Decision : CONF 003 II.4
Opening of the session
The meeting was formally opened by the Prime Minister of Australia, The Rt. Hon. Malcolm Fraser, who welcomed delegates and observers to his country. The Prime Minister referred to the concept of a World Heritage as a profound expression of co-operation between people and a willingness to share, and stated that the World Heritage Convention was an important milestone in the modern history of man's concern, not only for his environment, but also for his cultural roots and origins. The Prime Minister also spoke of the first nominations by Australia for the World Heritage List and of the environmental and conservation concerns of the Australian authorities. The Prime Minister concluded by referring to the challenging task of the Committee in trying to ensure that univers- ally valuable sites and properties from all countries could find a secure place on the World Heritage List.
Original Decision Document