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World Heritage Cities Programme

The World Heritage Cities Programme aims to assist States Parties in the challenges of protecting and managing their urban heritage.

The World Heritage Cities Programme is one of six thematic programmes formally approved and monitored by the World Heritage Committee. The programme is structured along a two-way process, with 1 the development of a theoretical framework for urban heritage conservation, and 2 the provision of technical assistance to States Parties for the implementation of new approaches and schemes.

Concerned by the multitude of World Heritage Cities facing difficulties in reconciling conservation and development, the World Heritage Committee at its 29th session in Durban, South Africa (July 2005) requested the development of a new standard-setting instrument to provide updated guidelines to better integrate urban heritage conservation into strategies of socio-economic development. The World Heritage Committee relegated this task to UNESCO in view of the fact that such challenges were faced by all historic cities, not only those inscribed onto the World Heritage List, to muster the broadest possible support from the international community, and to underline the role of UNESCO as standard-setting organization.

Events

The World Heritage Cities Programme regularly organises international events that bring together heritage experts, site managers, elected officials and other stakeholders. These events explore topics relevant to heritage conservation and management today, from good practices and case studies to global links between heritage, climate change and sustainable development.

See the full list of events

Capacity-building resources

The World Heritage Cities Programme has developed a number of initiatives to promote peer-to-peer learning and cooperation amongst site managers and key stakeholders in World Heritage Cities. 

Understanding urban heritage

The approach of the HUL Recommendation helps cities balance urban heritage conservation and urban development by understanding urban heritage as a system and a resource for sustainable urban development. This pilot project shows the interconnections between World Heritage and the HUL Recommendation in World Heritage Cities and maps their heritage attributes. 

World Heritage Canopy

Discover the living platform of case studies and practical examples that integrate heritage conservation with sustainable development. Learn more about how local actions can contribute to major global commitments including the World Heritage Convention, the HUL Recommendation and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

World Heritage City Dialogues 

Since the first edition of the World Heritage City Dialogues in 2019, the series has become an online platform for peer-to-peer learning and capacity building, bringing together site managers and local authorities. In 2021, the events focused on the HUL Recommendation as a channel for Climate Action.  

Champions and leaders for historic cities

Learn more about World Heritage Cities thanks to the video messages from elected representatives, site managers, city authorities and other key stakeholders.

Explore

There are more than 300 World Heritage Cities in all five global regions. Browse their diversity and richness through the interactive map.

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News (30)
Events (31)
UNESCO’s World Heritage City Lab
17 Jun 2020 - 26 Jun 2020
Modern Cities Forum
12 Sep 2019 - 13 Sep 2019
Categories
Cities
World Heritage Properties (322)
Ancient City of Bosra Ancient City of Damascus Ancient City of Nessebar Ancient City of Tauric Chersonese and its Chora Ancient Villages in Southern Anhui – Xidi and Hongcun Anjar Antigua Guatemala Aranjuez Cultural Landscape Archaeological Ensemble of Mérida Archaeological Site of Panamá Viejo and Historic District of Panamá Architectural Ensemble of the Trinity Sergius Lavra in Sergiev Posad Arles, Roman and Romanesque Monuments As-Salt - The Place of Tolerance and Urban Hospitality Asmara: A Modernist African City Assisi, the Basilica of San Francesco and Other Franciscan Sites At-Turaif District in ad-Dir'iyah Baalbek Bagan Bam and its Cultural Landscape Bardejov Town Conservation Reserve Bauhaus and its Sites in Weimar, Dessau and Bernau Bisotun Bordeaux, Port of the Moon Botanical Garden (Orto Botanico), Padua Brasilia Bryggen Budapest, including the Banks of the Danube, the Buda Castle Quarter and Andrássy Avenue Byblos Canterbury Cathedral, St Augustine's Abbey, and St Martin's Church Capital Cities and Tombs of the Ancient Koguryo Kingdom Cathedral and Churches of Echmiatsin and the Archaeological Site of Zvartnots Cathedral of Notre-Dame, Former Abbey of Saint-Rémi and Palace of Tau, Reims Cathedral, Alcázar and Archivo de Indias in Seville Cathedral, Torre Civica and Piazza Grande, Modena Central Zone of the Town of Angra do Heroismo in the Azores Church and Dominican Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie with “The Last Supper” by Leonardo da Vinci Church Town of Gammelstad, Luleå Cidade Velha, Historic Centre of Ribeira Grande Citadel, Ancient City and Fortress Buildings of Derbent City of Bath City of Cuzco City of Graz – Historic Centre and Schloss Eggenberg City of Luxembourg: its Old Quarters and Fortifications City of Potosí City of Quito City of Safranbolu City of Valletta City of Verona City of Vicenza and the Palladian Villas of the Veneto Ciudad Universitaria de Caracas Classical Gardens of Suzhou Classical Weimar Collegiate Church, Castle and Old Town of Quedlinburg Colonial City of Santo Domingo Complex of Hué Monuments Coro and its Port Costiera Amalfitana Crespi d'Adda Droogmakerij de Beemster (Beemster Polder) Dutch Water Defence Lines Early Christian Monuments of Ravenna Early Christian Necropolis of Pécs (Sopianae) Episcopal City of Albi Episcopal Complex of the Euphrasian Basilica in the Historic Centre of Poreč Ferrara, City of the Renaissance, and its Po Delta Flemish Béguinages Fort and Shalamar Gardens in Lahore Garrison Border Town of Elvas and its Fortifications Genoa: Le Strade Nuove and the system of the Palazzi dei Rolli Gonbad-e Qābus Gusuku Sites and Related Properties of the Kingdom of Ryukyu Hanseatic City of Lübeck Hanseatic Town of Visby Harar Jugol, the Fortified Historic Town Hebron/Al-Khalil Old Town Himeji-jo Historic and Architectural Complex of the Kazan Kremlin Historic Area of Willemstad, Inner City and Harbour, Curaçao Historic Areas of Istanbul Historic Bridgetown and its Garrison Historic Cairo Historic Centre (Old Town) of Tallinn Historic Centre of Agadez Historic Centre of Avignon: Papal Palace, Episcopal Ensemble and Avignon Bridge Historic Centre of Brugge Historic Centre of Bukhara Historic Centre of Camagüey Historic Centre of Český Krumlov Historic Centre of Cordoba Historic Centre of Évora Historic Centre of Florence Historic Centre of Guimarães Historic Centre of Kraków Historic Centre of Lima Historic Centre of Macao Historic Centre of Mexico City and Xochimilco Historic Centre of Morelia Historic Centre of Naples Historic Centre of Oaxaca and Archaeological Site of Monte Albán Historic Centre of Oporto, Luiz I Bridge and Monastery of Serra do Pilar Historic Centre of Prague Historic Centre of Puebla Historic Centre of Riga Historic Centre of Rome, the Properties of the Holy See in that City Enjoying Extraterritorial Rights and San Paolo Fuori le Mura Historic Centre of Saint Petersburg and Related Groups of Monuments Historic Centre of Salvador de Bahia Historic Centre of San Gimignano Historic Centre of Santa Ana de los Ríos de Cuenca Historic Centre of Santa Cruz de Mompox Historic Centre of São Luís Historic Centre of Shakhrisyabz Historic Centre of Sheki with the Khan’s Palace Historic Centre of Siena Historic Centre of Sighişoara Historic Centre of Telč Historic Centre of the City of Pienza Historic Centre of the City of Salzburg Historic Centre of the Town of Diamantina Historic Centre of the Town of Goiás Historic Centre of the Town of Olinda Historic Centre of Urbino Historic Centre of Vienna Historic Centre of Warsaw Historic Centre of Zacatecas Historic Centres of Berat and Gjirokastra Historic Centres of Stralsund and Wismar Historic City of Ahmadabad Historic City of Ayutthaya Historic City of Meknes Historic City of Sucre Historic City of Toledo Historic City of Trogir Historic City of Vigan Historic City of Yazd Historic District of Old Québec Historic Ensemble of the Potala Palace, Lhasa Historic Fortified City of Carcassonne Historic Fortified Town of Campeche Historic Inner City of Paramaribo Historic Jeddah, the Gate to Makkah Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto (Kyoto, Uji and Otsu Cities) Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara Historic Monuments of Novgorod and Surroundings Historic Monuments Zone of Querétaro Historic Monuments Zone of Tlacotalpan Historic Mosque City of Bagerhat Historic Quarter of the City of Colonia del Sacramento Historic Quarter of the Seaport City of Valparaíso Historic Site of Lyon Historic Town of Banská Štiavnica and the Technical Monuments in its Vicinity Historic Town of Grand-Bassam Historic Town of Guanajuato and Adjacent Mines Historic Town of Ouro Preto Historic Town of St George and Related Fortifications, Bermuda Historic Town of Sukhothai and Associated Historic Towns Historic Town of Zabid Historic Villages of Shirakawa-go and Gokayama Historic Walled Town of Cuenca Historical Centre of the City of Arequipa Historical Centre of the City of Yaroslavl Historical Complex of Split with the Palace of Diocletian Historical Monuments of Mtskheta Hoi An Ancient Town Hwaseong Fortress Ibiza, Biodiversity and Culture Imperial Palaces of the Ming and Qing Dynasties in Beijing and Shenyang Island of Gorée Island of Mozambique Island of Saint-Louis Itchan Kala Ivrea, industrial city of the 20th century Jaipur City, Rajasthan Jewish Quarter and St Procopius' Basilica in Třebíč Jongmyo Shrine Kaiping Diaolou and Villages Kairouan Kasbah of Algiers Kathmandu Valley Kremlin and Red Square, Moscow Ksar of Ait-Ben-Haddou Kulangsu, a Historic International Settlement Kunya-Urgench Kutná Hora: Historical Town Centre with the Church of St Barbara and the Cathedral of Our Lady at Sedlec Kyiv: Saint-Sophia Cathedral and Related Monastic Buildings, Kyiv-Pechersk Lavra L'viv – the Ensemble of the Historic Centre La Chaux-de-Fonds / Le Locle, Watchmaking Town Planning La Grand-Place, Brussels Lamu Old Town Late Baroque Towns of the Val di Noto (South-Eastern Sicily) Le Havre, the City Rebuilt by Auguste Perret Levoča, Spišský Hrad and the Associated Cultural Monuments Levuka Historical Port Town Luther Memorials in Eisleben and Wittenberg M'Zab Valley Major Town Houses of the Architect Victor Horta (Brussels) Mantua and Sabbioneta Mathildenhöhe Darmstadt Medieval City of Rhodes Medieval Town of Toruń Medina of Essaouira (formerly Mogador) Medina of Fez Medina of Marrakesh Medina of Sousse Medina of Tétouan (formerly known as Titawin) Medina of Tunis Meidan Emam, Esfahan Melaka and George Town, Historic Cities of the Straits of Malacca Mines of Rammelsberg, Historic Town of Goslar and Upper Harz Water Management System Monastery of the Hieronymites and Tower of Belém in Lisbon Monastic Island of Reichenau Monticello and the University of Virginia in Charlottesville Monuments of Oviedo and the Kingdom of the Asturias Museumsinsel (Museum Island), Berlin Natural and Cultural Heritage of the Ohrid region Natural and Culturo-Historical Region of Kotor Naval Port of Karlskrona New Lanark Nice, Winter Resort Town of the Riviera Notre-Dame Cathedral in Tournai Old and New Towns of Edinburgh Old Bridge Area of the Old City of Mostar Old City of Acre Old City of Berne Old City of Dubrovnik Old City of Salamanca Old City of Sana'a Old City of Zamość Old Havana and its Fortification System Old Rauma Old Town Lunenburg Old Town of Ávila with its Extra-Muros Churches Old Town of Cáceres Old Town of Corfu Old Town of Galle and its Fortifications Old Town of Ghadamès Old town of Regensburg with Stadtamhof Old Town of Segovia and its Aqueduct Old Towns of Djenné Old Village of Hollókő and its Surroundings Old Walled City of Shibam Ombilin Coal Mining Heritage of Sawahlunto Palace of Westminster and Westminster Abbey including Saint Margaret’s Church Palaces and Parks of Potsdam and Berlin Palau de la Música Catalana and Hospital de Sant Pau, Barcelona Paleochristian and Byzantine Monuments of Thessalonika Pampulha Modern Ensemble Paphos Paris, Banks of the Seine Paseo del Prado and Buen Retiro, a landscape of Arts and Sciences Piazza del Duomo, Pisa Place Stanislas, Place de la Carrière and Place d'Alliance in Nancy Plantin-Moretus House-Workshops-Museum Complex Port, Fortresses and Group of Monuments, Cartagena Portovenere, Cinque Terre, and the Islands (Palmaria, Tino and Tinetto) Portuguese City of Mazagan (El Jadida) Pre-Hispanic City of Teotihuacan Protective town of San Miguel and the Sanctuary of Jesús Nazareno de Atotonilco Provins, Town of Medieval Fairs Punic Town of Kerkuane and its Necropolis Qal’at al-Bahrain – Ancient Harbour and Capital of Dilmun Quanzhou: Emporium of the World in Song-Yuan China Rabat, Modern Capital and Historic City: a Shared Heritage Rachid Karami International Fair-Tripoli Renaissance Monumental Ensembles of Úbeda and Baeza Rio de Janeiro: Carioca Landscapes between the Mountain and the Sea Roman Monuments, Cathedral of St Peter and Church of Our Lady in Trier Roman Theatre and its Surroundings and the "Triumphal Arch" of Orange Roman Walls of Lugo Royal Exhibition Building and Carlton Gardens Røros Mining Town and the Circumference Sacred City of Kandy Saltaire Samarkand – Crossroad of Cultures San Cristóbal de La Laguna San Marino Historic Centre and Mount Titano Santiago de Compostela (Old Town) São Francisco Square in the Town of São Cristóvão Skogskyrkogården Soltaniyeh Speicherstadt and Kontorhaus District with Chilehaus St Mary's Cathedral and St Michael's Church at Hildesheim Stone Town of Zanzibar Strasbourg, Grande-Île and Neustadt Summer Palace, an Imperial Garden in Beijing Susa Syracuse and the Rocky Necropolis of Pantalica Taos Pueblo The Trulli of Alberobello The Great Spa Towns of Europe The Historic Centre (Chorá) with the Monastery of Saint-John the Theologian and the Cave of the Apocalypse on the Island of Pátmos The Historic Centre of Odesa The Porticoes of Bologna The works of Jože Plečnik in Ljubljana – Human Centred Urban Design Timbuktu Tipasa Tiwanaku: Spiritual and Political Centre of the Tiwanaku Culture Tiya Town Hall and Roland on the Marketplace of Bremen Town of Bamberg Town of Luang Prabang Trinidad and the Valley de los Ingenios Tyre University and Historic Precinct of Alcalá de Henares Urban Historic Centre of Cienfuegos Vatican City Venice and its Lagoon Vilnius Historic Centre Vlkolínec Völklingen Ironworks Walled City of Baku with the Shirvanshah's Palace and Maiden Tower Water Management System of Augsburg White City of Tel-Aviv – the Modern Movement White Monuments of Vladimir and Suzdal Works of Antoni Gaudí Würzburg Residence with the Court Gardens and Residence Square
Decisions / Resolutions (6)
Code: 42COM 5A

The World Heritage Committee,

  1. Having examined Document WHC/18/42.COM/5A,
  2. Recalling Decision 41 COM 5A adopted at its 41st session (Krakow, 2017) and Decision 40 COM 5D adopted at its 40th session (Istanbul/UNESCO, 2016),
    General:
  3. Takes note with appreciation of the activities undertaken by the World Heritage Centre over the past year in pursuit of the Expected Result 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”, and the five strategic objectives as presented in Document WHC/18/42.COM/5A; 
  4. Welcomes the proactive role of the Secretariat for enhancing synergies between the World Heritage Convention and the other Culture and Biodiversity-related Conventions, particularly the integration of relevant synergies aspects in the revised Periodic Reporting Format and the launch of a synergy-related web page on the Centre’s website;
  5. Also welcomes the increased collaboration among the Biodiversity-related Conventions through the Biodiversity Liaison Group and focused activities, including workshops, joint statements and awareness-raising;
  6. Takes note of the Thematic studies on the recognition of associative values using World Heritage criterion (vi) and on interpretation of sites of memory, funded respectively by Germany and the Republic of Korea and encourages all States Parties to take on board their findings and recommendations, in the framework of the identification of sites, as well as management and interpretation of World Heritage properties;
  7. Noting the discussion paper by ICOMOS on Evaluations of World Heritage Nominations related to Sites Associated with Memories of Recent Conflicts, decides to convene an Expert Meeting on sites associated with memories of recent conflicts to allow for both philosophical and practical reflections on the nature of memorialization, the value of evolving memories, the inter-relationship between material and immaterial attributes in relation to memory, and the issue of stakeholder consultation; and to develop guidance on whether and how these sites might relate to the purpose and scope of the World Heritage Convention, provided that extra-budgetary funding is available and invites the States Parties to contribute financially to this end;
  8. Also invites the States Parties to support the activities carried out by the World Heritage Centre for the implementation of the Convention;
  9. Requests the World Heritage Centre to present, at its 43rd session, a report on its activities.
    Thematic Programmes:
  10. Welcomes the progress report on the implementation of the World Heritage Thematic Programmes and Initiatives, notes their important contribution towards implementation of the Global Strategy for representative World Heritage List, and thanks all States Parties, donors and other organizations for having contributed to achieving their objectives;
  11. Acknowledges the results achieved by the World Heritage Cities Programme and calls States Parties and other stakeholders to provide human and financial resources ensuring the continuation of this Programme in view of its crucial importance for the conservation of the urban heritage inscribed on the World Heritage List, for the implementation of the Recommendation on the Historic Urban Landscape and its contribution to achieving the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals related to cities as well as for its contribution to the preparation of the New Urban Agenda, and further thanks to China and Croatia for their support for the implementation of the Programme;
  12. Also acknowledges the results achieved of the World Heritage Marine Programme, also thanks Flanders, France and the Annenberg Foundation for their support, notes the increased focus of the Programme on a global managers network, climate change adaptation strategies and sustainable fisheries, and invites States Parties, the World Heritage Centre and other stakeholders to continue to provide human and financial resources to support for the implementation of the Programme;
  13. Further acknowledges the results achieved in the implementation of the World Heritage Sustainable Tourism Programme, in particular the development of the Sustainable Tourism and Visitor Management Assessment tool and encourages States Parties to participate in the pilot testing of the tool, expresses appreciation for the funding provided by the European Commission and further thanks the Republic of Korea, Norway, and Seabourn Cruise Line for their support in the implementation of the Programme’’s activities;
  14. Further notes the progress in the implementation of the Small Island Developing States Programme, its importance for a representative, credible and balanced World Heritage List and building capacity of site managers and stakeholders to implement the World Heritage Convention, thanks furthermore Japan and the Netherlands for their support as well as the International Centre on Space Technology for Natural and Cultural Heritage (HIST) and  the World Heritage Institute of Training & Research for the Asia & the Pacific Region (WHITRAP) as Category 2 Centres for their technical and financial supports and also requests the States Parties and other stakeholders to continue to provide human, financial and technical resources for the implementation of the Programme;
  15. Takes note of the activities implemented jointly by the International Astronomical Union (IAU) and ICOMOS under the institutional guidance of the World Heritage Centre, in line with its Decision 40 COM 5D, further requests the World Heritage Centre to disseminate among the States Parties the second volume of the IAU/ICOMOS Thematic Study on Astronomical Heritage and renames this initiative as Initiative on Heritage of Astronomy, Science and Technology;
  16. Also takes note of the progress report on the Initiative on Heritage of Religious Interest, endorses the recommendations of the Thematic Expert Consultation meetings focused on Mediterranean and South-Eastern Europe (UNESCO, 2016), Asia-Pacific (Thailand, 2017) and Eastern Europe (Armenia, 2018), thanks the States Parties for their generous contribution and reiterates its invitation to States Parties and other stakeholders to continue to support this Initiative, as well as its associated Marketplace projects developed by the World Heritage Centre;
  17. Takes note of the activities implemented by CRATerre in the framework of the World Heritage Earthen Architecture Programme, under the overall institutional guidance of the World Heritage Centre, and of the lines of action proposed for the future, if funding is available;
  18. Invites States Parties, international organizations and donors to contribute financially to the Thematic Programmes and Initiatives as the implementation of thematic priorities is no longer feasible without extra-budgetary funding;
  19. Requests furthermore the World Heritage Centre to submit an updated result-based report on Thematic Programmes and Initiatives, under Item 5A: Report of the World Heritage Centre on its activities, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 44th session in 2020.

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Code: 33COM 7.1

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC-09/33.COM/7.1,

2. Recalling Decision 32 COM 7.2, adopted at its 32nd session (Quebec City, 2008),

3. Taking note with satisfaction of Decision 181 EX/29 adopted by the Executive Board at its 181st session (April 2009) on the preliminary study on the technical and legal aspects relating to the desirability of a standard-setting instrument on the Conservation of the Historic Urban Landscape,

4. Encourages the General Conference to take action at its 35th session (October 2009) aimed at drawing up a new standard-setting instrument in the form of a Recommendation on the Conservation of the Historic Urban Landscape;

5. Requests the Director of the World Heritage Centre to report on this matter at its 34th session in 2010;

6. Welcomes the principle of adopting the concept of Historic Urban Landscape in the text of the Operational Guidelines but requests that further reflection be given before any final decision is made;

7. Also requests the Director of the World Heritage Centre to seek extra-budgetary funds with the aim to convene an Expert Meeting with the mandate to prepare in cooperation with the Advisory Bodies and other professional and academic institutions a draft text for the possible inclusion of the Historic Urban Landscape in the relevant sections of the Operational Guidelines and identify significant case-studies for continuing evaluation and possible inclusion as best practice in an appendix, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 34th session in 2010;

8. Takes note with gratitude of the offer of Brazil to host this meeting in Rio de Janeiro;

9. Further requests the Director of the World Heritage Centre in cooperation with the Advisory Bodies to further identify methods and processes towards the establishment of guidelines on the assessment of the impact of contemporary architectural insertions on the Outstanding Universal Value of World Heritage properties for discussion by the 34th session of the World Heritage Committee in 2010.

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Code: 32COM 7.2

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC-08/32.COM/7.2,

2. Recalling Decision 29 COM 5D, adopted at its 29th session (Durban, 2005) and Resolution 15 GA 7, adopted at the 15th General Assembly of States Parties to the Convention (UNESCO, 2005),

3. Noting decision 179EX/25 regarding a "Proposal by the Director-General for the preparation of a revised recommendation concerning the safeguarding and contemporary role of historic areas" that includes a full preliminary study of the technical and legal aspects of the issue;

4. Commends the Advisory Bodies ICOMOS, ICCROM and IUCN, and partner organizations UIA (International Union of Architects), IFLA (International Federation of Landscape Architects), IFHP (International Federation for Housing and Planning), OWHC (Organization of World Heritage Cities) and the Aga Khan Trust for Culture for their continued support and participation in this important initiative;

5. Requests the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies to prepare a plan of action and timetable, setting out the timeframe for developing new Orientation Guidelines on management of historic urban World Heritage properties including impact assessment tools, for submission to the Committee at its 33rd session in 2009.

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Code: 30COM 12

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC-06/30.COM/12,

2. Recalling Decision 29 COM 12 adopted at its 29th session (Durban, 2005),

3. Emphasizing that setting precise but realistic and measurable results and indicators is essential for effective performance appraisal and monitoring,

4. Takes note of the set of performance indicators of all the World Heritage Thematic Programmes which are structured according to the four Strategic Objectives set at its 26th session (Budapest, 2002);

5. Encourages the Director of the World Heritage Centre to seek appropriate funding for these Thematic Programmes and invites donors to provide financial support to this effort;

6. Further requests a management audit in order to facilitate the development of the strategic plan for reinforcing the implementation of the Convention, and that no management structure changes at the World Heritage Centre should occur until the management audit is completed.

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Code: 29COM 5D

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Annex 2 of Document WHC-05/29.COM/5,

2. Expresses its sincere appreciation to the State Party of Austria, the City of Vienna, the World Heritage Centre, ICOMOS and ICCROM, and to the partner organizations: Organization of World Heritage Cities (OWHC), International federation of Landscape Architects (IFLA), International Union of Architects (IUA) and International Federation for Housing and Planning (IFHP), for their successful collaboration in the organisation of the international conference on “World Heritage and Contemporary Architecture - Managing the Historic Urban Landscape” (Vienna, 12 -14 May 2005);

3. Takes note of the report and welcomes the Vienna Memorandum adopted at the above-mentioned international conference;

4. Encourages States Parties to integrate the notion of historic urban landscape in nomination proposals and in the laboration of management plans of properties nominated for inscription on the World Heritage List;

5. Also encourages States Parties to integrate the principles expressed in the Vienna Memorandum into their heritage conservation policies;

6. Requests the Advisory Bodies and the World Heritage Centre to take into account the conservation of the historic urban landscape when reviewing any potential impact on the integrity of an existing World Heritage property, and during the nomination evaluation process of new sites;

7. Recommends that the General Assembly of States Parties to the Convention at its 15th session (UNESCO, 2005) adopt, on the basis of the Vienna Memorandum, a Declaration on the Conservation of Historic Urban Landscapes;

8. Also recommends that the General Conference of UNESCO adopt a new recommendation to complement and update the existing ones on the subject of conservation of historic urban landscapes, with special reference to the need to link contemporary architecture to the urban historic context.

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Code: 26COM 17.2

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Notes the information contained in working document WHC-02/CONF.202/13B on an analysis of the major conservation issues identified through a review of the international assistance requests, state of conservation reports and the periodic reporting exercise;

2. Further notes the implementation status of the four World Heritage Programmes (Sustainable Tourism, Cities, Earthen Architecture and Forests) adopted by the Committee at its 25th session in December 2001 and initial proposals for future Programmes;

3. Invites the Director-General to develop new Regional Programmes based on the needs specifically identified through the regional periodic reporting exercise with a view to achieve the new Strategic Objectives and to submit these programmes for consideration and adoption at the 27th session of the Committee in June/July 2003;

4. Further invites the Director-General to propose targets (outputs) and a timetable for their implementation.

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