European Periodic Reporting Dr. Mechtild R

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European Periodic ReportingDr. Mechtild
Rössler(UNESCO World Heritage Centre,
Paris)World Heritage Site Managers Meeting on
Periodic ReportingBrühl, Germany, 9 10 July
2003
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World Heritage Convention

• 1972 adoption
• 1992 strategic orientations
• 1998 Periodic Reporting
• 2002 30th anniversary and strategic goals

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Strategic orientations 1992

1. Promote completion of the identification of the
   World Heritage
2. Ensure the continued representativity and
   credibility of the World Heritage List
3. Promote the adequate protection and management of
   the World Heritage sites
4. Pursue more systematic monitoring of World
   Heritage sites
5. Increase public awareness, involvement and
   support

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World Heritage in Danger

• ALBANIA, Butrint
• Date of Inscription 6/12/1997,
• Naples, 21st Session, of the Committee
• AZERBAIJAN, Walled city of Baku
• Date of Inscription 4/07/2003
• Paris, 27th session of the Committee
• UNITED STATES, Everglades National Park
• Date of Inscription 11/12/1993
• Cartagena, 17th Session of the Committee
• REMOVAL 2003
• BULGARIA, Srebarna Nature Reserve
• Date of Inscription 14/12/1992
• Santa Fe, 16th Session of the Committee
• UNITED STATES, Yellowstone
• Date of Inscription 9/12/1995

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Whats Periodic Reporting
According to article 29 of the Convention

• The States Parties shall submit periodic reports
  every six years on the provisions taken for
• the application of the Convention and
• the state of conservation of the properties
  inscribed in the List in their territories
• The purpose is to
• provide an assessment of the application of the
  Convention and the maintenance of the values of
  the properties inscribed
• give updated information on the state of
  conservation of these properties
• provide a mechanism for regional cooperation.

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The benefit of the Regional Periodic Exercise

• Identify pressing conservation and management
  needs
• Elaborate national and sub-regional strategies
  for addressing these needs
• Strengthen partnership between States Parties,
  specialized agencies, donors, stakeholders for
  implementing the strategies
• Increase national capacity for the conservation
  of World Heritage properties
• Protect and manage the World Heritage values

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Periodic Reporting by regions

• 2000 Arab States
• 2001/02 Africa
• 2003 Asia and the Pacific
• 2004 Latin America and the Caribbean
• 2005/2006 Europe and North America

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Number of States per Region
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Sites per region
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Periodic Reporting

• Europe and North America
• (currently 376 World Heritage sites, 50 States
  Parties)
• 42 States Parties with sites inscribed
  until 1998
• natural sites 38
• mixed sites 7
• cultural sites 252
• Total 297 sites until 1998

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Periodic Reports in Europe and North America

• Periodic Reports for Europe and North America
  will be examined by the World Heritage Committee
  in 2005 and 2006

Year Section I Section II
2005 Europe North America North America
2006 --- Europe
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Section 1

• Section 1 (State Party information) refers to
  the legislative and administrative provisions and
  action taken by the State Party to implement the
  Convention
• Introduction
• Identification of cultural and natural heritage
  properties
• Protection, conservation and presentation of the
  cultural and natural heritage
• International co-operation and fund raising
• Education, information and awareness building
• Conclusions and recommended action

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Section 2

• State of conservation of specific World Heritage
  properties
• Introduction
• Statement of significance
• Statement of authenticity/integrity
• Management
• Factors affecting the property
• Monitoring
• Conclusions and recommended action

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Lessons learnt from other regions

• Format-related problems
• Site specific problems
• Administrative problems
• Process-related problems

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Format-related problems

• - too complicated, extensive, duplications
• Size of the reports
• - Questionnaire (form) developed (Arab States,
  Africa, Asia, and Latin America to facilitate the
  completion of format), different questionnaires
  used reports too large
• - Summaries and synthesis produced for the
  Committee

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Site specific problems

• - incomplete nomination files
• No maps (no core/buffer zones/boundaries)
• Values of the site definition of criteria,
  limited knowledge in State Parties of WH values
• Legal and management framework
• No management plans

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Maps and buffer zones
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Administrative problems

• - Institutional continuity
• Financial resources
• Competence and responsibility of administrative
  levels
• Lack of coordination
• Lack of knowledge of Convention and its
  application and of interest
• Lack of linguistic competences to complete
  reports
• Communication channels

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Process related problems

• Timely identification of national focal points
• Timely reaction to information requests
• late submission of reports and translation
  problems
• Lack of understanding of submission process
  (roles of State Party, Advisory Bodies,
  Secretariat, Committee)
• Involvement of National Commissions and Permanent
  Delegations to UNESCO/Observer Missions

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Solutions?

• - Identify problems at an early stage
• Organize training sessions and international
  assistance
• proactive approach from UNESCO-WHC and active
  national institutions working with UNESCO
• Good coordination on State Parties level
• Development of web-page, which will allow an
  interactive exchange of information
• Participation in international tools for data
  collection

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Site managers Your input is required on SECTION
II!!
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Strategy and timetable overview
SECTION I SECTION II
PHASE I (2002/03) data collection national coordinators prepare web-site and meeting schedule national coordinators to establish list of site managers and contact them
PHASE II (2003) training of national focal points through web-site and meetings Site managers to start process
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PHASE III 2004 review of draft reports for Section I Organization of sub-regional meetings in 2004/05
PHASE IV Completion of Section I (December 2004) 2005 finalization and review of all reports for Section II
PHASE V Committee in June 2005 Completion of Section II (December 2005)
PHASE VI Committee in June 2006
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Phases I and II (2003)

• PHASE I (2002/03)
• data collection national focal points
• prepare web-site and meeting schedule
• Focal points to establish list of site managers
  and contact them
• PHASE II (2003)
• Training of national focal points through
  web-site and national/sub-regional meetings
• Site managers to start process

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Website

• Information on
• background documents the Format for Periodic
  Reporting and the Operational Guidelines,
• the questionnaires used by other regions,
• the timetable of the reporting exercise,
• models for filling in Sections I and II of the
  Periodic Report,
• A tool for the electronic completion of the
  report is under development.
• http//whc.unesco.org/reporting/europe

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Training meetings

• National meetings took place in the UK and Italy,
  in addition to this meeting in Germany others are
  being prepared in France and Spain,
• Sub-regional meetings are foreseen in Russia and
  Hungary
• Other meetings will be organised for South
  Western Europe and South Eastern Europe

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The Periodic Reporting process will permit States
Parties to

• Monitor changes of World Heritage Properties in
  their territories,
• Examine conservation challenges
• Draw conclusions for national strategies to
  enhance World Heritage conservation
• Strengthen the capacity of heritage conservation
  authorities

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This process will permit the World Heritage
Committee to

• Examine changes to World Heritage values on a
  global scale
• Respond to the needs of State Parties and
  formulate recommendations
• Draw conclusions for its own policy and decision
  making as well as international assistance
• Elaborate with States Parties and advisory bodies
  capacity building programmes at the regional,
  sub-regional and national levels

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THANK YOU!

• For all your efforts.
• As your exercise will pave the way for the new
  periodic reporting cycle starting in 2007 for all
  other regions of the world.
• To preserve the outstanding universal values of
  the World Heritage sites on earth..