At the meeting, members will be elected to the Scientific and Technical Advisory Body. This 12-member committee will be responsible for advising the States Parties to the Convention on scientific and technical issues in the implementation of the Annex to the Convention. The States Parties to the Convention will also draw up criteria for the accreditation of non-governmental organizations authorized to work with this Advisory Body.
They will also make decisions regarding the operational directives of the Convention, notably on mechanisms for cooperation between States, as well as the creation of a special fund to finance initiatives to protect underwater cultural heritage.
The UNESCO General Conference adopted the Convention on the Protection of Underwater Cultural Heritage in 2001. It aims to improve protection of wrecks, archaeological sites, decorated caves and other underwater cultural remains. This international treaty is a response by the international community to the growing pillage and destruction of underwater heritage by treasure hunters. The Convention seeks solutions to preserve our submerged heritage in situ, but, at the same time, aims to improve public access, while encouraging archaeological research. However, the Convention is not intended to settle questions of ownership of relics and does not undermine the sovereign rights of States.
Twenty-seven States* have ratified the Convention on the Protection of Underwater Cultural Heritage, which came into force on 2 January, 2009.
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The press may attend the opening session.
*Albania, Barbados, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Croatia, Cuba, Ecuador, Spain, Grenada, Haiti, Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, Lebanon, Lithuania, Mexico, Montenegro, Nigeria, Panama, Paraguay, Portugal, Islamic Republic of Iran, Romania, St. Lucia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Tunisia, Ukraine.