions of the Ancient
Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Rules 2011.
Under an already existing committee, State Government of Telangana is in process of
constituting “Palampet Special Area Development Authority” to manage buffer zone and to
ensure the protection of all supporting Kakatiya period attributes.
4. Recommends that the State Party give consideration to the following:
a) Submitting a boundary modification of the extended boundaries of the property and the
buffer zone with a view to including relevant wider context of the Rudreshwara
(Ramappa) Temple,
b) Finalizing the Kakatiya Heritage Trust (KHT) research on comparison of Rudreshwara
(Ramappa) Temple and other Kakatiya temples and extend it in regional and
international contexts,
c) Finalizing the integrated conservation and management plan as well as updating the
tourism development plan, to integrate risk preparedness strategies, visitor
management at festive events with overcrowding, and cautious assessment criteria for
approving any additional visitor infrastructure in and around the property,
d) Ensuring the constitution and functioning of “Palampet Special Area Development
Authority” in order to provide effective management and adequate protection to all
attributes of the larger dharmic and functional temple complex and to the buffer zone
and all supporting Kakatiya period features,

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 e) Expanding the programmed conservation approach to cover the additional architectural
and engineering features, including Ramappa Lake bund, the water distribution and
irrigation channels, and the smaller temples in the wider temple setting,
f) Undertaking Heritage Impact Assessments for any projects located near the property,
in particular the development projects near the Ramappa Lake,
g) Providing a schedule and detailed methodology for the reassembly and conservation of
Kameshwara Temple following the principle of anastylosis,
h) Undertaking capacity building for local community and the temple priest so that they
have the necessary skills to contribute to the management of the property;
5. Requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 December 2022, a
report on the implementation of the above-mentioned recommendations for review by the
World Heritage Committee at its 46th session.

Decision: 44 COM 8B.13

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Documents WHC/21/44.COM/8B and WHC/21/44.COM/INF.8B1,
2. Inscribes the Trans-Iranian Railway, Islamic Republic of Iran, on the World Heritage List
on the basis of criteria (ii) and (iv);
3. Takes note of the following provisional Statement of Outstanding Universal Value:
Brief synthesis
The 1394-km-long Trans-Iranian Railway, TIR, connects the Caspian Sea in the north to the
southern shores of Iran. Opened fully in 1938, the railway is a busy main line of standard
track gauge 1435 mm.
The TIR exhibits exceptional scale as a major mountain railway that rivals the best in the
world. The TIR combines spectacular mountain settings with sustained steep mountain
grades of 2.2% - or even 3.0%, which is today considered the maximum practical mountain
railway grade. Railways with grades steeper than 3% have proved uneconomic to operate.
The TIR mountain railway design hits the critical design balance point between the
outstanding and the impractical. The exceptional mountain railway scale of the TIR is also
exhibited by the proliferation of major engineering structures on the route: 174 large bridges,
186 smaller bridges, and 224 tunnels, including 11 spiral tunnels. These structures are
distinguished by the high quality of their 1930s construction, which has enabled them to
survive to the present day in as-built condition.
The role of the railway industry in the social, economic, industrial and cultural growth of Iran
and the region, as well as in international trade and transactions, is undeniable. Not only has
this railway boosted the economy and trade by speeding up transportation, but also it has
made possible cultural interactions and social relations with Western Asian countries and
from there to Europe and beyond.
Historically, several trade routes such as the Silk Road and the Spice Route, which linked
together the continents of Asia, Africa and Europe, passed through Iran. As a matter of fact,
the construction of the TIR in the early 20th century puts emphasis on the key role of the
region in global communications in terms of cultural, commercial, social and even political
relations.
It has led to the propagation of trade and the sharing of diverse rites, ceremonies and
religious beliefs among various regions in the early twentieth century, especially in Western
and Central Asia.

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 The advantage of Iran’s late start was that important lessons learned about railways by other
countries were applied in Iran from the outset. For example: foreign investment and control
was avoided; standard gauge was adopted enabling future links to Europe; moderate
gradients were specified despite the extensive mountain terrain; powerful locomotives
enabled; aerial photogrammetric surveying optimized the route through rugged terrain; and
some of the world’s best design and construction talent was engaged. Such significant
factors enabled an exceptional railway to be designed and constructed in Iran.
Following the construction of the TIR, a new style of mixed Persian-Western architecture was
created which had a profound influence on the architecture of its time. Moreover, the
architectural design of train stations, personnel residences, warehouses, fuel storage depots,
affiliated industries and the majority of buildings along the route has been done using modern
materials and following an eclectic style consisting of local and Western architecture.
Consequently, this style became part of the architectural identity of each region.
Regarding its effect on social developments of the world, the TIR played a pivotal role in
WWII. A part of the key negotiations took place in a TIR carriage that has been preserved up
to now. This can indeed be considered as a major impact of the TIR on the global political,
economical, and cultural values, which in its turn had a profound effect on world peace.
Consequently, the TIR as an engineering masterpiece changed the political setting of the
world in WWII and, as such, the political and cultural setting of the world for years afterwards.
Since its inauguration, the TIR has continued to play a key role in the rural and urban life of
the region. At the same time, it has continued to be a crucial factor in trade and cultural
transactions between the region and other near and far countries. It has served as the
turning point for all-embracing developments in the region covering a wide spectrum of
various economic, political, commercial, social, cultural, and later touristic aspects at a critical
juncture of the contemporary history of the world.
Criterion (ii): The TIR serves as a living manifestation of the multi-faceted interchange of
human values, modern and innovative mountain railway skills and experience for its
construction, the emergence of a mixture of an Iranian-Western architectural style, as well as
new structures, and boosting the economy and trade by speeding up transportation, which
led to reviving cultural-historical routes such as the Silk Road and the Spice Route at a
specific period of the contemporary history in Central and Western Asia during the early 20th
century and later on with the European countries.
In addition, at the time it opened, the TIR drew global acclaim for the exemplary project
management achieved by the successful working relationship between the Iranian
Government, the project managers and the 43 construction contractors from many countries,
Due to the mountainous landscape, it proved an outstanding way of solving unexpected
problems through the international breadth of experience that arose during construction,
enabling the TIR project overall to stay on time and on budget. It led to new technological
developments which were later on used by international experts in other parts of the world.
This clearly proves the exchange of technical know-how and cultural interaction at the global
level.
Criterion (iv): The Trans-Iranian Railway is a fine example of a technological and
architectural ensemble representing major stages of long-term development of human,
technical and economic activities early in the 20th century in Western Asia. It has resulted in
the formation of varied landscapes in relation to the assimilation and interaction of the railway
with natural landscapes on the one hand, and overcoming natural obstacles on the other
hand. It has also caused a huge increase in trade, cultural and economic relations between
Iran and other countries of the region; thus, it has marked a significant and decisive stage in
the process of the historical development of Iran, regional states and consequently other
countries of the world This paved the way for later communication and transportation with
many parts of the world.

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 The TIR system with its various technical and architectural features is considered to be
remarkable engineering feat in creativity and innovations on a wide scale, encompassing
technological and architectural variety in the construction of novel and innovative
architectural structures and train stations in the early twentieth century.
It symbolizes the creative usage of various technologies for gaining access to plains,
highlands, forests and coastal regions at both ends of the country and linking the northern
and southern shores of Iran.
The technological ensemble represents a significant stage of human history, because of its
role in terminating WWII and establishing a sustainable peace via the so-called Persian
Corridor.
The Trans-Iranian Railway is not only a unique museum of human creativity and endeavour,
but also a technological and architectural masterpiece resulting from human ingenuity and
boasting unique values.
Integrity
The integrity of the Trans-Iranian Railway has been completely preserved within the
proposed core zone so that it contains all the characteristics needed for the introduction of
OUV.
Regarding the infrastructure, technical function and social use which show its outstanding
values, it is in good condition. The integrity of the property in its setting has been well
preserved concerning its physical and technical aspects. It can be safely claimed that the rail
link is fully compatible with integrity standards.
Authenticity
All the constituting parts of the Trans-Iranian Railway (its rail route, tunnels, bridges, train
stations, buildings and other appurtenances) have totally preserved their authenticity in form,
design, materials, function, management and technical systems, setting, intangible heritage
and authenticity of spirit. All the principal and particular characteristics of the rail link, as well
as its universal values, can be observed within the defined boundaries of the route. The
Trans-Iranian Railway is a living and dynamic industrial and engineering structure that enjoys
a high degree of authenticity. The property has remained almost intact thanks to the
existence of laws and regulations for buffer zones, as well as technical, visual and functional
requirements.
Protection and management requirements
Since its establishment, the Trans-Iranian Railway has had a comprehensive plan for
management and conservation. The conservation and management plans of the proposed
property and its boundaries in the domains of planning, implementation, restoration,
maintenance, supervision, evaluation and feedback have been devised and stored in
relevant data banks. The railway has a management master plan for long-term conservation
in sections related to: technological, non-technological, operational, financial, commercial,
safety, security, civil engineering, mechanics, electricity, signals and telecommunications.
These plans preserve methods and processes which guarantee the continued existence of
rail links in accordance with the outstanding universal value.
There exists a balance between the managerial and conservation activities carried out jointly
by the IMCHTH and Iran’s Railway Company, a balance between conserving the security
and the cultural heritage of the TIR.
Conservation, repair, maintenance and management of the railway are controlled by the
Railway Company of the Islamic Republic of Iran. The Trans-Iranian Railway has been under
conservation for many years and has uninterruptedly been in constant use. Based on its
engineering characteristics, the technical requirements are handled by trained personnel in
various sections.

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4. Recommends that the State Party give consideration to the following:
a) Documenting, monitoring and conserving the historic buildings and other elements that
are no longer in use,
b) Preparing a Heritage Impact Assessment of the planned electrification of the Tehran—
Garmsar—Bandar-e Torkaman line,
c) Completing the inventories through thorough documentation of all tangible features that
address the cultural elements (such as buildings) with the same level of detail as the
engineering elements,
d) Encouraging community involvement by means of the full and effective participation of
a wide variety of stakeholders and rights-holders;
5. Requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre by 1 December 2022 a
report on the implementation of the above-mentioned recommendations for examination by
the World Heritage Committee at its 46th session.

Decision: 44 COM 8B.14

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Documents WHC/21/44.COM/8B and WHC/21/44.COM/INF.8B1,
2. Refers the nomination of Deer Stone Monuments and Related Sites, the Heart of Bronze
Age Culture, Mongolia, back to the State Party to allow it to:
a) Revise the overall narrative of the nominated property to reflect the whole of the
archaeological complexes, portraying a greater balance regarding deer stones and the
other substantial attributes notably the khirgisuurs,
b) Consolidate the information provided for the comparative analysis with clear criteria
used consistently, and with summary findings in a table,
c) Review the justification for inscription of the nominated property based on a revised
overall narrative which will provide an adequate understanding of the various attributes,
their relationships and meaning; in the case of criterion (i), this should also include the
cultural role of the design qualities of the deer stones,
d) Extend the buffer zone to the south of the Uushigiin Övör component part to include the
area where there is currently a tent hotel, with the objective of relocating the hotel
outside of the extended buffer zone,
e) Take all necessary steps to provide comprehensive legal protection to the component
parts of the nominated property as soon as possible,
f) Fully implement the management plan,
g) Provide personnel and resources for the administration in charge of the protection of
the nominated property;
3. Recommends that the State Party give consideration to the following:
a) Completing the planned survey and documentation work as soon as possible, and
extending documentation to include the important elements in the landscape setting,
b) Adopting a landscape management approach for the setting of the nominated property,
c) Preparing and implementing a risk management plan and a tourism plan,
d) Implementing additional conservation measures as part of the national programme,
e) Avoiding further re-erection of deer stones without a robust methodology consistent
with best conservation practice, and consideration of remedial measures as needed,

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 f) Giving emphasis in the monitoring arrangements to the actual state of conservation of
the identified attributes,
g) Defining the carrying capacity of the land for grazing, and reviving traditional methods
of pasture rotation,
h) Establishing a timetable for the removal of the remnant machinery of the disused coal
mine in the southwestern part of the buffer zone of the Khoid Tamir component part,
i) Improving the interpretive materials for the nominated property,
j) Updating the figures of the surfaces of areas and buffer zones according to the revised
boundaries for the nominated property;
4. Also recommends that the name of the nominated property be amended according to the
revised narrative and that the “Heart of Bronze Age Culture” be removed from the title.

C.2.2. Properties deferred or referred back by previous sessions of the World Heritage
Committee

Decision: 44 COM 8B.15

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Documents WHC/21/44.COM/8B and WHC/21/44.COM/INF.8B1,
2. Inscribes Quanzhou: Emporium of the World in Song-Yuan China, China, on the World
Heritage List on the basis of criterion (iv);
3. Adopts the following Statement of Outstanding Universal Value:
Brief synthesis
Located on the southeast coast of China, the serial property Quanzhou: Emporium of the
World in Song–Yuan China reflects in an exceptional manner the spatial structure that
combined production, transportation and marketing and the key institutional, social and
cultural factors that contributed to the spectacular rise and prosperity of Quanzhou as a
maritime hub of the East and South-east Asia trade network during the 10th – 14th centuries
AD. The Song-Yuan Quanzhou emporium system was centred and powered by the city
located at the junction of river and sea, with oceans to the south-east that connected it with
the world, with mountains to the far north-west that provided for production, and with a water-
land transportation network that joined them all together.
The component parts and contributing elements of the property include sites of
administrative buildings and structures, religious buildings and statues, cultural memorial
sites and monuments, production sites of ceramics and iron, as well as a transportation
network formed of bridges, docks and pagodas that guided the voyagers. They
comprehensively reflect the distinguishing maritime territorial, socio-cultural and trade
structures of Song-Yuan Quanzhou.
Criterion (iv): Quanzhou, Emporium of the World in Song–Yuan China outstandingly
illustrates, through its component parts, the territorial integrated structure and the key
institutional, transportation, production, marketing and socio-cultural factors that turned it into
a global-level emporium and key commercial hub during a highly prosperous stage of Asia's
maritime trade in the 10th - 14th centuries AD. The property demonstrates Quanzhou’s great
contributions to the economic and cultural development of East and South-east Asia.
Integrity
The serial property includes the necessary components and attributes that reflect Quanzhou
as a premier maritime emporium of the world of the 10th - 14th centuries AD. The component

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 parts and contributing elements maintain close functional, social, cultural and spatial links
with each other, altogether illustrating the integrated territorial system and key facets and
factors of Quanzhou's maritime trade system in the Song and Yuan periods. The immediate
setting of the property, important views and other supporting areas or attributes, are all
included in the buffer zone; areas sensitive to visual impacts and background environments
demonstrating overall association with the serial property are all contained in demarcated
wider setting areas and placed under effective protection. Urban development pressures,
impacts from climate change, natural threats, and tourism pressures appear under effective
control, through a set of protective and management measures.
Authenticity
The series as a whole, comprised of its component parts and contributing elements, credibly
conveys the overall territorial layout, functions of the historical trade system, historical social
structure, and historical chronological information of Quanzhou as a global maritime
emporium in the Song and Yuan periods. Surviving original locations; information of historical
functions that can be clearly recognized and understood; historical information of forms,
materials, processes and traditional maintenance mechanisms and technical systems
reflected in physical remains and their historical records, as well as surviving beliefs and
cultural traditions that these monuments and sites carry; all testify to a high degree of
authenticity and credibility of the component parts. The physical evidence can be confirmed
by a wealth of historical documentation and Chinese and international research results.
Protection and management requirements
All the component parts of the serial property of Quanzhou are subject to the protection of
relevant laws and regulations at the national and provincial level (Law of the People's
Republic of China on the Protection of Cultural Relics and its Implementation Regulations
and the Regulations of Fujian Province on the Protection and Management of Cultural
Property). They are all owned by the state and granted with often multiple protective
designations as per laws and regulations governing Famous Historical and Cultural Cities,
religious affairs, marine affairs, and Scenic Areas. Traditional maintenance and conservation
mechanisms also play an active role in this regard. For protection and management
effectiveness, the buffer zone and the wider setting have been incorporated into the
property's protection and management system and are covered by the Management Plan for
the Serial Property of Quanzhou, prepared and implemented, and the Rules of Fujian
Province for the Protection and Management of Historic Monuments and Sites of Ancient
Quanzhou (Zayton), as revised.
The property's management system is designed following China's administrative mechanism
for cultural heritage and incorporated into the four-level administrative framework at national,
provincial, city/county, and property levels. It is based on the principles of responsibilities
designated at different levels, localized administration, and active community participation. A
coordinated management system at the municipal level integrates management measures
and implementation plans for each component part. A management working group meets
quarterly and guarantees overall coordination. Management entities provide sufficient
financial, human and technical guarantees and enable continuous and proper conservation
of the authenticity and integrity of the serial property as a whole and each of its component
parts. A long-term protection and management strategy, indicating specific requirements, has
been prepared for the series and its progressive implementation is crucial for the overall
management effectiveness.
4. Recommends that the State Party give consideration to the following:
a) Providing the real extent of the component parts areas, as some of the provided
surfaces are related to a contributing element only, and not to the whole surface of the
component forming the series,

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 b) Further developing the analysis of the attributes expressing the Outstanding Universal
Value of the property for management purposes,
c) Strengthening and making more explicit from an operational point of view the links
between the overall management plan for the property and the other plans existing for
individual component parts or other designations,
d) Further developing the archaeological research programme and implementing it,
e) Closely monitoring visitor pressures and implementing redressing measures where
necessary,
f) Implementing steadily the Long-Term Protection and Management Strategy;
5. Requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 December 2022, a
report on the implementation of the above-mentioned recommendations and on the Long-
Term Protection and Management Strategy for review by ICOMOS.

C.3. EUROPE - NORTH AMERICA

C.3.1. New Nominations

Decision: 44 COM 8B.16

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Documents WHC/21/44.COM/8B and WHC/21/44.COM/INF.8B1,
2. Inscribes The Great Spas of Europe, Austria, Belgium, Czechia, France, Germany, Italy,
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, on the World Heritage List on the
basis of criteria (ii) and (iii);
3. Adopts the following Statement of Outstanding Universal Value:
Brief synthesis
The Great Spas of Europe bear an exceptional testimony to the European spa phenomenon,
which gained its highest expression from around 1700 to the 1930s. This transnational serial
property comprises eleven spa towns located in seven countries: Baden bei Wien (Austria);
Spa (Belgium); Karlovy Vary, Františkovy Lázně and Mariánské Lázně (Czechia); Vichy
(France); Bad Ems, Baden-Baden and Bad Kissingen (Germany); Montecatini Terme (Italy);
and City of Bath (United Kingdom). The series captures the most fashionable, dynamic and
international spa towns among the many hundreds that contributed to the European spa
phenomenon.
Whilst each spa town is different, all the towns developed around mineral water sources,
which were the catalyst for a model of spatial organisation dedicated to curative, therapeutic,
recreational and social functions. Ensembles of spa buildings include baths, pump rooms,
drinking halls, treatment facilities and colonnades designed to harness the water resources
and to allow its practical use for bathing and drinking. ‘Taking the cure’, externally and
internally, was complemented by exercise and social activities requiring visitor facilities such
as assembly rooms, casinos, theatres, hotels, villas and related infrastructures (from water
piping systems and salts production to railways and funiculars). All are integrated into an
overall urban context that includes a carefully managed recreational and therapeutic
environment of parks, gardens, promenades, sports facilities and woodlands. Buildings and
spaces connect visually and physically with their surrounding landscapes, which are used
regularly for exercise as a contribution to the therapy of the cure, and for relaxation and
enjoyment.

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 Criterion (ii): The Great Spas of Europe exhibits an important interchange of innovative
ideas that influenced the development of medicine, balneology and leisure activities from
around 1700 to the 1930s. This interchange is tangibly expressed through an urban typology
centred on natural mineral springs and devoted to health and leisure. Those ideas influenced
the popularity and development of spa towns and balneology throughout Europe and in other
parts of the world.
The Great Spas of Europe became centres of experimentation which stayed abreast of their
competitors by adapting to the changing tastes, sensitivities and requirements of visitors.
Other than physicians, the principal agents of transmission were the architects, designers
and gardeners who created the built and ‘natural’ environments framing spa life. As a result,
the property displays important examples of spa architecture such as the ‘kurhaus’ and
‘kursaal’, pump rooms, drinking halls (‘trinkhalle’), colonnades and galleries designed to
harness the natural mineral water resource and to allow its practical use for bathing and
drinking.
Criterion (iii): The Great Spas of Europe bears exceptional testimony to the European spa
phenomenon, which has its roots in antiquity, but gained its highest expression from around
1700 to the 1930s. ‘Taking the cure’, either externally (by bathing) or internally (by drinking,
and inhaling) involved a highly structured and timed daily regime and a combination of
medical aspects and leisure, including entertainment and social activities (e.g. gambling,
theatre, music, dancing) as well as taking physical exercise within an outdoor therapeutic spa
landscape.
These parameters directly influenced the spatial layout of spa towns and the form and
function of spa buildings or ‘spa architecture’. Urban parks and promenades allowed people
taking the cure “to see and be seen” by others.
Integrity
The eleven component parts that comprise the serial property represent the most exceptional
examples of European spa towns. All component parts share a set of determining
characteristics formed during the most significant “culture-creating” phase of their history and
development, the heyday period from around 1700 to the 1930s. Each and every one
continues to function for the purpose for which it was originally developed.
The series illustrates the main stages of the development of the spa phenomenon, starting
with the most influential spa towns in the 18th century, to the development of model spa
towns in the 19th century, to towns that are testimony to the last stages of the phenomenon
in the early 20th century.
Boundaries are determined in relation to the mapping of the attributes that convey
Outstanding Universal Value, namely: the most important spa structures and buildings used
for thermal-related activities; the social facilities and buildings for leisure and pleasure;
accommodation facilities; related spa infrastructure; and the surrounding therapeutic and
recreational spa landscape. Buffer zones are drawn both for the protection of spring
catchments and important setting.
All component parts and their constituent elements are generally in good condition. Elements
requiring conservation either have works already planned, or are awaiting alternative uses,
with their current state of conservation maintained. Upgrades and redevelopments made to
keep pace with standards of services, hygiene and new spa technology, can create tensions
with their conservation as historic buildings, and need to be carefully addressed. Challenges
in the adaptive reuse and technical upgrading of industrial structures pose similar challenges.
Authenticity
The property meets the conditions of authenticity in terms of form and design, materials and
substance, use and function, traditions, and location and setting.

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 All component parts express the Outstanding Universal Value of the property through a
variety of common and highly authentic attributes: mineral springs, of great diversity, which
maintain their natural physical qualities, including substance, location and setting; a distinct
and highly legible spatial layout and a well-maintained location and setting that combine to
retain an enduring spirit and feeling; spa architecture, that remains authentic in form and
design, original materials and substance, even though some buildings have experienced
change of use; the spa therapeutic landscape, which retains its form, design and function,
and continues to be used for the purpose for which it was designed; spa infrastructure, much
of which is either original or evolved on original principles and remains in use; continuing spa
use and function despite the need to meet today’s standards.
The veracity and credible expression of attributes embodied in structures that date from
around 1700 to the 1930s, the principal period of contribution to Outstanding Universal
Value, is further evidenced during substantial and sustained conservation works that are
informed by expansive archival collections of plans, documents, publications and
photographs held at each component part.
Protection and management requirements
Responsibility for the protection and management of each of the eleven component parts of
the property rests with the national/regional government (in the case of Germany, with the
government of the Länder, and local authorities of that State Party). Each component is
protected through legislation and spatial planning regulations applicable in its State Party or
individual province, as well as by a significant degree of public/charitable ownership of key
buildings and landscapes. Each component part has a property manager or coordinator and
a Local Management Plan in place conforming to the overall Property Management Plan.
An overall management system for the whole property has been established, with a Property
Management Plan and Action Plan agreed by all stakeholders. An Inter-Governmental
Committee, made up of national World Heritage Focal Points and/or a representative of the
highest monument or heritage protection authority, keeps track of matters relating to the
property. A Great Spas Management Board (GSMB), made up of the Mayors of the eleven
components, is responsible for the operational coordination and overall management of the
property in close consultation with the Inter-Governmental Committee. The Board sets and
manages the budget for the overall management functions, monitors and reviews the Action
Plan, approves and publishes an Annual Report, employs the Secretariat, and directs other
activities for the property as a whole.
The Site Managers Group includes site managers for each component part, the Secretariat,
and any specialist advisors. The Site Managers Group is essentially an expert group for
debate and exchanges of experience and to advise the GSMB on relevant management
issues. The international structure is supported and serviced by a Secretariat jointly funded
by all the component parts.
An important concern will be to continue to develop cooperation and collaboration between
the individual component parts and to ensure that the property as a whole is effectively
managed and the overall management system is adequately resourced. Development
pressures may be an issue since these are living cities which will need to continue to adapt
and change to maintain their role as spa towns. Managing tourism so that it is truly
sustainable may also become a challenge. A management approach at the landscape level,
which considers the relationship between each component part, the buffer zone, and the
broader setting is also needed to maintain views to, and from, the picturesque wider
landscape.
4. Recommends that the States Parties give consideration to the following, by means of a
submission of a minor boundary modification:

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 a) Adjusting the boundaries of the property in the Mitterberg and Badener Berg areas in
Baden bei Wien and extending the protection zone under the Construction Plan to
include the entirety of the property in this component part,
b) Adjusting the boundaries of the component part that are still drawn down the middle of
streets in Montecatini Terme to include the building plots on the other side of the street
and extending the protection statute to the entirety of this component part,
c) Extending the northern part of the buffer zone of Karlovy Vary to ensure adequate
protection from future development, particularly from a visual perspective,
d) Extending the buffer zone around the train station in Vichy, taking into account the
protected perimeters of the surroundings of existing historic monuments;
5. Also recommends that the States Parties give consideration to the following:
a) Confirming that the component parts of Bad Ems and Bad Kissingen are legally
protected in their entirety as urban conservation areas,
b) Extending the ZPU in Spa to cover the entirety of the World Heritage property in this
component part,
c) Formally approving and implementing the Local Management Plans for the three
Czech component parts and ensuring their articulation with existing planning
documents,
d) Implementing the Local Management Plans at Vichy and Bad Ems,
e) Reviewing the management plan of the City of Bath so that its fourth iteration takes into
account both its inscription on the World Heritage List in its own right and its inscription
as one of the component parts of The Great Spas of Europe,
f) Appointing site managers for all component parts that have not yet done so and
ensuring that their role is clear and adapted to the needs of managing a World Heritage
property,
g) Extending and further detailing the monitoring programme for the property as a whole,
h) Introducing Heritage Impact Assessment procedures into the management system of
each component part to address the potential impacts of development projects,
i) Considering how the role of the Great Spas Management Board might be refined to
allow full understanding by all States Parties of major development proposals in all
component parts, in relation to their potential cumulative impacts on the property as a
whole;
6. Requests the States Parties to submit to the World Heritage Centre by 1 December 2022 a
report on the implementation of the above-mentioned recommendations for examination by
the World Heritage Committee at its 46th session;
7. Decides that the name of the property in English be changed to “The Great Spa Towns of
Europe”.

Decision: 44 COM 8B.17

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Documents WHC/21/44.COM/8B and WHC/21/44.COM/INF.8B1,
2. Inscribes the Cordouan Lighthouse, France, on the World Heritage List on the basis of
criteria (i) and (iv);
3. Adopts the following Statement of Outstanding Universal Value:

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 Brief synthesis
Erected in the open sea on a rocky plateau where the Atlantic Ocean meets the Gironde
Estuary, in a highly exposed and hostile environment that is hazardous for shipping, which is
also its raison-d’être, Cordouan Lighthouse has been a beacon for ships engaged in trade
between Bordeaux and the rest of the world since the 16th century.
Its monumental tower in limestone dressed blocks, decorated with pilasters, columns and
sculptures, has 8 levels that rise to a height of 67 metres above sea level. It is the result of
two complementary construction campaigns in the 16th and then the 18th century to
enhance the technical capacities of the lighthouse, which is still in use today. The Cordouan
Lighthouse was conceived from the outset as a monument, both in its stylistic features and
expression, and in the engineering techniques employed.
Initial construction was undertaken in 1584 by engineer Louis de Foix, at the behest of the
king of France, Henri III. Henri IV, eager to stress his legitimacy, commissioned original and
unexpected features at the frontier of his kingdom: apartments for the king and a chapel. A
concrete expression of political will intended to impress all the European sea powers and
local communities, the Cordouan Lighthouse thus became a monumental lighthouse
dedicated to the affirmation of the king’s power. The height of the lighthouse was raised in
1788-1789 by engineer Joseph Teulère, who remained true to the original conception and
remodelled the lighthouse in keeping with the architectural form invented in the 16th century
by Louis de Foix.
Not only is the form exceptional, but also the quality of the style. The tower of Louis de Foix
clearly reflects the influence of antiquity and Italy, evoking in the open sea the forms of
Roman mausoleums, and the domes and most elegant features of Renaissance mannerism.
Joseph Teulère, to his credit, achieved a masterpiece of French stereotomy in the language
of late-18th century neoclassicism.
Cordouan Lighthouse, in its intentional monumentality, is a grandiose and unique creation, in
which the human genius is not only architectural, stylistic and technical, but also symbolic
and conceptual.
Criterion (i): The Cordouan Lighthouse is a masterpiece of maritime signalling, which has
remained in use from the 17th century until today. Since it was first built, this lighthouse has
represented a symbolic endowment to the glory of the King of France of the time. In the 18th
century, Joseph Teulère heightened and strengthened the lighthouse. The masterly
application of the stereometry and stereotomy has allowed for a superb integration between
the existing fabric and the new addition, which confirmed also its symbolic function. The
aggressive natural environment it was erected in consolidates the status of this building as
an eminent example of artistic, technical and technological human ingenuity.
Criterion (iv): The Cordouan Lighthouse embodies in an outstanding manner the great
stages of the history of lighthouses. It was built with the ambition to continue the tradition of
famous beacons of antiquity and illustrates the art of building lighthouses in a period of
renewed navigation between the 16th and the 17th centuries, when beacons played an
important role as territorial markers and as instruments of safety. Finally, the increase of its
height, in the late 18th century, and the changes to its light chamber, attest to the progress
made by science and technology of the period. Thanks to its fame, the Cordouan Lighthouse
witnessed several experiments to improve lighthouses’ capacity to assist navigation.
Integrity
The conditions of integrity of Cordouan Lighthouse are very good. The monumental nature of
its appearance has, in line with the conception of Louis de Foix, always guided the
architectural and technical interventions necessary for its maritime signalling function. The
raising of the height of the frustoconical tower in the 18th century by engineer Joseph
Teulère, although it changed the original outline, respected the conception of the initial
lighthouse by maintaining the symbolic significance of its guiding principles, with the chapel

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 and the king’s apartments. Its monumentality in isolation is a key element of the integrity of
Cordouan Lighthouse.
Authenticity
Cordouan Lighthouse is structurally authentic and continues to be used for its original
function. Its authenticity cannot be understood without taking into account its geographical
situation in an extreme maritime and meteorological environment, which makes constant
renovations essential. Its authenticity must also be assessed in the light of its role as an
active maritime signalling unit, requiring regular technical adaptations. Similarly, the
restorations in the 19th and 20th centuries have had only a slight impact on the authenticity
of the lighthouse with the addition of the annular buildings and the restoration of the interior
spaces. The monument has thus retained its strong visual and symbolic presence, while
undergoing a process of technical modernisation in order to maintain its activity.
Protection and management requirements
Classified as a Historic Monument since 1862, Cordouan Lighthouse, a state property, is
supported by conservation measures funded and directly implemented by the Ministry of
Culture. The property is thus protected under the Code du Patrimoine, Code de
l’Environnement and Code général de la propriété des personnes publiques (Environment
and Heritage Codes, and General Code on Public Property). Maintaining and managing the
functional elements of the lighthouse are the responsibility of the Inter-Regional Directorate of
the Mer Sud-Atlantique. The whole of the property – except for Cordouan Lighthouse itself –
is located in the Parc Naturel Marin de l’Estuaire de la Gironde et de la Mer des Pertuis and
is thus covered by the natural park’s management plan. Lastly, the Domaine public maritime
inside which the property is located (except for the lighthouse itself) is protected by a
principle of non-constructability, and only small-scale works may be carried out, subject to
authorisations relating to the use of public property.
The property buffer zone on the land is covered by various conservation, protection,
enhancement and planning measures (Coastline law, Historic monuments, Classified and
inscribed sites, Outstanding heritage sites, SCoTs and PLUs) which contribute, under the
terms of the Heritage Code and Environment Code, to the preservation of the environment
and landscape of the property. The development of a landscape plan is stated in the
management plan. The parts of the buffer zone in the sea are covered by the same
measures as the natural elements located within the boundaries of the property.
The lighthouse is today the responsibility of the Ministry of Ecological and Solidarity-based
Transition, while the natural elements of the property form part of the maritime public domain.
The SMIDDEST (Syndicat mixte pour le Développement durable de l’Estuaire de la Gironde)
has developed a project for the management, tourist enhancement and promotion of the
Cordouan site, and organises paid visits to the lighthouse, to the spaces included in the
project, and to the plateau surrounding the site. The SMIDDEST is also required to ensure
that the site is guarded, to prevent any vandalism or damage to the built structure, and any
damage to the fauna and flora of the natural elements.
The management framework revolves around an envisaged Local Commission for World
Heritage, which is expected to supersede the pilot local commission set up for the
nomination. The efficiency, effectiveness and good results of the Management Plan depend
on a constant, strong and continuously-tuned coordination among all the involved authorities,
organisations and technical bodies. The role of the “Commission locale du patrimoine
mondial”, and in particular of SMIDDEST is thus essential. A management plan has been
developed on the basis of objectives and actions planned by all key actors: a formal
commitment by all relevant parties to implement its provision will strengthen the management
system in place.
4. Recommends that the State Party give consideration to the following:

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 a) Promptly informing, as per the provisions of Law 2016-925, all planning authorities of
the objectives and content of the management plan for the property, to ensure the rapid
conformation of the SCoTs and of PLUs related to the property and its buffer zone to its
provisions,
b) Ensuring that the process of revision of both the SCoTs and the PLUs is completed as
soon as possible,
c) Strengthening the management system through a formal commitment among all key
state, regional and local stakeholders to implement the updated management plan,
d) Ensuring that no concession for gravel extraction be renewed or issued within the
property and the buffer zone until the knowledge of the hydro-sedimentary system of
the Gironde Estuary has improved sufficiently to allow for an accurate assessment of
the potential negative impacts,
e) Guaranteeing that adequate resources be allocated to continue the research on the
hydro-sedimentary system of the Gironde Estuary,
f) Carrying out a rigorous geometric-architectural survey of the Lighthouse and link it to a
GIS-based relational database for the management of all information,
g) Elaborating a “structural model” in order to allow further studies of the stability and of
the structural behaviour of the Lighthouse under the external demands, especially
those of a dynamic nature,
h) Giving consideration to changing the fuel of the lighting system to avoid the presence
and use of diesel fuel for environmental reasons;
5. Requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 December 2022, a
report on the implementation of the above-mentioned recommendations.

Decision: 44 COM 8B.18

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Documents WHC/21/44.COM/8B and WHC/21/44.COM/INF.8B1,
2. Inscribes Mathildenhöhe Darmstadt, Germany, on the World Heritage List on the basis of
criteria (ii) and (iv);
3. Takes note of the following provisional Statement of Outstanding Universal Value:
Brief synthesis
Mathildenhöhe Darmstadt is an outstanding early-twentieth century ensemble of
experimental buildings and designed landscapes that represents a prototype of Modernism.
The place of residence and exhibition grounds of an artists’ colony – a forerunner of
permanent international building exhibitions – takes its name from a hill above the City of
Darmstadt, in the State of Hesse, Germany. The ensemble consists of works which members
of the influential Darmstadt Artists’ Colony contributed to four internationally acclaimed
building exhibitions on the Mathildenhöhe in the years 1901, 1904, 1908, and 1914. It
includes the central focus of Wedding Tower and Exhibition Hall, together with studio
buildings, and an architecturally diverse range of houses set in designed urban open space
with parks, pavilions, fountains, works of art and pathways. The ensemble presents a radical
synthesis of architecture, design and art, merged with exemplary, high-quality and
aesthetically pleasing living and working environments created in the spirit of modern
humanism. This pioneering vision was inspired by international artistic and social reform
movements of the nineteenth century and initiated by the progressive and commercially
minded Grand Duke of Hesse. It was realised by now renowned architects such as Joseph

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 Maria Olbrich and Peter Behrens in the form of a permanent “Gesamtkunstwerk”, a total
artwork that is seminal in the history of architecture.
Today, Mathildenhöhe Darmstadt provides a compact and exceptional testimony of the
emergence of modernist architecture, urban planning and landscape design, with distinct
influences from the Arts and Crafts movement and the Vienna Secession, through to
examples of Art Nouveau that led to the International Style of twentieth century Modernism.
Criterion (ii): Mathildenhöhe Darmstadt is a prototype of Modernism that provides compact
and exceptional testimony to the emergence of the International Style of twentieth century
modernist architecture and urban landscape design; and of the avant-garde processes by
which this happened. Its epochal functional and aesthetic quality reveals a vibrant era of
artistic and social reform and embodies a crucial international interchange in the
development of architecture and design, urban planning, landscape design and modern
exhibition culture. It is a holistic symbol of early Modernism. Four pioneering and
internationally acclaimed building exhibitions were held between 1901 and 1914, attracting
large numbers of visitors and gaining widespread publicity in both the architectural and
popular press. The innovative permanency of the exhibitions gave form to the
Mathildenhöhe, and all exhibits were developed in collaboration with companies from both
Germany and abroad. The exhibitions featured experimental yet functional architecture,
innovative room furnishings, and comprehensive landscape design. For the very first time as
part of an exhibition, they included the presentation of modern living and working
environments that consisted of permanent homes open to the public during the exhibitions.
Members of the Darmstadt Artists’ Colony, inspired by various reform movements, worked on
the Mathildenhöhe in artistic freedom. Their different styles combine harmoniously to form an
unprecedented total artwork. Mathildenhöhe Darmstadt was more than a collection of artists’
houses and studios. It developed as a semi-utopian community which became a focal point
of the relevant trends of early Modernism, and a fundamental influence on numerous
international building exhibitions in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries.
Criterion (iv): Mathildenhöhe Darmstadt is a unique and exceptional ensemble of
architectural elements in a designed landscape that represents a prototype of Modernism
that documents the emergence of the International Style of twentieth century modernist
architecture and urban landscape design. It is a total artwork that is seminal in the history of
architecture. Construction took place between 1899 and 1914, during an era of radical
experimentation that characterises the revolutionary age of Modernism, a major design
influence in the twentieth century most often associated with architecture and art.
The radical synthesis of architecture, design and art includes experimental exhibition
buildings that feature progressive architecture, ambitious designed urban landscapes,
contemporary spatial art, and innovative artists’ houses and studio buildings. Crowning the
hill of the Mathildenhöhe is the centrepiece of the ensemble, the iconic Hochzeitsturm
(Wedding Tower) with its distinctive shape, like an up-raised hand, and its two wrap-around
strips of small windows. Adjoining is the massive Exhibition Hall, described at the time as an
“acropolis” and a “city crown”. Together they form a unique silhouette, a landmark for the
citizens of Darmstadt and emblematic in terms of local cultural identity. As buildings, they
continue in the function for which they were originally designed. The enigmatic Plane Tree
Grove, rectangular in plan, extends to the front and adds another dimension, its many
sculptural works and inscriptions shaping a place of cyclical nature and universal culture and
spirituality. Parallel to the grove is an axis created by the Russian Chapel and the Lily Basin,
the latter serving as a reflection pool linked to the sacred building. Complementing this to the
south, east and west are studio buildings and an architecturally diverse range of
experimental houses set in designed generous urban open space with parks and pavilions,
roads and pathways.

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 Integrity
Mathildenhöhe Darmstadt has sustained its significance with time: the nominated property is
of an adequate size and wholeness to contain all attributes and elements that are necessary
to convey its proposed Outstanding Universal Value. The boundary has been drawn to
constrain the principal place of residence and exhibition grounds of the artists’ colony,
including all its most significant buildings and spaces, illustrating clearly its functional integrity
and pattern of spatial organisation: in particular, the Wedding Tower (as the highest elevation
of the ensemble’s silhouette), the Exhibition Hall, the Ernst Ludwig House, the Studio
Building of 1914, together with the many artists’ houses. These are complemented by the
Plane Tree Grove, the fountains and sculptures, as well as the paths in the designed
landscape. Mathildenhöhe Darmstadt demonstrates exceptional structural, functional, and
visual integrity, even though some elements of the site were carefully restored after suffering
damage in the Second World War. It is in a good overall state of conservation and does not
suffer from adverse effects of development or neglect. The impact of any potential
deterioration processes is strictly controlled.
Authenticity
Mathildenhöhe Darmstadt is fully able to convey its significance over time, as expressed by a
highly authentic location and setting together with a combination of attributes and elements
that are genuine, credible and truthful.
The essential ensemble of architectural elements and designed landscape meets a high
standard of authenticity in terms of form and design, materials and substance. Furthermore,
Mathildenhöhe Darmstadt displays a consistent authenticity of the ensemble as a whole. This
is reflected in buildings and spaces whereby the original intention has been faithfully
retained, and the continuity of traditional function and use has been sustainably managed. Its
spirit is sustained in vibrant cultural expression. Assisted by a combination of general lack of
disturbance, continued use and constant maintenance, the originality and overall condition of
the site is very good. Various elements of the Mathildenhöhe that were damaged by war
were carefully restored shortly after hostilities ended, and all subsequent extensions to the
property were executed in line with monument protection agencies. Mathildenhöhe
Darmstadt remains able to clearly display its significance in terms of the emergence of
Modernism and as the first international and permanent building exhibition.
Protection and management requirements
Mathildenhöhe Darmstadt, with its ensemble of buildings and designed landscapes, is
completely protected as a cultural monument under the Hessian Act on the Protection and
Conservation of Monuments (Section 2 paragraph 1 HDSchG). The direct surroundings of
the ensemble are also subject to monumental protection as an ensemble (Section 2
paragraph 3 HDSchG). Moreover, UNESCO World Heritage sites are subject to special
protection by the federal state of Hesse (Section 3 HDSchG).
The buildings of the ensemble are predominantly under state ownership (City of Darmstadt
or the State of Hesse) and private ownership. Restoration and renovation works at the
ensemble are carried out by the owners in close collaboration with the competent federal
authorities. In future, they will also be coordinated by a site manager.
A buffer zone is delineated to ensure that development controls are sufficient to protect the
nominated property from potential negative impacts, to conserve the historically and art-
historically relevant sightlines to and from the site, and to protect the continuity of character
in the setting in a way that is compatible with the proposed OUV of the nominated property.
In addition, construction activities within the site itself and in the buffer zone are regulated by
way of legally binding, identified areas of historical interest, a land-use plan, and local
building plans. These instruments regulate the conservation of the historically and art-
historically relevant sight lines to, and from, the site. In 2015, an Advisory Board was created
to integrate existing plans with the World Heritage nomination process.

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4. Recommends that the State Party give consideration to the following:
a) Developing a conservation management plan to guarantee a consistent conservation
approach and strategy for all buildings of the property,
b) Strengthening the link between the private owners and conservation services,
c) Ensuring an appropriate balance between development and conservation activities in
budget allocations,
d) Including in the interpretation and presentation of the different buildings of the property
the history of their conservation;
5. Requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre by 1 February 2022 an
updated report on the relocation of the proposed visitor centre outside the boundaries of the
property, including the new project developed for the visitor centre, the new approved
building plan 032 and detailed information on the impact of vehicular traffic on sightlines for
examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 45th session.

Decision: 44 COM 8B.19

The nomination of the Fortress of Spinalonga, Greece, was withdrawn at the request of the State
Party.

Decision: 44 COM 8B.20

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Documents WHC/21/44.COM/8B and WHC/21/44.COM/INF.8B1,
2. Inscribes ‘Padova Urbs picta’, Giotto’s Scrovegni Chapel and Padua’s fourteenth-
century fresco cycles, Italy, on the World Heritage List on the basis of criterion (ii);
3. Adopts the following Statement of Outstanding Universal Value:
Brief synthesis
The fresco cycles housed in eight complexes of buildings within the old city centre of Padua
illustrate how, over the course of the 14th century, different artists, starting with Giotto,
introduced important stylistic developments in the history of art. The eight building complexes
are grouped into four component parts: Scrovegni and Eremitani (part 1); Palazzo della
Ragione, Carraresi Palace, Baptistery and associated Piazzas (part 2); Complex of Buildings
associated with the Basilica of St. Anthony (part 3); and San Michele (part 4). The artists who
played a leading role in the creation of the fresco cycles were Giotto, Guariento di Arpo,
Giusto de’ Menabuoi, Altichiero da Zevio, Jacopo Avanzi and Jacopo da Verona. Working for
illustrious local families, the clergy, the city commune or the Carraresi family, they would –
within buildings both public and private, religious and secular – produce fresco cycles that
gave birth to a new image of the city.
Whilst painted by different artists for different types of patron within buildings of varying
function, the Padua fresco cycles maintain a unity of style and content. Within the artistic
narrative that unfolds in this sequence of frescoes, the different cycles reveal both diversity
and mutual coherence.
The property illustrates an entirely new way of depicting allegorical narratives in spatial
perspectives influenced by advances in the science of optics and a new capacity in capturing
human figures, including individual features displaying feelings and emotions. Innovation in
the depiction of pictorial space involved explorations of the possibilities of perspective and
trompe-l’oeil effects. The innovation in the depiction of states of feeling is based on a

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 heightened interest in the realistic portrayal of human emotions and the integration of the
new role of commissioning patron as the patrons begin to appear in the scenes depicted, and
ultimately even take the place of figures participating in the biblical narrative. In effect, the
works illustrate the adaptation of sacred art to serve the secular celebration of the prestige
and power of the ruling powers and associated noble families.
Criterion (ii): The Padua fresco cycles illustrate the important interchange of ideas which
existed between leading figures in the worlds of science, literature and the visual arts in the
pre-humanist climate of Padua in the early 14th century. New exchanges of ideas also
occurred between clients commissioning works and the artists from other Italian cities that
had been called to Padua to collaborate on the various fresco cycles inspired by scientific
and astrological allegories or ideas on sacred history gleaned from contemporary
intellectuals and scholars. The artists showed great skill in giving these ideas visual form and
their technical abilities allowed the Padua fresco cycles not only to become a model for
others but also to prove remarkably resistant to the passage of time. The group of artists
striving for innovation who gathered within Padua at the same time fostered an exchange of
ideas and know-how which led to a new style in fresco illustration. This new fresco style not
only influenced Padua throughout the 14th century but formed the inspirational basis for
centuries of fresco work in the Italian Renaissance and beyond. With this veritable rebirth of
a pictorial technique, Padua supplied a new way of both seeing and depicting the world,
heralding the advent of Renaissance perspective. The innovations mark a new era in the
history of art, producing an irreversible change in direction.
Integrity
The four component parts comprise eight complexes of buildings in the centre of Padua –
some publicly, some privately owned, some secular, some religious – which present an
overall shared approach in terms of techniques, themes, dating and style, and bear witness
to new programmes of narrative and figurative choices in fresco painting. They illustrate the
complete range of the various aspects of innovation in Italian frescoes in the 14th century.
The institutional bodies (Padua City Council, the Ministry for Cultural Heritage and Activities,
the University of Padua) that own the different sites have promoted research, maintenance
and restoration work necessary to maintain the various fresco cycles in a good state of
conservation. Such work means that each of the single parts can still be read and
understood, both individually and in relation to each other.
Authenticity
The attributes of the property illustrate authenticity in material, design, in particular
workmanship, setting and to a certain extent spirit and feeling in relation to the religious
concepts they evoke. The authenticity is further expressed in the inseparable bond between
the frescoes and the interior architectural spaces they are part of as well as the architectural
construction of the historic buildings. All components retain authentic evidence of the fresco
cycles, the material support on which the frescoes are painted, the plaster surfaces, the
pigments and binding agents used in fresco work, and the paints themselves. Although
fragments of these frescoes have in the past suffered localized detachments, for example in
Scrovegni Chapel, the Cathedral Baptistery, or Carraresi Chapel, these fragments were all
replaced in their original positions during past conservation treatments.
The Padua fresco cycles are still fully legible, and the iconography used within them can be
identified as authentic works of known 14th century artists. All frescoes are still in their
original locations, which means the very place in and for which they were painted. The
overall context within which they exist – that is, the area containing the buildings which house
the different cycles – is still that which was the heart of the city enclosed within the old city
walls and now coincides with the centre of the historic city.

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 Protection and management requirements
All of the buildings and complexes of buildings which house the frescoes in the property are
under the strictest protective measures laid down by Italian law (listed buildings), the main
expression of which is the law decree 22/01/2004 n. 42, known as the Codice dei Beni
Culturali e del Paesaggio (Code for the Cultural Heritage and Landscape). There are further
protective measures in the instruments for territorial administration that exist at both regional,
provincial and city level, all guaranteeing the protection and conservation of the buildings and
their surroundings. The buffer zone is bound by the perimeter of Padua’s old city centre, an
area that comes under special protective measures laid down in Padua City Council’s “Works
Ordinance”.
An overall management system has been introduced, establishing close coordination
between the different bodies that own the complexes of buildings which house the fresco
cycles. Thus, from independent management by four different bodies, a model of co-
governance has been established, in which the City Council presides over a Committee
whose members represent those bodies as well as representatives of the Regional
Government of the Veneto, the Ministry for Cultural Heritage and Activities, the University of
Padua (present as scientific consultants) and the Orto Botanico. The overall coordination of
the partners is facilitated by the Council’s Cultural Affairs Department, through a specially-
created agency, called the World Heritage Office, which acts as a secretariat to the
management group. A Memorandum of Understanding for the joint implementation of a
management plan has been signed. The management plan is under elaboration based on a
first draft document submitted.
4. Recommends that the State Party give consideration to the following:
a) Augmenting the management plan to include concrete strategic objectives and
timeframes, which allow for the assessment of its progress in implementation and to
include missing subject areas such as visitor management as well as risk
preparedness and disaster management,
b) Consistently monitoring relative humidity in all component parts, including spaces
where visitors are not currently expected to cause negative impacts, and augment the
monitoring system to ensure monitoring of all prevalent risk factors based on
measurable or qualitative indicators,
c) Installing fire detectors also in the church-owned properties and ensure that fire-fighting
installations are tailored to cause least possible negative impacts in the event of use,
d) Clearly communicating in the interpretation of the component part of Palazzo della
Ragione that the upper three bands of fresco cycles reflect 15th century
reconstructions aimed at recreating the content of the earlier Giotto frescoes, which
were lost due to fire in 1420 and were painted by Niccolò Miretto, Stefano da Ferrara
and Antonio di Pietro;
5. Decides that the name of the property be changed to “Padua’s fourteenth-century fresco
cycles”.

Decision: 44 COM 8B.21

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Documents WHC/21/44.COM/8B and WHC/21/44.COM/INF.8B1,
2. Inscribes Paseo del Prado and Buen Retiro, a landscape of Arts and Sciences, Spain,
on the World Heritage List on the basis of criteria (ii), (iv) and (vi);
3. Takes note of the following provisional Statement of Outstanding Universal Value:

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 Brief synthesis
Paseo del Prado and Buen Retiro, a landscape of Arts and Sciences is located at the urban
heart of Madrid. It was the prototype of a Hispanic alameda (tree-lined avenue) from the 16th
century, a public space based on the presence of nature within the city for the enjoyment of
citizens. It was also an example of a new idea of urban space and of a green urban
development model from the enlightened absolutist period of the 18th century. This model
quickly expanded and became a model that exercised social influence in Latin America,
illustrating the aspiration for a utopian society during Spanish overseas territory in the 16th
Century. Together with the Gardens of Buen Retiro and combining culture and nature, it is a
designed cultural landscape in an urban environment that has evolved over centuries. It was
a new concept and a complex project with a clear social element that included the
establishment of an innovative group of buildings and facilities dedicated to science and to
educating the public, and which would also embellish the city. Buildings dedicated to the arts
and sciences joined others devoted to industry, healthcare and research in a 200-hectare
cultural landscape. Its special links to arts and sciences increased during centuries, resulting
in an extraordinary area that still is dedicated to nature for leisure of citizens together with
museums, cultural institutions and research and scientific centres.
Criterion (ii): the Paseo del Prado constitutes the very first green space designed within a
European capital in the Modern Age; it is a tree-lined avenue, originating in the 16th century
though substantially modified in the 18th century, that had a strong influence in the Spanish
America as a town development model. It was the first and important example of an alameda
or paseo (boulevard).
Criterion (iv): the Paseo del Prado and Buen Retiro is also a town green development
model of the enlightened absolutist period, a prototype of a new idea of improvement of
urban space with a strong social content guided by rational criteria to enhance
ornamentation, hygiene and functionality. It is a unique expression of enlightened ideals
applied to town development projects with the unique addition of the sciences as an essential
component, all with a view to the democratisation of knowledge and making it available to all
citizens. Its different parts are linked geographically and ideologically by the idea of creating
a great green urban space (composed of a tree-lined avenue, a park and a botanical garden)
in different stages of history, from the Renaissance to the Enlightenment.
Criterion (vi): The nominated property represents a utopian society linked to the Arts and
the Sciences, the paradigm of Culture, in a natural frame within the city. It also represents
the idea of democratisation of knowledge, introducing the opportunity to learn sciences and
to enjoy arts, in an area for citizen’s leisure. It was an idea to improve society that crossed
the borders of Spain and extended to America. The arts, sciences, healthcare, industry and
research, all as part of an exchange of human and scientific values that promote the
dissemination of knowledge and whose public and social roles have been preserved with
outstanding vitality.
Integrity
All the important identified attributes are preserved within the property’s limits; they are
adequately maintained and are in good condition, and no significant neglect has been
identified. It retains its integrity as a planned urban development. Existing contemporary
interventions in historical buildings should be considered for the future and special attention
should be placed in the short-term intensity of use and overexploitation, adaptation to climate
change specifically in relation with trees in Paseo del Prado, Buen Retiro and Real Jardín
Botánico, traffic and air pollution.
Authenticity
The major attributes of the property have demonstrated their authenticity, and the sources of
information are credible. There is a great amount of original documents, plans, etc. in
municipal archives such as the Archivo de Villa, and others such as the Archives of the Real

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 Jardín Botánico. There is also a great amount of literary and graphic information. The green
areas, the Paseo del Prado, Gardens of Buen Retiro and Royal Botanical Garden continue
with their use and function. Many of the buildings on the Hills of Sciences are still used as
originally intended, and other buildings such as the Prado museum and the Atocha railway
station preserve their original use.
Protection and management requirements
The three main green areas (75% of the property) are listed as Properties of Cultural Interest
(Bien de Interés Cultural), the highest legal protection available, together with more than 30
other elements (fountains and monuments) and 35 major buildings included within the
property’s limits. Furthermore some 300 individual trees are included in the municipal
inventories and the Catálogo de Árboles Singulares de la Comunidad de Madrid.
Three different institutional levels are involved in the protection of the property: national,
providing the general framework with the Ley de Patrimonio Histórico Español (LPHE, Ley
16/1985), regional (Ley de Patrimonio Histórico de la Comunidad de Madrid, Ley 3/2013)
and municipal, as the whole area is protected by the Madrid General Urban Development
Plan (PGOUM). Mandatory legislation of a European level that affects the member states
must also be included.
A new Management System has been implemented and tested that considers the already
management public and private initiatives. It is an important Plan based on the coordination
of the parties, both public, private institutions and local associations. It is designed to function
at different levels, promoting engagement with the property by citizens and stakeholders.
This plan coordinates different departments and agents involved in the property, particularly
the institutional agents with legal responsibilities, and addresses implementation of different
groups: a World Heritage Commission, composed of the three institutional levels -state,
region, and local- a Scientific Council, composed of independent experts, and an Advisory
Civic and Social Board formed of the representatives of the three administrations, private
institutions, plus relevant associations, and cultural and scientific institutions.
4. Recommends that the State Party give consideration to the following:
a) Further developing and implementing the full monitoring system, with special care to
achieve an integrated approach,
b) Completing the documentation of the historic buildings within the property, such as the
headquarters of the Ministerio de Marina,
c) Clarifying the last property delineation, specifically the extent to which the buildings and
their façades at the edge of the property are included within the revised boundaries,
and to clearly identify the attributes included,
d) Establishing an adequate buffer zone according to the option provided by the State
Party on the basis of the Historical Centre in the Madrid General Urban Development
Plan (PGOUM),
e) Undertaking further studies to achieve an appropriate balance of conservation with
intensive uses, while ensuring the protection of OUV,
f) Considering diverse general actions in order to improve integrity regarding vegetation
and some of the urban fabric, especially pavements, in the Paseo del Prado,
g) Finalizing the listing process for all buildings, as, although some of the listings as BICs
are already integrally protected, the finalization of the process has been somehow
delayed,
h) Developing an interpretation strategy for the overall property within the management
system,

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 i) Enhancing the role and independence of the Civic and Social Board as a means of
ensuring community involvement;
5. Requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre by 1 December 2022 a
report on the implementation of the above-mentioned recommendations for examination by
the World Heritage Committee at its 46th session.

Decision: 44 COM 8B.22

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Documents WHC/21/44.COM/8B and WHC/21/44.COM/INF.8B1,
2. Inscribes Arslantepe Mound, Turkey, on the World Heritage List on the basis of criterion
(iii);
3. Takes note of the following provisional Statement of Outstanding Universal Value:
Brief synthesis
Arslantepe Mound is an archaeological tell of about 4.5 ha in extension, and 30 m high, at
the heart of the fertile Malatya plain, 15 kilometres from the right bank of the Euphrates. The
archaeological evidence of the site testifies to its occupation from at least the 6th millennium
BCE up until the late Roman period. The earliest layers of the Early Uruk period are
characterized by adobe houses dating to the first half of the 4th millennium BCE. The most
prominent and flourishing period of the site was in the Late Chalcolithic period, during which
the so-called palace complex was constructed. Considerable evidence also testifies to the
Early Bronze Age period, most prominently identified by the Royal Tomb complex. The
archaeological stratigraphy then extends to the Paleo-Assyrian and Hittite periods, including
Neo-Hittite levels.
Arslantepe shows in detail the complex processes bringing to the birth of the State and a
sophisticated bureaucracy before writing, offering basic information on the early formation of
this new society, which was at the basis of our contemporary world. The site, being located in
a real geographic and cultural border, thanks to the intensive and varying external relations
that have significantly marked its history, is also a testimony of fundamental events and
changes in various and different civilizations of the Near East.
Arslantepe 4th millennium levels, in particular, show fundamental changes in human
relations in the period of State formation, which involved Eastern Anatolian and
Mesopotamian societies in the course of the entire 4th millennium BC, and is thus an
exceptional testimony to the first emergence of State society in the Near East, original
though related with the great 4th millennium Uruk civilization. This interchange of cultural
traditions and social values resulted in the emergence of new social and political systems
based on hierarchies and social differences, economic privileges and new power relations
which led to new developments in monumental architecture, administrative technology and
iconography of power in artistic representation. The extensive and systematic excavations of
the palace complex, full of material in situ, and the thorough researches conducted on them
have allowed to reconstruct the characteristics of this civilization, the life of these first elites
and their activities with incomparable details, enlightening the emergence of a centralised
government controlling the economy of the population and exercising a central political
authority. The finding of an exceptional group of metal weapons, among which the earliest
swords so far known in the world, which were probably hanging on a wall in one of the
building of the palace (and are now exhibited in the Malatya Museum), also points to the
beginning of forms of organized combat as the prerogative of an elite, who probably flaunted
it as an instrument of their new political power.
Criterion (iii): Arslantepe presents an exceptional testimony to the first emergence of state
society in the Near East. it is related to the 4th millennium Uruk civilization, presents an

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 original form. Its uniqueness when compared to other Uruk culture centres lies in the
extensive material in situ, which has made possible the reconstruction of the characteristics
of this civilization and the life of these first elites, their activities and relations with the rest of
the population, with incomparable details, throwing light on the emergence of a centralized
government in a non-urban centre, controlling the basic economy of the surrounding
population. The property provides a complete and vivid picture of society and daily life of the
early administrate elites in the Late Chalcolithic period.
Integrity
The large extension of the areas uncovered, its preservation and exhibition ensure the
complete representation of the features and processes which convey the Arslantepe
significance: the birth of the State and a new type of society marking a radical change in the
history of humankind. The monumental palatial complex of the 4th millennium BC, in
particular, has been widely exposed and preserved in perfect and integral state, with the
original mud-brick walls, mud plaster and floors, internal features and paintings almost
unchanged since they were brought to light in the course of more than forty years. The
progressively expanding researches on the Hittite and Neo-Hittite period levels are in
progress and can potentially bring to light new monuments of great historical and cultural
value in the near future. All attributes that manifest proposed outstanding universal value lays
within the world heritage boundary which encompasses the whole mound plot and surface,
together with adjacent small portion of land towards north where movable cultural objects
dated to settlement layers the mound embodies were recorded. Neither the property nor its
buffer zone suffered from adverse effects of new developments or inappropriate interventions
so far.
Authenticity
All the buildings brought to light at Arslantepe and the Palace structures exhibited in the
Open-Air Museum in particular are totally original and no reconstruction has been made. The
mud-brick walls and the whole 4th millennium BC architecture, including the internal mud
features, plaster, wall paintings and floors are in the same condition in which they were
found. The only interventions practiced on these buildings are minor repairing interventions
made, when necessary, by using the same original materials, i.e. mud and straw tempering.
The roofing system itself has not damaged the structures in any point, since it is supported
by metal poles which do not stand on the walls, but directly on the floor, without perforating it
and therefore even without damaging the underlying archaeological levels. The entire palatial
complex has not been modified in any way and is protected maintaining its total authenticity.
The landscape silhouette around the site is fairly preserved, as well.
Protection and management requirements
The property and its buffer zone is under protection by the Turkish Legislation for
Preservation of Cultural and Natural Property, Law No.: 2863. Arslantepe Mound was
registered as a 1st Degree Archaeological Conservation site by the decision of Adana
Regional Conservation Council dated 20 January 1989 which provides it with the highest
level of protection at a national level. The boundaries were later enlarged by a decision 2145
of Sivas Regional Conservation Council dated 23 December 2010. The immediate setting of
the site, which overlaps with the buffer zone, was defined as a 3rd Degree Archaeological
Conservation site. In order to protect the property’s setting a conservation development plan
was developed by Battalgazi Municipality which indicates the legal conditions and restrictions
for urban development.
The property is managed by means of the cooperation of multiple institutions. At the local
level, two institutions are responsible for the protection and management of the site: the site
management unit under the direction of the Site Manager, which facilitates the management
processes, in particular all coordination processes at the national, metropolitan or municipal
level and which also coordinates the implementation of the site management plan, and the
Malatya Museum, which supervises the cultural heritage resources of the region, including

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 Arslantepe Mound. The museum is responsible for security, visitor access, cleaning and
maintenance of the site and houses the collections of archaeological findings discovered
during excavations. A third partner at an international level is the Excavation Director and
Scientific Coordinator based at La Sapienza University in Rome, Italy. The Italian team is
responsible for planning the excavation seasons and active conservation measures but also
acts as a management advisor all year round to the local team. Financial resources for the
site include resources for the annual excavation seasons provided by the Italian
archaeological mission through the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and an annual
administration and maintenance budget provided by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
The management plan (2019-2024) prepared by the collaboration between Ministry of
Culture and Tourism, Battalgazi Municipality and Sapienza Archaeological Expedition was
approved on the 8th of January 2019. The site manager has been in duty since the
preparation phase of the management plan. In addition, as a part of the management
structure, an “Advisory Board” and “Supervision and Coordination Board” has been
established by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
The palatial complex is already protected by a modular roofing system and it will be extended
towards the newly excavated part of the palatial complex as a part of landscaping project
prepared by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
4. Recommends that the State Party give consideration to the following:
a) Preparing a conservation strategy and plan for the property, including a cautious
strategy for anticipated archaeological research and excavations, that determines
protocols, priorities and procedures for all forms of conservation, excavation and
maintenance interventions needed,
b) Augmenting the management plan to include local management roles and
responsibilities, decision-making processes, a comprehensive risk assessment and risk
preparedness plan,
c) Strengthening the local management capacity under the coordination of the site
manager,
d) Providing clarifications on the new arrangements allowed in A3 zone with the
enlargement of the buffer zone,
e) Reconsidering the design of the proposed new roof shelter by providing more views of
different sections, detailing the connection between the old and new roof and how the
new roof will address places where the rain water mostly accesses the site, and submit
it for further review,
f) Undertaking further surveys to determine the exact extension of archaeological findings
towards the north and west of the property and on that basis, if necessary, extend the
boundaries of the property in line with the indications of archaeological ground surveys
in these directions,
g) Studying unsheltered areas previously excavated and the edges of the present
protective shelter to ensure minimum exposure of earthen architectural remains to
weathering phenomena,
h) Undertaking a periodical detailed photographic documentation of all the site structures
and objects, where needed, augmented by drawings indicating positions and exact
features of elements of specific significance, as a baseline for monitoring and risk and
disaster management processes,
i) Undertaking Heritage Impact Assessments for any new visitor infrastructure or museum
buildings before any decision is taken, to assess their potential impacts on the
Outstanding Universal Value of the property;

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5. Requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre by 1 December 2022 a
report on the implementation of the above-mentioned recommendations for examination by
the World Heritage Committee at its 46th session.

C.3.2. Significant boundary modifications of properties already inscribed on the World

Heritage List

Decision: 44 COM 8B.23

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Documents WHC/21/44.COM/8B and WHC/21/44.COM/INF.8B1,
2. Approves the significant boundary modification of the Defence Line of Amsterdam to
include the New Dutch Waterline and become the Dutch Water Defence Lines,
Netherlands, on the World Heritage List as a cultural landscape on the basis of criteria (ii),
(iv) and (v);
3. Takes note of the following provisional Statement of Outstanding Universal Value:
Brief synthesis
The Dutch Water Defence Lines represents a defence system extending over 200 km along
the edge of the administrative and economic heartland of Holland. It is comprised of the New
Dutch Waterline and the Defence Line of Amsterdam. Built between 1815 and 1940, the
system consists of a network of 96 forts, dikes, sluices, pumping stations, canals and
inundation polders, working in concert to protect Holland by applying the principle of
temporary flooding of the land. It has been developed thanks to the special knowledge of
hydraulic engineering for defence purposes held and applied by the people of the
Netherlands since the 16th century. Each of the polders along the line of fortifications has its
own inundation facilities.
Criterion (ii): The already-inscribed property (Defence Line of Amsterdam) and the
nominated extension illustrate in its most advanced and extensive form the technology and
arrangements that the Dutch developed to control inundation. Although inundation for
defence had been used since the Middle Ages in the low-lying parts of north-western Europe,
the Dutch brought the system to an unprecedented level of advancement and scale. The
DWDL were not the last to be built: the knowledge developed here was applied and further
elaborated to build other defence lines in Europe in the 1930-40s, such as the French
Maginot Line, the German Pomeranian Line and, later, in the 1950s, the Ijssel Line in the
Netherlands.
Criterion (iv): the NDW illustrates an ingenious system of defence which has achieved the
integrated use of landscape features, careful water management and control for inundation
fields, and military fortifications to protect the vulnerable points. In particular the nominated
extension offered, due to the very nature of the land morphology, larger opportunities to
harness the landscape characteristics. Due to the presence of several rivers, which were
points of access for the enemy and needed therefore to be defended, many forts were built
for this purpose.
The NDW also illustrates the development of military architecture in the 19th and early 20th
centuries as well as the transition from brick to concrete construction. The rich collection of
forts comprised within the NDW exceptionally illustrates the continuous adaptation of military
engineering to new defensive challenges and complements the DLA with further attributes,
thereby reinforcing the justification of this criterion.
Criterion (v): the nominated extension represents an ingenious use of the topography and
hydrology of the landscape for defence purposes. The knowledge developed over several

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 centuries to manage water for farming purposes was perfected and put to the service of the
defence of the country, with the aid of pumping stations, watercourses, sluices, ring canals
and dykes, to ensure rapid and precise control of the water flow. Several structures that were
built for civil use were integrated into the military defence system. The nominated extension
will enhance and complement the Outstanding Universal Value of the DLA as a model of the
military system that has ingeniously perfected the use of landscape features and water
management to achieve a defensive system of large territorial scale.
Integrity
The extension of the Defence Line of Amsterdam through the addition of and unification with
the New Dutch Waterline forms a coherent and complete system but each of them had a
specific function to play. The extension would add landscape and historical coherence to the
existing World Heritage property.
The boundary of the extension includes all attributes necessary to reflect the proposed
Outstanding Universal Value, including the three individual component parts.
The nominated extension includes a large number of identified physical attributes. All forts
are included within the boundary of the nominated extension and none has been destroyed.
The identified attributes of all categories are said to be in good condition, although the area
of the defence line near Utrecht has lost the inundation basins, which were very narrow in
this area due to its elevation.
The new property DWDL includes almost the whole fortified water system conceived for the
defence of the core urban area of the Netherlands.
The water management system (a complex network of canals, dikes, gates, sluices) is still in
use and its maintenance is assured as far as it is necessary for the safety of large cultivated
and inhabited areas.
The strategically deployed landscape is still well visible but its extension is notably reduced
and its degree of integrity is uneven. Especially (but not only) on the inner side of the
defence lines, urban growth has often overwhelmed rurality and the visual relationships
between the forts and the environment have been undermined. On the outer side (the side
watched over by the forts), some new developments have occurred and scattered buildings
and groups of trees have modified the aspect of the landscape and the visibility of the
“Prohibited Circles”.
Negative impacts from new developments and large infrastructures can be found in the
western portion of the DLA World Heritage Property, in the central portion of the NDW, and
at the junction between the DLA and NDW, that is to say, next to the cities of Amsterdam,
Haarlem and Utrecht, where the defence line passes through dense urban areas. There,
fortifications, related ditches, canals and dikes have been preserved but the landscape has
changed significantly and several inundation fields have been built upon or are no longer
visible. Nowadays these portions of the property are exposed to strong pressure for further
transformation.
The extent of the proposed extension of the property, the abundance of its elements, the
strong presence of the rural landscape where it still exists, the effectiveness of the current
actions of care and maintenance, can secure the integrity of the property.
Three areas have been added to the Defence Line of Amsterdam: two are still-preserved
inundation fields and one is a wooded recreational area which reinforce the continuity of the
DLA and contribute to strengthening the integrity of the already inscribed property.
Six small areas have been excluded from the former Defence Line of Amsterdam.
Authenticity
The physical attributes of the proposed extension reflect credibly the proposed justification
for inscription through their form and design, their materials, their reciprocal interrelations and

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 relationships with the landscape setting. Although the military use and defence function have
ceased, the primary agricultural use of the landscape has been retained alongside the
introduction of recreational use.
Several sources exist that can demonstrate the authenticity of the property, including
bibliographical and archival sources. The physical attributes reflect the values and the
historic development of the property. Restorations and repurposing of the forts have
contributed to maintaining near the main military structures the spirit of the military past of the
defence line territory. However, the modifications to the landscape and the developments
have, in some zones, reduced conditions of authenticity.
Protection and management requirements
The legal framework for heritage and landscape protection and spatial planning is under
reform in the Netherlands. From 2022 a revised set of laws, by-laws, strategies and
regulations will apply. This new Environment and Planning Act will protect World Heritage
stronger and more explicit.
Currently, World Heritage properties’ attributes and Outstanding Universal Value are given
consideration at all national, provincial and local levels through the provisions of the Spatial
Planning (General Rules) Decree, Dutch acronym Barro, issued in 2011, which identifies
core qualities of the properties inscribed on the World Heritage List or included in the
Tentative List. These qualities must be maintained or enhanced in plans and spatial
developments.
The Barro provisions will be incorporated into the new Environment and Planning Act (2016),
which stipulates that regulations for the preservation of the Outstanding Universal Value of
World Heritage properties and the implementation of the World Heritage Convention must be
developed.
The Spatial Planning Decree, Dutch acronym Bro, stipulates that municipalities must take
into account cultural history when elaborating spatial plans.
All military and many water management structures of the proposed extension have been
designated national monuments as per the Heritage Act (2016). On the other hand, in the
DLA, heritage designations were issued on the basis of the Monuments and Historic
Buildings Act (1988); additionally, a number of attributes are covered by provincial
designations, based on the Ordnance of the Province of Noord-Holland, which is considered
equivalent to national designation.
The fortified towns of the NDW are designated urban conservation areas and no
development that can impair their heritage character is permitted. According to the
Monuments and Historic Buildings Act and the Heritage Act, municipalities must elaborate
protection zoning plans for conservation areas, thereby complementing the protection
afforded to individual heritage structures.
In addition to legislation, national, provincial and municipal policy documents provide for
priorities and objectives with regards to cultural heritage.
The Environment and Planning Act stipulates that spatial developments may not jeopardize
the Outstanding Universal Value of a World Heritage property, regardless of its location.
Furthermore, a Spatial Quality Advisory Team has been established: it issues opinions and
recommendations to ensure that the Outstanding Universal Value, integrity and authenticity
of the property are not endangered by development proposals.
The new Environment and Planning Act contains specific regulations for protection of the
buffer zone.
Around the inscribed property and the nominated extension also various additional protection
regimes apply that have protective effects on the setting of the Dutch Water Defence Lines
(DWDL): these include Natura 2000 areas, National Nature Network, provincial urbanisation

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 buffer zones in Noord–Holland, Schiphol Airport Zoning Decree, and valuable landscape
designations. These afford protection to the setting of the DWDL.
The municipal zoning plan has legal binding force and is the key instrument for implementing
protective measures.
Provinces are responsible for describing the ‘core qualities’ of existing or proposed World
Heritage properties and for developing rules for their preservation. These rules are included
in provincial by-laws and inserted in municipal zoning plans. In case provinces do not comply
with the above provision, the national government has the right to prescribe the rules that
must be included in provincial by-laws. Similarly, if municipalities fail to comply with provincial
by-laws, a province may give ‘reactive instructions’.
The government and the provinces have the right to prepare government-imposed zoning
plan amendments, as long as a national or provincial interest is at stake (such as in the case
of World Heritage or heritage preservation). These amendments have the same legal value
as municipal zoning plans.
The rural zoning plan is the central instrument for the protection of the agricultural land and
therefore of the inundation fields. Provincial by-laws prevent construction outside building
locations identified by provinces, and agricultural land cannot be turned into buildable land.
The application of sustainability principles also require that urban developments must occur
in existing urban areas. The necessity to deviate from this principle must be explicitly
demonstrated.
Quality handbooks have been prepared by the provinces to assist applicants and
municipalities in achieving a higher quality of development proposals.
The responsibility for the implementation of the Heritage Act falls upon several actors,
including provinces and municipalities, clearly defined in the Act itself.
The Cultural Heritage Agency is responsible for two government subsidy schemes that
support conservation and repurposing of protected monuments; since 2012 the provinces
have been responsible for restoring national monuments.
The assurance of the quality of new developments is also an important factor complementing
development restrictions. A Spatial Quality Advisory Team was established in 2005 for the
New Dutch Waterline; it provides solicited or unsolicited advice on developments, challenges
and trends affecting the NDW at a larger scale. Since 2016 it has a new composition and a
new task: issuing opinions (e.g. on energy transition, quality assurance principles, terms of
reference for HIA’s) to ensure the balance between spatial development and the heritage
value of the NDW. It has drawn up a memorandum on Visual Integrity of the NDW. On
inscription the Spatial Quality Advisory Team extends its scope of responsibility to the whole
property, including the DLA.
For highly dynamic areas – three have been identified by the State Party which amount to
20% of the area of the DWDL – more focused area analyses have been devised and are
being elaborated to examine what is the capacity of the property, under what conditions and
where, to accommodate developments carried out in a way to support or enhance the
integrity of the property and where this might pose challenges.
In 2014 the four provinces of Noord–Holland, Gelderland, Noord-Brabant and Utrecht signed
an administrative agreement for the extension of the DLA. As per the Joint Arrangements
Act, the four provinces have signed a partnership agreement that establishes they will act
jointly as the site-holder and the existing management entities for the DLA and NDW will
eventually be fully merged into one single overarching management office as of 1 July 2020.
A small portion of the NDW falls within the Province of Zuid-Holland. The five provinces have
agreed that the four provinces where the majority of the DWDL is located will look after the
small section in Zuid-Holland. However, the Province of Zuid-Holland will continue to perform
its spatial-planning and protection tasks.

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 The site–holder office will be managed by the four provinces under the direction of an
independent Chair, with a representative of the National Cultural Heritage Agency as advisor.
The site-holder will rely on the human resources of the Knowledge Centre of the waterlines,
the independent Spatial Quality Advisory team. External support will also be provided by the
Cross-Waterline Entrepreneurship Foundation, which supports entrepreneurs in and around
the DWDL. The think tank Line Expert Team – 16 experts in 8 different subjects – is
supported by two Provinces and offers expertise and advice to owners, managers and
operators, including municipalities and water authorities.
The collective site-holder has developed a road map to achieve six key management
objectives, among which is the preparation of a joint management plan, from 2021.
The current management plan covers the period 2018–2020 and outlines the cooperation
agenda, based on the six above-mentioned objectives, and on strategic goals. A calendar for
implementation of the tasks related to the six objectives is presented.
4. Recommends that the State Party give consideration to the following:
a) Strengthening the protection of the landscape dimension, particularly in key sections of
the Dutch Water Defence Lines, e.g. in the Utrecht area and Laagraven especially,
through ad-hoc plans that enhance the historic landscape features and mutual visibility
among the defence elements,
b) Providing the World Heritage Centre and ICOMOS with upcoming projects, including
the final option for the A8-A9 junction, for review,
c) Finalising all sensitive area analyses and embed their conclusions in planning
instruments,
d) Strengthening the visibility and interpretation of the Defence Line of Amsterdam and its
extension,
e) Providing the six reductions of the property, including the buffer zone, with ad-hoc
mechanisms that prevent further pressures and offer the opportunity to recover in the
medium- or long-term, at least part of the memory of their past conditions through
careful design and landscaping,
f) Making an inventory of all current planning provisions in force for the property and the
whole buffer zone, and assess whether they are coherent to sustain the Outstanding
Universal Value of the property;
5. Requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre by 1 February 2022
detailed maps at an appropriate scale showing revised boundaries of the property and the
buffer zone, and clarifications concerning the status of the project of the housing
development near Woudrichem, and also requests the State Party to submit to the World
Heritage Centre by 1 December 2022 a report on the implementation of the above-
mentioned recommendations for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 46th
session.

C.3.3. Properties deferred or referred back by previous sessions of the World Heritage
Committee

Decision: 44 COM 8B.24

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Documents WHC/21/44.COM/8B and WHC/21/44.COM/INF.8B1,
2. Taking into account the Nomination strategy for the remainder of the serial transnational
property Frontiers of the Roman Empire acknowledged by Decision 41 COM 8B.50,

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3. Inscribes the Frontiers of the Roman Empire – The Danube Limes (Western Segment),
Austria, Germany and Slovakia, on the World Heritage List on the basis of criteria (ii), (iii)
and (iv);
4. Takes note of the following provisional Statement of Outstanding Universal Value:
Brief synthesis
The Frontiers of the Roman Empire – The Danube Limes (Western Segment), ran for almost
600 km along the Danube, following the northern and eastern boundaries of the Roman
provinces of Raetia (eastern part), Noricum and the north of Pannonia, from Bad Gögging in
Germany through Austria to Iža in Slovakia.
For more than 400 years from the 1st century CE, it constituted the middle European
boundary of the Roman Empire against what were called ‘barbarians’.
First continuously defined in the Flavian dynasty (69-96 CE) and later further developed, the
fortifications consisted of a continuous chain of military installations almost all along the
southern banks of the river. The backbone of the defence system was a string of legionary
fortresses, each housing some 5,500 to 6,000 Roman citizens as soldiers. The provinces of
Raetia and Noricum each had one legion, while there were two in Pannonia Superior and two
in Pannonia Inferior. The larger number reflected Roman anxiety about powerful neighbours:
the Germanic peoples in the north and the Sarmatians in the east. Between the legionary
fortresses, were forts, fortlets, and watchtowers linked by access roads and serviced by the
Pannonian fleet that patrolled the River Danube under the control of Rome. To serve soldiers
and civilians, sizeable civilian towns were developed around the legionary fortresses and
some forts, and these towns also spread Roman culture to the edges of the Empire.
The form and disposition of the fortifications reflects the geo-morphology of the river as well
as military, economic and social requirements. For most of its length the Danube frontier
crosses wide floodplains, separated from each other by high mountain ranges that force the
meandering river into deep, narrow gorges. These natural conditions are reflected in the size
and positioning of military installations, with the gorges being secured by small elevated
posts, and the plains by larger forts at river crossings or other strategic points overlooking the
plains. Although primarily for defence, in peaceful times the Limes also controlled trade and
access across the river
The western segment of the Danube Limes finally broke down in the 5th century CE. During
the Middle Ages, many still standing Roman buildings were reused and served as nuclei for
the development of villages and towns many of which exist today.
The 77 component sites, selected from a far larger number that still remain, together reflect
in an outstanding way all elements of the well balanced complex River Danube defensive
system, linked by the military road parallel to the river. They also offer a clear understanding
of the way military strategies evolved over time to counter threats considered by the Romans
emanating from sustained large scale migrations in the later years of the Roman Empire,
particularly through the remains of a bridgehead fort and temporary camps on the left bank
of the river.
The large number of civilian settlements present a profound and vivid understanding of the
lives of the military and civilians, and how defensive installations became the focus for trade
and engagement with areas beyond the frontier, all of which bought about profound and
long-lasting changes to the landscape of this part of Europe.
Criterion (ii): The legionary fortresses, forts, fortlets, watchtowers, linked infrastructure and
civilian architecture that made up the Roman military system of the western segment of the
Danube Limes extended technical knowledge of construction and management to the very
edges of the Empire.
This segment did not constitute an impregnable barrier, but controlled and allowed the
movement of peoples: not only military units, but also civilians and merchants. This triggered

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 profound changes and developments in terms of settlement patterns, architecture and
landscape design and spatial organisation in this part of the frontier which has persisted over
time. The frontier landscape is thus an exceptional reflection of the imposition of a complex
military system on existing societies in the northern part of the Empire.
Criterion (iii): The Frontiers of the Roman Empire – The Danube Limes (Western Segment)
presents an exceptional manifestation of Roman imperial policy and the Empire’s ambition to
dominate the world in order to establish its law and way of life in the long‐term. The segment
reflects specifically how the Empire consolidated its northern frontiers at the maximum
extension of its powers.
It also witnesses Roman colonization through the spread of culture and different traditions –
military engineering, architecture, art, religion, management and politics–from the capital to
the remotest parts of the Empire.
The large number of human settlements associated with the defences, contribute to an
exceptional understanding of how soldiers and their families, and also civilians, lived in this
part of the Empire, with all the accoutrements of Roman culture such as baths, religious
shrines and, at the largest settlements like Carnuntum, amphitheatres and a governor’s
palace.
Criterion (iv): The materials and substance of the Frontiers of the Roman Empire – The
Danube Limes (Western Segment) can be seen as a vivid testimony to the way Roman
military systems were influenced by geography and, over four centuries, were developed and
adapted to meet changing threats to the Empire.
Military campaigns are reflected by temporary camps built around existing forts, a
bridgehead built on the left bank of the Danube River, and horseshoe and fanshaped towers
and strongly fortified fortlets developed as a response in Late Roman times to changes in
warfare.
In Mediaeval times, many of the defensive constructions became the nuclei of later
settlements and, through their continuous use until today, have shaped the form of medieval
towns along the Danube.
Integrity
The series of component sites as a whole reflects all the elements which once constituted
the frontier system– that is the continuous chain of military installations along the southern
banks of the river consisting of legionary fortresses, the backbone of the system, around
which forts, fortlets, and watchtowers were laid out at varying distances – as well as the
linking infrastructure and civilian settlements.
The ensemble of sites represents the long period in which the western segment of the
Danube operated as part of the frontiers of the Roman Empire as well as all its main periods
of construction from its establishment in the 1st century CE until its disintegration in the 5th
century CE, and the extraordinary complexity and coherence of its frontier installations.
Although some individual component sites are fragmentary and have been affected by
changes of land use, natural processes, and in some cases over-building, the visible remains
and buried archaeological features are both sufficient in scope to convey their contribution to
the overall series.
The boundaries of all individual component sites encompass the relevant attributes
necessary to support their contribution to Outstanding Universal Value. Later development
overlaying parts of the frontier remains are treated as vertical buffer zones.
In a few component sites, integrity is impacted by infrastructural development and windfarms
and these impacts need to be addressed, when opportunities arise, and further impacts
prevented.

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 Authenticity
The western segment of the Danube Frontier clearly reflects the specificities of this part of
the overall Roman Frontier through the way selection of sites has encompassed all the key
elements from the legionary fortresses and their associated settlements to small forts and
temporary camps, and the way they relate to topography.
All the component sites have been subject to intensive study and research. Sources
deployed include the full array of archaeological research techniques (past and present
excavation, field survey, aerial photography, geophysics etc.) as well as archival evidence.
The component sites have the capacity to clearly reflect their inherent value and their
contribution to the Outstanding Universal Value.
The one area where the value is less well articulated is in terms of the relationship of
component sites to the River Danube, as the frontier and as a longitudinal transport artery for
military support, goods and people. All the component sites originally had a dynamic
relationship with the river. As the Danube in places has shifted its course considerably since
Roman times, some components have lost this link. In places the original course has not
been identified. This link needs strengthening on the basis of more research on the original
course of the river.
Overall, the fabric of the upstanding remains is in a good state of conservation. Some of the
underground components are very fragile and highly vulnerable to damage and erosion from
continuing cultivation.
Reconstruction has been undertaken at a number of components and in most cases, it is
slight and historical. There is though little consistency of approach on how the difference
between original and reconstructed fabric is revealed. The most extensive reconstruction is
at Carnuntum, where work is still in progress and, although reversible, is in places
conjectural. At Iža (Kelemantia) parts of the fort have been rebuilt in a way that is not readily
distinguishable from original material.
There is a need for a clear and consistent approach to reconstruction across the whole
series. Large-scale conjectural reconstruction on top of original fabric needs to be avoided.
As much reconstruction work will require renewal as part of ongoing conservation
programmes, there are opportunities for improvement.
The landward side of some of the component sites has not always been protected
adequately. At Carnuntum the close proximity of an extensive windfarm is visually intrusive.
Protection and management requirements
Each of the three participating States Parties has a discrete legal system and administrative
processes for heritage protection at national, regional, and local levels, and in the federal
states of Germany and Austria there are also discrete statutory frameworks for each federal
component (the German component sites are confined to the Federal State of Bavaria).
Although the detailed legal provisions and terminology for designation and protection vary in
each State, the function and effect of the different national provisions is the same: they
should ensure adequate long-term protection of the nominated component sites and their
setting, if both are appropriately defined, if landowners are cooperative and if the measures
are effectively implemented by regional and local governments.
Within each State Party an appropriate management system has been developed, expressed
through national Management Plans. The aim of these plans is to ensure that individual parts
of the nominated property are managed within an agreed overall framework of co-operation
to achieve common standards of identification, recording, research, protection, conservation,
management, and presentation in an interdisciplinary manner and within a sustainable
framework.

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 The plans will be regularly updated. The national management systems address also the
interests and involvement of all stakeholders and the sustainable economic use of the
property.
At the international level the participating States Parties have agreed a Joint Declaration for
running and expanding the property. This sets out the terms of reference for an
Intergovernmental Committee to coordinate at an international level the management and
development of the whole World Heritage property and to work to common aims and
objectives and a Danube Limes Management Group to provide the primary mechanism for
sharing best practice for those directly responsible for site management.
On a supra-national level, the Frontiers of the Roman Empire – The Danube Limes (Western
Segment) aims to cooperate intensively with the existing Frontiers of the Roman Empire
properties, to create a cluster. The existing Bratislava Group, an international advisory body
for the Frontiers as a whole, will also provide a supportive technical network.
5. Recommends that the States Parties give consideration to the following:
a) Establishing buffer zones for the small number of component parts without them and
submit these as minor boundary modifications by 1 February 2023,
b) Continuing on-going research and documentation on the Roman course(s) of the River
Danube, encouraging where possible connections between relevant component parts
and the original river course to which they were related, and make the outcomes of this
research work accessible,
c) Developing a clear and consistent approach to reconstruction works for all component
parts in the series in relation to limited reconstruction for the purposes of consolidation,
conservation or presentation, in order to ensure that reconstruction above original
materials is avoided as a general rule, that when used, it is adequately justified; that
reconstruction does not dominate any of the component parts; and that differences
between original and reconstructed material are distinguished in a consistent manner;
such a defined approach should be submitted in draft to ICOMOS for review; and any
further reconstruction work in the property should be halted until an approach agreed
by ICOMOS and all States Parties is in place,
d) Developing and approving a long-term strategy to allow all component parts and their
buffer zones to be taken out of ploughing,
e) Strengthening coordinated management with the appropriate water and river
authorities to develop flood prevention or flood management measures (such as water
retention zones) as well as active measures to control the flow of the Danube (dredging
etc.) to prevent the flooding of component parts and their settings, and submit any
proposals for major flood defence schemes, to the World Heritage Centre for review by
ICOMOS, in line with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines, before any work is
approved or undertaken,
f) Continuing on-going work on the development of a common database as well as on a
comprehensive research framework,
g) Surveying and documenting the entire ensemble of temporary camps as an
archaeological landscape,
h) Undertaking where possible targeted re-excavations at Eining Weinberg and further
investigations at St Peter’s church,
i) Ensuring that when wind turbines in the setting of Carnuntum come to the end of their
useful life they are not replaced and introducing regulations to ensure that the
landscape settings of other component parts are not compromised by new wind farms
or other infrastructure projects,
j) Expanding the current site-based community engagement to more component parts,

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 k) Ensuring that Heritage Impact Assessments are used routinely for assessing the
impact of proposed changes that might impact on component parts or their settings,
and ensuring that all projects that might have an impact on Outstanding Universal
Value are submitted to the World Heritage Centre for review by ICOMOS, in line with
paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines;
6. Requests the States Parties to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 December 2022,
an adjusted nomination of the Frontiers of the Roman Empire – The Danube Limes (Western
Segment);
7. Also requests the States Parties to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 December
2023, a report on the implementation of the above-mentioned recommendations for
examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 47th session;
8. Further requests ICOMOS to adjust the Evaluation Report of the Frontiers of the Roman
Empire – The Danube Limes (Western Segment) and the recommended Statement of
Outstanding Universal Value; the defined statement of Outstanding Universal Value should
be coherent with the current inscribed property and will ensure possible future extensions;
9. Invites the World Heritage Centre to facilitate a process of further amendment of the
Operational Guidelines in order to ensure clarification and specification of conditions
governing the nomination process in relation to serial transnational nominations.

Decision: 44 COM 8B.25

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Documents WHC/21/44.COM/8B and WHC/21/44.COM/INF.8B1,
2. Inscribes the Colonies of Benevolence, Belgium and the Netherlands, on the World
Heritage List as a cultural landscape on the basis of criteria (ii) and (iv);
3. Adopts the following Statement of Outstanding Universal Value:
Brief synthesis
The Colonies of Benevolence were an Enlightenment experiment in social reform which
demonstrated an innovative, highly influential model of pauper relief and of settler colonialism
– the agricultural domestic colony. Beginning in 1818, the Society of Benevolence founded
agricultural colonies in rural areas of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands (now the
Netherlands and Belgium). The Colonies of Benevolence created a highly functional
landscape out of isolated peat and heath wastelands through the domestic colonisation of
paupers. In the process, colonists would become morally reformed ideal citizens, adding to
the nation’s wealth and integrating marginal territories in emergent nation states.
Over a seven-year period, almost 80 square kilometres of wastelands, domestic territory
considered unfit for settlement, were reclaimed in Colonies. The colonies featured orthogonal
roads, ribbons of houses and small farms, and communal buildings. From 1819 onwards,
‘unfree’ colonies were also founded, the last in 1825; these featured large institutions and
larger farms again set in an orthogonal pattern of fields and avenues, and housed particular
groups of disadvantaged people with support from the State. At their peak some 18,000
people lived in the colonies, including those within the property.
The process of transforming its poorest landscapes and citizens through a utopian process of
social engineering went on until well into the 20th century. After 1918, the colonies lost their
relevance and evolved into ‘normal’ villages and areas with institutions for custodial care.
The property comprises four former colonies in three component parts: the free colonies of
Frederiksoord and Wilhelminaoord, the colony of Wortel which was a free colony that
evolved into an unfree colony, and the unfree colony of Veenhuizen.

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 Criterion (ii): The Colonies of Benevolence bear testimony to an exceptional and nationwide
Enlightenment experiment in social reform, through a system of large agricultural home
colonies. They proposed a model of social engineering based upon the notion of ‘productive
labour’, with the aim of transforming poor people into ‘industrious’ citizens and uncultivated
‘wastelands’ into productive land. In addition to work, education and moral upliftment were
considered essential contributions to the aim of transforming poor people into self-reliant
citizens.
The Colonies of Benevolence were developed as systematic self-sustaining agricultural
settlements with state-of-the-art social facilities. As such, the Colonies of Benevolence
pioneered the domestic colony model, attracting considerable international attention. For
more than a century, they exerted an influence on various types of custodial care in Western
Europe and beyond.
Criterion (iv): The Colonies of Benevolence are an outstanding example of domestic
agricultural colonies created in the 19th century with the social aim of poverty alleviation.
Deliberately cultivated as ‘islands’ in remote domestic heath and peatland areas, the
Colonies implemented the ideas of a panoptic institution for the poor in their functional and
spatial organisation.
They are an outstanding example of a landscape design that represents an agricultural home
colony with a social aim. The landscape patterns reflect the original character of the different
types of Colonies and their subsequent evolution, and illustrate the extent, the ambition and
the evolution of this social experiment in its flourishing period (1818-1918).
Integrity
The property contains all the attributes which convey the Outstanding Universal Value. It
includes key examples of both free and unfree colonies. All component parts consist of a
combination of relict landscape layers which together illustrate the flourishing period of the
Colony model. In the case of the free colonies, attributes include the long ribbons of houses
and small farms set in a pattern of orthogonal roads and fields. The unfree colonies include
larger building complexes, housing, and larger farms set in an orthogonally organised
landscape of avenues and fields. Features of the landscapes include their orthogonal
structure with roads, avenue plantings, other plantings, meadows, fields and forests, and with
the characteristic houses, farms, institutions, churches, schools and industrial buildings.
While there have been changes and evolution over time, the property reflects the best-
preserved cultural landscapes of the free and unfree colonies.
Authenticity
The authenticity of the property is based on its location, form and design, and materials. The
distinctive cultural landscape with its structured form, plantings, surviving buildings and
archaeological sites from the period when the colonies were created and flourished, truthfully
and credibly tell the story of the Colonies of Benevolence and reflect the Outstanding
Universal Value.
The use of the Colonies for agriculture and the social objectives formulated by the Society of
Benevolence over two centuries were mainly continued and supplemented with new
functions, which redefined the original social significance of the Colonies, in the spirit of the
Colonies and adapted to changing times. The connecting factor is not one single ‘authentic’
period, but the landscape structure which has developed in two determining phases: the first
phase of the creation (1818-1859), the phase of the further evolution, the phase of state
institutions and privatisation (1860-1918).
Protection and management requirements
The property is protected by various and very different tools that range in scale from national
laws to municipal codes, covering both natural and cultural values. These provide sectorial
guidelines or criteria for intervention and conservation of the property.

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 Legal protection is adequate for individual buildings. In both countries, representative
buildings have been granted monument status and are protected. This includes a number of
buildings and building ensembles within the colonies which are protected as individual
monuments.
At the national level, all the Dutch colonies are fully or partially protected as villagescapes. In
Belgium, Wortel is a protected cultural heritage landscape. Consideration should be given to
ensuring the national villagescape protection should cover the full extent of Wilheminaoord.
In the Netherlands, a new Environment & Planning Act will enter into force in 2021 to
regulate the protection of heritage values, replacing the existing Spatial Planning Act. The
new Act provides opportunities for the integral protection of Outstanding Universal Value,
and for the assessment of new developments.
The organisation of the management system for the property seems effective. This includes
an intergovernmental committee to address issues between the States Parties, a
transnational steering group, the designation of site holders in each country, a technical
advisory committee, site managers and staff.
There is a management plan consisting of a main document related to the whole property, as
well as three specific plans for the component parts. The focus of the management plan is
the preservation and reinforcement of the Outstanding Universal Value for the series as a
whole and for the individual colonies. Risk preparedness is addressed through existing
mechanisms rather than a specific strategy.
Visitor management is achieved through a range of measures including visitor centres,
interpretive materials and support facilities, and further measures are planned. Traffic
management is recognised as an issue.
Local communities and residents are closely involved in the management of the property
through formal and other means.
An ongoing challenge will be to manage the property as a unified whole, especially to ensure
that conservation approaches evolve in the same direction.
4. Recommends that the States Parties give consideration to the following:
a) Establishing a buffer zone, in order to ensure the protection of the component parts
from any potential threats, through a minor boundary modification process, to be
submitted to the World Heritage Centre by 1 February 2023,
b) Ensuring the national villagescape protection for the full extent of Wilheminaoord,
c) Ensuring the form, scale and placement of new buildings closely adheres to those of
the original buildings in each component part,
d) Ensuring the conservation of the grid dimensions that characterize each colony,
e) Ensuring management of the property as a unified whole, especially that conservation
approaches evolve in the same direction,
f) Enhancing the mapping of the property to document current ownership patterns and
the extent of the existing prisons and state institutions.

Decision: 44 COM 8B.26

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Documents WHC/21/44.COM/8B and WHC/21/44.COM/INF.8B1,
2. Inscribes the Roșia Montană Mining Landscape, Romania, on the World Heritage List as a
cultural landscape on the basis of criteria (ii), (iii) and (iv);

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3. Adopts the following Statement of Outstanding Universal Value:
Brief Synthesis
Roșia Montană Mining Landscape contains the most significant, extensive and technically
diverse underground Roman gold mining complex currently known in the world, dating from
the Roman occupation of Dacia (106-271 CE). Roșia Montană is situated in a natural
amphitheatre of massifs and radiating valleys in the Metalliferous range of the Apuseni
Mountains, located in the historical region of Transylvania in the central part of Romania.
Roman gold mining occurred within four small mountains (Cârnic, Lety, Orlea and Cetate)
that visually dominate the landscape of Roșia Montană, itself surrounded on three sides by
dividing ridges and peaks. Roman archaeology in the surrounding landscape is prolific and
pervasive, comprising ore-processing areas, living quarters, administrative buildings, sacred
areas and necropoli, some with funerary buildings with complex architecture, all set in
relation to over 7 km of ancient underground workings that have been discovered to date.
Criterion (ii): Roșia Montană Mining Landscape contains the world’s pre-eminent example
of underground Roman gold mining and demonstrates an interchange of values through
innovative techniques developed by skilled migrant Illyrian-Dalmatian miners to exploit gold
in ways that suited the technical nature of the deposit. Multiple chambers that housed
treadmill-operated water-dipping wheels for drainage represent a technique likely routed from
Hispania to the Balkans, whilst perfectly carved trapezoidal-section galleries, helicoidal
shafts, inclined communication galleries with stairways cut into the bedrock, and vertical
extraction areas (stopes) superimposed above one another with the roof carved out in steps,
are in a combination so specific to Roșia Montană that they likely represent pioneering
aspects in the technical history of mining.
Criterion (iii): Roșia Montană Mining Landscape embodies the cultural traditions of one of
the oldest documented mining communities in Europe, anciently founded by the Romans, as
manifested in extant underground mining works, chronologically differentiated by distinctive
technical features; and a socio‐technical mining landscape consisting of ore‐processing
areas, habitation areas, sacred places and necropoli. The interpretation of its history is
enriched by Roman wax‐coated wooden writing tablets discovered in the mines during the
18th and 19th centuries. Together with prolific stone epigraphic monuments, they provide an
authentic picture of daily life and cultural practice in this ancient frontier mining community.
Combined with outcomes of recent, intensive and systematic archaeological investigation, an
exceptional reflection of Roman mining practices has emerged.
Criterion (iv): Roșia Montană Mining Landscape illustrates the strategic control and vigorous
development of precious metals’ mining by the Roman Empire, essential for its longevity and
military power. Following the decline of mining in Hispania, Roșia Montană located in
Aurariae Dacicae (Roman Dacia) was the only significant new source of gold and silver for
the Roman Empire, among the likely key motivations for Trajan’s conquest.
Integrity
Roșia Montană contains all the elements necessary to express the values of the property for
the Roman mining period. The property is of adequate size to ensure the complete
representation of the features and processes which convey its significance. Moreover, the
property comprises an area in which future archaeological research will probably discover a
large number of further surface and underground mining, ore processing and settlement sites
of the Roman period. However, the current mining proposal means that the integrity of the
property is highly vulnerable.
Authenticity
The property contains attributes that are high in authenticity in terms of the location and the
form and materials of surviving historic features, with a clear sense of how, when and by
whom mining shaped the land. In terms of knowledge, epigraphic and documentary evidence

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 combined with a decade of intensive systematic archaeological investigation has provided a
major contribution to the understanding of Roman mining techniques and organisation. There
is considerable potential for future research and for new discoveries related to many periods
of the region’s mining history. However, the current mining proposal means that the
authenticity of the property is highly vulnerable.
Protection and management requirements
Roșia Montană Mining Landscape is legally protected in accordance with Romanian law as a
World Heritage property.
The protection of Roșia Montană is supported by listing under the Law for the protection of
historic monuments (L. 422/2001) which allows for the development of urban planning
measures. Currently there are no planning controls in place and these need to be urgently
developed. Currently there are active mining licences on the property and inadequate
controls to stop these being extended. To activate these, permits need to be approved.
There is clearly a need for the development of a General Urban Plan (Plan Urbanistic
General) and a Zonal Urban Plan (Plan Urbanistic Zonal) to restrict approvals for mining
permits.
The management plan for the property is being finalized by the National Institute of Heritage
who is also responsible for the monitoring of the property. The management plan should be
augmented by an internationally supported conservation plan and a tourism strategy should
be implemented.
4. Also inscribes the Roșia Montană Mining Landscape, Romania, on the List of World
Heritage in Danger;
5. Recommends that the State Party invite a reactive monitoring mission to the property to
establish a desired state of conservation and a programme of corrective measures to remove
the property from the List of World Heritage in Danger;
6. Also recommends that the State Party give urgent consideration to the following:
a) Halting approval of mining permits at the property,
b) Developing as soon as possible planning controls for the property, in the form of a
General Urban Plan (Plan Urbanistic General) and a Zonal Urban Plan (Plan Urbanistic
Zonal), that prevents further mining at the property and submit these in draft to the
World Heritage Centre for review by ICOMOS,
c) Approving, submitting and implementing the management plan of the property, and
augmenting through:
i) An internationally supported conservation plan for the Roman remains,
ii) A management tourism strategy, to improve visitor management and
interpretation and presentation of the site,
iii) The involvement of the stakeholders in the management of the property,
iv) A commitment for adequate human and financial resources for its
implementation,
d) Developing an inspection and maintenance plan for the header ponds to ensure their
long term stability,
e) Developing and implementing a monitoring programme for the property;
7. Requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre by 1 February 2022 a
report on the implementation of the above-mentioned recommendations for examination by
the World Heritage Committee at its 45th session;

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8. Encourages international cooperation to support the protection and conservation of the
property.

C.4. LATIN AMERICA AND CARIBBEAN

C.4.1. New Nominations

Decision: 44 COM 8B.27

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Documents WHC/21/44.COM/8B and WHC/21/44.COM/INF.8B1,
2. Inscribes Sítio Roberto Burle Marx, Brazil, on the World Heritage List as a cultural
landscape on the basis of criteria (ii) and (iv);
3. Adopts the following Statement of Outstanding Universal Value:
Brief synthesis
Sítio Roberto Burle Marx, located in the west zone of the City of Rio de Janeiro, comprises
extensive landscape gardens and buildings set between mangroves and native Atlantic
forest in a mountainous area of the district of Barra de Guaratiba.
The property was a ‘landscape laboratory’ for landscape architect and artist Roberto Burle
Marx (1909-1994). Over a period of more than forty years, he experimented with fusing
artistic Modernist ideas and native tropical plants to create garden designs as living works of
art.
Burle Marx introduced the aesthetics of painting to landscape design. Drawing inspiration
from the key founders of the Modern Art movement, he created abstract paintings that
included modernist images based on abstractions of Portuguese/ Brazilian folk culture, and
used these as a basis of garden designs in which plants became components of three
dimensional living works of art. Burle Marx popularised the use of native tropical plants,
many of which he collected and cultivated.
The Sítio is thus important as a physical manifestation of Burle Marx’s approaches, his
principles and his plants, as well as for the way it allows an understanding of the key design
characteristics that he used again and again in his designs such as sinuous forms, exuberant
mass planting, architectural arrangements of plants, dramatic colour contrasts, a focus on
tropical plants, and the incorporation of elements of traditional Portuguese-Brazilian folk
culture.
The Sítio is a remarkable survival as a landscape laboratory that illuminates the way one of
the great landscape designers of the 20th century evolved his influential designs. That led to
the development of what became known as the Modern tropical garden, an important
expression of the Modern Movement in the field of landscape design and one that has largely
influenced the shaping of parks and gardens since the mid-20th century in Brazil and
throughout the world.
Criterion (ii): Sítio Roberto Burle Marx demonstrates an important interchange of ideas on
landscape design related to the importation of ideas of the Modernist art movement from
Europe, their shaping and adaptation through experimentation to a landscape form based on
the use of native tropical flora, and their use in a huge number of parks and gardens around
the world, which together have had a profound impact on the development of what is now
known as Modernist Tropical garden design.

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 Criterion (iv): Sítio Roberto Burle Marx is an outstanding example of a landscape that
demonstrates the development of a new type of landscape design that fused creative ideas
of the Modern art movement with local typologies and tropical plants to create a style that
ultimately became known as the modern tropical garden.
Integrity
The property contains all the attributes that are central to the Outstanding Universal Value.
The boundaries enclose all the land acquired by Roberto Burle Marx for his landscaping
activities, and the property is of an adequate size.
Although none of the attributes are under threat, they are vulnerable to incremental change
in the absence of Conservation Plan, based on clear documentation of the property and on a
detailed delineation of the attributes.
Authenticity
The authenticity of the property is related to its form, design, and materials, including living
plant materials, the interaction between all of these to create artistic works, and the ideas
that they convey.
The documentation related to the attributes needs to be greatly improved to guide
conservation to ensure there is no gradual erosion over time.
The historical role the property had as a laboratory for the development of design ideas has
ended and it is therefore essential that there is a clearer understanding of full scope of the
attributes and how they will be sustained.
Protection and management requirements
The property is legally protected at all available levels. At the national level it is protected by
the National Institute of Historic and Artistic Heritage (IPHAN). At the state level it has
protection under the State Institute of Cultural Heritage (INEPAC). At the local level the
property and buffer zone are integrated into the Rio de Janeiro State Conservation Strategy.
These protective measures will be supplemented by a municipal law on urban development,
and regulations to address urban pressure around the property.
There are effective management structures and processes in place for the property and
buffer zone at the three levels of government, with offices and personnel experienced with
heritage properties and urban planning.
A proposed new management plan will update and improve the existing Strategic Plan
(2012-2018), which is operationalised through annual Action Plans. The new plan, scheduled
for completion in 2020, is intended to embody World Heritage principles and concepts.
It is proposed to create a management committee involving IPHAN (National Institute of
Historic and Artistic Heritage) and a range of relevant institutions for the property and buffer
zone, including those from the non-governmental sector, civil society and external experts.
The property is adequately resourced, including with appropriate staff.
To address the vulnerability of the attributes to incremental change over time, there is a need
to develop a Conservation Plan.
4. Recommends that the State Party, with the advice of ICOMOS and the World Heritage
Centre, if requested, give urgent consideration to the following:
a) Delineating in detail, through a collaborative multi-disciplinary approach, the attributes
of the property and their degree of intactness on the basis of an analysis of:
i) Maps, surveys and illustrative materials relating to the property at the time of
Burle Marx’s death,

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 ii) Maps, surveys and photographic documentation of the property at the present
time,
iii) Research and analysis of archives and art collections,
b) On the basis of completed definition of attributes of Outstanding Universal Value,
producing a Conservation Plan for the designed landscapes of the property,
c) Strengthening the Management Plan to reflect the defined attributes and to ensure that
the cultural design aspects of the garden are taken into consideration in the
management of the property,
d) Strengthening risk preparedness within the property, and in the setting of the property,
especially in relation to fire prevention,
e) Strengthening protection for the buffer zone and the immediate setting of the property
to control urban development pressures and to ensure protection of views from the
property into the surrounding landscape,
f) Ensuring that Heritage Impact Assessments are undertaken for any proposals that
might have the potential to impact on the Outstanding Universal Value of the property
and submit these to the World Heritage Centre for review in line with paragraph 172 of
the Operational Guidelines;
5. Requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 December 2023, a
report on the implementation of the above-mentioned recommendations for examination by
the World Heritage Committee at its 47th session.

Decision: 44 COM 8B.28

The nomination of Historical and Archaeological Site of La Isabela, Dominican Republic, was
withdrawn at the request of the State Party.

Decision: 44 COM 8B.29

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Documents WHC/21/44.COM/8B and WHC/21/44.COM/INF.8B1,
2. Inscribes the Chankillo Solar Observatory and ceremonial center, Peru, on the World
Heritage List on the basis of criteria (i) and (iv);
3. Adopts the following Statement of Outstanding Universal Value:
Brief synthesis
The Chankillo Solar Observatory and ceremonial center is a prehistoric site, located on the
north-central coast of Peru, in the Casma Valley, comprising a set of constructions in a
desert landscape that, together with natural features, functioned as a calendrical instrument,
using the sun to define dates throughout the seasonal year.
The property includes a triple-walled hilltop complex, known as the Fortified Temple, two
building complexes called Observatory and Administrative Centre, a line of thirteen cuboidal
towers stretching along the ridge of a hill, and the Cerro Mucho Malo that complements the
Thirteen Towers as a natural marker.
Criterion (i): Chankillo Archaeoastronomical Complex is an outstanding example of ancient
landscape timekeeping, a practice of ancient civilizations worldwide, which used visible
natural or cultural features. Incorporated in the Thirteen Towers, it permitted the time of year
to be accurately determined not just on one date but throughout the seasonal year. Unlike
architectural alignments upon a single astronomical target found at many ancient sites

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 around the world, the line of towers spans the entire annual solar rising and setting arcs as
viewed, respectively, from two distinct observation points, one of which is still clearly visible
above ground. The astronomical facilities at Chankillo represent a masterpiece of human
creative genius.
Criterion (iv): Chankillo was in use for a relatively brief period of time between 250 and 200
BC, during a late phase of the Early Horizon Period (500-200 BC) of Peruvian prehistory,
after which it was destroyed and abandoned. The Chankillo Complex is a very particular type
of building representing an early stage in the development of native astronomy in the
Americas. It shows great innovation by using the solar cycle and an artificial horizon to mark
the solstices, the equinoxes, and every other date within the year with a precision of 1-2
days. The solar observatory at Chankillo is thus a testimony of the culmination of a long
historical evolution of astronomical practices in the Casma Valley.
Integrity
All the elements necessary to express the Outstanding Universal Value of Chankillo Complex
centred on calendrical observations of the sun are included within the property boundaries.
Chankillo and the wider setting of related monuments that form the property take advantage
of built and natural horizon markers to track the progressive passage of the sun along the
horizon throughout the entire year. The natural environment and climatic conditions, that are
the basis of the good visibility needed for astronomical observations at the site, are
maintained to a large extent. The viewsheds that contain the main astronomical sightlines
are generally unobstructed, but their preservation has to be monitored closely. Also, the
visual integrity of the general setting of the property has to be maintained. Any infringement
on the property by urban development or expansion of agricultural areas has to be avoided.
The advancing collapse of structural elements, with the loss of clear edges (e.g. at the tower
buildings and the observatories), jeopardises the exactness of the astronomical
observations. The conservation of monumental elements is fragile and needs to be closely
monitored in the future.
In case the information from future research indicates relationships of the central monuments
with other elements of the property and beyond, a boundary adjustment should be
considered.
Authenticity
The position of the Western and Eastern Observation Points in relation to the Thirteen
Towers at Chankillo, identified by archaeological excavation and geophysical survey, and
supported by archaeoastronomical data, suggests that the primary purpose of all these
structures was to act together as a calendrical instrument. Since the 3rd century BC the sun
has shifted slightly at and around the solstices, less at other times in the year. This small
change has a negligible effect on the solar and possibly lunar alignments around the site but
does not affect the ability of a present-day spectator to observe and understand the way in
which the Chankillo functioned. Some aspects of the archaeoastronomical interpretations of
the property may need further discussion.
Since no invasive conservation and reconstruction campaigns have changed the material
substance of the property, the conditions of authenticity in terms of material and form, are
met.
Protection and management requirements
The property has been declared as National Cultural Heritage, through National Direction
Resolution 075/INC of January 18, 2008. The property has been inventoried nationally by the
Ministry of Culture and is registered in the National Superintendence of Public Registry
(SUNARP). The property is reinforced by a buffer zone that extends around the site and
includes part of the San Rafael Valley, Cerro Mongón, Lomas Las Haldas, Pampa Los
Médanos, Cerro Manchán, Cerro San Francisco, and Cerro Monte Grande.

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 The Management Plan, recently approved, identifies the current conservation and
management conditions of the property and its context, the risks and threats to the cultural
and natural features of the property and its surroundings, and establishes the policies that
govern conservation and heritage management, the strategies and protection measures, and
the regulation of the use of the property and its buffer zone through zoning, as well as the
programmes and projects focused on sustainability in the conservation of the property.
The effectiveness of the management system will have to be proven in practice. Participation
of local communities in future planning should be reinforced, and protection and conservation
efforts, which will be key in avoiding any negative impacts through, for example, inadequate
tourism development, should be closely monitored.
4. Recommends that the State Party give consideration to the following:
a) Developing a long-term conservation programme which should include preventive
actions such as reinforcements and construction of temporary roofs, as well as
conservation, restoration and maintenance works, and, according to intervention
phases, specific procedures, follow-up routines and monitoring,
b) Implementing the Management Plan and setting in motion all the elements of the
Management Structure,
c) Securing the necessary funds to ensure the implementation of the conservation
measures for the property,
d) Taking the necessary measures to face potential increased visitation to the property
and undertake a Heritage Impact Assessment before any infrastructure project is
implemented,
e) Involving local communities in the protection, conservation and promotion of the
property, as well as in all of the planning processes,
f) Continuing archaeological research and analysis of the data for the understanding of
the wider archaeological context of the area;
5. Decides that the name of the property be changed to “Chankillo Archaeoastronomical
Complex”.

Decision: 44 COM 8B.30

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Documents WHC/21/44.COM/8B and WHC/21/44.COM/INF.8B1,
2. Inscribes The work of engineer Eladio Dieste: Church of Atlántida, Uruguay, on the
World Heritage List on the basis of criterion (iv);
3. Adopts the following Statement of Outstanding Universal Value:
Brief synthesis
The Church of Atlántida of engineer Eladio Dieste with its belfry and underground baptistery
is located in Estación Atlántida, a low-density locality, 45 km away from Montevideo. Inspired
by Italian paleo-Christian and medieval religious architecture, the Church with its belfry and
baptistery, all built in exposed bricks, exhibit forms dictated by the effort to achieve greater
robustness with limited resistant sections and use of material.
The property is an emblematic example of the application of a new building technique,
reinforced ceramic, which Dieste developed by drawing on a thousand-year long tradition of
brick construction, while applying modern scientific and technological knowledge, and thus
opening up new structural and expressive possibilities for architecture.

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 Designed from the outset to be built with local materials by local people, the Church of
Atlántida, located in a lower middle-class semi-rural community, has its roots in long-
established building traditions, while embodying the scientific and technical achievements of
modernity. The Church of Atlántida reflects efforts to optimise the use of resources and
ensure sustainability. The property is imbued with the humanistic principles that constantly
guide the spatial and material concepts of engineer Dieste.
Criterion (iv): The Church of Atlántida of engineer Eladio Dieste represents the highest
spatial and aesthetic expression of a construction and technological innovation – the
reinforced brickwork coupled with the mobile formwork – that draws from tradition, whilst
reinterpreting and innovating it, and opens up structural and formal opportunities in
architecture impossible to conceive and achieve up to that date with traditional masonry. The
property embodies the post-war search for a renewed architectural language, expressing a
modernity rooted in tradition and in the vernacular in Latin America and worldwide. It also
reflects the locale and its people who built it. The church illustrates the confluence of
geometry, of the static conception of the building, of the form expressed by the chosen
building material.
Integrity
The Church of Atlántida includes all the elements linked to the history of the location and the
period over which the building has been functioning. Its dimensions are sufficient to provide a
comprehensive representation of the characteristics and processes that embody its
Outstanding Universal Value. The church, which is in constant use, is currently in a good
state of conservation. Thanks to a recent conservation programme, the building does not
face any risks, and the pathologies affecting it can be treated.
Authenticity
The property is authentic in terms of location, time, construction materials, surroundings, and
the substance of its creation and liturgical use.
Protection and management requirements
Requirements for the protection of the property are linked to its designation as a National
Historic Monument by virtue of Heritage Law no. 10.040 of August 1971, amended in 2008
and 2015, and of Regulatory Decree 536/72. Conservation is the responsibility of the
Heritage Commission, under the Ministry of Education and Culture. The Partial Land Use
Plan for the commune of Atlántida and Estación Atlántida, which constitutes the legal land
use instrument, recognises the heritage property status of the Church of Atlántida.
Ownership is currently shared by the Bishopric of Canelones and the Congregation of the
Rosarian Nuns, two institutions of the Catholic Church; however, steps have been
undertaken to gather all elements of the property into the Bishopric’s ownership.
The Church is administered by the Management Unit, which incorporates an Executive
Committee, and a Deliberative Committee consisting of a set of institutional and social
stakeholders who ensure the participation of citizens in the management of the heritage
property. The Executive Committee, which takes decisions relating to intervention of all types
on the property, is composed of the Ministry of Education and Culture, the Heritage
Commission and the Bishopric of Canelones. The Deliberative Committee provides direct
support to the Executive Committee; it consists of stakeholders involved in the routine
management of the church as regards operational and material matters and its surroundings.
The technical, administrative and economic resources are provided by State institutions and
by the Catholic Church.
4. Recommends that the State Party give consideration to the following:
a) Digitize according to international requirements the historic archival documentation of
the design and construction phases of the property,

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 b) Ensure a steady flow of financial resources for the implementation of the management
conservation plan, beginning with the next budget period (2021-2026),
c) Strengthen the role of the Deliberative Committee within the Management system,
d) Consider a more direct participation of the local community of Estación Atlántida in the
property’s management structure,
e) Include, in the management structure, a heritage impact assessment mechanism for
projects that could have an impact on the Outstanding Universal Value of the property
and on its integrity and authenticity,
f) Develop indicators useful for the monitoring of the state of conservation of the property,
g) Strengthen the visitor management and provide simple facilities for them.

II.B NOMINATIONS TO BE EXAMINED AT THE EXTENDED 44TH SESSION OF

THE WORLD HERITAGE COMMITTEE SUBMITTED FOR EXAMINATION IN
2021

D. NATURAL SITES

D.1. AFRICA

D.1.1. New Nominations

Decision: 44 COM 8B.31

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Documents WHC/21/44.COM/8B and WHC/21/44.COM/INF.8B2,
2. Inscribes Ivindo National Park, Gabon, on the World Heritage List on the basis of criteria
(ix) and (x);
3. Takes note of the following provisional Statement of Outstanding Universal Value:
Brief synthesis
Ivindo National Park (INP) is the main protected area representative of the forests of the
interior plateaus of Gabon. It is characterized by the Ivindo and Djidji wetlands, which form a
highly "picturesque" complex of waterfalls, rapids, and quiet reaches with deep black water,
surrounded by intact forests. These forests include a great diversity of formations, including
very old Caesalpinioideae forests, unique in Central Africa and in the entire Guinean-
Congolese domain. This Park is thus the main viable natural refuge for rare, threatened or
endemic species of the region of the Gabonese interior high lands, which constitutes one of
the four zones, very different from each other, of the biogeographical province of Lower
Guinea, very different from the forests of the Congolese region.
Criterion (ix): The forest ecosystem of more than 300,000 ha (600,000-700,000 ha including
peripheral areas) is of exceptional value because of its great diversity of forest formations,
the presence of large areas of very old Caesalpinioideae forests and monodominant
Julbernardia pellegriniana or Eurypetalum batesi forests, all of which are unique in Lower
Guinea and in the whole of central Africa. The presence of the Langoué bay and grasslands
identical to those of the inselbergs is not only exceptional in itself, but contributes greatly to
the richness of the site.

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 The very old forests of Caesalpinioideae represent a characteristic stage of forest evolution
in Central Africa, but have disappeared elsewhere in Lower Guinea. They do not occur
elsewhere in the Guinean-Congolese region because the high diversity of Caesalpinioideae
is unique to Lower Guinea. This forest ecosystem is also representative of the Lower
Guinean or Atlantic forests of the Gabonese interior highlands, and more particularly of the
Ivindo Landscape Area, which very likely forms a separate and very rich phytogeographic
entity within Lower Guinea and the entire Central African region.
This intact forest ecosystem helps preserve the integrity of the black waters of the Ivindo,
which are home to a swarm of some fifteen species of fish of the genus Paramormyrops
(Mormyridae)-the only swarm of species found in rivers in the entire world and belonging to
this family.
Finally, the Ipassa research station and its adjacent forests, specially designed with a
network of research trials, represent a high point of eco-ethological field research. It is one of
the rare stations located in the heart of the Guinean-Congolese rainforest and has provided
much of our knowledge about African rainforest species and ecosystems. The forests of the
Ipassa highland thus represent a witness to biological research.
Criterion (x): The intact forest ecosystem of INP and the Ivindo Landscape Area, with its
diversity of habitats and, especially, its very old Caesalpinioideae forests, unique in west-
central Africa and the entire Guinean-Congolese domain, is home to 161 plant species of
high conservation value, 129 species endemic to Gabon and 35 species endemic to Ivindo.
INP alone is home to 81 plant and 39 animal threatened species, including the western
Gorilla (Gorilla gorilla), the common Chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) and the forest Elephant
(Loxodonta cyclotis).
In terms of zoology, this ecosystem has 126 species of mammals, including seven species of
primates endemic to Lower Guinea and several species that have not been found in any
other national park in Gabon. In addition, the forest elephant population is relatively large and
includes many males with very large tusks, which is becoming very rare in much of Central
Africa. INP avifauna includes 190 (68%) of the 278 forest species native to the Guinean-
Congolese region and 5 of the 6 species endemic to Lower Guinea. The entomofauna
includes 528 species of butterflies (probably 800-1000), many of which appear to be
restricted to very old-growth Caesalpinioideae forests. Among the 97 species endemic to
Lower Guinea, 17 are endemic to Gabon.
Regarding the Kongou Falls, they are home to 7 species of Podostemaceae, very
specialized plants, rare, very vulnerable and everywhere threatened by the construction of
dams and the regulation of rivers. These seven species represent both 44% of the flora of
Podostemaceae of Gabon and the four known genera of the country. Ivindo is also home to
45 species of fish endemic to Lower Guinea, 13 of which are endemic to Gabon. To these
species, we must add the 10 species of the genus Paramormyrops (Mormyridae) in the
process of description.
Integrity
INP covers an area of 300,000 ha (481,000 ha with its legal buffer zone). It is totally
uninhabited and is about 90% absolutely intact. It is part of a larger forest ecosystem of
nearly 2,000,000 ha, located between the towns of Makokou, Ovan, Booué and Lastoursville.
The average human population density is about 2.5 inhabitants/km2 and the areas outside
the park are mostly under sustainable logging, more than half of which are Forest
Stewardship Council (FSC) certified. Because of its size and the nature of its topography and
hydrographic system, its phytogeographic and ecological gradients, and its connectivity with
other protected areas-Minkébé National Park to the north and Mwagné National Park to the
east - this ecosystem is able to withstand climatic changes, at least to those predicted by
current assessments. In addition, in the framework of the land-use plan, it is located
completely outside of the areas designed for agricultural or agro-industrial developments
(palm oil tree).

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 Protection and management requirements
The property benefits from long-term legal protection conferred by Decree
612/PR/MEFEPEPN of August 30, 2002, which classifies INP and sets out its boundaries in
Article 2. The width of the buffer zone of a national park is set at 5 km, in accordance with
Article 77 of Law 16/2001 of December 31, 2001 on the Forestry Code in Gabon, and more
specifically by Order 118/MEFEPEPN of March 1, 2004 on the regulation of forestry, mining,
agricultural, aquacultural, hunting and tourism activities within a buffer zone. The property is
protected as a national park (IUCN Category II).
INP is supported financially and technically by the government and some development
partners, such as Agence Française de Développement (AFD), United States Fish and
Wildlife Service (USFWS), and Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS).
Despite the fact that the boundaries of the property are clearly defined, known to the local
populations and regulated, threats such as poaching, illegal logging and illegal fishing
persist. Therefore, the fight against poaching is an unavoidable necessity. Additional
adequate measures have been taken to eliminate these threats, notably by intensifying
surveillance missions to ensure the protection of the property.
The only activity allowed outside of management, research and tourism is sustainable
fishing, but this is strictly limited to a section of the Ivindo River, which forms the boundary of
the national park, and to fishermen from the village of Loa-Loa. These activities are provided
for by law, mainly by Law 16/2001 of December 31, 2001 on the Forestry Code in Gabon,
Law No. 003/2007 of August 27, 2007 on national parks, and Order 118/MEFEPEPN of
March 1, 2004 on the regulation of forestry, mining, agricultural, aquaculture, hunting and
tourism activities within a buffer zone. It is important to ensure a monitoring of the scale of
these fishing activities, which is an ancient practice, to ensure that it remains sustainable in
terms of the Outstanding Universal Value of the property.
INP is managed by Gabon’s National Parks Agency (ANPN), established by Law No.
003/2007 of August 27, 2007 on national parks. Considerable and sustained efforts are
made to ensure effective coordination and harmonization of policies and practices related to
the management of the protected area. The property has a 2016 - 2020 management plan,
renewed for two years by Ministerial decision n°028/MEFMEPCPAT of June 24, 2021, in
view of the health context related to Covid-19. The updating process will take place during
2022.
Logging is selective: less than two trees are harvested per hectare. Logging is allowed in the
buffer zone, provided that an environmental and social impact assessment proves that there
is no negative impact on the ecosystem. All ten logging concessions have the status of
Forest Concessions under Sustainable Development, which means that they are sustainably
managed. Two of these concessions have FSC certification, Gabon is engaged in FSC
certification process for the remaining concessions. Therefore, all the forest concessions
constitute de facto a much larger buffer zone, which prevents outlying populations living
along the roads from entering the forests near the national park.
Furthermore, in addition to its own resources and the contributions from other partners. As
part of the process of Gabon’s participations in the Central African Forest Initiative, the State
Party has signed an agreement for funding from Norway of $150 million over 10 years,
corresponding to the payment of carbon emission reductions to which the PNI has
contributed. A first payment of $17 million has just been made, in June 2021.
4. Expresses its appreciation to the State Party for the significant efforts made so far for the
conservation of Ivindo National Park and requests the State Party to review the General
Management Plan of the property and to submit it, by 1 February 2023, to the World
Heritage Centre for review by IUCN, and to ensure that this plan:

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of the World Heritage Committee
 a) Takes into account the protection of the Outstanding Universal Value of the property,
including undertaking biodiversity inventories and a monitoring plan for the biodiversity
of its freshwater and Caesalpinioideae forests,
b) Is supported by secure, adequate and sustainable funding for the management of the
property;
5. Recommends that the State Party ensure that any infrastructure or development projects,
outside the property, do not adversely affect the Outstanding Universal Value of the property
and are subject to prior assessment in accordance with the IUCN World Heritage Advisory
Note: Environmental Assessment;
6. Also recommends that all concessions in the buffer zone of Ivindo National Park should meet
the provisions of the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certification and be strictly controlled
and managed without significant impact on the Outstanding Universal Value of the property;
7. Encourages the State Party to further its efforts in enhancing the management, technical and
financial capacity for the effective conservation of the property;
8. Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre by 1 December
2023, a report on the implementation of the above-mentioned recommendations for
examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 47th session.

D.2. EUROPE - NORTH AMERICA

D.2.1. Significant boundary modifications of properties already inscribed on the World

Heritage List

Decision: 44 COM 8B.32

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Documents WHC/21/44.COM/8B.Add and WHC/21/44.COM/INF.8B2.Add,
2. Recalling decisions 31 COM 8B.16, 35 COM 8B.13, 41 COM 8B.7, 42 COM 7B.71 and
43 COM 7B.13 adopted at its 31st (Christchurch, 2007), 35th (UNESCO Headquarters,
2011), 41st (Krakow, 2017), 42nd (Manama, 2018) and 43rd (Baku, 2019) sessions
respectively,
3. Approves the significant boundary modification of the Ancient and Primeval Beech Forests
of the Carpathians and Other Regions of Europe, Albania, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria,
Croatia, Germany, Italy, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Ukraine, on the basis
of criterion (ix), through the addition or modification of the following nominated component
parts in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Czechia, France, Italy, North Macedonia, Poland,
Slovakia and Switzerland:
 Vihorlat (Slovakia), as a boundary modification of the existing component part of the same
name;
 Havešová Primeval Forest (Slovakia), as a boundary modification of the existing
component part of the same name;
 Rožok (Slovakia), as a boundary modification of the existing component part of the same
name;
 Udava (Slovakia) and Stužica - Bukovské Vrchy (Slovakia), as a boundary modification of
the existing component part Stužica - Bukovské Vrchy (Slovakia);
 Cozzo Ferriero (Italy), as a boundary modification of the existing component part of the
same name;

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  Falascone (Italy), as a boundary modification of the existing component part Foresta
Umbra (Italy);
 Pavari-Sfilzi (Italy) [new component part];
 Pollinello (Italy) [new component part];
 Valle Infernale (Italy) [new component part];
 Prašuma Janj (Bosnia and Herzegovina) [new component part];
 Forêt de la Bettlachstock (Switzerland) [new component part];
 Valli di Lodano, Busai and Soladino Forest Reserves (Switzerland) [new component part];
 Jizera Mountains (Czechia) [new component part];
 Chapitre (France) [new component part];
 Grand Ventron (France) [new component part];
 Massane (France) [new component part];
 Dlaboka Reka (North Macedonia) [new component part];
 Polonina Wetlinska and Smerek (Poland) [new component part];
 Border Ridge and Gorna Solinka valley (Poland) [new component part];
 Terebowiec stream valley (Poland) [new component part];
 Wolosatka stream valley (Poland) [new component part];
4. Adopts the following Statement of Outstanding Universal Value for the property as a whole,
including the modified and newly added components outlined above:
Brief synthesis
The “Ancient and Primeval Beech Forests of the Carpathians and Other Regions of Europe”
are a transnational serial property comprising 94 component parts across 18 countries. They
represent an outstanding example of relatively undisturbed, complex temperate forests and
exhibit a wide spectrum of comprehensive ecological patterns and processes of pure and
mixed stands of European beech across a variety of environmental conditions. During each
glacial phase (ice ages) of the last 1 million years, European beech (Fagus sylvatica)
survived the unfavourable climatic conditions in refuge areas in the southern parts of the
European continent. These refuge areas have been documented by scientists through
palaeoecological analysis and using the latest techniques in genetic coding. After the last Ice
Age, around 11,000 years ago, beech started expanding its range from these southern
refuge areas to eventually cover large parts of the European continent. During this expansion
process, which is still ongoing, beech formed different types of plant communities while
occupying largely different environments. The interplay between a diversity of environments,
climatic gradients and different species gene pools has and continues to shape this high
diversity of beech forest communities. These forests contain an invaluable population of old
trees and a genetic reservoir of beech and many other species, which are associated with
and dependent on these old-growth forest habitats.
Criterion (ix): The property is indispensable for the understanding of the history and
evolution of the genus Fagus which, given its wide distribution in the Northern Hemisphere
and its ecological importance, is globally significant. These largely undisturbed, complex
temperate forests exhibit comprehensive ecological patterns and processes of pure and
mixed stands of European beech across a variety of environmental gradients, including
climatic and geological conditions, spanning almost all European Beech Forest Regions.
Forests are included from all altitudinal zones from coastal areas to the treeline and, include
the best remaining examples from the range limits of the European beech forest. Beech is
one of the most important features in the Temperate Broadleaf Forest Biome and represents
an outstanding example of the re-colonization and development of terrestrial ecosystems and
communities since the last Ice Age. The continuing northern and westward expansion of
beech from its original glacial refuge areas in the eastern and southern parts of Europe can
be tracked along natural corridors and stepping stones spanning the continent. The
dominance of beech across extensive areas of Europe is a living testimony of the tree’s
genetic adaptability, a process which is still ongoing.

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 Integrity
The selected component parts represent the diversity of ancient and primeval beech forests
found across Europe in terms of different climatic and geological conditions and altitudinal
zones. The property includes component parts, which convey its Outstanding Universal
Value (OUV), and represent the variability of European beech forest ecosystems. Together
these component parts contribute to the integrity of the property as a whole. Additionally,
each component part needs to demonstrate integrity at the local level by representing the full
suite of natural forest development processes in its particular geographical and ecological
setting within the series. Most of the component parts are of sufficient size to maintain such
natural processes necessary for their long-term ecological viability.
The most significant threats to the property are logging and habitat fragmentation. Logging
activities in the vicinity of component parts can cause microclimatic changes and nutrient
mobilising effects, with negative impacts on the integrity of the property. Land use change in
the surrounding landscapes can lead to increased habitat fragmentation, which would be of
particular concern for smaller component parts. Infrastructure development is a potential
threat only in the surroundings of a few component parts.
Climate change already poses a risk to some component parts and further impacts can be
anticipated, including changes in species composition and habitat shifting. However, it should
be noted that one of the attributes of the Outstanding Universal Value of the property is its
demonstration of the ability of beech to adapt to different ecological and climatic regimes
throughout its range. Therefore, potential future changes need to be monitored and
documented in order to better understand these processes.
The above-mentioned threats may affect the integrity of the component parts to a different
extent and in different ways, for example through the reduction of structural diversity,
fragmentation, loss of connectivity, biomass loss and changed microclimate, which reduce
ecosystem functionality and adaptive capacity as a whole. To cope with these threats, buffer
zones are established and are managed accordingly by the responsible management bodies.
Protection and management requirements
A strict non-intervention management is essential for the conservation of the OUV of this
serial property across all its component parts. The majority of the 94 component parts are
protected by law as strict forest reserves, wilderness areas, core areas of biosphere reserves
or national parks (IUCN category I or II). Some of the component parts are protected and
managed by Forest Management Plans (with regulations ensuring no logging in old-growth
forests). As it is of uppermost importance to guarantee strong protection status in the long
term, the protection status will be improved where needed.
To ensure the viability of the four component parts smaller than the established minimum
size of 50 ha, an enlargement of the component parts with further non-intervention
management will be considered by the States Parties. Additionally, an effective management
of buffer zones to protect the property from external threats and to safeguard its integrity is of
uppermost importance.
The integrity of each component part is the responsibility of the State Party and is ensured by
the relevant local management units. For the coherent protection and management of the
property, as well as to coordinate activities between the management units and the 18 States
Parties, a functional organisational structure should be established. To ensure this aspect, an
Integrated Management System was developed during the nomination process and will be
maintained to allow effective and coordinated management and protection of the property as
a whole. The Joint Management Committee, comprising representatives of all States Parties,
formulated a Joint Declaration of Intent. This Declaration regulates and structures the
cooperation between all the States Parties whose territory is included in the property and
ensures the commitment to protect and strengthen the Outstanding Universal Value of the

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 property. The position of a coordinator will be established and maintained to support the Joint
Management Committee and the States Parties in their work.
The Integrated Management System and the management plans of the component parts will
ensure a non-intervention management approach for the component parts while the buffer
zones will be managed to avoid negative impacts on the Outstanding Universal Value of the
property with a specific focus on ensuring integrity remains intact. To harmonise the
management approach across the 94 component parts, the States Parties will develop
common objectives and coordinated activities which will cover property and buffer zone
management, monitoring and research, education and awareness raising, visitor
management and tourism as well as financial and human capacity building. It is proposed to
establish a coherent monitoring system based on selected ecological (proxy) indicators of
integrity within all component parts to compare long-term development. It is imperative that
each State Party provides clear and committed long-term funding arrangements, to support
consistent national site management as well as coordinated management.
Special attention is required to ensure the configuration of the property such that each
component part retains ongoing viability to evolve with unimpeded ecological and biological
processes and without the need for substantial interventions. This includes the integration of
surrounding forest ecosystems to provide sufficient protection and connectivity, especially for
small component parts. All component parts have buffer zones of various configurations
including surrounding protected areas (national parks, nature parks, biosphere reserves and
others). These buffer zones will be regularly monitored to ensure protection under changing
environmental conditions such as climate change. The boundaries of buffer zones should,
where possible, be aligned with existing protected area boundaries and should be expanded
to connect component parts where they are in close proximity. Finally, where appropriate,
special ongoing emphasis is needed to ensure effective ecological connectivity between
beech forests and the surrounding complementary habitats to allow natural development and
adaptation of the forest to the environmental change.
5. Takes note of the following component parts in the present nomination, which are not
recommended for inclusion in the serial property at the present time:
 Fruška gora – Papratski do (Serbia);
 Fruška gora – Ravne (Serbia);
 Kopaonik – Kozje stene (Serbia);
 Tara – Rača (Serbia);
 Tara – Zvezda (Serbia);
 Kyjovský prales (Slovakia);
 Aigoual (France);
 Sainte-Baume (France);
 Saint-Pé-de-Bigorre (France);
 Biogradska Gora 1 (Montenegro);
 Biogradska Gora 2 (Montenegro);
6. Recommends before considering potential resubmission of these component parts in any
future nomination:
a) The State Party of Serbia to provide more detailed information on the type, scale,
frequency and extent of any logging and forestry operations that may be implemented
in the buffer zones of the nominated component parts in Serbia and their potential
impacts on the property’s Outstanding Universal Value, together with a plan to minimize
logging in the entirety of the defined buffer zones,
b) The State Party of Slovakia to expand the buffer zone of the nominated Kyjovský
prales component part and to connect this buffer zone to the buffer zone of the existing
Vihorlat component part,

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 c) The State Party of France, with the support of the World Heritage Centre and IUCN if
requested, to significantly revise the nominated component parts of Aigoual, Sainte-
Baume and Saint-Pé-de-Bigorre to enhance their integrity and to re-design and enlarge
their buffer zones,
d) The State Party of Montenegro, with the support of the World Heritage Centre and
IUCN if requested, to merge the nominated component parts Biogradska Gora 1 and
Biogradska Gora 2, and to align the zonation of the Biogradska Gora National Park in
light of this and to revise current regulations, especially the Special Purpose Spatial
Plan for Biogradska Gora National Park in order to align them with the protection of the
nominated property’s Outstanding Universal Value. It is further recommended to
develop an appropriate tourism management plan for the resulting area;
7. Also takes note of the following nominated component parts which are not recommended for
inclusion in the serial property:
 Chizé Component 1 North-West (France);
 Chizé Component 2 South (France);
 Fontainebleau (France);
8. Notes that the Fontainebleau nominated component part could potentially be considered in
relation to the possible extension of the existing World Heritage property: Palace and Park of
Fontainebleau, France;
9. Reiterates its requests to all States Parties involved in this transnational serial property, to
ensure that buffer zone management supports undisturbed natural processes with special
emphasis on dead and decaying wood, including ongoing monitoring of threats and risks, in
line with Decision 41 COM 8B.7, with a clear, strict and consistent approach to buffer zone
design and management, in line with Decision 42 COM 7B.71, as the only feasible way to
protect the integrity of the small forest remnants included in this property, in line with
Decision 43 COM 7B.13;
10. Also requests all States Parties involved in this transnational serial property to undertake a
review of the consistency of component part design and buffer zone configurations across
the entire transnational serial property, allowing for the expansion of undisturbed natural
processes into the surrounding areas, so as to ensure the natural evolution and continued
recovery of Beech Forests within the component parts and towards the surrounding areas,
and to consider the proposals to strengthen the property accordingly;
11. Further requests the States Parties to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by
1 December 2023, a joint report on the state of conservation of the property as a whole, and
the implementation and the review of boundary and buffer zone consistency, for examination
by the World Heritage Committee at its 47th session;
12. Welcomes the enhanced cooperation between a large number of European States Parties to
preserve primeval, ancient and old-growth Beech Forests across the continent.

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E. CULTURAL SITES

E.1. AFRICA

E.1.1. New Nominations

Decision: 44 COM 8B.33

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Documents WHC/21/44.COM/8B and WHC/21/44.COM/INF.8B1,
2. Inscribes the Sudanese style mosques in northern Côte d’Ivoire, Côte d’Ivoire, on the
World Heritage List on the basis of criteria (ii) and (iv);
3. Takes note of the following provisional Statement of Outstanding Universal Value:
Brief synthesis
The property consists of eight Sudanese-style mosques located in Tengréla, Kouto,
Sorobango, Samatiguila, Nambira, Kong and Kaouara. They cover an area of 0.12977 ha in
terms of protection perimeter and 2.32934 ha of buffer zone. The Sudanese style mosques
are located in the savannah zone, mainly in the administrative regions of Bagoué,
Kabadougou, Tchologo, Poro and Gontougo. They are characterized by their Sudanese-style
architecture but are unique in their relationship to the land, the environment and the social
connexion. Built by skilled builders, sometimes with an external contribution, the mosques
are shaped according to the inspiration and creativity of the builders. This is what gives them
the general appearance of Sudanese style buildings and the crenelations of the walls depend
on the sensitivity and know-how of the builder handling the local building and maintenance
materials available. The appearance of the mosques is also influenced by the building
cultures of the Gur and Mande cultural areas in which they are located. The same is true for
the decorations, the fruit of the imagination and the ability of the builders to create
remarkable ostrich egg correspondents on the mosques of Saudi Arabia and the Middle
East.
These mosques are of architectural, historical, religious and cultural value and represent a
heritage that has survived thanks to the maintenance of their original functionality, the
Muslim cult and the maintenance provided by the faithful.
Criterion (ii): The Sudanese-style mosques of northern Côte d'Ivoire are material witnesses
to exchanges in the Gur and Mande cultural areas between the 14th and 18th centuries.
Indeed, the Mande and Gur cultural areas were places of mixing and important commercial
exchanges between the populations of northern Côte d'Ivoire, the Sudanese empire, North
Africa (Kairouan, Tunisia) and the Middle East (Mecca, Saudi Arabia, in particular).
From the 15th century onwards, commercial practices were established between Niger and
the Gulf of Guinea. Islam continued its progression towards the southern regions of the
territory of present-day Côte d'Ivoire. In search of cola and gold, the Mandenka founded
stopping places on the roads leading from the banks of the Niger to Kong, spreading Islam.
Thus, several roads were created to promote and intensify trans-Saharan trade.
The mosques mark the period of the penetration of Islam in the northern part of Cote d'Ivoire
and the cultural mixing between the Senufo and Malinke people.
Criterion (iv): The Sudanese-style mosques of Tengréla, Kouto, Sorobango, Samatiguila,
Nambira, Kong and Kaouara are an example of a particular architectural ensemble in terms
of style, culture and integrated construction techniques. This architectural ensemble is
characteristic of the construction of earthen religious buildings between the 14th and 18th

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 centuries in sub-Saharan Africa, which is no longer done, and of technologies illustrating an
endogenous know-how of earthen construction. Initially, the very first mosques blended into
the urban landscape, such as Kong, Tengréla, Samatiguila and Kouto, and integrated with
other buildings without dominating them with their silhouette, the vertical lines of the minaret
alone breaking the monotony of the horizontal lines. With the rise of Islam, the mosque
became more important, the whole body of the building rose and its vertical momentum gave
it monumental dimensions, which clearly differentiated it from other buildings.
These mosques located in the northern of Côte d'Ivoire have in common squat and low,
tapered/slender, rectangular or square, massive pilasters made of wood or block of earth,
pyramidal towers with hard lines, crowned with small mitres that surmount the roof as well as
minarets in the form of ogives and cone-shaped qibla towers. They are the last
representations of Sudanese architecture in sub-Saharan Africa.
Integrity
The series of eight (8) mosques has all the elements necessary to express its outstanding
universal value. These mosques, evolving in their urban and rural environment, have all been
preserved in their integrity. With the exception of the great mosque of Kong which was
destroyed by Samory in 1897 and rebuilt by the communities, the mosques have not been
damaged or changed in location. They are also representative of the twenty-one earthen
mosques counted.
The mosques are threatened with degradation by urbanization and high population growth.
Fortunately, these risks to integrity are minor and reversible. However, to maintain their
integrity, communities have developed traditional management systems centred on families
and local grassroots committees. National and international heritage and urban planning
laws support the preservation of the integrity of mosques. Also, awareness-raising activities
of the Ivorian office for cultural heritage help to mitigate the threats.
Authenticity
The eight proposed mosques express their outstanding universal value both by the form of
the structures, the use, the building materials, the construction technique, the management
and the geographical location. Indeed, they are all located in the northern part of Côte
d'Ivoire in the Gur and Mande cultural areas. They have retained their rectangular or square
shape. Despite the construction of modern mosques in the areas where the Sudanese style
mosques are located, they are still used as places of prayer. However, they have associated
socio-cultural uses (weddings, baptisms, places of teaching the Koran and spiritual retreat).
The Sudanese-style mosques of northern Côte d'Ivoire are a testimony to the use and
adaptation of materials and construction techniques to a natural and cultural environment.
The characteristics of these mosques are maintained through the use of materials (earth and
wood) of the natural environment and traditional techniques. The skills related to Sudanese
architecture are still held by the communities. The building techniques which are the cob and
the adobe are perpetuated by the training of traditional masons.
Protection and management requirements
The current management arrangements (management system and the Executive secretariat
for mosques management) are being operationalized and significantly strengthened to
address issues related to declining traditional practices and urban development pressures.
There is a set of legal texts consisting of laws, decrees and orders that form the basis for the
legal protection of the property, guaranteeing on the one hand the integrity of the boundaries
of the property and, on the other hand the implementation of all activities related to the
management of the property. Among these legal texts, one can mention the law n°87-806 of
July 28, 1987 on the protection of cultural heritage, the law n°98-750 of December 23, 1998
on rural land, the law n° 2003-208 of July 7, 2003 on the transfer and distribution of
competences from the State to the local authorities, the law n°2014-425 of July 14, 2014 on

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 the national cultural policy, as well as decree n°88-413 of 20 April 1988 on the classification
of historical sites and monuments of the city of Kong, decree n° 2020-121 of 29 January
2020 on the classification of the Sudanese style serial mosques of the north of Côte d'Ivoire
on the national cultural heritage List, decree n° 434/MCF/CAB of 15 October 2012 on the
registration of cultural property in the national inventory, decree n° 03/MCIAS/CAB of 26.
06.2021 on the organization and functioning of the Executive Secretariat of Management of
the Sudanese style mosques of the North of Côte d'Ivoire and the interministerial decree on
the organization and functioning of the "management system" of the Sudanese style
mosques of the north of Côte d'Ivoire which are directly related to the mosques in series and
fix in a precise way the conditions of management, protection, conservation and
enhancement, and create the management body. These legal measures, including laws,
decrees and orders have been taken for the protection and management of the Sudanese
style mosques of Côte d'Ivoire. All restoration work will be carried out in accordance with the
provisions of existing normative instruments. Annual action plans will be adopted by the
Ivorian office for cultural heritage's Management Council and implemented by the local
grassroots management committees under the supervision of the Executive secretariat.
In order to make the above-mentioned legal instruments effective, the State of Côte d'Ivoire
has opted for a management system in consultation with all the stakeholders. The
implementation of this management system will be based on the close collaboration between
the State institutions and specifically on the Executive secretariat and the populations (the
communities) for a co-management of the property. This management system will function
as follows: the nominated property will be managed at the policy level by the Executive
secretariat for the Management of Mosques in collaboration with the regional directorates in
charge of culture in the areas where the mosques are located. These structures are the State
bodies in charge of implementing the State's cultural policy. This body is created by the
provisions of Decree No. 2012-552 of June 13, 2012 on the creation, powers, organization
and operation of the Ivorian office for cultural heritage.
At the level of each mosque, there is a local committee of basic management. Its compass is
the roadmap and guidelines developed by the Ivorian office for cultural heritage, however,
based on its rules of procedure. This committee is largely composed of indigenous
communities, supported by some local elected officials. The particularity of this management
system is that it is based on endogenous management mechanisms set up by members of
the Muslim community in the localities concerned. These endogenous management
mechanisms have been formalized into eight (8) local basic management committees by the
Ivorian Cultural Heritage Office.
The management system will be evaluated every two years. The monitoring of this
management system will be based on a perfect synergy of the interventions of the different
stakeholders under the control and coordination of the Executive secretariat for the
management of mosques.
The involvement of the communities in the management creates the conditions for a better
distribution of the benefits related to the management of the mosques, and the know-how
and practices related to earthen architecture are thus more easily transmitted to the new
generation. The outstanding universal value of the Sudanese-style serial mosques is better
safeguarded.
Furthermore, it is essential to develop a roadmap with actions and a timeframe in which
traditional conservation practices will be sufficiently robust.
Another concern is the need to complete conservation plans for each mosque based on its
current state of conservation and necessary interventions.
4. Recommends the State Party, with the advice of ICOMOS and the World Heritage Centre, if
requested, to:

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 a) Consider enlarging the boundaries for each component part, to encompass the full
extent of communal and associated functional spaces around each mosque, through a
minor boundary modification process,
b) Enlarge the buffer zones to encompass the immediate urban setting of the mosques to
allow the mosques to be perceived as dominant structures,
c) Strengthen the protection for buffer zones, through amending Local Plans and relevant
local regulations, particularly in relation to development that is currently permitted,
d) Operationalise the proposed management system and augment it to encompass
capacity building for local masons,
e) Develop a road map with actions and a timeframe within which traditional conservation
practices will be robust enough to reverse the current decline,
f) Complete conservation plans for each mosque setting out its current state of
conservation and the interventions needed,
g) Define an overall conservation approach for the whole series that includes proposals
for major projects,
h) Design as a matter of urgency projects to reverse recent inappropriate interventions at
Kouto, Kaouara, Sorobango and Samatiguila mosques;
5. Requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre by 1 December 2022 a
report on the implementation of the above-mentioned recommendations for examination by
the World Heritage Committee at its 46th session.

E.2. ARAB STATES

E.2.1. Properties deferred or referred back by previous sessions of the World Heritage
Committee

Decision: 44 COM 8B.34

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Documents WHC/21/44.COM/8B.Add and WHC/21/44.COM/INF.8B1.Add,
2. Inscribes As-Salt – The Place of Tolerance and Urban Hospitality, Jordan, on the World
Heritage List on the basis of criteria (ii) and (iii);
3. Adopts the following Statement of Outstanding Universal Value:
Brief synthesis
The city of As-Salt became the capital of Transjordan and a thriving trade centre during the
late Ottoman period, experiencing a ‘Golden Age’ between the 1860s and the 1920s. The
effects of the Ottoman ‘Tanzimat’ reforms brought enhanced security, administrative
structures and trade. As-Salt became central to trade networks between the eastern steppe
and the west, and grew in wealth through the arrival and settlement of merchants from
Nablus, Syria, and Lebanon who made their fortunes on trade, banking, and farming. This
prosperity attracted skilled craftsmen and As-Salt was transformed from a modest rural
settlement into a thriving town with a distinctive townscape and architecture.
The city features large public buildings and private residences characterised by a central
hallway and three bays, constructed of yellow limestone. These demonstrate a mix of
vernacular and modern architectural influences, and skilful craftsmanship. Adapted to the
steep folded topography, the urban morphology of the historic urban core is characterised by

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 network of interlinked stairways, alleyways, public squares and spaces, and streets. The
result is a dense urban fabric connecting the city’s resident neighbourhoods with public
spaces and streets. These tangible characteristics have shaped the urban cultures of the
city, including distinctive cultural traditions of tolerance between people of different cultural
groups and religions. Muslim and Christian communities share many traditions,
demonstrated by a lack of physical segregation between them. These traditions of hospitality
are understood to reflect a fusion of local cultures and the incoming bourgeois traders during
the ‘Golden Age’ of As-Salt’s development and include the social welfare system known as
Takaful Ijtimai’ and the provision of hospitality in Madafas (guest houses, known locally as
Dawaween).
The cultures of tolerance, hospitality, and social welfare practiced by the Bedouin peoples of
the region were common throughout the area and have contributed to the construction of a
modern Trans-Jordanian identity.
Criterion (ii): The historic centre of As-Salt demonstrates distinctive intercultural exchanges
that resulted in transformations of the Levant in the late Ottoman period. These included
flows of culture, people, skills, traditions and wealth within and between the cities of the
region and beyond, and between diverse cultural and religious groups that comprised the
urban population from the city’s ‘Golden Age’ to the present. These cultural exchanges
involved the local Bedouin peoples, incoming merchants, craftspeople and traders, Ottoman
officials and Christian missionaries. Together, the city’s architectural forms and building
techniques, urban morphology, shared traditions and uses of public spaces, and the
development of the places and practices of urban hospitality and mutual welfare demonstrate
these intercultural exchanges. These are understood to represent a combination of local
customs and new urban social norms.
Criterion (iii): As-Salt’s historic urban core is an exceptional example of the urban form and
cultural traditions associated with the city’s ‘Golden Age’ period (1860s to 1920s). The city
thrived and transformed as a result of the Ottoman Tanzimat reforms, demonstrated by the
relatively intact urban fabric, stairways, and public spaces, as well as the large public
buildings and private residences characterised by a central hallway and three bays,
constructed of yellow stone. The urban form reflects and supports the traditions of joint
habitation of Christian and Muslim communities, and specific forms of urban hospitality,
many of which are continuing. As-Salt is distinctive in terms of its cultural practices of
cooperation across religions and the absence of segregated neighbourhoods. Although these
traits are not unique within the Levant, As-Salt is exceptional because of the intensity of
these manifestations and the close connections between the cultural traditions and the urban
fabric and forms. The particular urban tradition of providing Madafas (guest houses, also
known as Dawaween) is an example of these characteristics, combining tangible and
intangible attributes.
Integrity
As-Salt demonstrates integrity in relation to the continuity of the historic urban fabric,
including the historic buildings, landscape setting, the network and hierarchy of stairways that
organise the vertical movement between lower and upper levels, the presence of open
spaces that support a multi-faith society, and the residential and religious buildings. The
property is of adequate size, and its boundary and buffer zone are appropriately delineated.
The spirit and feeling of the place reside in both the tangible (buildings, houses, churches,
mosques, Madafas, urban nodes, steps) and intangible attributes (close habitation of
different cultural and religious groups, shared uses of public spaces, traditions of social
welfare between neighbours). The integrity is vulnerable to development pressures and has
been affected by intrusive buildings and empty plots within the urban fabric that affect the
property’s visual and intangible qualities.

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 Authenticity
The historic urban centre of As-Salt meets the conditions of authenticity through the
continuity of the different elements of the city’s architecture and urban morphology, and in
the continuing aspects of the traditions of hospitality. The authenticity of the structure,
materials, form, and design of the historic buildings and urban fabric is satisfactory despite
development and adaptive reuse projects. The distinctive yellow stone distinguishes many
historic buildings within the larger urban core, and the authenticity is supported by the
retention of the networks of public spaces, alleyways, and stairways. The strong visual and
topological contribution of the setting and the continuity of use of many of the public buildings
and spaces are important aspects of the authenticity of the property.
Protection and management requirements
Two national laws provide protection for the property. The Law of Architectural and Urban
Protection (N°5, 2005) is the primary national law for the protection of cultural heritage in
Jordan; the Cities, Villages and Buildings Planning Law (N° 79, 1966) provides for the
establishment of planning authorities and processes, including the regulation of construction.
Implementation of protection is provided through the City Core Special Regulations which
were endorsed by the Ministry of Municipalities and Rural Affairs, the Higher City Planning
Council of Jordan, and the As-Salt Greater Municipality in September 2014. These provide
regulations for urban spaces, designation and grading of historic buildings, guidelines for
conservation and new interventions, and guidelines for the design and enhancement of
public spaces.
There is a long-standing commitment to the conservation of the tangible and intangible
attributes of As-Salt through the efforts of the As-Salt Greater Municipality. The management
system has been established, led by the As-Salt City Development Projects Unit, established
in 2005 by the Municipality. The main mission of this office is to coordinate efforts for the
safeguarding, conservation, and management of the historic city.
The Municipality is continuing a programme to fully document the attributes of Outstanding
Universal Value and record their state of conservation. The Conservation Management Plan
is a satisfactory beginning, and the establishment of regulations and guidance for change,
alteration and conservation works are under preparation. Important conservation and
adaptive reuse projects have been completed, and others are underway and/or planned.
Site-specific conservation plans are being completed for twenty-two of the city’s historic
buildings as a basis for their conservation or adaptive reuse. Many of the essential
management strategies and tools are yet to be developed, and the incorporation of
provisions for the intangible cultural heritage aspects require greater attention. Visitor
management and interpretation are the subject of new and continuing projects. The
development of the nomination and the ongoing management of the property have involved
the city’s communities.
4. Recommends that the State Party give consideration to the following:
a) Deepening the documentation of the intangible attributes, including the traditions
shared by Muslim and Christian communities, and the Madafas and other social and
financial systems of support within the communities,
b) Conducting an assessment of significant views within the property and buffer zone with
the intention of ensuring that these are adequately incorporated into the planning of all
new development proposals,
c) Completing the survey of the physical condition of historic buildings and other tangible
attributes within the property and the buffer zone,
d) Completing the production of measured drawings for the historic buildings in the
property so that there is a strong baseline documentation available for management

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 and conservation decisions, including setting priorities for conservation works and
expenditures,
e) Advancing as a priority the implementation of the Conservation Management Plan,
including a timeline and indication of resources for its implementation,
f) Establishing Heritage Impact Assessment processes in line with the ICOMOS HIA
guidance document that give priority to the Outstanding Universal Value of the property
in the assessment of development proposals, and ensuring these processes are fully
integrated into the legal protection regime and management system of the property,
g) Developing further the risk management system to manage seismic, flood, and fire
risks, including evacuation plans as well as capacity building to ensure the
effectiveness of the system,
h) Developing a new policy and associated strategies and actions within the Conservation
Management Plan for the intangible cultural heritage of the property,
i) Developing as a priority implementation plans for the strategies oriented to the
maintenance and repair of the tangible elements of the property,
j) Continuing to develop partnerships with private owners to ensure that buildings are
maintained and repaired,
k) Developing a detailed interpretation strategy for the property, with clear timeframes and
priorities for implementation,
l) Developing detailed plans for mobility, accessibility, and transportation that take into
account the visual qualities of the city and the constraints of the stairways and public
spaces,
m) Working with communities and local authorities to develop strategies, tools, and
incentives to maintain the cultural practices of the city and avoid the possible
gentrification of the historic urban core,
n) Fully implementing the proposed monitoring system after augmenting it to include
monitoring the proposed intangible attributes by means of key indicators,
o) Applying the approaches of the UNESCO Recommendation on the Historic Urban
Landscape (2011) when further developing the management system, plans, strategies,
and actions.

E.3. ASIA-PACIFIC

E.3.1. New Nominations

Decision: 44 COM 8B.35

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Documents WHC/21/44.COM/8B.Add and WHC/21/44.COM/INF.8B1.Add,
2. Inscribes Dholavira: a Harappan City, India, on the World Heritage List on the basis of
criteria (iii) and (iv);
3. Adopts the following Statement of Outstanding Universal Value:
Brief synthesis
Dholavira: a Harappan city, is one of the very few well preserved urban settlements in South
Asia dating from the 3rd to mid-2nd millennium BCE. Being the 6th largest of more than

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 1,000 Harappan sites discovered so far, and occupied for over 1,500 years, Dholavira not
only witnesses the entire trajectory of the rise and fall of this early civilization of humankind,
but also demonstrates its multifaceted achievements in terms of urban planning, construction
techniques, water management, social governance and development, art, manufacturing,
trading, and belief system. With extremely rich artefacts, the well-preserved urban settlement
of Dholavira depicts a vivid picture of a regional centre with its distinct characteristics, that
also contributes significantly to the existing knowledge of Harappan Civilization as a whole.
The property comprises two parts: a walled city and a cemetery to the west of the city. The
walled city consists of a fortified Castle with attached fortified Bailey and Ceremonial Ground,
and a fortified Middle Town and a Lower Town. A series of reservoirs are found to the east
and south of the Citadel. The great majority of the burials in the Cemetery are memorial in
nature.
The configuration of the city of Dholavira, during its heyday, is an outstanding example of
planned city with planned and segregated urban residential areas based on possibly
differential occupational activities, and a stratified society. Technological advancements in
water harnessing systems, water drainage systems as well architecturally and
technologically developed features are reflected in the design, execution, and effective
harnessing of local materials. Unlike other Harappan antecedent towns normally located near
to rivers and perennial sources of water, the location of Dholavira in the island of Khadir was
strategic to harness different mineral and raw material sources (copper, shell, agate-
carnelian, steatite, lead, banded limestone, among others) and to facilitate internal as well as
external trade to the Magan (modern Oman peninsula) and Mesopotamian regions.
Criterion (iii): Dholavira is an exceptional example of a proto-historic Bronze Age urban
settlement pertaining to the Harappan Civilization (early, mature and late Harappan phases)
and bears evidence of a multi-cultural and stratified society during the 3rd and 2nd millennia
BCE. The earliest evidence can be traced back to 3000 BCE during the early Harappan
phase of the Harappan Civilization. This city flourished for nearly 1,500 years, representing a
long continuous habitation. The excavated remains clearly indicate the origin of the
settlement, its growth, zenith and the subsequent decline in the form of continuous changes
in the configuration of the city, architectural elements and various other attributes.
Criterion (iv): Dholavira is an outstanding example of Harappan urban planning, with its
preconceived city planning, multi-layered fortifications, sophisticated water reservoirs and
drainage system, and the extensive use of stone as a building material. These characteristics
reflect the unique position Dholavira held in the entire gamut of Harappan Civilization.
Integrity
The ancient Harappan city of Dholavira was discovered in 1968 and excavated for 13 field
seasons between 1989 and 2005. The unearthed excavations were simultaneously
preserved and conserved, and display all physical attributes contributing to the Outstanding
Universal Value of the property, that is to say the proto-historic systems of urban planning,
water management systems, architectural elements and design, traditional knowledge of art
and technology preserved in situ. All the attributes that convey the Outstanding Universal
Value of the property are located in the property area. Physical evidence of the entire 1,500
years of inhabitation are spanning from pre-Harappan to post-Harappan stages. The
excavated remains at Dholavira, to a large extent, illustrate attributes associated with
industrial activities (e.g. bead manufacturing) and are indicative of the sophisticated life and
exploitation of natural resources for nearly 1,500 years, trade, interregional relations and
exchanges, the physical manifestations of these are largely found in situ. Conservation
measures and consolidation of few areas have been carried out to prevent deterioration and
have also been stabilized for ensuring preservation of its physical attributes. Guidelines for
development and conservation need should be developed in the extended buffer zone.

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 Authenticity
The archaeological remains of the city of Dholavira include fortifications, gateways, water
reservoirs, ceremonial ground, residential units, workshop areas, and cemetery complex, all
clearly representing the Harappan culture and its various manifestations. The urban planning
is evident from the in situ remains of the city that demonstrate systematic planning. The
authenticity of the archaeological site is preserved through minimum interventions and
scientific conservation principles and methods and in maintaining the exposed structures in
their original configurations and in situ conditions and no additions or alterations have been
made to the structural remains.
The excavated remains bear testimony to the style of construction, contextual evidence for
architectural elements, and layout of a bead manufacturing workshop, that have been
retained in situ to preserve their authenticity. The evidence of the configuration of the city,
which has been well documented and preserved during excavation works, also bears
testimony of the extensive planning, understanding of ratios and proportions and principles,
alignment of the entire city in relation to cardinal directions, water harvesting, storm water
drains, craftsmanship. These features are preserved extensively due to their construction in
stone masonry with mud brick cores, and architectural features are in a good state of
conservation.
Protection and management requirements
The archaeological site of Dholavira is protected and managed by the Archaeological Survey
of India, an attached office and organization under the Ministry of Culture, Government of
India. The property is protected by national level laws that is to say the Ancient Monument
and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act 1958 (AMASR), amended therein in 2010;
Ancient Monument and Archaeological Sites and Remains Rules of 1959; Ancient Monument
and Archaeological Sites and Remains Rules of 2011 and The Antiquities and Art Treasures
Act 1972 and Rules 1973. Decisions pertaining to its conservation, maintenance and
management are governed by the National Conservation Policy for Monuments,
Archaeological Sites and Remains 2014. Being designated as an “ancient monument” of
national importance, the ancient site of Dholavira is protected by a Prohibited Area
measuring 100 meters in all directions from the limits of the protected monument, and further
beyond it, a Regulated Area of 200 meters in all directions, from the limits of the Prohibited
Area. All activities in the areas adjacent to the ancient site of Dholavira remain subject to
prohibition and regulation in the respect prohibited and regulated areas as per provisions of
the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Rules 2011. The buffer zone
covers the entire west strip of the Khadir Island, which ensures the protection of the wider
setting of the property. The buffer zone, of which parts cover thee Prohibited and Regulated
Areas, overlaps with Kachchh (Kutch) Desert Wildlife Sanctuary which is protected by Forest
Act (Wildlife Protection Act 1972). The Government of India is in the process of listing the
ancient quarry sites in the buffer zone as of national importance.
The property area and buffer zone are managed by the Regional Apex Committee and Local
Level Committee, with major stakeholders as the member. This participatory mechanism
ensures the dialogue among different interest groups. The Site Management Plan has been
approved and implemented by the Archaeological Survey of India.
4. Recommends that the State Party give consideration to the following:
a) Submitting a set of maps that follow the standard specified in Paragraph 132 and
Annex 5 of the Operational Guidelines showing the expanded buffer zone. These maps
should clarify that the 10-acre plot of land allocated by the State Government of Gujarat
to the Archaeological Survey of India for constructing the museum and tourism
amenities is not a part of the World Heritage property,
b) Declaring the ancient quarry sites in the buffer zone as of national importance,

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 c) Extending the Regulated Area, or granting a new legal provision, to the extended buffer
zone for the protection of the archaeological remains and settings in this area,
d) Developing guidelines for development and conservation needs in the extended buffer
zone,
e) Developing a long-term research strategy for the property and its buffer zone in order
to better understand the values of the known archaeological sites in the extended
buffer zone and to identify further areas of archaeological potential,
f) Incorporating Heritage Impact Assessment mechanism into the decision-making
process of the management system,
g) Installing an instrumental monitoring system for a more robust monitoring,
h) Undertaking capacity building for site staff on conservation techniques and monitoring
skills,
i) Establishing carrying capacity for the entire site, as well as for sensitive areas of the
site,
j) Developing visitor number control policies and measures based on the established
carrying capacity for anticipated increased visitation,
k) Undertaking capacity building for local residents so that they can have the necessary
skills to contribute to the conservation of the site, and to benefit more from the site
development.

Decision: 44 COM 8B.36

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Documents WHC/21/44.COM/8B and WHC/21/44.COM/INF.8B1,
2. Inscribes Cultural Landscape of Hawraman/Uramanat, Islamic Republic of Iran, on the
World Heritage List as a cultural landscape on the basis of criteria (iii) and (v);
3. Adopts the following Statement of Outstanding Universal Value:
Brief synthesis
The Cultural Landscape of Hawraman/Uramanat is located at the heart of the Zagros
Mountains in the provinces of Kurdistan and Kermanshah along the western border of Iran. It
is comprised of two component parts: the Central-Eastern Valley (Zhaverud and Takht, in
Kurdistan Province); and the Western Valley (Lahun, in Kermanshah Province). The mode of
human habitation in these areas has been adapted over millennia to the rough mountainous
environment.
Archaeological findings dating back about 40,000 years, caves and rock shelters, ancient
paths and ways along the valleys, motifs and inscriptions, cemeteries, mounds, castles,
settlements, and other historical evidence attest to the continuity of life in the
Hawraman/Uramanat region from the Paleolithic to the present time and to the endurance of
the semi-nomadic lifestyle and agropastoral practices of the area’s inhabitants.
The Cultural Landscape of Hawraman/Uramanat is an exceptional testimony to a cultural
tradition of the semi-nomadic agropastoral way of life of the Hawrami people, a Kurdish tribe
that has resided in the Zagros Mountains for millennia. This outstanding cultural tradition is
manifested in the ancestral practices of transhumance, the mode of seasonal living in
Havars, steep-slope terraced agriculture, soil and water management, traditional knowledge
for planning and constructing steeply terraced villages, and a rich diversity of intangible
heritage, all reflecting a harmonious co-existence with nature.

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 Criterion (iii): The Cultural Landscape of Hawraman/ Uramanat bears exceptional testimony
to the evolution over millennia of the traditional semi-nomadic agropastoral way of life of the
Hawrami people. This cultural tradition is expressed in tangible and intangible elements of
the landscape that have persisted up to the present day and continue to be the foundation of
the local socio-economic system, including steep-slope terraced villages and gardens,
transhumance routes, seasonal dwellings, and the traditional knowledge and practices
associated with them. The property provides outstanding living testimony to various traditions
that bear witness to a well-organized social, rural, semi-nomadic realm.
Criterion (v): The Cultural Landscape of Hawraman/Uramanat constitutes an outstanding
example of human interaction with, and adaptation to, the surrounding environment. In the
high Zagros Mountains, a challenging setting where there is little fertile soil, the Hawrami
people, through a skillful application of agricultural technology and an enlightened ecological
world view, have developed an extraordinary semi-nomadic agropastoral way of life. They
have successfully created an efficient, harmonious, and sustainable socio-economic system.
Integrity
The serial property includes all the attributes required to convey its Outstanding Universal
Value. Its component parts exemplify the complexity of the cultural, residential, architectural,
environmental, and agropastoral aspects that are evidence of the property’s centuries-old
traditions. The morphology and architectural fabric of the thirteen villages – which are among
the essential attributes of the property – are mostly intact. The historical environment and the
natural landscape remain relatively well-preserved, in large part because of the existence of
a rural population engaged in farming and animal husbandry activities that have optimal
interaction with the challenging environment.
Modern infrastructure, amenities, and building materials in some cases have a negative
effect on the historic character of the villages. However, their overall visual and functional
impacts are not excessive. The deterioration process is controlled, and in some instances
has been reversed. The overall intent is to preserve to the greatest extent possible the
dynamic historic functions and vitality of the villages and the cultural landscape.
Authenticity
The Cultural Landscape of Hawraman/Uramanat retains a high degree of authenticity in
terms of materials, forms and designs, uses and functions, locations and setting, and spirit
and feeling, as well as traditions, customs, and lifestyle. A significant body of resources
provides documentary and visual evidence of the importance of Hawraman/Uramanat – and
of its culture and traditions more generally – in this region from ancient times.
The authenticity of the morphology and layout of the built fabric in the thirteen villages of the
property is preserved. The characteristic organization of the villages and the public space
features, such as public rooftops, continue to be dominant.
Most historic buildings have kept their traditional form and design, and these types of forms
and designs are usually followed in the infrequent occasions when new houses are
constructed. Most buildings retain authentic materials, including in traditional interiors,
although in some cases repairs or extensions have been made using modern materials such
as concrete blocks, metal doors and windows, and aluminum sheets for roofing.
Traditional dry-stone terracing and water management practices are retained and practiced,
as well as seasonal migration to Havars, livestock breeding, and traditional agriculture. The
local economy continues to produce an important supply of fresh agricultural produce for
Iranian markets. This factor, coupled with sensitive and sustainable tourism management,
will play a key role in the long-term conservation of the property.

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 Protection and management requirements
The Cultural Landscape of Hawraman/Uramanat is registered in the National Monuments
List of Iran. Several national acts and bylaws, as well as strategies, support the long-term
conservation of the property.
The Cultural Landscape of Hawraman/Uramanat (CLH/U) Base, under the Ministry of
Culture, Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts of Iran, is tasked with providing support,
expertise, and funding for the research and conservation of the property. The Base manages
the area in collaboration with the local communities, provides advice and consent on the
major developments, regulates and controls permits for buildings and alterations, and
provides financial support for conservation. Decision-making is facilitated by a cross-sectoral
steering committee composed of local, regional, and national participants and a technical
committee established within the CLH/U Base. All local management actions and
programmes in the villages are carried out through village councils and village council heads
(Dehyar). The Integrated Management and Conservation Plan of the CLH/U Base is a
primary tool for the management and conservation of the property.
4. Recommends that the State Party give consideration to the following:
a) Strengthening the comprehensive study, inter alia, of the spatial characteristics and
interrelationships of all the features within the serial property and its buffer zone,
including archaeological sites and mounds which are currently outside the buffer zone,
in order to assist in the management of the property and broaden its understanding,
b) Preventing tourism or other modern economic activities from overtaking the local
traditional economy and disrupting the ancient agropastoral social system,
c) Developing a strategy for the management of change in the property, based on the
analysis of all possible natural or human-made risks and pressures in this specific geo-
spatial context, and identifying relevant indicators for the long-term monitoring of local
development processes. A specific focus should be placed on the risks associated with
climate change and its consequences with regard to the water regime, the vegetation
of the area, and the grazing system,
d) Ensuring strict control over the installation of modern infrastructure and equipment in
order to prevent any negative visual impacts on the Outstanding Universal Value of the
property, and ensuring that any such interventions respect the local character of the
place,
e) Avoiding any intervention, including mining and the extraction of minerals, which could
potentially have a direct or indirect impact on the Outstanding Universal Value,
authenticity and integrity of the property, and putting in place appropriate legal
provisions to ensure the prevention of such interventions over the long term,
f) Conducting a Heritage Impact Assessment or Environmental Impact Assessment for
any planned development project that may have an impact on the Outstanding
Universal Value, authenticity or integrity of the property, in line with paragraph 118bis of
the Operational Guidelines;
5. Requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 December 2023, a
report on the implementation of the above-mentioned recommendations.

Decision: 44 COM 8B.37

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Documents WHC/21/44.COM/8B and WHC/21/44.COM/INF.8B1,

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2. Inscribes Jomon Prehistoric Sites in Northern Japan, Japan, on the World Heritage List
on the basis of criteria (iii) and (v);
3. Adopts the following Statement of Outstanding Universal Value:
Brief synthesis
Jomon Prehistoric Sites in Northern Japan consists of 17 archaeological sites that represent
the pre-agricultural lifeways and complex spiritual culture of a prehistoric people. Located on
the southern part of Hokkaido Island and across the Tsugaru Strait on the northern part of
the Tohoku region, this serial property attests to the emergence, development, and maturity
of a sedentary hunter-fisher-gatherer society that developed in Northeast Asia from about
13,000 BCE to 400 BCE. The series of settlements, burial areas, ritual and ceremonial sites,
stone circles, and earthworks is located in a variety of landforms such as mountains, hills,
plains, and lowlands, as well as near inner bays, lakes, and rivers.
This area of northern Japan had rich arborous and aquatic resources, with deciduous broad-
leaved forests that featured abundant nut-bearing trees, as well as ideal fishing conditions
created by the intersection of warm and cold currents off the coast. Over a period of more
than 10,000 years, the Jomon people continued hunter-fisher-gatherer lifeways without
changing to an agrarian culture, adapting to environmental changes such as climate warming
and cooling and the corresponding marine transgression and regression.
The Jomon people initiated a sedentary way of life about 15,000 years ago, as indicated
tentatively at first by the use of pottery, and later by the construction of more permanent
dwellings and ritual sites, and the year-round exploitation of nearby resources. Already in the
very early stage of sedentary life, the Jomon people developed a complex spiritual culture.
They made graves and also created ritual deposits, artificial earthen mounds, and stone
circles that were probably used for rituals and ceremonies, and confirmed a social bond
across the generations and between the settlements.
Criterion (iii): The Jomon Prehistoric Sites in Northern Japan bears exceptional testimony to
a globally rare prehistoric sedentary hunter-fisher-gatherer society which nurtured a complex
spiritual culture, as revealed by archaeological artefacts such as clay tablets with the
impression of feet and the famous goggle-eyed dogu figurines, as well as remains including
graves, ritual deposits, artificial earthen mounds, and stone circles.
Criterion (v): The Jomon Prehistoric Sites in Northern Japan are an outstanding example of
sedentary modes of settlement and land-use from the emergence of sedentism through its
subsequent development and ultimate maturity. The Jomon people maintained an enduring
hunter-fisher-gatherer way of life by adapting to a changing climate without altering the land
significantly, as was the case with agrarian societies. To secure food in a stable manner,
diverse locations were selected for settlements, including near rivers where fish swimming
upstream could be caught, in tidelands where brackish shellfish could be gathered, and near
colonies of nut-bearing trees where nuts and berries could be collected. Skills and tools for
obtaining food were developed in accordance with the specific conditions of different
locations.
Integrity
The integrity of the serial property is based on archaeological remains that exemplify the
cultural traits and site types of the ancient Jomon culture in northern Japan. The property is
comprised of archaeological sites that show the initiation of sedentism and the eventual
separation between the residential area and burial areas; sites that show the diversity of
settlement facilities during the warm marine transgression period, as well as hub settlements
that have ritual places; and sites that demonstrate the maturity of sedentism through stone
circles, cemeteries, and settlements. The sites also include, to a degree, their interaction with
the environment. The component parts of the serial property are of adequate size
individually, and as a group they include all important archaeological remains that constitute
settlements and ceremonial spaces as well as landforms or features showing their locations

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 and environment. The serial property is protected by law and does not suffer from the
negative impacts of natural disasters or large-scale developments. There are, however,
several modern constructions, referred to as “non-compliant elements”, that have impacts on
the views to and/or from the component parts. Plans to mitigate such impacts by planting
tree covers, for example, or by removing the non-compliant elements in the future have been
developed.
Authenticity
The serial property maintains a high level of authenticity in terms of locations, forms and
designs, materials and substances, uses and functions, traditions and techniques, and spirit
and feeling, most of the archaeological remains having been buried untouched for thousands
of years; some remains, such as stone circles, are visible above ground. The archaeological
remains can thus be said to credibly and truthfully convey the Outstanding Universal Value of
the property as relates to the ancient Jomon culture in northern Japan.
In some cases, local authorities have developed life-size interpretive models of some key
features, especially pit dwellings and shell middens. These models are intended to help
explain to visitors some of the authentic elements that are otherwise concealed under a
protective layer of soil. While the life-size models are presented as replicas, not
reconstructions, and constructed so as not to have any impact on the archaeological
deposits, new technologies are nevertheless explored to help visitors visualize some of the
authentic archaeological features that must remain buried.
Protection and management requirements
All component parts of the property are designated and protected under the Law for the
Protection of Cultural Properties as Historic Sites or Special Historic Sites, and strict long-
term measures for protection and conservation are in place. In addition, an appropriate buffer
zone has been delineated around each component part in which legal regulatory measures
are in place to control activities with a view to ensuring the proper protection of the property.
A Comprehensive Preservation and Management Plan sets out the basic policies for
sustaining the Outstanding Universal Value, authenticity, and integrity of the serial property in
its entirety. Based on this plan, the Council for the Preservation and Utilization of World
Heritage Jomon Prehistoric Sites and other organizations have been established. The
conservation and management of the component parts is promoted in a comprehensive
manner under the supervision of the national government of Japan and in coordination with
other related organizations. The local and prefectural governments in Hokkaido, Aomori,
Iwate, and Akita in charge of each component part have developed individual management
and utilization plans and have also incorporated the conservation, management, and
utilization of the individual component parts in their basic administrative plans. The state of
conservation of the individual component parts is monitored periodically and systematically,
based on specific key indicators.
The key issue that requires long-term attention is that six of the component parts include
privately owned areas. Acquiring the entirety of each component part will better ensure the
implementation of correct and timely conservation activities.
4. Recommends that the State Party give consideration to the following:
a) Advancing the plan to acquire all areas of the component parts currently in private
ownership,
b) Removing non-compliant infrastructural elements or mitigating their impact,
c) Extending the information on the archaeological records and the inventory of
archaeological objects from the component parts (description of excavation and
registration processes, and excavation reports),

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 d) Adhering to the principles of good governance by maintaining an open mind concerning
the inclusion of stakeholders not yet participating in the protection and management of
the property, in line with paragraphs 40 and 117 of the Operational Guidelines,
e) Supplying maps of all component parts of the serial property, showing a clear
delimitation of the inscribed property, the buffer zones, the areas protected as (Special)
Historic Sites, and the “Land Known to Contain Buried Cultural Properties”.

E.4. EUROPE - NORTH AMERICA

E.4.1. New Nominations

Decision: 44 COM 8B.38

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Documents WHC/21/44.COM/8B and WHC/21/44.COM/INF.8B1,
2. Inscribes Nice, Winter Resort Town of the Riviera, France, on the World Heritage List on
the basis of criterion (ii);
3. Takes note of the following provisional Statement of Outstanding Universal Value:
[Text available in French only]
4. Requests the State Party to revise the boundaries of the property to reflect the historical
timeframe between 1760 and the 1930s, and the mapping of the key attributes that
significantly express the interchange of influences, mainly in relation to developments in
architecture;
5. Recommends that the State Party give consideration to the following:
a) Completing the ongoing inventory of built heritage, which will serve as a solid basis for
conservation and management purposes,
b) Documenting the interiors of the buildings and put measures in place for their
protection, particularly in relation to adaptations to accommodate modern living and
hospitality standards,
c) Reinforcing monitoring indicators for slow changes to the attributes which can have
negative cumulative effects over the long-term,
d) Ensuring that mechanisms are in place to facilitate coordination between multiple
actors with responsibilities for the management of the property, its buffer zone and the
wider setting,
e) Carrying out a mid-term review of the management plan and evaluating its
adequateness to effectively guide the protection and management of the property and
its buffer zone;
6. Also requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 December 2021,
a revised map indicating the boundaries of the property and the document officially granting
the required national-level protection, “Site Patrimonial Remarquable”;
7. Finally requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 December
2022, a report on the implementation of the above-mentioned recommendations for
examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 46th session.

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Decision: 44 COM 8B.39

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Documents WHC/21/44.COM/8B and WHC/21/44.COM/INF.8B1,
2. Inscribes the ShUM Sites of Speyer, Worms and Mainz, Germany, on the World Heritage
List on the basis of criteria (ii), (iii) and (vi);
3. Adopts the following Statement of Outstanding Universal Value:
Brief synthesis
ShUM Sites of Speyer, Worms and Mainz are located in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate,
Germany. It is a serial property of four component parts, which are located in the Upper
Rhine cathedral cities of Speyer, Worms and Mainz: Speyer Jewry-Court, Worms Synagogue
Compound, Old Jewish Cemetery Worms, and Old Jewish Cemetery Mainz. The property is
an exceptional testimony of Jewish communal diasporic life, from the 10th century onwards.
The community centres and cemeteries date back to the origins of Jewish history beyond the
Mediterranean region. ShUM is a traditional Hebrew acronym for the league of prominent
qehillot of Ashkenazi Jews in Speyer, Worms and Mainz, made up from the initial letters of
their Hebrew city names. The ShUM communities were uniquely connected by joint
community ordinances, passed around 1220 and known as the Taqqanot Qehillot ShUM.
The fundamentals of Ashkenazic Judaism were established between the 10th and 13th
centuries: the scholars of Speyer, Worms and Mainz played a prominent role in this process.
Their statutes are vividly reflected in the property by its architecture and the associated
development of culture.
The unique community centres and cemeteries have had a lasting impact on the material
Ashkenazic culture and are directly and tangibly associated with the creative achievements
of the early Ashkenazic scholars.
Criterion (ii): The ShUM Sites of Speyer, Worms and Mainz are pioneering ensembles of
Jewish diasporic community centres and cemeteries from the High Middle Ages. Their form
and design influenced Jewish architectural design, ritual buildings and burial culture across
Central Europe north of the Alps and northern France and England.
Criterion (iii): The ShUM Sites of Speyer, Worms and Mainz provide a unique and
exceptional testimony to the formation of European Jewish cultural tradition and identity.
There is no other property with a comparable range of elements that can bear witness to
such profound developments in the formation phase of the continuing cultural tradition of
Ashkenazic Judaism. Their community centres and cemeteries form an exceptional complex
of early religious sites that contributed profoundly to the creation of a distinctive cultural
identity.
Criterion (vi): The ShUM Sites of Speyer, Worms and Mainz, as the cradle of Ashkenazic
Jewish living tradition, are directly and tangibly associated with a major group of the Jewish
diaspora which settled in Europe in the High Middle Ages. There is no other location with a
comparable range of Jewish community centres and cemeteries to bear witness to the
cultural achievements of Ashkenazic Jews. The ShUM sites were treated as prime places of
Jewish identity and of reflection on Jewish-Christian relations. The joint ordinances
(Taqqanot ShUM) around 1220 constitute the most comprehensive corpus of Jewish
community ordinances from medieval Ashkenaz. The writings of ShUM scholars, poets and
community leaders during the 10th to the 13th centuries provide evidence of profound
influence at a crucial point at the crossroads of cultural developments in Ashkenazic
Judaism. Their writings are still part of Jewish tradition to this day.
Integrity
The ShUM Sites of Speyer, Worms and Mainz include all elements necessary to express the
Outstanding Universal Value. Altogether, they represent the closely linked cultural tradition of

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 the qehillot ShUM in the cities of Speyer, Worms and Mainz and reflect the special
contribution of each component part to the series. None of the component parts are
threatened by development or neglect, each being afforded the strongest possible legal
protection under the Monuments Protection Act of Rhineland-Palatinate (in accordance with
Article 8 DSchG), and ongoing conservation of the property being adequately funded and
well-supported by local communities.
Authenticity
The form and design, essential layout, spatial organisation of the ShUM Sites of Speyer,
Worms and Mainz and the respective interrelationships and visual links between the
elements within the component parts, together with their architectural forms and designs,
reflect the significant and influential development of these sites in the High Middle Ages in a
clear and unambiguous manner. Elements are well-preserved according to historical
development from the 11th to the 14th centuries, with additions in the 17th century and
interventions in the 20th century; post-trauma reconstructions have been carried out
respectfully and have retained the heritage significance of the monuments. As early as the
late-19th century, measures towards the protection of the substance were introduced. Each
component part and their elements have been scientifically investigated from the middle of
the 18th century, and their signification increasingly realised. Existing documentation is
thorough, and research continuous, thus enhancing knowledge of the property.
Protection and management requirements
The ShUM Sites of Speyer, Worms and Mainz are protected by national instruments of
protection. The central instrument for the protection of the property at national level is the
Federal Building Code (Baugesetzbuch – BauGB), and the State Building Ordinance of
Rhineland-Palatinate (Landesbauordnung – LBauO) and the Monuments Protection Act of
Rhineland-Palatinate (Denkmalschutzgesetz – DSchG). Being placed under protection in
accordance with Article 8 DSchG, the property enjoys the strongest possible legal protection.
The legal principles of regional and urban planning and the municipal legal regulations and
statutes provide effective additional protection to the property, so as to guarantee that the
attributes of the Outstanding Universal Value are protected from development, particularly in
more dynamic urban areas.
A single Management Plan has been developed so that the protection and the integrated and
coordinated management of the property are ensured. For implementing this plan, centrally
coordinated management and monitoring groups have been organised in cooperation with
the owners and other stakeholders. The cooperation of all those involved guarantees that
statutory and legal provisions will be respected, and that ShUM Sites of Speyer, Worms and
Mainz will be sustainably protected.
4. Recommends that the State Party give consideration to the following:
a) Approving and implementing the revised local building and construction plans,
b) Monitoring closely potential developments in the setting of the component parts,
particularly the cemeteries, given the high dynamicity of these urban areas,
c) Finalising the joint interpretation strategy for the ShUM sites to ensure a coherent
presentation of the whole property at each component part, and including in the
presentation programme the reconstruction processes that have occurred at the
Worms Synagogue Compound,
d) Considering adopting mitigation measures for the potential visual impact of the upper
part of the Hotel “Das Wormser”, being built immediately outside the buffer zone of the
Old Jewish Cemetery Worms,
e) Considering developing performance indicators for the Management Plan.

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Decision: 44 COM 8B.40

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Documents WHC/21/44.COM/8B and WHC/21/44.COM/INF.8B1,
2. Inscribes Frontiers of the Roman Empire – The Lower German Limes, Germany and the
Netherlands, on the World Heritage List on the basis of criteria (ii), (iii) and (iv);
3. Adopts the following Statement of Outstanding Universal Value:
Brief synthesis
Frontiers of the Roman Empire – The Lower German Limes ran for 400 km along the Lower
Rhine, along the north-eastern boundary of the Roman frontier province of Germania Inferior
(Lower Germany), from the Rhenish Massif south of Bonn (Germany) to the North Sea coast
(the Netherlands). For more than 450 years from the late 1st century BC, it protected the
Roman Empire against Germanic tribes. The first military bases were built in the last
decades BC for the conquest of Germanic territories across the Rhine. Once this ambition
had failed the left river bank was converted into a fortified frontier. Military installations of
varying types and sizes and associated civil structures and infrastructures were built on the
edge of the river. The frontier shared the phased disintegration of the Western Roman
Empire until the mid-5th century. The remains of the Frontier illustrate the important impacts
of the Roman military presence on the landscape and society of the periphery of the Empire.
The serial property of 102 component parts in 44 clusters illustrates the innovative responses
of Roman military engineers to the challenges posed by the dynamic landscape of a lowland
river, as witnessed by the positioning and design of the military installations and by water
management works. Large early bases and small later strongholds are represented,
reflecting strategic adaptation and development of military engineering. These first military
bases represent the very beginning of the linear perimeter defence of the Roman Empire,
which would develop into a coherent frontier system extending over three continents in the
2nd century AD. The wetland conditions have led to an outstanding preservation of timber
and other organic remains, providing unparalleled insights into military construction,
shipbuilding, logistics and supply of the Empire.
Criterion (ii): The extant remains of Frontiers of the Roman Empire – The Lower German
Limes constitute significant elements of the Roman Frontiers present in Europe. With its
legionary fortresses, forts, fortlets, watchtowers, linked infrastructure and civilian architecture,
it exhibits an important cultural interchange at the height of the Roman Empire, through the
development of Roman military architecture, extending the technical knowledge of
construction and management to the very edges of the Empire. It reflects the imposition of a
complex frontier system on the societies of the north-western part of the Roman Empire,
introducing military installations and related civilian settlements, linked through an extensive
supporting network. The frontier did not constitute an impregnable barrier, but controlled and
allowed the movement of peoples including civilians and merchants, and profound changes
and developments in settlement patterns, architecture, landscape design and spatial
organisation.
Criterion (iii): As part of the Roman Empire’s system of defence, the Lower German Limes
bears an exceptional testimony to the maximum extension of the power of the Roman
Empire through the consolidation of its north-western frontiers. The Frontier constitutes a
physical manifestation of Roman imperial policy, and the spread of Roman culture and its
traditions – military, engineering, architecture, religion, management and politics. The large
number of human settlements associated with the defences contribute to an understanding
of how soldiers and their families lived in this part of the Roman Empire.
Criterion (iv): Frontiers of the Roman Empire – The Lower German Limes was the earliest
linear frontier of the Roman Empire, created as an answer to Rome’s inability to control its
northern neighbours by means of diplomacy. Its military installations illustrate the

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 development of the large operational bases of a field army to the smaller installations
required by an extended frontier line. Situated in an area which has always been a wetland,
with outstanding preservation conditions, Frontiers of the Roman Empire – The Lower
German Limes exhibits water management strategies and constructions employed by the
military command of the Roman Empire. The component parts contain organic materials and
artefacts bearing information of exceptional value to understandings of frontier life and on
vanished traditions such as river boat building.
Integrity
The component parts of the serial property have been selected to represent the linearity and
attributes of the Frontier, demonstrating the early development of the perimeter defence.
They include the range of military installations and associated structures of a frontier system,
explaining its functioning and development. The general state of conservation is good to very
good. Most archaeological materials and structures are buried and are not exposed to
significant threats. The component part boundaries and buffer zones are generally
appropriate, although a number of minor revisions to the boundaries and buffer zones are
recommended.
Authenticity
The archaeological sites that comprise the Frontiers of the Roman Empire – The Lower
German Limes have a high level of authenticity. Virtually all the remains were buried during
or soon after the Roman period and have been protected from later developments. The
authenticity of form and design of nearly all elements is unaffected by changes after the
Roman period. Stone walls, timber and organic remains have been preserved to a high level.
The location and setting of the elements of the frontier have in most cases changed
considerably by changes to the Rhine and changes in land use, including urbanisation. At
four sites the present setting is reminiscent of the Roman landscape. Reconstructions occur
at five sites and at others, interpretive visualisations have been established.
Protection and management requirements
The transnational serial property is legally protected by national and state laws on heritage
protection of Germany (federal states of North Rhine-Westphalia and Rhineland-Palatinate)
and the Netherlands. Management is coordinated by a joint Dutch-German Management
Group, which is overseen by an Intergovernmental Committee. The joint Management Group
sets out the main lines of the management and supervises the implementation of the national
management plans and the periodic reporting, based on a Joint Declaration. The
management organisation will cooperate with counterparts of the existing and future
inscribed segments of the Frontiers of the Roman Empire. A framework for this international
cooperation is provided by the Frontiers of the Roman Empire World Heritage Cluster set up
in 2018 to support international collaboration in those fields relevant to the overall
management and development of the Frontiers of the Roman Empire in Europe as World
Heritage.
The Management Plan is strategic and high-level, and sets out the elements required for a
common framework for the transnational serial property. Much of the needed detail will be
developed at a later stage, including the development of individual site management plans.
Recommendations for strengthening the management include the development of
frameworks for research, interpretation and sustainable tourism, and establishment of
Heritage Impact Assessment processes (for the component parts in Germany). Development
of policy guidance on reconstructions and visualisations should be advanced through the
transnational cooperation mechanisms established for the Frontiers of the Roman Empire.
4. Recommends that the States Parties give consideration to the following:
a) Completing the processes for legal designation of all component parts,

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 b) Providing a timeframe for agreed minor revisions to the boundaries and buffer zones
and any needed revisions to legal designations and municipal policy provisions,
c) Further developing the Management Plan to:
i) present the two national parts in a common format to assist clarity and
integration,
ii) confirm the process and schedule for the timely development of site management
plans for each of the component parts,
iii) provide active measures to mitigate the impact of agriculture on the component
parts (and their buffer zones) located in areas subject to agricultural land uses
(e.g. Kalkar-Bornsches Feld),
iv) conduct detailed deposit/cellar surveys for all component parts in urban areas to
provide baseline data about the extent of surviving archaeological remains,
d) Developing a formal inter-agency management agreement between the Municipal
Association of the Rhineland (in North Rhine-Westphalia) Service for Archaeological
Heritage and the State Forestry Agency that includes an overarching plan and
approach for managing all the component parts located within forests,
e) Developing a joint sustainable tourism strategy as part of the management system,
f) Establishing consistent baseline information for each component part and establishing
a basis for consolidated information about the documentation and curation of cultural
materials excavated from the sites (including repositories) to be accessed and shared
as part of the management system,
g) Continuing to research and articulate a comprehensive and contextual appraisal of the
character of the river corridor landscape, including changes to it during and after the
Roman period, and the known locations of settlements in the wider setting,
h) Supporting continued research and interpretation that gives greater prominence to the
historical peoples of the Lower Rhine regions, and articulating the interactions and
exchanges between these peoples and Roman culture along the frontier,
i) Developing the overarching research strategy (2021-2024) for the Lower Limes as a
whole, providing a framework for national strategies and partnerships,
j) Ensuring that active monitoring of water levels and water quality occurs for all
component parts / clusters with waterlogged archaeological deposits, and that rigorous
monitoring of the state of conservation of all organic materials is undertaken on a
regular basis,
k) Prioritising further development of the detailed interpretation framework to:
i) present the linearity and the environmental context of the Lower German Limes,
and the interconnectedness of the individual sites,
ii) review the proposals for component part Dormagen within the context of the
Lower German Limes framework for interpretation and presentation,
iii) explore opportunities for the interpretation of component parts located in nature
conservation areas and landscape protection areas, including engagement with
younger-generation volunteers who have a strong interest in nature conservation,
l) Developing Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) processes for the component parts
located in Germany in line with the ICOMOS HIA guidance document,
m) Subjecting the proposed business park development associated with the component
parts at Valkenburg-De Woerd to a full HIA in relation to the Outstanding Universal
Value of the property,

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 n) Establishing a process to develop an over-arching policy framework and guidance for
reconstructions and visualisations through the transnational mechanisms of
cooperation for existing and future segments of the Frontiers of the Roman Empire
inscribed on the World Heritage List.

Decision: 44 COM 8B.41

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Documents WHC/21/44.COM/8B and WHC/21/44.COM/INF.8B1,
2. Inscribes The Porticoes of Bologna, Italy, on the World Heritage List on the basis of
criterion (iv);
3. Takes note of the following provisional Statement of Outstanding Universal Value:
Brief synthesis
The serial property of The porticoes of Bologna is the one with the most representative
porticoed system in the world. It is a catalogue representing all the historical and
consequently architectural phases that have taken place, of which the selected 12
components are the most notable and prestigious outcomes.
These components, selected from the 62 km of Bolognese porticoes located in both central
and peripheral areas, according to a criterion of representativeness, summarize the whole
system. They compose a representative set of typologies, architectural features and urban
and social functions in a very large chronological time frame. So in summary the attributes
that convey the property’s OUV are the 5 just listed: long span of time, permeating element,
functional variety, typological variety, social urban use.
The public portico, as a model of a particularly active social life at any time and in any
climatic condition, is a very ancient model typology of global interest, an element adopted for
centuries throughout the world. It finds in Bologna an exceptional and complete
representation from the chronological, typological and functional point of view.
It is an architectural model but also a social one, a place of integration and exchange, in
which the main protagonists of the city (citizens, migrants and students) live and share time
and ideas, relationships and thoughts. It is a reference point for a sustainable urban lifestyle,
where civil and religious spaces and residences of all social classes are perfectly integrated:
a place of continuous interchange of human values that permeates and shapes city life.
This is the reason for which people who passed by Bologna over the centuries have
appreciated and praised the portico, which is why the porticoed model were continuously
exported elsewhere in Italy and Europe.
Furthermore, in Bologna the porticoes are the exceptional result of an urban planning rules’
system. It has favoured the creation of an architectural typology that has been declined in a
different way in the city of Bologna over the course of nine centuries. The maintenance of the
legislation regulates the use, management and construction of the porticoes in the current
body of legislation and the willingness to propose the portico model even where the modern
expansion of the city does not imply the respect of the thirteenth-century Statute.
Finally, the social and community aspect is what distinguishes these covered spaces that
were born as, and still remain, private property for public use. For these reasons, the
community, but also the visitors, have always recognized and still recognize today the
porticoed element as an identifying element of the city.
Criterion (iv): The series of Bologna’s porticoes, selected in the context of the porticoed
system that permeates the old historical city and it is a significant presence in the
contemporary one, represents in an exemplary manner an architectural typology of ancient

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 origin and wide diffusion, never abandoned until today, but in continuous change through
precise historical periods of the town’s transformation.
The series exemplarily represents, in the various chronological, typological, technological
and functional declinations, a variety of porticoed building typologies, widespread among the
houses of the working class and the aristocratic residences, the public and religious
buildings, which were developed in the centuries from the 12th to the contemporary era. A
wide range of materials and styles were employed, and still are today as a result of the city’s
expansion and mutations over time.
Integrity
The 12 components that compose the serial property, as a whole, guarantee a complete
representation of the property, including all the attributes and features necessary to support
its Outstanding Universal Value.
The component parts succeed in fully representing the different social functions related with
the implementation tools that characterize the design criteria, the building materials, the
architectural techniques.
The chronological integrity is represented by the series that integrally restores the
chronological arc that characterized the continuity of construction and maintenance of the
portico in the city of Bologna (from the 12th to the 21st century).
The functional integrity of all the urban roles associated with the porticoes have been
maintained even considering the transformations and developments of the city over the
centuries.
The structural integrity is also verified, both from the urban and architectural point of view.
The urban structure as a whole has maintained its original layout and is easily found even in
the selected porticoes: the original construction characteristics are identifiable, although they
have undergone restoration or reconstruction over the centuries. In general, the set of
existing legislation in Italy, made up of national, regional and local protection laws,
contributes to the correct conservation and enhancement of the porticoes, sometimes as
separate elements, sometimes as a portion of a of a larger whole, also contributing to the
maintenance of the visual integrity.
There is no evidence of pressure that damages the integrity.
Authenticity
Each component of the serial property is illustrated by historical iconography, paintings,
engravings, design drawings, as well as many vintage photographs that increase the
knowledge of form and design, construction techniques, materials, sometimes even the
identity of the designers. The vast documentary heritage illustrates how Bologna has always
had new porticoed areas, according to the new urban transformations that have changed the
city over time. The extraordinary correspondence between the past collaborates to affirm the
role of the components in the system and how these things, with their features, contribute to
the universal value of the property.
The urban development of the porticoed system in its 12 components is perfectly legible, as
the original layout of each component. The on-property material evidence still corresponds
faithfully to the stages of the city development. Moreover, the current porticoes are faithful to
the original project and maintain the same characteristics; it allows to keep their authenticity
even where restoration work have been necessary.
The skilful use of durable materials, primarily stone, has allowed the constructive
preservation during the centuries. This approach has ensured an extraordinary state of
conservation of most of the selected porticoes. However, as Bologna was one of the most
bombed Italian cities during the Second World War, it has undergone quite extensive
restoration work, which has always been aimed at maintaining its original authenticity.

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 Functional authenticity has always been maintained; thanks to the legal Statute of 1288, the
portico element has been maintained from the end of the 13th century until today. The public
function of the covered porticoed area is in fact a constant over the centuries, even though it
is privately owned.
The porticoes are architectural objects that relate both to the surrounding public space and
with the building they are part of. The public-private management system (private property,
public use) has been maintained and implemented over the centuries.
This characteristic is reflected in the authenticity of the "spirit and feeling" by the significance
that the porticoes had and still have today for the community as a place of excellence for
social life, relationships and exchanges.
Protection and management requirements
The property is completely protected by a set of measures deriving from laws and from
planning at different levels.
At national level, the Code for Cultural Heritage and Landscape regulates the protection of
many of the building in the property as public heritage which benefit of the highest level in
protection established by the national legislation. This measure essentially entails an
essential duty of conservation and, as a safeguard measure, it is obligatory that all activities
on the building be authorized by the competent Superintendence territorial office of the
Ministry for the cultural heritage and activities and for tourism. Some of the other porticoes
belonging to the selected components have been identified by the Code as areas of “notable
public interest" from the landscape point of view.
The Regional Law no. 24/2017 governs the historic centre in accordance with some main
principles: not to modify the road system, the historical building, the maintenance of the uses,
not to build in areas, collective spaces and historical settlements.
Locally, the level of protection is very high, thanks to planning and protection measures at
municipal level. It has ancient origins, when the portico has begun to appear predominantly
within the urban fabric. In fact, it is a collective rule in Bologna to build and protect the
porticoes from 1288, when a municipality notice established that all new houses should be
built with the portico and it should be. Their maintenance and management remain under the
responsibility of the individual proprietors of the porticoed buildings, while the City set the
rules of construction, usage and decoration to protect the urban quality and the collective
usability of these spaces.
The property's governance system is covered by a "Steering Committee", coordinated by the
Municipality of Bologna, in which the main bodies and parties responsible for management,
protection and enhancement of the property, signatories of a specific Memorandum of
Understanding, the "Steering Committee" participated in the preparation of the property
management plan and is responsible for its implementation, monitoring and updating.
The Municipality of Bologna has also set up a dedicated office which, from the technical-
operative point of view, deals with the issues closely related to porticoes and management,
enhancement, protection of the property, in coordination with the contacts of the Steering
Committee.
The Municipality has prepared guidelines “Porticoes. Instruction for care and use" that
regulate the usage of any accessory elements of the portico, therefore maintaining its visual
integrity.
4. Requests the State Party to:
a) Further research and document the role that the Municipal Statutes of 1288 had on the
relationship between public and private spaces in the medieval city, marking one of the
decisive moments in the history of the capacity of the public authorities to assert their
power and political control over the administration of a city,

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 b) Revise the boundaries to reflect the interconnections of the portico system, by
incorporating the functional links between the covered walkways within the perimeter of
the property, in particular in order to include the entirety of some streets (Santa
Caterina, Baraccano, Santo Stefano) and the landscape surrounding the portico and
the Basilica of San Luca,
c) Ensure that all component parts that constitute the property will have the highest level
of protection available,
d) Further strengthen the management and monitoring system,
e) Consider inviting an advisory mission to the property to assist in the implementation of
the above recommendations;
5. Further requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 December
2022, a report on the implementation of the above-mentioned recommendations for
examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 46th session.

Decision: 44 COM 8B.42

The nomination of Grobiņa archaeological ensemble, Latvia, was withdrawn at the request of
the State Party.

Decision: 44 COM 8B.43

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Decides to adjourn the debate on this agenda item sine die.

Decision: 44 COM 8B.44

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Documents WHC/21/44.COM/8B and WHC/21/44.COM/INF.8B1,
2. Inscribes Petroglyphs of Lake Onega and the White Sea, Russian Federation, on the
World Heritage List on the basis of criterion (iii);
3. Takes note of the following provisional Statement of Outstanding Universal Value:
Brief synthesis
The Petroglyphs of Lake Onega and the White Sea are located in the north-west of Russia in
the Republic of Karelia and include two component parts located 300 km from each other:
the petroglyphs of Lake Onega in the south-east part of the Republic of Karelia and those of
the White Sea in the north-east part.
The petroglyphs of Lake Onega and the White Sea represent one of the largest independent
centres of Neolithic rock art in Europe, dating to between circa 4,500 BC to 3,500 BC. The
property comprises a total of over 4,500 petroglyphs concentrated in 33 sites within the two
component parts, including a total of 22 sites at Lake Onega and 11 located at the White
Sea. The petroglyphs are also associated with more than 100 archaeological sites including
settlements, camp sites and one burial ground dated as contemporary with the rock art.
The rock art at Lake Onega mostly represents birds, symbols, half human and half animal
figures, as well as figures interpreted as demon, burbot and otter, while the petroglyphs of
the White Sea are mostly composed of carvings depicting boats, sea and forest hunting,
scenes including their related equipment as well as animal and human footprints.

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 The emergence of the petroglyphs dates back to the Neolithic, witnessing the transition from
hunter-gathering communities to a more sedentary society. The petroglyphs attest to the
beliefs and lifestyle of the hunter-fisher-gatherers over a period of 600-800 years, speak of
the high point of these cultures that used these rock art centres as meeting places and show
significant artistic qualities and creativity of the Stone Age artists.
There are clear similarities between the rock art production of Lake Onega and the White
Sea especially in the rock carving technique, rock art compositions, in the scenes depicted
and their style, as well as in the locations chosen for carving horizontal motifs on the rock
surface. They were produced by a population of the same Neolithic culture; excavated
archaeological material attests that part of the Pit-Comb Ware population of Lake Onega
gradually migrated to the White Sea by way of navigation.
The Petroglyphs of Lake Onega and the White Sea include representations of waterfowl
including mainly swans that are unique in the rock art of Northern Fennoscandia and in
Europe, and were identified as the one of the earliest manifestations of the rock carvings in
the region.
Criterion (iii): The Petroglyphs of Lake Onega and the White Sea and the related
archaeological sites are an exceptional testimony of the lifestyle and beliefs of the Pit-Comb
Ware culture population in the Neolithic, providing a unique source of data and representing
a coherent image of the Neolithic culture period in North Fennoscandia.
Integrity
The nominated property rests on the exceptional character of the petroglyphs testifying to the
lifestyle and beliefs of the Neolithic cultures present in Northern Europe. The nominated
component parts and their buffer zones are of an adequate size to guarantee a
comprehensive illustration of the Outstanding Universal Value. Common or close themes in
both components of the property demonstrate mutual influence as well as chronological
closeness and complementarity in illustrating the northern Neolithic period in an exceptional
manner. Cultural layers from the Mesolithic period up to Middle Ages are preserved in the
vicinity of the petroglyphs.
The boundaries of the property have been established according to the legal framework in
place in the Russian Federation and on the basis of interdisciplinary research and includes
archaeological sites that contribute to the Outstanding Universal Value of the property.
The rock art carvings are well-preserved, and, at Lake Onega, their setting has survived
almost untouched, which is crucial for the understanding and appreciation of the property.
Authenticity
The Petroglyphs of Lake Onega and the White Sea include preserved representations of
Neolithic rock art in their natural landscape. At Lake Onega, the landscape has not been
affected by major changes nor by human activities since the Neolithic period. The unspoiled
conditions of the setting of the rock art sites at Lake Onega facilitate an understanding of the
prehistoric setting and context of the rock art, particularly its location at the lake shoreline,
and the connection it makes with different elements of the landscape. On the other hand, the
landscape of the rock carvings at the White Sea has been partly altered due to land uplift, the
White Sea Canal, two hydroelectric stations, and connected dams.
Protection and management requirements
The first level of protection is the territory of the monument (Federal Law No. 73-FZ and
Regional Law No. ZRK-883): in the Russian legislation each monument has its territory on
which the physical protection of the monument is ensured. Two types of actions are allowed:
physical protection of the monument, and scientific research. Federal Law No. 73- FZ
represents the main legal instrument governing the process of preservation of historical and
cultural heritage in the Russian Federation. At the regional level, the Law of the Republic of
Karelia 06.06.2005 regulates the conservation, development, promotion, and state protection

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 of the cultural heritage sites of the peoples of the Russian Federation in the Republic of
Karelia.
The second level of protection is the monument protection zone (orders issued by Chairman
of the Government of the Republic of Karelia No. 518-r of 05.09.1996 and 163.03-r of
25.03.1998). These zones protect both rock art sites and any other associated
archaeological sites as well as the surrounding landscape. A third level of protection is the
specially protected natural area, i.e., the Muromsky Landscape Reserve of Regional
Significance. A final level of protection is applied to lands of historical and cultural
significance: all economic activity may be prohibited therein as well as on lands with
monuments and archaeological sites that are the subject of research and conservation, in
accordance with the Land Code of the Russian Federation.
The boundaries of the protection zones for the buffer zones include the heritage related to
the petroglyphs located at Lake Onega and the White Sea and were delimited and approved
in the 1990s. The additional protection is provided by means of two Remarkable Places of
Federal Significance cultural heritage sites established for both component parts.
Several public bodies are involved in the management of the nominated property including
the Department for the Cultural Heritage Protection of the Republic of Karelia under the
authority of the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Karelia, the Belomorsky Regional
Museum of Local Lore, the Directorate of Specially Protected Natural Areas of Regional
Significance of the Republic of Karelia and the Belomorsky and the Pudozhsky Municipal
districts.
At Lake Onega, the Directorate of Specially Protected Natural Territories of Regional
Importance of the Republic of Karelia and the Republican Centre for State Protection of
Cultural Heritage Sites are currently managing the proposed sites while the sites of the White
Sea are managed by the Municipality of Belomorsk and the Petroglyphs Belomorsky District
Local Lore Museum.
Currently, an overarching body for the management of the Petroglyphs of Lake Onega and
the White Sea, the Regional Museum of the Karelian Petroglyphs is to be established at
Petrozavodsk along with the Coordination Council on the management of the property by the
end of 2021. They will be in charge of the management of the nominated property and will
coordinate the work of its branches at Lake Onega and the White Sea. In the meantime, the
Department for Cultural Heritage Protection of the Republic of Karelia is in charge of the
coordination with communities, private sector, experts and scholars and the federal, regional
and local authorities.
4. Recommends that the State Party give consideration to the following:
a) Completing the process of legal designation of the component parts in the State Code
of Especially Valuable Properties of Cultural Heritage of the Peoples of the Russian
Federation by 1 February 2022,
b) Completing the process of establishing a centralized management system to ensure
coordinated and integrated management of the two component parts,
c) Finalizing the approval of the Management Plan with a set timeframe for policies and
measures to be implemented,
d) Establishing a conservation plan and a monitoring programme for the petroglyphs,
dedicated to the systematic monitoring of the conservation of the property;
5. Also recommends that the State Party give consideration to the following:
a) Setting up an adequate documentation system and developing an operational and up-
to-date database for the property to ensure monitoring of its conservation,

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 b) Developing a specific Tourism Strategy for the property in the course of the Strategy of
Social and Economic Development of the Republic of Karelia and the Tourism Strategy
of the Republic of Karelia,
c) Developing a Risk Preparedness Plan for the property in order to address the
environmental pressures, and developing measures responding to potential natural
disasters. This is particularly urgent at the Pavilion of Besovy Sledki and at Zalavruga
to ensure their long-term conservation,
d) Submitting all projects planned at the property and its buffer zones to an overall
Heritage Impact Assessment, to ascertain whether they and the expected increase of
tourism could have adverse impacts on the component parts and on their setting,
particularly where it is intact, as at Lake Onega,
e) Developing an ongoing programme of research within a research framework and linked
with conservation strategies;
6. Requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2022, the
revised maps of the modified boundaries of the component parts of the series and of their
respective buffer zones, as well as the decision establishing the two Remarkable Places of
Federal Significance covering the buffer zones, and also requests the State Party to submit,
by 1 December 2022, a report on the implementation of the above-mentioned
recommendations for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 46th session.

Decision: 44 COM 8B.45

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Documents WHC/21/44.COM/8B and WHC/21/44.COM/INF.8B1,
2. Inscribes The works of Jože Plečnik in Ljubljana – Human Centred Urban Design,
Slovenia, on the World Heritage List on the basis of criterion (iv);
3. Adopts the following Statement of Outstanding Universal Value:
Brief synthesis
The urban design for Ljubljana was conceived by Architect Jože Plečnik (1872–1957) in the
period between the two World Wars. Following World War I and the disintegration of the
Austro-Hungarian Empire, a desire to create independent nation states triggered various
State and town building projects in Central and South-Eastern Europe. In the changed social
contexts, the urban planners and architects introduced new urbanistic and architectural
approaches under the influence of the Modernist movement. The transformation of Ljubljana
from a peripheral town of the former Empire into a national capital emerged during the
introduction of these modernist guidelines, although from entirely different architectural
starting points.
The urban design of “Plečnik’s Ljubljana” is based on an architectural dialogue between his
interventions and the existing older city. Based on the man-made cityscape and its natural
features, two urban axes were conceived: the land axis and the water axis. These two axes
are connected by transversal axes, which help to form the urbanistic network of the city. The
land axis – the Green Promenade starts at the Trnovo Bridge and runs through the Square of
the French Revolution, along Vegova Street with the National and University Library, and
ends at the Congress Square with Zvezda Park. Running parallel is the water axis – the
Promenade along the Embankments and Bridges of the Ljubljanica River – which extends
from the Trnovo district to the Sluice Gate. The historical city centre is connected with vital
points in both the rural and urban suburbs, and with the broader spatial network of Ljubljana:
the Church of St. Michael, the Church of St. Francis of Assisi, Plečnik’s Žale – Garden of All
Saints.

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 The city centre was interpreted anew and developed into a series of public spaces (squares,
parks, streets, promenades, bridges) and public institutions (library, churches, markets,
funerary complex).
The property is an outstanding example of urban renewal developed in the context of existing
buildings and spaces and tailored to suit the inhabitants. Together, Plečnik’s interventions
have created a different type of urban space and architecture, which is not limited to a certain
specific use, but instead gives rise to a connecting of the different uses and meanings and
creates a new identity for the space. The architectural elements, types and spaces of
classical architecture are innovatively summarised, transformed and modernised.
Criterion (iv): The interventions designed by the architect Jože Plečnik throughout the city of
Ljubljana in the short period between the two World Wars combine to become an outstanding
example of human-centred urban renewal for the purpose of nation building after the demise
of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. They are based on a harmonic relationship with the context
of the space and its natural possibilities. The city is not built anew but improved with small- or
large-scale interventions – new architectural ensembles, buildings and urban accents. The
relationship with the past is established in various ways, from adapting the urban network
and incorporating existing structures through architectural reminiscences and by establishing
new cityscapes. The new urban space is not limited to a specific use but has various
functions and the whole is thus imbued with new meanings.
Integrity
The urban design in Ljubljana, as a result of the intervention by Jože Plečnik, includes the
readily identifiable characteristics of a symbolic capital city created between the two World
Wars by the architect. Ljubljana’s urban landscape comprehensively illustrates an upgrade of
the existing space with regards to the topography and based on its continuous use and
interpretation of historical layers. The topography of the space is expressed through the
urban landscape design of the two axes: the land axis and the water axis. The design of both
promenades originates and draws from the continuous use of the space, which defines the
positions and use of squares, markets, bridges, parks and other public spaces as well as
buildings. A series of public spaces endows the city with public amenities, from spiritual
spaces (the Churches of St. Michael and St. Francis of Assisi, Plečnik’s Žale – The Garden
of All Saints), spaces for relaxation (archaeological park along the Roman Walls, and
promenades along the embankments of the Ljubljanica River, Trnovo Quay), to market
activities (Plečnik’s Market), socialising (Congress Square, the Three Bridges, the Cobblers’
Bridge), and intellectual and cultural activities (Vegova Street, National and University
Library).
A unified protection regime ensures that the currently unbuilt upon areas remain building-
free, that the space preserves its traditional use, and provides comprehensive protection
from interventions that could potentially endanger the integrity of the serial property.
Authenticity
The serial property has maintained its original urban design and characteristics, in which the
preservation and enhancement of the context of the space are reflected. The serial
component parts have faithfully preserved their original design in the exterior arrangements,
in the interiors as well as on the facades, in the interior furnishings and the masterful
attention to detail. The building materials were reinforced in most components in the 1990s,
but regardless of the individual repairs or conservation and restoration interventions, which
were a consequence of continuous use, material authenticity in general has not been
compromised. Larger urbanistic areas have remained unchanged; in some cases, repairs
were performed in order to meet the requirements of modern use and ensure the greater
safety and structural stability of the property. With few exceptions, the original functions and
uses of all components and their features are preserved and the outdoor spaces are
accessible to the public. The characteristics of the original urban design have been
preserved as well, although partial changes have appeared due to the overgrowth of the

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 original vegetation and in some places the pressure of local traffic, which has been
strategically addressed over the course of the previous decade.
Protection and management requirements
Plečnik’s architectural heritage is a monument of national importance and is protected by the
Ordinance designating the Ljubljana work of the architect Jože Plečnik as a cultural
monument of national importance (Official Gazette RS, Nos. 51/09, 88/14, 19/16, 76/17 and
17/18). The Ordinance represents a single comprehensive protection mechanism for the
entire immovable and movable heritage of the serial property.
All of the serial component parts have conservation plans that form the basis for any
interventions on the monuments. Works are coordinated by the Institute for the Protection of
Cultural Heritage (IPCHS) and supervised by the specially-appointed conservator for
Plečnik’s heritage. The management system complements the existing system for the
preservation of architect Jože Plečnik’s heritage in Ljubljana from the professional,
organisational as well as legal and financial perspectives, and involves owners, managers
and public bodies alike. The management of the property operates on two levels. All
component parts have their specific management plans and procedures for the
implementation and approval of such plans. State of conservation is monitored by the
IPCHS, with a special emphasis on the factors likely to affect the property, in particular
development pressures and tourism. The coordination of individual owners, managers, public
institutions and professional bodies that form the Management Body is ensured by a joint
manager that has overall responsibility for the implementation of a joint management plan.
The Museum of Architecture and Design of Ljubljana, as an appointed joint manager,
cooperates with those institutions at the state and local level that are responsible for
protection, monitoring, presentation, education and research, promotion and cultural tourism.
4. Recommends that the State Party give consideration to the following:
a) Submitting a minor boundary modification of the extended buffer zones, when
formalised, with an updated map showing the property and the buffer zones’
boundaries, indicating the total area of the buffer zones in hectares; considering
submitting in the future a minor boundary modification with a view to including relevant
transversal axes, if their state of conservation could be improved to fully meet the
conditions of authenticity and integrity,
b) Submitting to the World Heritage Centre a complete Heritage Impact Assessment for
the planned new library building in Emonska Street for review by the Advisory Bodies,
before irreversible decisions are made,
c) Retaining or reinstating original vegetation species of the landscaping designs
wherever possible and appropriate,
d) Ensuring subtle differentiation of additions and repairs from the original substance,
where appropriate, and avoiding mimetic additions that would try to complete Plečnik’s
original work,
e) Developing a joint visitor and interpretation scheme that will link the serial component
parts in the suburbs to those in the city centre,
f) Undertaking further detailed identification of the relationships between Plečnik’s
interventions and pre-existing buildings and spaces, to allow appropriate protection
measures to be put in place for the latter, relative to the role they play in supporting the
Outstanding Universal Value,
g) Carrying out Heritage Impact Assessments for all development proposals within the
property or its buffer zones.

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Decision: 44 COM 8B.46

The nomination of Ribeira Sacra, Spain, was withdrawn at the request of the State Party.

Decision: 44 COM 8B.47

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Documents WHC/21/44.COM/8B and WHC/21/44.COM/INF.8B1,
2. Inscribes The Slate Landscape of Northwest Wales, United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Northern Ireland, on the World Heritage List as a cultural landscape on the basis of
criteria (ii) and (iv);
3. Adopts the following Statement of Outstanding Universal Value:
Brief synthesis
The Slate Landscape of Northwest Wales is located in the United Kingdom, in the mountains
of Snowdon massif. Six areas together represent an exceptional example of an industrial
landscape which was profoundly shaped by quarrying and mining slate, and transporting it
for national and international markets. From 1780 to 1940 this industry dominated world
production of roofing slates, transforming both the environment and the communities who
lived and worked here. The quarries and mines are monumental in scale, comprising
stepped hillside workings, deep pits and cavernous underground chambers, massive
cascading tips, ingenious water systems, and a range of industrial buildings. Outstanding
technical equipment and major engineering features survive. Innovative transport systems
linked quarries and processing sites with purpose-built coastal export harbours and with
main-line railways. Grand country houses and estates built by leading industrialists contrast
with workers’ vernacular settlements, with their characteristic chapels and churches, band-
rooms, schools, libraries and meeting-places which retain multiple examples of their
traditional way of life and strong minority language.
By the late 19th century, the region produced about a third of the world output of roofing
slates and architectural slabs. Its use in terraced houses, factories, warehouses and elite
architecture contributed to rapid global urbanization. It influenced building styles,
encouraging the shallow-pitched roofs of the Georgian order. Technologies that were
innovated, adopted and adapted in the property include the ingenious application of
waterpower, the development of bulk handling systems and the first known application of the
circular saw for cutting stone. These were diffused by specialists and by emigration of skilled
Welsh quarrymen to the developing slate industries of the United States, continental Europe
and Ireland. The Snowdon massif’s narrow-gauge railway systems gained global influence
and were adopted from Asia and America to Africa and Australasia.
Criterion (ii): The Slate Landscape of Northwest Wales exhibits an important interchange,
particularly in the period from 1780 to 1940, on developments in architecture and technology.
Slate has been quarried in the mountains of Northwest Wales since Roman times, but
sustained large-scale production from the late 18th to the early 20th centuries dominated the
global market as a roofing element. This led to major transcontinental developments in
building and architecture. Technology, skilled workers and knowledge transfer from this
cultural landscape was fundamental to the development of the slate industry of continental
Europe and the United States. Moreover, its narrow-gauge railways – which remain in
operation under steam today – served as the model for successive systems which
contributed substantially to the social and economic development of regions in many other
parts of the world.
Criterion (iv): The Slate Landscape of Northwest Wales is an outstanding example of a
stone quarrying and mining landscape which illustrates the extent of transformation of an

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 agricultural environment during the Industrial Revolution. Massive deposits of high-quality
slate defined the principal geological resource of the challenging mountainous terrain of the
Snowdon massif. Their dispersed locations represent concentrated nodes of exploitation and
settlement, of sustainable power generated by prolific volumes of water that was harnessed
in ingenious ways, and brought into being several innovative and technically advanced
railways that made their way to new coastal ports built to serve this transcontinental export
trade. The property comprises the most exceptional distinct landscapes that, together,
illustrate the diverse heritage of a much wider landscape that was created during the era of
British industrialisation.
Integrity
The property contains all of the essential elements that convey attributes of Outstanding
Universal Value. Its boundaries capture the principal non-active slate-producing areas in
Northwest Wales, together with their associated industrial heritage that includes the most
significant processing facilities, settlements and transport routes. The protective mechanisms
in place should be consistently used to strengthen the integrity of the property and its setting.
Authenticity
The well-preserved cultural landscape retains a high level of authenticity, and has
experienced little intervention since the main period of industrial operation. Attributes of
Outstanding Universal Value are conveyed by physical elements that are clearly identified
and understood in terms of date, spatial distribution, use and function (including living
communities and operational railways), form and design, materials and substance, and their
interrelationships including connectivity and overall functional and compositional integrity of
the series. The serial property further embodies a vibrant cultural tradition, including slate-
working skills and the continued widespread use of the Welsh language. Key attributes are
reflected in landscape qualities and features of quarrying including the relict working areas,
tips and transport routes, together with associated settlements and social infrastructure. The
historical settlements present different yet acceptable levels of authenticity, which need to be
closely monitored and controlled by the management system and respective Local
Management Plans.
Protection and management requirements
The serial property and its setting are afforded the highest levels of protection through the
implementation of existing legislation: The Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act
1979, The Town and Country Planning Act 1990, The Planning (Listed Buildings and
Conservation Areas) Act 1990, The Historic Environment (Wales) Act 2016 and through
implementation of policies within the Gwynedd and Anglesey Joint Local Development Plan
and Snowdonia National Park Authority Local Development Plan.
Attributes of Outstanding Universal Value have been defined and articulated in The Slate
Landscape of Northwest Wales Property Management Plan which establishes the over-
arching strategies and mechanisms by which the serial property will be managed. This is
complemented at local level by a series of Local Management Plans, developed in
collaboration with landowners, which include site-specific information and practical
recommendations. Responsibility for the implementation of the Management Plan will sit with
a multi-organisational Partnership Steering Group established by the lead organization, to
which an appointed World Heritage Coordinator will report. All of the serial component parts
of the property lie within areas of Wales that are already subject to strong levels of landscape
protection through designation as a National Park and registration as Landscapes of
Outstanding Historic Interest. These will serve as an added layer of protection to the setting
and key views into and out of the serial property, through a strict enforcement of the statutory
mechanisms in place. There is no active quarrying or mining within the serial property;
mineral activity takes place in the wider protected area outside the boundaries of the serial
property. The application of existing statutory management procedures will ensure this does
not negatively impact upon the Outstanding Universal Value of the serial property.

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4. Recommends that the State Party give consideration to the following:
a) Developing an in-depth analysis and inventory of the key views of the serial property to
serve as a basis for the conservation of the setting,
b) Addressing the conservation issues in the relict quarries, industrial buildings and relict
roads,
c) Completing the scheduling and listing of the proposed Scheduled Monuments and
Conservation Areas,
d) Completing the Local Management Plans,
e) Completing the Tourism Strategy and implementing the Interpretation Strategy and
visitor Management Plan in order to present the World Heritage values at serial
component parts level,
f) Monitoring the effectiveness of the planning system to protect the living urban areas,
and considering extending the Conservation Areas in the historical settlements within
the serial property,
g) Setting up a monitoring framework and key indicators to assess the management
effectiveness of the property,
h) Integrating the World Heritage attributes in the existing online databases and
documentation to inform at an early stage about the World Heritage property, ensuring
the consideration of these in all planning processes,
i) Agreeing with the companies undertaking mineral operations in the wider protected
area at an early stage on the restoration measures to be undertaken after the cessation
of the activity to avoid negative impacts on the integrity and authenticity of the property.

E.5. LATIN AMERICA AND CARIBBEAN

E.5.1. New Nominations

Decision: 44 COM 8B.48

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Documents WHC/21/44.COM/8B.Add and WHC/21/44.COM/INF.8B1.Add,
2. Inscribes the Settlement and Artificial Mummification of the Chinchorro Culture in the
Arica and Parinacota Region, Chile, on the World Heritage List on the basis of criteria (iii)
and (v);
3. Takes note of the following provisional Statement of Outstanding Universal Value:
Brief synthesis
The northern coast of the Atacama Desert, an arid and hostile habitat in northernmost Chile,
was home to the Chinchorro, a society of marine hunter-gatherers who lived here from
approximately 7,400 BP to 2,840 BP (5,450 BCE to 890 BCE). They successfully adapted to
the extreme environmental conditions of a hyper-arid coastal desert in the rugged Coastal
Cordillera by exploiting the nearby rich marine resources. Archaeological sites associated
with the Chinchorro culture are best known for having the oldest known artificially mummified
human bodies.
The nominated serial property is comprised of three components that contain natural and
cultural evidence of the places along the Atacama Desert’s coastline where, for about four
millennia, the Chinchorro people lived and thrived. These components – Faldeo Norte del

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 Morro de Arica, and Colón 10 (both located in an urban setting), and Desembocadura de
Camarones (located in a rural setting) – include the archaeological remains of settlements,
cemeteries, and dense shell middens. They provide evidence of sea harvesting activities and
land occupation that illustrate the technological and spiritual complexity of this society from
its coastal beginnings to its disappearance.
In this environment of contrasts, the Chinchorro people managed to prosper and develop a
complex social structure. Of particular interest and scientific importance are the cultural
remains and mummification techniques of the Chinchorro. Their long-practiced mortuary
techniques created artificial mummies that presumably reflected the fundamental role of the
dead in their society.
It constitutes an exceptional testimony to a cultural tradition and a civilization that, over a
span of about four millennia, succeeded to live in an extremely arid environment, developing
a complex relationship between people, both living and dead, and the environment. The
cultural remains left behind by the Chinchorro people stand as a testimony to their belief
system and ideas about the afterlife. Their cemeteries reveal artificially mummified bodies
that are unique because of their complexity, age, and aesthetics. The Chinchorro innovated
continuously in their mummification practices to create artificial mummies that possessed
extraordinary material, sculptural, and aesthetic qualities that reflected the fundamental
social role of the dead in human society.
It also constitutes an exceptional testimony to land and sea use in extremely arid conditions,
representative of a specific culture’s interaction with the environment. These Archaic
populations who lived on the fringe of one the driest place in the world, the Atacama Desert,
adapted to a harsh environment with minimal fresh water and plant resources, relying heavily
on simple and efficient technologies to harvest coastal and marine resources. The
environmental context of desert, seacoast, ravines, and wetlands, the archaeological
deposits, and the in situ stratigraphy reveal space occupation dynamics over time. It bears a
unique testimony to the complex spirituality of the Chinchorro culture, expressed through the
cemeteries in which are found artificially mummified bodies. Furthermore, the archaeological
finds suggest that the nominated property is an outstanding example of the interaction of a
marine hunter-gatherer group with one of the world’s driest environments.
Criterion (iii): The cultural remains left behind by the Chinchorro people, including their
artefacts, mummies, and cemeteries, stand as a testimony to their belief system and ideas
about the afterlife bear a unique or at least exceptional testimony to a cultural tradition or to a
civilization which is living or which has disappeared. The Chinchorro cemeteries reveal
artificially as well as naturally mummified bodies, both in exceptionally good states of
conservation due to the very dry environment. The Chinchorro innovated continuously in their
artificial mummification practices, revealing technical ability by dismembering and
reassembling bodies to create artificial mummies possessing extraordinary material,
sculptural, and aesthetic qualities that reflected the fundamental social role of the dead in
human society. Chinchorro mummification is considered to be the oldest in human history,
and remarkably complex for an early group of marine hunter-gatherers.
Criterion (v): The Chinchorro culture occupied one of the most arid places in the world, the
coastal areas of the Atacama Desert and bear an outstanding example of a traditional human
settlement, land-use, or sea-use which is representative of a culture (or cultures) or human
interaction with the environment, especially when it has become vulnerable under the impact
of irreversible change. These populations lived on the desert fringe and relied heavily on
coastal and marine resources. They adapted to a harsh environment that had minimal fresh
water and plant resources yet developed simple and efficient technologies to harvest from
the ocean. Culturally, they flourished for thousands of years in a vast, hyper-dry territory,
thus being an extraordinary example of early adaptation to desert and marine environments.
The archaeological evidence of their sea harvesting and land occupation can be found in
settlements, cemeteries, and shell middens located over an extensive area. Moreover, the

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 Property is an outstanding example of the interaction of a marine hunter-gatherer group with
one of the world’s driest environments.
Authenticity
The condition of authenticity of the whole series and of the individual component parts has
been met. The authenticity of the nominated property is based on the locations and (to a
degree) the settings of the component parts, and to the materials and substances, uses and
functions, traditions, and spirit of the attributes that support the proposed Outstanding
Universal Value. Analysis from studies of their archaeological sites has been endorsed by a
number of national and international scientific conferences and publications, and that more
than one hundred of the latter validate the authenticity of the sites and the elements they
contain. In general terms, it can be said that archaeological sites where no reconstructions
have been undertaken retain a high degree of authenticity.
Integrity
The integrity of the nominated property is based on the cultural remains left behind by the
Chinchorro people, particularly artificially mummified remains, and on this people’s
adaptation to one of the most arid places in the world, where they flourished for thousands of
years. The serial components were selected as the most representative and best preserved
of all the Chinchorro sites in northern Chile and southern Peru, for their complementary
nature, and for their tangible attributes that provide a comprehensive view of the Chinchorro
culture.
Protection and management requirements
The University of Tarapacá’s Department of Anthropology has undertaken a number of
important studies related to the Chinchorro culture. Many of the archaeological finds in the
nominated property, buffer zones, and beyond were discovered during construction activities
related to the development of the city of Arica. The proposed Management Plan therefore
projects a sub-programme of archaeological investigation focused in large part on producing
baseline data for the archaeological information observable in the field as well as in the
format of textual and graphic documentation.
The current and proposed legal protection of the serial property is based at the national level
under the Law No. 17,288 of National Monuments (1970, substantially modified in 2005 and
currently under additional review). It establishes five categories of National Monuments,
including Archaeological Monuments and Historical Monuments. The Faldeo Norte del Morro
de Arica component is included in the area of a larger Historical Monument, the Morro de
Arica. The adjacent Colón 10 component is protected as an Archaeological Monument. The
surveyed archaeological sites in the third component, Desembocadura de Camarones, are
protected as Archaeological Monuments under Law No. 17,288.
At the regional level, Decree No. 4867 (1967) of the Ministry of Education declares all
archaeological and palaeontological sites in the Arica and Parinacota Region to be Historical
Monuments. The protection established by this Decree reaches the archaeological sites in all
three components of the serial nomination.
The common buffer zone for the Faldeo Norte del Morro de Arica and Colón 10 components
is, in part, protected by the Regulatory Plan of the city of Arica, in force since 2009, which
establishes norms related to urban limits, zoning, land use, conditions of property
subdivision, building, and roads. This plan is currently being renewed.
The Desembocadura de Camarones component and its buffer zone will be protected in the
future under the Nature Sanctuary category of Law No. 17,288 of National Monuments; this
declaration was expected to be adopted during the second half of 2020. There is also a
Sectional Plan that controls urban measures applicable to the part of that component located
in the Municipality of Camarones. This Sectional Plan is currently under revision.
Furthermore, the Desembocadura de Camarones component is protected by Decree No. 240

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 (2014) of the Ministry of National Defence and the Armed Forces Under secretariat, which
regulates the use of the seashore by non-industrial fishers.
In terms of ownership, the Faldeo Norte del Morro de Arica component is owned by the
Government of Chile (some areas have been granted to the University of Tarapacá, an
independent public corporation); the Colón 10 component belongs to the University of
Tarapacá; and part of the Desembocadura de Camarones component is owned by the
Government of Chile and part by the private Agrícola Lluta S.A. company. The two buffer
zones have a combination of public and private ownership.
The nominated property’s Management Plan (2020 – 2026) is a work in progress. It will be
based on two previous instruments: the Caleta de Camarones Archaeological Reserves
Management Plan (2012) from the University of Tarapacá’s Department of Anthropology and
the Municipality of Camarones; and the Basic Diagnosis and Management Plan for the
Chinchorro Archaeological Reserves in Arica (2012) from the Regional Government of Arica
and Parinacota and the University of Tarapacá. The two existing plans and their operational
sub-programmes are being unified under a joint governance model for the nominated serial
property, maintaining each of its component’s unique characteristics.
The governance system combines the actions of national and regional stakeholders with a
shared understanding of the nominated serial property and its requirements if inscribed on
the World Heritage List. The State Party mentions delays due to the pandemic (finalization by
mid-2021 instead of 2020), but highlights that important advances have been made, such as
in the conservation and zoning section of the document – though no documentation of these
advances has been provided.
The management system that will be used to implement the Management Plan is still in
development, but was being adopted progressively during the preparation of the nomination
dossier.
At the national level, the Ministry of Culture, the Arts and Heritage is officially in charge of
Chile’s cultural heritage. The Cultural Heritage Under secretariat is in charge of developing
cultural policies, including those associated with World Heritage properties. The National
Monuments Council, which is part of the Ministry of Culture, the Arts and Heritage.
Evaluation of the effectiveness of the protection and management of the nominated property
Legal protection of the nominated serial property at the national and local levels is adequate
and will improve once Nature Sanctuary status is declared for the Desembocadura de
Camarones components.
The Management Plan and management system is comprehensive, well structured, and
generally inclusive in terms of stakeholder participation, but there are still works in progress.
Priority should be given to finalizing, approving, and making operational the Management
Plan and system.
Community outreach activities are key to the success of future management of the
nominated property. It will be important to continue these efforts and include in the decision-
making processes local stakeholders as well as any living indigenous communities that may
have an interest in and connection with the nominated property.
4. Recommends that the State Party give consideration to the following:
a) Completing basic installations such as fences to further assure the safety of visitors
and the protection of the property,
b) Resolving the legal disputes in the Desembocadura de Camarones component part
and its buffer zone,
c) Undertaking the systematic documentation and inventorying of the archaeological
information already collected, as well as the documentation of the areas of potential

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 interest for future investigation through systematic surface surveys, geophysical
investigation, etc.,
d) Completing and making operational the projected monitoring system, including for the
mummified bodies and artefacts preserved in the different museums, and identifying
indicators that are linked to all the attributes that support the Outstanding Universal
Value as well as to the identified threats,
e) Undertaking at the earliest possible opportunity conservation measures focused on
general maintenance and on the identification and rescue of unprotected
archaeological remains on the surface,
f) Addressing the ethical issues regarding the excavation, curation, and exhibition of
human remains,
g) Adhering to the principles of good governance by maintaining an open mind concerning
the inclusion of stakeholders not yet participating in the protection and management of
the property, in line with paragraphs 40 and 117 of the Operational Guidelines,
h) Developing a Heritage Impact Assessment process within the frameworks for legal
protection and management of the property,
i) Assessing and mitigating any impacts the industrial poultry farm located in the
Camarones River valley may have on the Outstanding Universal Value and integrity of
the property,
j) Submitting the newly approved Regulatory Plan of the city of Arica,
k) Providing updated information on the changes to the current cultural heritage
legislation (Law No. 17,288 of National Monuments) and a timeframe for its adoption,
l) Providing updated information on the agreement and timetable to relocate the illegal
settlement in the Desembocadura de Camarones component part outside the buffer
zone,
m) Providing updated maps in an appropriate scale, and topographic maps showing the
revised boundaries of the Desembocadura de Camarones component part and of the
buffer zone,
n) Providing updated information on the implementation of the Management Plan;
5. Requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 December 2022, a
report on the above-mentioned recommendations for examination by the World Heritage
Committee at its 46th session.

E.5.2. Significant boundary modifications of properties already inscribed on the World

Heritage List

Decision: 44 COM 8B.49

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Documents WHC/21/44.COM/8B.Add and WHC/21/44.COM/INF.8B1.Add,
2. Approves the significant boundary modification of Earliest 16th-Century Monasteries on
the Slopes of Popocatepetl, Mexico, to include the Franciscan Ensemble of the
Monastery and Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption of Tlaxcala, on the basis of
criteria (ii) and (iv);
3. Adopts the following Statement of Outstanding Universal Value:

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 Brief synthesis
The Earliest 16th-Century Monasteries on the Slopes of Popocatepetl is a serial property
with 15 component parts located in the states of Morelos, Puebla and Tlaxcala in Mexico,
built as part of the evangelisation and colonisation of the northern territories of Mexico. The
monasteries are: Atlatlahucan, Cuernavaca, Tetela del Volcan, Yautepec, Ocuituco,
Tepoztlan, Tlayacapan, Totolapan, Yecapixtla, Hueyapan and Zacualpan de Amilpas in
Morelos; Calpan, Huetotzingo and Tochimilco in Puebla; and San Francisco in Tlaxcala.
These monasteries are considered to represent good examples of the architectural style
adopted by the first missionaries – Franciscans, Dominicans and Augustinians – with spatial
solutions and the architectural expressions that materialised the fusion and synthesis of
heterogeneous elements. A considerable number of these buildings have an explicit military
aspect, and compositional elements with definite Mudejar and Renaissance origins. The
expression of the native culture is also present, from the open spaces used for worship to the
work expressed in the decorations and the wall paintings.
The monasteries also represent an example of a new architectural concept in which open
spaces are of renewed importance. The influence of this style is felt throughout the Mexican
territory and even beyond its borders. The distinctive characteristic of these monasteries
resides in the relationship between built and open spaces and, above all, in the emphasis
placed on the wide forecourt or atrium with its individual posa and open chapels that offered
a variety of solutions. The monasteries were founded in areas of dense indigenous
settlement, with the object of providing focal points for urban settlements, a role which has
survived to the present day.
The 15 monasteries all conform to an architectural model which spread rapidly over the
region and contains certain basic elements common to this new type of monastic house:
atrium (usually rectangular), church (usually simple in plan but of imposing size, with a single
nave), and monastic buildings, usually located to the south of the church and disposed
around a small courtyard or patio, designated as the cloister.
The great atria, which are open spaces, surround the entire perimeter of the church (in some
cases most of it). They are delimited by Resting Chapels in the atrium’s internal perimeter,
called the processional path, and the walls have small niches for the Viacrucis. Another
important element is the Open chapel. The hydraulic structures also are elements of the
exterior composition that conducted water from the upper part of the mountain for community
use.
Criterion (ii): The considerable influence exercised by the architectural model of the Earliest
16th-Century Monasteries on the Slopes of Popocatepetl, which spread over a very wide
area, is incontestable. They operated not only in the second half of the 16th century in the
centre and south-east of Mexico, but continued with the expansion of colonisation and
evangelisation of the lands to the north in the 18th century, reaching the present-day United
States of America from the Atlantic to the Pacific coasts, in the form of a large number of
smaller establishments known as “missions” rather than monasteries.
Criterion (iv): The Earliest 16th-Century Monasteries on the Slopes of Popocatepetl is a
group of monasteries selected as being representative of a large total. They bear
characteristic witness to a certain type of structure, architectural as well as urban, which
served as the centre of new human establishments for the reorganization of an enormous
territory and for the introduction of new social and cultural elements.
Integrity
Since each of the monasteries has preserved all of the original elements of its architectural
complex, they are a complete representation of an actual 16th century Monastery. In general,
they are in a good state of conservation and physical integrity has been maintained. Decay
processes have been controlled by the yearly implementation of conservation projects. There

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 are important challenges to be addressed regarding the physical setting of these
monasteries, particularly in terms of controlling urban sprawl at diverse locations.
Authenticity
The level of authenticity in design and materials at the monasteries is high. After the Council
of Trent many of the monastic buildings were converted to other uses and in the course of
the 19th century new public buildings, such as schools and clinics, were built in the
monastery precincts. However, the churches have all retained their original function and as a
result have preserved the greater part of their original form and furnishings. The conditions of
authenticity might be threatened by unpredictable natural phenomena, such as earthquakes
and/or eruption of the Popocatepetl volcano, because of its proximity. In the case of the
latter, there could be total or partial loss of the monasteries.
Protection and management requirements
The legal protection of the Earliest 16th-Century Monasteries on the Slopes of Popocatepetl
involves three different levels of the government: federal, state and municipal. The legal
instruments that ensure the protection of the property include the Political Constitution of the
United Mexican States; the General Law of Human Settlements, Management Land and
Urban Development of 2016, the 1972 Federal Law on Historic, Archaeological and Artistic
Monuments and Zones and the General Law of National Assets of 2004.
The management of the property is the co-responsibility of heritage authorities at the federal,
state, municipal and associated representatives from civil groups. Management and
conservation centres aim at ensuring the stability of the monasteries and their elements
through the implementation of conservation, maintenance and awareness-raising activities.
The efforts towards developing an overall management framework for the whole property,
which should include a common risk management plan, a monitoring system, and
interpretation, communication and tourism strategies, should be pursued and a dedicated
management unit to coordinate its implementation should be set up.
4. Recommends that the State Party give consideration to the following:
a) Submitting a minor boundary modification reflecting the below mentioned adjustments
to the boundaries of the component part and its buffer zone, within a two-year period of
the approval of the extension:
i) Adjusting the boundary of the component part to include the areas occupied by
the former lower atrium and at least parts of the orchard, to protect the
archaeological evidence of those spaces, even if this requires including areas
now occupied by more recent constructions as the bullring space,
ii) If necessary, adjusting the delimitation of the buffer zone based on the
modifications to be made to the boundaries of the component part, but also to
better maintain the prominent role that the monastery has in the townscape of the
historic centre,
b) Strengthening the urban planning regulations that allow protection of the viewsheds
from and to the monastery,
c) Completing the replacement of the electrical system as soon as possible and installing
an effective fire prevention system,
d) Strengthening the governance arrangements for the Franciscan Ensemble to facilitate
collaboration between different actors involved in its management,
e) Continuing its efforts towards developing an overall management framework for the
whole property (which should include a common risk management plan, a monitoring
system and interpretation, communication and tourism strategies) and setting up a
dedicated management unit to coordinate its implementation.

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III.1. EXAMINATION OF MINOR BOUNDARY MODIFICATIONS OF NATURAL,
MIXED AND CULTURAL PROPERTIES ALREADY INSCRIBED ON THE
WORLD HERITAGE LIST SUBMITTED FOR EXAMINATION IN 2020

A. NATURAL PROPERTIES

A.1. ASIA - PACIFIC

Decision: 44 COM 8B.50

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Documents WHC/21/44.COM/8B and WHC/21/44.COM/INF.8B2,
2. Recalling Decision 40 COM 8B.7 adopted at its 40th session (Istanbul/UNESCO
Headquarters, 2016),
3. Approves the proposed minor boundary modification for Hubei Shennongjia, China;
4. Encourages the State Party to continue enhancing connectivity conservation measures, so
as to fully implement Decision 40 COM 8B.7, and including in particular the connection
between the two component parts of the property;
5. Recalling its request to the State Party on relocation from the property made in Decision 40
COM 8B.7, requests the State Party to apply this request also in the modified property
ensuring that any relocation activities are voluntary and fully respect international norms, and
that further relocation activities should not be undertaken unless they are fully justified;
6. Also requests the State Party to submit by 1 February 2022 the revised management plan
for the property, including a confirmation of national park status for the property and on how
potentially increased demands for visitation will be managed, including through the current
Tourism Master Plan.

A.2. EUROPE - NORTH AMERICA

Decision: 44 COM 8B.51

The minor boundary modification request Volcanoes of Kamchatka, Russian Federation, was
withdrawn at the request of the State Party.

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B. CULTURAL PROPERTIES

B.1. EUROPE - NORTH AMERICA

Decision: 44 COM 8B.52

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Documents WHC/21/44.COM/8B and WHC/21/44.COM/INF.8B1,
2. Approves the proposed minor boundary modification of Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump,
Canada.

Decision: 44 COM 8B.53

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Documents WHC/21/44.COM/8B and WHC/21/44.COM/INF.8B1,
2. Refers the proposed buffer zone for the Abbey Church of Saint-Savin sur Gartempe,
France, back to the State Party in order to allow it to:
a) Provide a map of the revised buffer zone boundaries at a more appropriate scale, in
accordance with the Operational Guidelines,
b) Provide a timetable for taking the enlarged buffer zone into account in the tools for
planning and heritage / landscape protection,
c) Clarify the way in which the buffer zone will be managed and how coordination with the
management of the property will be organized.

Decision: 44 COM 8B.54

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Documents WHC/21/44.COM/8B and WHC/21/44.COM/INF.8B1,
2. Does not to approve the proposed minor modification to the boundary of Paris, Banks of the
Seine, France;
3. Refers the proposed buffer zone for Paris, Banks of the Seine, France, back to the State
Party in order to allow it to set out more clearly the rationale for the delineation of buffer zone
boundaries, in relation to views, potential threats, and to how they might support the
Outstanding Universal Value of the property;
4. Recommends that before any new proposals are submitted, either for the property
boundaries or for a buffer zone, a Management Plan for the property is prepared.

Decision: 44 COM 8B.55

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Documents WHC/21/44.COM/8B and WHC/21/44.COM/INF.8B1,
2. Refers the proposed buffer zone of the Historic Centre of Rome, the Properties of the
Holy See in that City Enjoying Extraterritorial Rights and San Paolo Fuori le Mura, Holy
See and Italy, back to the States Parties in order to allow them to:

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 a) Consider extension of the proposed boundary of the buffer zone based on further
examination of the conceptual and physical interconnections between the property and
its immediate setting,
b) Provide further details on the mechanisms in place in the proposed buffer zone to
assess the impact of development projects on the World Heritage property,
c) Indicate how and when the delimitations of the proposed buffer zone will be transcribed
into existing local and national regulations in order to provide a statutory status to its
boundaries;
3. Recommends that the States Parties complete the Management Plan of the World Heritage
property urgently.

Decision: 44 COM 8B.56

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Documents WHC/21/44.COM/8B and WHC/21/44.COM/INF.8B1,
2. Approves the proposed minor modification to the boundary of the Historic Centre of
Florence, Italy.

Decision: 44 COM 8B.57

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Documents WHC/21/44.COM/8B and WHC/21/44.COM/INF.8B1,
2. Approves the proposed minor modification to the boundary of Ivrea, industrial city of the
20th century, Italy;
3. Requests the State Party to provide the surface areas of the inscribed property and its buffer
zone in number of hectares following the minor boundary modification;
4. Recommends that the State Party provide maps with updated cadastral information that
show the existing building stock of the inscribed property and its buffer zone.

Decision: 44 COM 8B.58

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Documents WHC/21/44.COM/8B and WHC/21/44.COM/INF.8B1,
2. Approves the proposed buffer zone for Kyiv: Saint-Sophia Cathedral and Related
Monastic Buildings, Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra, Ukraine;
3. Recommends that the State Party gives consideration to the following:
a) Updating the management plan as soon as possible, and submitting it to the World
Heritage Centre for examination,
b) Implementing the rules of the buffer zone and ensuring that the protection and
management provisions are strictly implemented and enforced,
c) Ensuring that the effectiveness of the buffer zone is monitored.

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of the World Heritage Committee
Decision: 44 COM 8B.59

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Documents WHC/21/44.COM/8B and WHC/21/44.COM/INF.8B1,
2. Refers the proposed minor modification of the boundaries of the Durham Castle and
Cathedral, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, back to the State Party
in order to allow it to:
a) Consider an extension to the proposed limits on the outer riverbanks of the Wear so as
to include not only the wooded areas but also the spaces in between,
b) Clarify the protection measures to be applied to the enlarged area;
3. Recommends that the State Party give consideration to creating a buffer zone, based on the
existing Conservation area, in order to protect all the “key views to and from the Castle,
Cathedral and town”.

B.2. LATIN AMERICA AND CARIBBEAN

Decision: 44 COM 8B.60

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Documents WHC/21/44.COM/8B and WHC/21/44.COM/INF.8B1,
2. Approves proposed buffer zone for the Maya Site of Copan, Honduras;
3. Recommends that the State Party give consideration to the following:
a) Closely working with the private owners of the land included in zone 2 in order to
achieve the best possible protection of the World Heritage property and its value,
b) Applying as strictly as possible the Law for the Protection of Cultural Heritage with the
aim to protect all relevant elements pertaining to the National Monument within the
Copan Valley.

III.2. EXAMINATION OF MINOR BOUNDARY MODIFICATIONS OF NATURAL,

MIXED AND CULTURAL PROPERTIES ALREADY INSCRIBED ON THE
WORLD HERITAGE LIST SUBMITTED FOR EXAMINATION IN 2021

Decision: 44 COM 8B.61

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Documents WHC/21/44.COM/8B.Add and WHC/21/44.COM/INF.8B1.Add,
2. Approves the proposed buffer zone for the Landscape for Breeding and Training of
Ceremonial Carriage Horses at Kladruby nad Labem, Czechia;
3. Recommends that the State Party considers setting up as matter of urgency appropriate
Heritage Impact Assessment mechanisms able to assess whether any type of project, within
the property, its buffer zone and wider setting, can result in negative impact on the attributes
supporting the Outstanding Universal Value of the property.

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of the World Heritage Committee
Decision: 44 COM 8B.62

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Documents WHC/21/44.COM/8B.Add and WHC/21/44.COM/INF.8B1.Add,
2. Refers the proposed buffer zone for Prehistoric Sites and Decorated Caves of the Vézère
Valley, France, back to the State Party in order to allow it to:
a) Provide a timeframe for the municipal and/or inter-municipal approvals of the regulatory
measures associated with the proposed buffer zone, and their incorporation in local
town planning documents, in order to render them operational,
b) Provide a timeframe for the finalisation, adoption and implementation of the
management plan for the property, especially with regards to tourism management and
facilities.

Decision: 44 COM 8B.63

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Documents WHC/21/44.COM/8B.Add and WHC/21/44.COM/INF.8B1.Add,
2. Refers the proposed buffer zones for Routes of Santiago de Compostela in France,
France, back to the State Party in order to allow it to:
a) Revise the buffer zone boundary of component part 017, Pons,
b) Ensure that all buffer zones of the property are covered by appropriate protection
mechanisms, so that the entirety of each buffer zone is protected by the protection
systems in place, in particular for the following component parts: 010, L’Epine; 011,
Compiègne; 013, Folleville; 016, Aulnay; 020, Buisson-de-Cadouin; 023, Bazas; 027 et
028, La Sauve; 044 et 045, Conques; 048, Saint-Chely; 055, Auch; 056, Beaumont /
Larressingle; 057, La Romieu; 062, Figeac; 067, Jézeau,
c) Provide, for the monumental component parts and the built ensembles, the schedule
for the municipal approvals of the buffer zones and their protective measures,
d) Ensure, for the sections of the route (component parts 072 to 078), that all buffer zones
of the property are covered by appropriate protection mechanisms, so that the entirety
of each buffer zone is protected by the protection systems in place, and specify the
regional and local protections in force,
e) Indicate, for the route sections (component parts 072 to 078), the means of controlling
and regulating possible development projects with a strong distant visual impact;
3. Recommends that the State Party give consideration to the following points:
a) Submitting the property’s management plan, once finalised, to the World Heritage
Centre for examination,
b) Updating the mapping so that the protected zones and the boundaries of the proposed
buffer zones are shown on the same map for the sake of clarity and legibility.

Decision: 44 COM 8B.64

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Documents WHC/21/44.COM/8B.Add and WHC/21/44.COM/INF.8B1.Add,
2. Refers the proposed buffer zones for Archaeological Areas of Pompei, Herculaneum and
Torre Annunziata, Italy, back to the State Party in order to allow it to:

Decisions adopted during the extended 44th session WHC/21/44.COM/18, p. 415

of the World Heritage Committee
 a) Explain the methodology used to delineate the boundaries of the proposed buffer
zones, and clarify how the areas of cultural interest, historical spaces of significance,
and other elements of the historic urban landscape included in the proposed buffer
zones are functionally important as a support to the property and its protection, to be
able to establish whether their inclusion/exclusion of the proposed buffer zones may
affect the integrity of the historic urban landscape of the property,
b) Clarify the reasons why some of the fragments of the original buffer zone were left
outside the proposed revised buffer zones,
c) Provide further information on legal protection in place within the areas of the buffer
zones that neither are considered landscape assets nor are protected as cultural
heritage, and the existing agreements between private owners of the land,
d) Describe in details the management arrangements with timelines for the proposed
buffer zones, especially with regard to urban development and socio-economic
revitalisation in the area, in relation to the existing agreements, and clarify how the
management of the buffer zones as historic urban landscapes, and within the premise
of sustainable development, will be aligned with and complement the existing
management plan of the inscribed property,
e) Submit revised maps of an appropriate scale in line with the Operational Guidelines
(Annex 5 and 11), showing the boundaries of the proposed buffer zones, and with
clearly marked elements of the historic urban landscape of which the submitted
proposal speaks, in order to demonstrate their relationship to the inscribed property
and allow assessing potential impacts of future developments in the area of the
proposed buffer zones on the inscribed archaeological areas.

Decision: 44 COM 8B.65

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Documents WHC/21/44.COM/8B.Add and WHC/21/44.COM/INF.8B1.Add,
2. Approves the proposed buffer zone for Portovenere, Cinque Terre, and the Islands
(Palmaria, Tino and Tinetto), Italy;
3. Recommends that the State Party gives consideration to the following:
a) Finalising and implementing the management plan of Cinque Terre National Park,
which should consider within its aims, the maintenance of the property’s Outstanding
Universal Value with adequate provisions reflecting this aim,
b) Including the perimeter of the buffer zone in all existing instruments and programmes at
the national, regional and local levels, including the Regional Territorial Plan,
c) Ensuring with the relevant authorities that the limitation of the navigation of large-scale
vessels be extended to the whole buffer zone,
d) Ensuring that synergies in the protection of natural and cultural values of the property
with particular attention to the Outstanding Universal Value are pursued though all
plans and programmes regarding the World Heritage property,
e) Submitting a report to the World Heritage Centre on the progress made on the
implementation of these recommendations including on the preparation and approval of
the Regional Territorial Plan.

Decisions adopted during the extended 44th session WHC/21/44.COM/18, p. 416

of the World Heritage Committee
Decision: 44 COM 8B.66

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Documents WHC/21/44.COM/8B.Add and WHC/21/44.COM/INF.8B1.Add,
2. Refers the proposed buffer zone of the City of Potosí, Plurinational State of Bolivia, back
to the State Party in order to allow it to:
a) Elaborate a clear description of the limits of the buffer zone and clarify the rationale for
the delineation of these boundaries, by taking into account the protection of the visually
sensitive areas around the property, as mentioned in the Decision 38 COM 7B.38
(Doha, 2014),
b) Provide clear information on the legal and management aspects, such as land use
regulations, that are applied in the regulation of the newly defined buffer zone, in order
to understand how the buffer zone will provide an added layer of protection to the
property, in compliance with paragraphs 104 and 105 of the Operational Guidelines,
c) Explain the scope of the different regulations in place in the buffer zone, especially
regarding the overlapping of the different protection mechanisms.

IV. STATEMENTS OF OUTSTANDING UNIVERSAL VALUE OF PROPERTIES

INSCRIBED AT PREVIOUS SESSIONS AND NOT ADOPTED BY THE WORLD
HERITAGE COMMITTEE

Decision: 44 COM 8B.67

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/8B.Add,
2. Adopts the Statements of Outstanding Universal Value for the following World Heritage
properties inscribed at previous sessions of the World Heritage Committee:
 Azerbaijan, Historic Centre of Sheki with the Khan’s Palace;
 Cambodia, Temple Zone of Sambor Prei Kuk, Archaeological Site of Ancient Ishanapura;
 China, Migratory Bird Sanctuaries along the Coast of Yellow Sea-Bohai Gulf of China
(Phase I);
 Czechia, Landscape for Breeding and Training of Ceremonial Carriage Horses at Kladruby
nad Labem;
 India, Jaipur City, Rajasthan;
 Poland, Krzemionki Prehistoric Striped Flint Mining Region;
 Portugal, Royal Building of Mafra – Palace, Basilica, Convent, Cerco Garden and Hunting
Park (Tapada);
 Portugal, Sanctuary of Bom Jesus do Monte in Braga;
 Russian Federation, Central Sikhote-Alin;
 Saudi Arabia, Al-Ahsa Oasis, an Evolving Cultural Landscape;
 South Africa, Barberton Makhonjwa Mountains.

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of the World Heritage Committee
8C. UPDATE OF THE LIST OF WORLD HERITAGE IN DANGER

Decision: 44 COM 8C.1

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined the state of conservation reports of properties inscribed on the World
Heritage List (WHC/21/44.COM/7B, WHC/21/44.COM/7B.Add, WHC/21/44.COM/7B.Corr
and WHC/21/44.COM/7B.Add.2) and the proposals for inscription of properties on the World
Heritage List (WHC/21/44.COM/8B and WHC/21/44.COM/8B.Add),
2. Decides to inscribe the following property on the List of World Heritage in Danger:
 Romania, Roșia Montană Mining Landscape (Decision 44 COM 8B.26).

Decision: 44 COM 8C.2

The World Heritage Committee,

3. Having examined the state of conservation reports of properties inscribed on the List of
World Heritage in Danger (WHC/21/44.COM/7A, WHC/21/44.COM/7A.Add,
WHC/21/44.COM/7A.Add.2, WHC/21/44.COM/7A.Add.2.Add),
4. Decides to retain the following properties on the List of World Heritage in Danger:
 Afghanistan, Cultural Landscape and Archaeological Remains of the Bamiyan Valley
(Decision 44 COM 7A.28)
 Afghanistan, Minaret and Archaeological Remains of Jam (Decision 44 COM 7A.29)
 Austria, Historic Centre of Vienna (Decision 44 COM 7A.32)
 Bolivia (Plurinational State of), City of Potosí (Decision 44 COM 7A.35)
 Central African Republic, Manovo-Gounda St Floris National Park (Decision
44 COM 7A.39)
 Côte d'Ivoire / Guinea, Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve (Decision 44 COM 7A.40)
 Democratic Republic of the Congo, Garamba National Park (Decision 44 COM 7A.41)
 Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kahuzi-Biega National Park (Decision 44 COM 7A.42)
 Democratic Republic of the Congo, Okapi Wildlife Reserve (Decision 44 COM 7A.43)
 Democratic Republic of the Congo, Virunga National Park (Decision 44 COM 7A.45)
 Egypt, Abu Mena (Decision 44 COM 7A.5)
 Honduras, Río Plátano Biosphere Reserve (Decision 44 COM 7A.55)
 Indonesia, Tropical Rainforest Heritage of Sumatra (Decision 44 COM 7A.52)
 Iraq, Ashur (Qal'at Sherqat) (Decision 44 COM 7A.6)
 Iraq, Hatra (Decision 44 COM 7A.7)
 Iraq, Samarra Archaeological City (Decision 44 COM 7A.8)
 Old City of Jerusalem and its Walls (site proposed by Jordan) (Decision 44 COM 7A.10)
 Kenya, Lake Turkana National Parks (Decision 44 COM 7A.47)
 Libya, Archaeological Site of Cyrene (Decision 44 COM 7A.11)

Decisions adopted during the extended 44th session WHC/21/44.COM/18, p. 418

of the World Heritage Committee
  Libya, Archaeological Site of Leptis Magna (Decision 44 COM 7A.12)
 Libya, Archaeological Site of Sabratha (Decision 44 COM 7A.13)
 Libya, Old Town of Ghadamès (Decision 44 COM 7A.14)
 Libya, Rock-Art Sites of Tadrart Acacus (Decision 44 COM 7A.15)
 Madagascar, Rainforests of the Atsinanana (Decision 44 COM 7A.48)
 Mali, Old Towns of Djenné (Decision 44 COM 7A.1)
 Mali, Timbuktu (Decision 44 COM 7A.2)
 Mali, Tomb of Askia (Decision 44 COM 7A.3)
 Mexico, Islands and Protected Areas of the Gulf of California (Decision 44 COM 7B.56)
 Micronesia (Federated States of), Nan Madol: Ceremonial Centre of Eastern Micronesia
(Decision 44 COM 7A.30)
 Niger, Aïr and Ténéré Natural Reserves (Decision 44 COM 7A.49)
 Palestine, Palestine: Land of Olives and Vines – Cultural Landscape of Southern
Jerusalem, Battir (Decision 44 COM 7A.17)
 Palestine, Hebron/Al-Khalil Old Town (Decision 44 COM 7A.16)
 Panama, Fortifications on the Caribbean Side of Panama: Portobelo-San Lorenzo
(Decision 44 COM 7A.36)
 Peru, Chan Chan Archaelogical Zone (Decision 44 COM 7A.37)
 Senegal, Niokolo-Koba National Park (Decision 44 COM 7A.50)
 Serbia, Medieval Monuments in Kosovo (Decision 44 COM 7A.33)
 Solomon Islands, East Rennell (Decision 44 COM 7A.53)
 Syrian Arab Republic, Ancient City of Aleppo (Decision 44 COM 7A.18)
 Syrian Arab Republic, Ancient City of Bosra (Decision 44 COM 7A.19)
 Syrian Arab Republic, Ancient City of Damascus (Decision 44 COM 7A.20)
 Syrian Arab Republic, Ancient Villages of Northern Syria (Decision 44 COM 7A.21)
 Syrian Arab Republic, Crac des Chevaliers and Qal’at Salah El-Din (Decision
44 COM 7A.22)
 Syrian Arab Republic, Site of Palmyra (Decision 44 COM 7A.23)
 Uganda, Tombs of Buganda Kings at Kasubi (Decision 44 COM 7A.4)
 United Republic of Tanzania, Selous Game Reserve (Decision 44 COM 7A.51)
 United States of America, Everglades National Park (Decision 44 COM 7A.54)
 Uzbekistan, Historic Centre of Shakhrisyabz (Decision 44 COM 7A.31)
 Venezuela (Bolivarian Republic of), Coro and its Port (Decision 44 COM 7A.38)
 Yemen, Historic Town of Zabid (Decision 44 COM 7A.25)
 Yemen, Old City of Sana’a (Decision 44 COM 7A.26)
 Yemen, Old Walled City of Shibam (Decision 44 COM 7A.27).

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of the World Heritage Committee
Decision: 44 COM 8C.3

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined the state of conservation reports of properties inscribed on the List of
World Heritage in Danger (WHC/21/44.COM/7A, WHC/21/44.COM/7A.Add,
WHC/21/44.COM/7A.Add.2, WHC/21/44.COM/7A.Add.2.Add),
2. Decides to remove the following property from the List of World Heritage in Danger:
 Democratic Republic of the Congo, Salonga National Park (Decision 44 COM 7A.44).

Decision: 44 COM 8C.4

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined the state of conservation reports of properties inscribed on the List of
World Heritage in Danger (WHC/21/44.COM/7A, WHC/21/44.COM/7A.Add,
WHC/21/44.COM/7A.Add.2, WHC/21/44.COM/7A.Add.2.Add),
2. Decides to remove from the List of World Heritage in Danger and to delete from the World
Heritage List the following property:
 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Liverpool – Maritime Mercantile City
(Decision 44 COM 7A.34).

8D. CLARIFICATIONS OF PROPERTY BOUNDARIES AND AREAS BY STATES

PARTIES

Decision: 44 COM 8D

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/8D,
2. Recalling Decision 43 COM 8D, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
3. Acknowledges the excellent work accomplished by States Parties in the clarification of the
boundaries of their World Heritage properties and commends them for their efforts to
improve the credibility of the World Heritage List;
4. Recalls that the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies are not able to examine
proposals for minor or significant modifications to boundaries of World Heritage properties
whenever the delimitations of such properties as inscribed remain unclear;
5. Takes note of the clarifications of property boundaries and areas provided by the States
Parties as presented in the Annex of Document WHC/21/44.COM/8D:
AFRICA
 Mozambique, Island of Mozambique
 Nigeria, Sukur Cultural Landscape
ASIA AND THE PACIFIC
 Australia, Purnululu National Park
 Iran (Islamic Republic of), Bisotun
 Japan, Shiretoko

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of the World Heritage Committee
 EUROPE AND NORTH AMERICA
 France, Canal du Midi
LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN
 Guatemala, Tikal National Park;
6. Requests the World Heritage Centre to continue the identification and collection of
geographic and cartographic information of World Heritage properties in nominations where
the required information is not available or not adequate;
7. Also requests the States Parties which have not yet answered the questions raised in the
framework of the Retrospective Inventory and the Periodic Reporting, to provide all
clarifications and documentation as soon as possible, and by 1 December 2021, for their
subsequent examination, if the technical requirements are met, by the 45th session of the
World Heritage Committee.

8E. ADOPTION OF RETROSPECTIVE STATEMENTS OF OUTSTANDING

UNIVERSAL VALUE

Decision: 44 COM 8E

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/8E,
2. Commends the States Parties for the work accomplished in the elaboration of retrospective
Statements of Outstanding Universal Value for World Heritage properties located within their
territories;
3. Adopts the retrospective Statements of Outstanding Universal Value, as presented in Annex
1 of Document WHC/21/44.COM/8E, for the following World Heritage properties:
ARAB STATES
 Libya, Old Town of Ghadamès
 Oman, Aflaj Irrigation Systems of Oman
ASIA AND THE PACIFIC
 Australia, Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park
 India, Ajanta Caves
 India, Buddhist Monuments at Sanchi
 India, Qutb Minar and its Monuments, Delhi
EUROPE AND NORTH AMERICA
 France, Pont du Gard (Roman Aqueduct)
 France, Roman Theatre and its Surroundings and the "Triumphal Arch" of Orange
 Germany, Maulbronn Monastery Complex
 Italy, Costiera Amalfitana
 Italy, Etruscan Necropolises of Cerveteri and Tarquinia
 Spain, Cave of Altamira and Paleolithic Cave Art of Northern Spain

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of the World Heritage Committee
  Spain, La Lonja de la Seda de Valencia
 Spain, Las Médulas
 Spain, Palau de la Música Catalana and Hospital de Sant Pau, Barcelona
 Spain, Palmeral of Elche
 Spain, Vizcaya Bridge
 Spain, San Millán Yuso and Suso Monasteries;
4. Notes that retrospective Statements of Outstanding Universal Value for World Heritage
properties inscribed on the List of World Heritage in Danger will be reviewed in priority by the
Advisory Bodies;
5. Also adopts the Statements of Outstanding Universal Value, as presented in Annex 2 of
Document WHC/21/44.COM/8E, for the following World Heritage properties, for which the
protection and management part was updated in compliance with the Operational
Guidelines:
EUROPE AND NORTH AMERICA
 Czechia, Gardens and Castle at Kroměříž
 Czechia, Pilgrimage Church of St John of Nepomuk at Zelená Hora;
6. Requests the World Heritage Centre to upload the two language versions of the above-
mentioned retrospective Statements of Outstanding Universal Value on its website.

Decisions adopted during the extended 44th session WHC/21/44.COM/18, p. 422

of the World Heritage Committee
9. GLOBAL STRATEGY FOR A REPRESENTATIVE, BALANCED
AND CREDIBLE WORLD HERITAGE LIST

9A. UPSTREAM PROCESS

Decision: 44 COM 9A

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/9A,
2. Recalling Decision 43 COM 9A, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019), and its previous
decisions concerning the Upstream Process,
3. Welcomes the advice, consultation and analysis undertaken to improve processes and
practices prior to the development of nominations for consideration by the World Heritage
Committee and reiterates that, in order to be most effective, upstream support should take
place at an early stage, preferably at the moment of preparation or revision of States Parties’
Tentative Lists;
4. Commends ICOMOS, which, in cooperation with the World Heritage Centre, IUCN and
ICCROM, prepared a guidance document for States Parties on the development and
revision of Tentative Lists to address related Upstream Process requests, as an initial
response to the increased need to provide basic guidance on this matter and notes that the
use of this guidance could contribute to improve quality of Tentative Lists and the
consistency of related Upstream Process requests;
5. Recognizes the efforts undertaken by the States Parties involved, the Advisory Bodies and
the World Heritage Centre and decides to phase out the Pilot Projects of the Ancient Kano
City Walls and Associated Sites (Nigeria), the Batanes Protected Landscapes and
Seascapes (Philippines) and the Grenadines Islands Group (Grenada, Saint Vincent and
the Grenadines);
6. Takes note of the progress made regarding the Pilot Projects and the 2018 and 2019
Upstream Process requests;
7. Also welcomes the submission of the Upstream Process requests received by the 17 April
2020, 31 October 2020 and 31 March 2021 deadlines, and the efforts by the World Heritage
Centre and Advisory Bodies to process all requests received in the best timely manner
possible and within the resources available;
8. Also recognizes that maintaining the second yearly deadline for submission of requests for
Upstream Process, 31 October, is not needed as the yearly limit of requests that can be
dealt with is largely exceeded by the first deadline, and therefore, in order to ensure a more
streamlined follow-up to incoming requests, also decides to only retain the 31 March annual
deadline from now on;
9. Further decides to limit to one the number of requests per State Party that can be addressed
in each cycle and to confirm the limit of ten as the total of new Upstream Process requests
that can be processed in each cycle;
10. Bearing in mind that the Upstream Process is an activity which is not sufficiently budgeted,
invites States Parties to consider financially contributing to the implementation of requests
received from Least Developed Countries, Low-Income and Lower-Middle Income
Countries and Small Island Developing States;

Decisions adopted during the extended 44th session WHC/21/44.COM/18, p. 423

of the World Heritage Committee
11. Requests the World Heritage Centre, in collaboration with the Advisory Bodies, to present
a progress report on the remaining Pilot Project as well as on the support offered to
Upstream Process requests received, for consideration at its 45th session.

10. PERIODIC REPORTS

10A. REPORT ON THE RESULTS OF THE THIRD CYCLE OF THE PERIODIC

REPORTING EXERCISE IN THE ARAB STATES

Decision: 44 COM 10A

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined document WHC/21/44COM/10A,
2. Recalling Decisions 41 COM 10A, 42 COM 10A and 43 COM 10B adopted at its 41st
(Krakow, 2017), 42nd (Manama, 2018), and 43rd (Baku, 2019) sessions respectively,
3. Commends the efforts of States Parties in the Arab States region in the completion and
submission of Section I, and the very high level of completion and submission of Section II
of the Periodic Reporting questionnaire;
4. Expresses its sincere appreciation to the authorities of Bahrain and Egypt for hosting
training workshops, in collaboration with the World Heritage Centre and the Arab Regional
Centre for World Heritage (ARC-WH), in the framework of the Third Cycle of Periodic
Reporting exercise;
5. Also expresses its sincere appreciation to the significant support provided by ARC-WH in
facilitating the Periodic Reporting exercise in the Region;
6. Welcomes with satisfaction the Third Cycle Regional Report in the Arab States region and
encourages the States Parties to widely disseminate it among all relevant stakeholders in
the Region;
7. Takes note of the planned publication of the Third Cycle Periodic Report in the Arab States
region in the World Heritage paper series, subject to the availability of funding resources,
and invites States Parties to contribute financially for this purpose;
8. Endorses the Third Cycle Regional Action Plan and its three Strategic Objectives, and takes
note with appreciation of the joint efforts by the World Heritage Centre, the World Heritage
national focal points and sites managers, ARC-WH, and the Advisory Bodies to produce an
Action Plan framework in adaptable format, in order to facilitate its appropriation and
integration by the States Parties;
9. Also encourages the States Parties to appropriate the Action Plan and integrate relevant
actions in country or site-specific action plans, as well as to collaborate to ensure the
implementation of joint actions;
10. Requests the World Heritage Centre, in collaboration with the Advisory Bodies, ARC-WH,
and other relevant partners, to provide technical support to States Parties in implementing
the Action Plan, when feasible;
11. Also requests the World Heritage Centre to monitor the implementation of the Regional
Action Plan in view of preparing a mid-cycle assessment report to be presented to World
Heritage Committee after three years;

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of the World Heritage Committee
12. Further requests the World Heritage Centre to prepare a progress report on the follow-up
of the Third Cycle of Periodic Reporting in the Region for examination at its 46th session.

10B. REPORT ON THE RESULTS OF THE THIRD CYCLE OF THE PERIODIC

REPORTING EXERCISE IN AFRICA

Decision: 44 COM 10B

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined document WHC/21/44COM/10B,
2. Recalling Decisions 41 COM 10A and 43 COM 10B adopted at its 41st (Krakow, 2017) and
43rd (Baku, 2019) sessions respectively;
3. Notes with satisfaction that all States Parties of the Africa region participated in the
completion and submission of Section I (State Party level) and Section II (World Heritage
property level) of the Periodic Reporting questionnaire;
4. Commends the authorities of South Africa, Côte d’Ivoire and Kenya for hosting sub-regional
workshops for the Third Cycle of Periodic Reporting exercise;
5. Thanks the African World Heritage Fund (AWHF), Regional Coordinator and Mentors,
Advisory Bodies as well as the World Heritage Centre for their continuous support
throughout the exercise; also thanks all national focal points and World Heritage site
managers for their commitment and participation throughout the Third Cycle of Periodic
Reporting exercise despite the challenging situation of the COVID-19 pandemic;
6. Welcomes with satisfaction the Third Cycle Regional Report in the Africa region and
encourages all States Parties to widely disseminate among all relevant stakeholders in the
region, and takes note of the possible publication of the Third Periodic Report in the Africa
region in the World Heritage paper series, if the financial situation permits and encourages
States Parties to contribute financially for this purpose;
7. Endorses the Third Cycle Regional Action Plan and its five Strategic Objectives
recommended by the States Parties following the Final Regional Workshop of February
2021;
8. Encourages States Parties to appropriate the Regional Action Plan into their national, sub-
regional and regional heritage strategies and requests the World Heritage Centre in
collaboration with Advisory Bodies, and other partners, to support States Parties in its
implementation;
9. Further encourages the States Parties to initiate regular meetings at regional and/or sub-
regional level to ensure continuous monitoring in the implementation of the Action Plan;
10. Thanks the Governments of China, Flanders (Belgium), France, Japan, the Netherlands,
Norway, Sultanate of Oman and the European Union for their contributions towards
supporting the implementation of the Third Cycle Action Plan in Africa;
11. Welcomes the commitment and support of the AWHF to assist the African States Parties in
the implementation of the Action Plan and calls upon African States Parties to provide
financial and human resource support to the AWHF;
12. Further requests the World Heritage Centre to monitor the implementation of the Regional
Action Plan in view of preparing a mid-cycle assessment report;
13. Finally requests the World Heritage Centre to prepare a progress report on the Third Cycle
of Periodic Reporting for examination at its 46th session.

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of the World Heritage Committee
10C. PROGRESS REPORT ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ACTION PLANS
FOR THE SECOND CYCLE OF PERIODIC REPORTING IN ALL REGIONS

Decision: 44 COM 10C.1

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/10C,
2. Recalling Decision 43 COM 10A.1 adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
3. Welcomes the progress made in the follow-up of the Second Cycle of Periodic Reporting in
the region of Asia and the Pacific;
4. Thanks the Governments of China, Japan, the Netherlands and the Republic of Korea as
well as the European Union for their contributions towards supporting follow-up activities to
the Second Cycle of Periodic Reporting in the region of Asia and the Pacific;
5. Takes note of the progress made on the Silk Roads nomination process, initiated by the
Asian States Parties in collaboration with the World Heritage Centre, and commends the
fruitful international cooperation between the national institutions of various States Parties
in the region;
6. Notes that the Third Cycle of Periodic Reporting is currently ongoing in the region of Asia
and the Pacific, and reiterates its encouragements to States Parties to implement follow-up
activities from the Second Cycle ahead of the development of new Action Plans, in close
collaboration with the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies, and to seek any
additional means necessary to do so;
7. Reminds States Parties that have not yet done so to submit Retrospective Statements of
Outstanding Universal Value by 1 February 2022, as well as clarifications of boundaries by
1 December 2021 at the latest, for review by the Advisory Bodies and consideration at the
upcoming sessions of the Committee.

Decision: 44 COM 10C.2

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/10C,
2. Recalling Decision 43 COM 10A.2, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019);
3. Welcomes the progress made in the follow-up of the Second Cycle of Periodic Reporting in
the Africa region;
4. Thanks the Governments of China, Norway, Flanders (Belgium), France, the Netherlands,
Hungary, Japan, Italy and Oman, the European Union and the European Commission and
the African World Heritage Fund (AWHF) for their contributions towards supporting follow-
up activities to the Second Cycle of Periodic Reporting in Africa;
5. Notes with appreciation the follow-up activities to the Ngorongoro Declaration, and also
commends the World Heritage Centre for addressing the urgent need to build African
capacities in a sustainable way through the involvement of African educational institutions
in the implementation of the World Heritage Convention and sustainable development as
well as the AWHF, the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies and their partners,
for the continued implementation of the World Heritage nomination support programme in
Africa;
6. Thanks all the African States Parties for their commitment and contribution to the
implementation of the Second Cycle of Periodic Reporting in the Africa region;

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of the World Heritage Committee
7. Further reminds States Parties who have not already done so, to submit their Retrospective
Statements of Outstanding Universal Value by 1 February 2022 at the latest, as well as
clarifications of boundaries by 1 December 2021 at the latest;
8. Requests the World Heritage Centre, in collaboration with the Advisory Bodies, the AWHF,
and with the support of States Parties, to continue its efforts to coordinate and implement
the regional Capacity-Building Programme according to the adopted Third Cycle Regional
Action Plan 2021-2027.

Decision: 44 COM 10C.3

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/10C,
2. Recalling Decision 43 COM 10A.3 adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019);
3. Welcomes the progress made in the follow-up of the Second Cycle of Periodic Reporting
for the Arab States;
4. Thanks the Arab Regional Centre for World Heritage for its contribution towards supporting
follow-up activities to the Second Cycle of Periodic Reporting in the Arab States;
5. Invites the Arab States to increase their cooperation with the World Heritage Centre in order
to reinforce the capacities of the national heritage professionals in the field of conservation
and management of the World Heritage properties;
6. Notes with concern that the safeguarding of cultural and natural heritage in countries of the
region which are affected by conflicts remains one of the priorities and requires more human
and financial resources;
7. Reminds the Arab States which have not already done so to submit their Retrospective
Statements of Outstanding Universal Value by 1 February 2022 at the latest, as well as
clarifications of boundaries by 1 December 2021 at the latest.

Decision: 44 COM 10C.4

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/10C,
2. Recalling Decision 43 COM 10A.4, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019),
3. Welcomes the progress made in the follow-up of the Second Cycle of Periodic Reporting
for Latin America and the Caribbean;
4. Expresses its appreciation to the States Parties of the region for their contribution to the
monitoring undertaken by the World Heritage Centre in 2018 regarding the implementation
of the Regional Action Plan for World Heritage in Latin America and the Caribbean
(PARALC) 2014-2024, and encourages them to continue their efforts to address the priority
actions and expected results identified in the PARALC, keeping the World Heritage Centre
informed on significant advances or challenges;
5. Notes with appreciation the biennial Work Plan 2021-2022 by the Lucio Costa Centre for
Capacity Building on Heritage Management (C2C-LCC), Category 2 Centre under the
auspices of UNESCO, for the implementation of capacity-building and other training
activities in the framework of the sub-regional Action Plan for World Heritage in South
America 2015-2020 (PAAS), and strongly encourages the Category 2 Centre to continue its
implementation of this agenda, in cooperation with the World Heritage Centre, and support
other relevant activities related to World Heritage among its member countries;

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of the World Heritage Committee
6. Further encourages the Regional Institute for World Heritage in Zacatecas in Mexico,
Category 2 Centre under the auspices of UNESCO, to continue the implementation of its
annual Work Plan developed, which includes important capacity-building activities
prioritized within the framework of the Action Plan for World Heritage in Mexico and Central
America (PAMAC) 2018-2023, and continue its collaboration with the World Heritage Centre
in this regard;
7. Reminds the States Parties of the region which have not already done so to submit their
Retrospective Statements of Outstanding Universal Value by 1 February 2022 at the latest,
as well as clarifications of boundaries by 1 December 2021 at the latest;
8. Requests the World Heritage Centre to present a progress report on the implementation of
the Action Plan for Latin America and the Caribbean at its 45th session.

Decision: 44 COM 10C.5

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/10C;
2. Recalling Decision 43 COM 10A.5, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019);
3. Notes that some further progress has been made in the follow-up of the Second Cycle of
Periodic Reporting for Europe and North America;
4. Welcomes the progress made in finalizing Retrospective Statements of Outstanding
Universal Value in Europe, nevertheless, reminds the States Parties of the Europe region
which have not already done so to submit their Retrospective Statements of Outstanding
Universal Value by 1 February 2022 at the latest, as well as clarifications of boundaries by
1 December 2021 at the latest;
5. Reiterating that the follow-up of the Second Cycle of Periodic Reporting has considerable
resource and workload implications, therefore, encourages States Parties to financially
support a brief reflection survey as preparation for the Third Cycle of Periodic Reporting in
Europe and North America also as follow-up to the Helsinki Action Plan Monitoring Survey
of 2016 and the assessment for results of the 2015 sub-regional Action Plan for North
America.
6. Requests the World Heritage Centre to present a progress report on the implementation of
the Action Plan for the Second Cycle of Periodic Reporting for Europe at its 45th session.

10D. PROGRESS REPORT ON THE THIRD CYCLE OF PERIODIC REPORTING IN

THE OTHER REGIONS

Decision: 44 COM 10D

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/10D,
2. Recalling Decisions 41 COM 10A, 42 COM 10A, 43 COM 10A.1 and 43 COM 10B adopted
at its 41st (Krakow, 2017), 42nd (Manama, 2018) and 43rd (Baku, 2019) sessions
respectively,
3. Welcomes the update and development of training tools, including the Periodic Reporting
online platform as well as guidance, by the Secretariat to facilitate and improve the exercise
at a local and regional levels and commends the Secretariat for the development of the
Periodic Reporting online tools;

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of the World Heritage Committee
4. Notes with appreciation the successful start of the Third Cycle of Periodic Reporting in the
Asia and the Pacific region;
5. Thanks the Republic of Korea for the support provided via its Funds-in-Trust agreement at
UNESCO, for the implementation of Periodic Reporting capacity-building activities in the
region of Asia and the Pacific;
6. Welcomes the commitment and involvement of Category 2 Centres to facilitate this exercise
in the region of Asia and the Pacific, notably the World Heritage Institute of Training and
Research for the Asia and the Pacific Region (WHITR-AP), the Centre on Space
Technologies for Natural and Cultural Heritage (HIST), and the Centre of World Natural
Heritage Management and Training for the Asia and the Pacific region (Dehradun);
7. Takes note of the fact that Asia and the Pacific is the first region to undertake the Periodic
Reporting exercise exclusively online, commends the World Heritage Centre for adapting
all scheduled activities, outreach strategies and training contents for online delivery without
changing the schedule of the exercise, and thanks Periodic Reporting stakeholders in Asia
and the Pacific for adapting to these new modalities;
8. Also welcomes the preparations undertaken by the Secretariat prior to the start of the Third
Cycle of Periodic Reporting in the Latin America and the Caribbean region in September
2021 and the commitment of the Regional World Heritage Institute in Zacatecas and the
Regional Heritage Management Training Centre “Lucio Costa” to facilitate the reporting
exercise in the Region;
9. Requests the World Heritage Centre to submit a progress report on the preparation of Third
Cycle of Periodic Reporting in the regions, at its next session.

11. FOLLOW-UP TO RECOMMENDATIONS OF EVALUATIONS AND

AUDITS ON WORKING METHODS AND OUTCOMES OF THE
AD-HOC WORKING GROUP

Decision: 44 COM 11

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/11,
2. Recalling Decisions 42 COM 12A, 43 COM 8 and 43 COM 12 adopted at its 42nd (Manama,
2018) and 43rd (Baku, 2019) sessions respectively,
3. Expresses appreciation to the Ad-hoc Working Group, the State Party of the People’s
Republic of China for its commitment and able leadership, the World Heritage Centre, the
Advisory Bodies and the geographically and gender balanced small expert drafting group,
for its work and recommendations;
4. Endorses the recommendations of the Ad-hoc Working Group, and requests that:
a) The World Heritage Centre, subject to available funding, in cooperation with the
Advisory Bodies, develop guidance and related training courses for the States Parties
at the regional level to present the changes to the nomination process, and ensure
the constructive dialogue and support for States Parties in the implementation of the
reform,
b) The World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies update the Resource Manual for
Preparing World Heritage Nominations and encourages States Parties to contribute
to this end;

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of the World Heritage Committee
5. Convinced that the most appropriate means for restoring and enhancing the credibility and
balance of the World Heritage List is, inter alia, the development of high quality nominations
for sites which have a strong potential to succeed, through enhanced dialogue between the
States Parties and the Advisory Bodies from a very early stage,
6. Decides to adopt the reformed nomination process, with the Preliminary Assessment as a
first phase of the nomination process, and with the current mechanism - as described in the
current paragraph 128 of the Operational Guidelines - as a second phase;
7. Also decides to extend the mandate of the Ad-hoc Working Group, in two sub-groups, to be
composed of members of the Committee and up to two non-members per Electoral Group,
including the Committee members outgoing in 2021, to:
Sub-group 1:
Analyse and propose sustainable and innovative solutions – including the cost-sharing
mechanism described in Paragraph 168bis of the Operational Guidelines - for financing of
the nomination process including the Preliminary Assessment, with the aim to improve
transparency, cost efficiency and identify possible synergies, overlaps and potential cost-
saving measures to be taken into account in the reformed evaluation cycle;
Sub-group 2:
a) Analyse and present concrete proposals on the following:
(i) Ensuring long term financial sustainability of all current and potential new
Convention funds,
(ii) Transparency, efficiency and potential cost savings on the use of Convention
financial resources (World Heritage Fund, UNESCO regular budget, and
voluntary contributions),
(iii) Mapping of current and potential additional advisory service providers, with a
view to improving geographical balance,
(iv) The possibility of exploring the criteria and governance under which the
Committee may cooperate with international and non-governmental
organizations in accordance with Articles 13.7 and 14.2 of the Convention as
well as Paragraph 38 of the Operational Guidelines;
b) Continue dialogue regarding feasible procedures related to Article 11.3 of the
Convention;
8. Further decides that the Ad-hoc Working Group shall work in consultation with the World
Heritage Centre, Advisory Bodies and, as appropriate, relevant stakeholders, and requests
the submission of the documents described in Decision 44 COM 14 Paragraph 22 as well
as other relevant documents and background information to facilitate the work of the Ad-
hoc Working Group, and submit its report and recommendations to the 45th session of the
Committee.

12. REVISION OF THE OPERATIONAL GUIDELINES

Decision: 44 COM 12

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/12,

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of the World Heritage Committee
2. Recalling Decision 43 COM 12 adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019), which recognized
the importance of the overarching objective of the reform of the nomination process as a
key measure for restoring the balance and the credibility of the World Heritage List and
which decided to endorse the principle of a two-phase nominations process, with the aim to
help improve the quality of nominations and strengthen dialogue between States Parties
and the Advisory Bodies,
3. Expresses its appreciation to the Ad-hoc Working Group, the State Party of the People’s
Republic of China for its commitment and able leadership, the World Heritage Centre, the
Advisory Bodies and the geographically and gender balanced small expert drafting group,
for their work and recommendations;
4. Notes that the proposed revisions to the Operational Guidelines have been prepared on the
basis of the outcomes of the online survey of States Parties and other relevant stakeholders
of the Convention on the Nomination Process and the recommendations of the reflection
meeting of experts (Tunis, 2019) and have been reviewed, amended and endorsed by the
2021 Ad-hoc Working Group;
5. Further notes that the transition period for introducing the Preliminary Assessment
commences with the first deadline for submission of voluntary Preliminary Assessment
requests by 15 September 2023;
6. Also takes note that the transition period will end in 2027, and that the Preliminary
Assessment will be mandatory, meaning that only nominations with a Preliminary
Assessment will be examined by the World Heritage Committee from 2028 onwards;
7. Decides on the basis of the aforementioned Preliminary Assessment and related transition
period to adopt the proposed revision of the Operational Guidelines and further decides that
Annex 5 will enter into force on 2 February 2022.

13. INTERNATIONAL ASSISTANCE

Decision: 44 COM 13

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/13,
2. Decides not to approve the International Assistance request from Madagascar entitled
“Support for the removal of the Atsinanana Rainforests property from the List of World
Heritage in Danger as decided by the World Heritage Committee”;
3. Encourages the State Party of Madagascar to evaluate the outcomes of the implementation
of the previous International Assistance request approved in 2010 for the Rainforests of the
Atsinanana, and to submit a new International Assistance request focused on the fight
against illegal logging and trade of rosewood which are the main reasons for retaining the
property on the List of World Heritage in Danger;
4. Decides to approve the following International Assistance requests:
a) “Support for Heritage Impact Assessment to protect World Heritage in Lao PDR” (Lao
PDR) for an amount of US$ 44,500 under the Conservation & Management-Culture
budget. Flexibility is granted within the budget lines dedicated to travel and meetings,
in order to accommodate possible adjustments in the implementation of the activities
made necessary by the sanitary context related to the Covid-19 pandemic ;
b) “Reparation and strengthening of the staircases to the frescos, the visitor platform,
the wind-corridor metal bridge and the fragmented rock slabs of the lion staircase of

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of the World Heritage Committee
 the Sigiriya rock of the Sigiriya Ancient City” (Sri Lanka) for an amount of US$ 91,212
under the Conservation & Management-Culture budget;
c) “Strengthening the Capacities to Manage the Cultural Heritage of the Ohrid Region:
GIS Database Development Training for the Institute and Museum-Ohrid” (North
Macedonia) for an amount of US$ 55,000 under the Conservation & Management-
Nature budget, as authorized by paragraph 240 of the Operational Guidelines.
Flexibility is granted within the budget lines dedicated to travel and meetings, in order
to accommodate possible adjustments in the implementation of the activities made
necessary by the sanitary context related to the Covid-19 pandemic. The profile of the
national experts to be involved in the project will be be further clarified in a dialogue
between World Heritage Centre and State Party at the time of implementation, as well
as the work of the international experts, which could be distributed throughout the
project;
5. Decides that the Emergency Assistance budget for 2020-2021 can be increased by a
maximum amount of US$ 124,000 from the operating reserve in order to reach a maximum
of US$ 524,000, if the initial budget of US$ 400,000 is not sufficient;
6. Recalling Decision 43 COM 13, paragraph 4, strongly appeals to all States Parties to make
voluntary contributions for International Assistance by choosing among the options
described in Resolution 19 GA 8;
7. Encourages States Parties considering preparation of International Assistance requests to
contact the World Heritage Centre for advice either on the topic and/or on the technicalities
of their International Assistance requests well ahead the annual deadline of 31 October.

14. PRESENTATION OF THE FINAL ACCOUNTS OF THE WORLD

HERITAGE FUND FOR 2018-2019, REPORT ON THE EXECUTION
OF THE BUDGET FOR THE BIENNIUM 2020-2021, BUDGET
PROPOSAL OF THE WORLD HERITAGE FUND UNDER THE
BIENNIUM 2022-2023 AND FOLLOW-UP TO DECISION 43 COM 14

Decision: 44 COM 14

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/14,
2. Recalls that the payment of compulsory and assessed voluntary contributions is, as per
Article 16 of the World Heritage Convention, an obligation incumbent on all States Parties
which have ratified the Convention and calls upon all States Parties, which have not yet
paid the totality of their Assessed Contributions, including Voluntary Contributions in
accordance with Article 16.2 of the Convention, to ensure that their contributions are paid
in the best of time to enable planning and optimum utilization;
3. Noting that supplementary Voluntary Contributions increase the level of future World
Heritage Fund budget, warmly thanks those States Parties which have already made such
contributions in 2020 and in the past years and also calls upon all States Parties to consider
allocating supplementary unrestricted Voluntary Contributions to the World Heritage Fund,
either on the basis of one of the options recommended by the General Assembly of States
Parties to the World Heritage Convention at its 19th session (2013), or by paying a voluntary
annual fee for each property inscribed on the World Heritage List;

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of the World Heritage Committee
4. Thanks the States Parties and private entities that have contributed to World Heritage Fund
and its activities and invites other States Parties and private entities to contribute similarly;
5. Notes with appreciation the financial and in-kind contributions provided by the Chinese
authorities for the organization of the extended 44th session of the World Heritage
Committee;
6. Also recalls that the sustainability of the World Heritage Fund and overall funding for World
Heritage are strategic issues and a shared responsibility which concerns all States Parties
and relevant partners, affecting the overall credibility of the World Heritage Convention,
including effectiveness and efficiency of World Heritage protection everywhere;

Part I: Implementation of the budget for the biennia 2018-2019 and 2020-2021
7. Takes note of the statement of accounts of the World Heritage Fund for 2018-2019 as of 31
December 2019;
8. Also takes note of the statement of accounts of the World Heritage Fund for 2020-2021 as
of 31 December 2020;
9. Approves the reallocation of US$ 30,000 from budget line “Advisory Missions” to budget
line “Studies and Evaluations” under the 2020-2021 budget in order to serve as seed money
for the evaluation of the World Heritage Capacity Building Strategy requested by Decision
43 COM 6 (Baku, 2019) and the development of a new Capacity Building Strategy (Decision
44 COM 6);

Part II: Preparation of the budget for the biennium 2022-2023

10. Approves the budget for the World Heritage Fund for the biennium 2022-2023 and its
corresponding breakdown as shown in Annex VI of Document WHC/21/44.COM/14;
11. Recalling Decision 43 COM 12 which recognized the importance of the overarching
objective of the reform of the nomination process as a key measure for restoring the balance
and credibility of the World Heritage List and which decided to endorse the principle of a
two-phase nomination process, with the aim to help improve the quality of nominations and
strengthen dialogue between States Parties and the Advisory Bodies,
12. Takes note of the estimated costs of the Preliminary Assessment as described in Annex VII
of Document WHC/21/44.COM/14 and being mindful of the fact that the Preliminary
Assessment constitutes the first phase of a two-phase nomination process and as such its
full budgetary implications can only be understood in the context of the nomination process
as a whole;
13. Considers that the integration of the Preliminary Assessment in the framework of the
nomination process as a first phase should lead to reduced costs in the second phase;
14. Recognizes that further clarification is needed about the overall cost of the nomination
process and of the impact of absorbing it into the existing budget which would have overall
consequences on the implementation of the Convention, in particular on the Advisory
Services;
15. Takes note that the transition period for introducing the Preliminary Assessment
commences with the first deadline for submission of voluntary Preliminary Assessment
requests by 15 September 2023;
16. Further takes note that the transition period will end in 2027, and that the total financial
implications of the Nomination Reform will have to be reflected in the budget for the
biennium 2024-2025, with the full budgetary effects to be reflected in the budget for the
biennium 2026-2027 upon agreement by the Committee;
17. Considers that if the available funding for processing of Preliminary Assessment requests
received by 15 September 2023 is insufficient, priority should be given to Preliminary

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of the World Heritage Committee
 Assessment requests coming from LDCs, States Parties with no properties inscribed on the
World Heritage List, Natural and Mixed properties, States Parties with fewer than five
properties inscribed on the World Heritage List; Preliminary Assessment requests which
cannot be processed due to insufficient funding will follow the procedures outlined in the
Operational Guidelines for the second phase of the nomination process in the transition
period;
18. Encourages voluntary contributions for processing of Preliminary Assessment requests, in
compliance with Paragraph 168bis of the Operational Guidelines;
19. Decides to use up to 40% of the funds available in the sub-account for the evaluation of
nominations during the period August 2021-September 2023 to fund the Preliminary
Assessment activities that take place in 2023 and to apply the priority system and modalities
for the Preliminary Assessment requests received by 15 September 2023 as described
above, being mindful that the sub-account shall also be used to support conservation
activities, and also recalling that the source of sustainable funding of the Preliminary
Assessment from 2024 must be identified by the Ad-hoc Working Group, that shall analyse
and propose sustainable and innovative solutions – including the cost-sharing mechanism
described in Paragraph 168bis. of the Operational Guidelines – for financing of the
nomination process including the Preliminary Assessment;
20. Notes that the 50th anniversary of the Convention serves as an opportunity to thoroughly
assess the Convention’s main achievements as well as its main challenges and how to
address them;
21. Recalling Decision 42 COM 14, decides to task the Ad-hoc Working Group in addition to its
mandate related to the Preliminary assessment, to present concrete proposals on the
following:
a) Ensuring long term financial sustainability of all current and potential new Convention
funds,
b) Transparency, efficiency and potential cost savings on the use of Convention financial
resources (World Heritage Fund, UNESCO regular budget, and voluntary
contributions),
c) Mapping of current and potential additional advisory service providers, with a view to
improving geographical balance,
d) The possibility of exploring the criteria and governance under which the Committee
may cooperate with international and non-governmental organizations in accordance
with articles 13.7 and 14.2 of the Convention as well as Paragraph 38 of the
Operational Guidelines;
22. Requests the Secretariat to submit to the Ad-Hoc Working Group a document on the points
referred to in paragraph 21 above, which shall comprise:
a) The results of a survey of the opinions of States Parties,
b) Background information provided by the Secretariat,
c) Observations from the Advisory Bodies, and
d) A Performance Audit from the Internal Oversight Service;
and also requests the Secretariat, subject to the availability of financial resources, to
contract a management consulting firm to prepare an independent assessment on the
points referred to in paragraph 21 above;
23. Further decides that the Ad-hoc Working group shall work in consultation with the World
Heritage Centre, Advisory Bodies and, as appropriate, relevant stakeholders, and submit
its report and recommendations to the 45th session of the Committee;

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Part III: Follow-up to Decision 43 COM 14
24. Also takes note with appreciation of the report on the implementation of the Resource
Mobilization and Communication Plan for 2018-2020;
25. Congratulates the World Heritage Centre for its efforts on extrabudgetary resource
mobilization, encourages all States Parties and invites them to support these initiatives for
the benefit of the Convention;
26. Warmly thanks the States Parties who have contributed to the funding of the evaluation or
monitoring missions undertaken by the Advisory Bodies and to the sub-account on the
evaluation of nominations, and calls upon all States Parties to consider acting the same
way;
27. Also requests the World Heritage Centre to report on the implementation of the World
Heritage Fund and of the Resource Mobilization and Communication Plan for 2018-2021 at
its 45th session.

15. OTHER BUSINESS

No Decision.

16. ELECTION OF THE CHAIRPERSON, VICE-CHAIRPERSONS AND

RAPPORTEUR OF THE 45TH SESSION OF THE WORLD
HERITAGE COMMITTEE

Decision: 44 COM 16

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Recalling its Decision 43 COM 16, adopted at its 43rd session (Baku, 2019), which elected
its Bureau whose mandate will be until the end of its 44th session (Fuzhou/Online, 2021),
2. Recalls that the hosting of a World Heritage Committee session by a Committee member is
subject to the host country signing a host country agreement in conformity with UNESCO’s
rules and regulations and that host country agreements for category II meetings must be
signed eight months in advance of the meeting;
3. Also recalls that, pursuant to Rule 44.3 of the Rules of Procedure of the Committee,
arrangements by the host country to provide interpretation in another language than the
working language of the Committee (English and French), or other official working
languages recognized by the United Nations, should be in compliance with UNESCO’s
rules, regulations and procedures;
4. Decides that its 45th session will take place in Kazan, Russian Federation, from 19 to 30
June 2022;
5. Also decides to elect, in accordance with Rule 13.1 of the Rules of Procedure of the
Committee, its Bureau with the following composition:
a) His Excellency Mr Alexander Kuznetsov (Russian Federation) as Chairperson of
the World Heritage Committee, whose mandate will begin at the end of the extended
44th session of the Committee (Fuzhou/Online, 2021) until the end of the 45th session
of the Committee,

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 b) Spain as Vice-Chairperson of the World Heritage Committee, whose mandate will be
prolonged until the end of the 23rd session of the General Assembly (2021),

Saint Kitts and Nevis as Vice-Chairperson of the World Heritage Committee, whose
mandate will begin at the end of the extended 44th session of the Committee
(Fuzhou/Online, 2021) until the end of the 23rd session of the General Assembly
(2021),

Thailand as Vice-Chairperson of the World Heritage Committee, whose mandate will

begin at the end of the extended 44th session of the Committee (Fuzhou/Online,
2021) until the end of the 45th session of the Committee,

South Africa as Vice-Chairperson of the World Heritage Committee, whose mandate

will begin at the end of the extended 44th session of the Committee (Fuzhou/Online,
2021) until the end of the 45th session of the Committee, and

Saudi Arabia as Vice-Chairperson of the World Heritage Committee, whose mandate

will begin at the end of the extended 44th session of the Committee (Fuzhou/Online,
2021) until the end of the 45th session of the Committee,
c) Ms Miray Hasaltun Wosinski (Bahrain) as the Rapporteur of the World Heritage
Committee, whose mandate will be prolonged until the end of the 23rd session of the
General Assembly (2021);
6. Further decides that the Bureau of the 46th session will be elected at the end of the 45th
session of the Committee in accordance with Rule 13.1 of the Rules of Procedure of the
World Heritage Committee.

17. PROVISIONAL AGENDA OF THE 45TH SESSION OF THE WORLD

HERITAGE COMMITTEE

Decision: 44 COM 17

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/17,
2. Adopts the following provisional Agenda:

PROVISIONAL AGENDA OF THE 45TH SESSION OF THE WORLD HERITAGE

COMMITTEE (KAZAN, 2022)

OPENING SESSION

1. Opening session

2. Admission of Observers

3. Adoption of the Agenda and the Timetable

3A. Adoption of the Agenda

3B. Adoption of the Timetable

Decisions adopted during the extended 44th session WHC/21/44.COM/18, p. 436

of the World Heritage Committee
 REPORTS

4. Report of the Rapporteur of the extended 44th session of the World Heritage
Committee (Fuzhou/Online, 2021)

5. Reports of the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies

5A. Report of the World Heritage Centre on its activities and the implementation of
the World Heritage Committee’s decisions

5B. Reports of the Advisory Bodies

6. Follow-up to the World Heritage Capacity-Building Strategy and Progress report on

the World Heritage-related category 2 centres

EXAMINATION OF THE STATE OF CONSERVATION

7. State of conservation of World Heritage properties

7A. State of conservation of World Heritage properties inscribed on the List of World
Heritage in Danger

7B. State of conservation of World Heritage properties inscribed on the World

Heritage List

ESTABLISHMENT OF THE WORLD HERITAGE LIST AND OF THE LIST OF WORLD

HERITAGE IN DANGER

8. Nomination process

8A. Tentative Lists submitted by States Parties as of 15 April 2022

8B. Nominations to the World Heritage List

8C. Update of the World Heritage List and of the List of World Heritage in Danger

8D. Clarifications of property boundaries and areas by States Parties

8E. Review and approval of retrospective Statements of Outstanding Universal

Value

GLOBAL STRATEGY FOR A REPRESENTATIVE, BALANCED AND CREDIBLE WORLD

HERITAGE LIST

9. Global Strategy for a representative, balanced and credible World Heritage List

9A. Upstream Process

PERIODIC REPORTS

10. Periodic Reports

10A. Report on the results of the Third Cycle of the Periodic Reporting exercise in
Asia-Pacific

Decisions adopted during the extended 44th session WHC/21/44.COM/18, p. 437

of the World Heritage Committee
 10B. Follow-up on the implementation of the Action Plans for the Third Cycle of
Periodic Reporting in the Africa and Arab States regions

10C. Progress report on the implementation of the Action Plans for the Second Cycle
of Periodic Reporting in the other regions

10D. Progress report on the Third Cycle of Periodic Reporting in the other regions

WORKING METHODS AND TOOLS

11. Follow-up to Recommendations of Evaluations and Audits on Working Methods and

outcomes of the ad-hoc working group

12. Revision of the Operational Guidelines

13. 50th Anniversary of the World Heritage Convention

FINANCIAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE ISSUES

14. International Assistance

15. Presentation of the final accounts of the World Heritage Fund for the biennium 2020-
2021, Report on the execution of the World Heritage Fund for the biennium 2022-
2023, Follow-up to Decision 44 COM 14

CLOSING SESSION

16. Other business

17. Election of the Chairperson, Vice-Chairpersons and Rapporteur of the 46th session
of the World Heritage Committee

18. Provisional Agenda of the 46th session of the World Heritage Committee

19. Adoption of Decisions

20. Closing session

18. ADOPTION OF DECISIONS

No decision.

19. CLOSING SESSION

No decision.

Decisions adopted during the extended 44th session WHC/21/44.COM/18, p. 438

of the World Heritage Committee