Decision : 35 COM 12A
Strategic Action Plan and Vision for the Convention

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC-11/35.COM/12A,

2. Recalling Decisions 32 COM 10 adopted at its 32nd session (Quebec City, 2008), 33 COM 14A.2 adopted at its 33rd session (Seville, 2009), 34COM 12 adopted at its 34th session (Brasilia, 2010) and Resolution 17 GA 9 adopted at the 17th General Assembly of States Parties (UNESCO, 2009),

3. Notes that the World Heritage Convention is fast approaching a number of important milestones, including its 40th anniversary in 2012, the potential inscription of the 1000th property to the World Heritage List, and near universal ratification and that it is therefore appropriate to reflect on the successes of the Convention and on how it can best evolve to meet emerging challenges;

4. Recognizes the ongoing open-ended and inclusive participation of States Parties, Advisory Bodies, various UNESCO related institutions, programmes and networks, and non-governmental organizations in promoting and implementing the World Heritage Convention, including in relation to the transparent process of reflection on the future directions of the Convention;

5. Also notes that documents relating to the process of reflection on the future of the World Heritage Convention continue to be available for States Parties and other interested organizations at http://whc.unesco.org/en/futureoftheconvention/;

6. Also recalling that a consultative body was established under Rule 20 of its Rules of Procedure, and welcomes the progress made on the reflection on the future of the Convention at the Committee's 35th session (UNESCO Headquarters, 2011);

7. Expresses its appreciation to States Parties, Advisory Bodies, UNESCO Category 2 Centres specializing in cultural and natural heritage, and non-governmental organizations for their written submissions on the overall framework and particular activities that could be contained within the Strategic Action Plan, as well as the Draft Vision;

8. Takes note of the positive progress made in developing the draft Strategic Action Plan and Vision to guide the implementation of the World Heritage Convention over the decade 2012-2022 and the need to continue to reflect on the draft Strategic Action Plan and Vision as well as the activities to be described within the Strategic Action Plan;

9. Requests the Chair of the Consultative Group and the World Heritage Centre to expeditiously streamline and further refine the draft Strategic Action Plan and Vision, taking into account the discussions at the 33rd, 34th and 35th sessions of the World Heritage Committee, written submissions received, as well as the discussions at the 17th General Assembly of States Parties;

10. Decides to transmit the streamlined and refined draft Strategic Action Plan and Vision to the 18th session of the General Assembly of States Parties for consideration;

11. Notes the independent evaluation of the Global Strategy and PACT initiative, and in particular its recommendations (Document WHC-11/35.COM/INF.9A) to be transmitted to the 18th session of the General Assembly of States Parties for careful examination and reflection and requests the World Heritage Centre to seek written comments from States Parties on this document expeditiously for distribution on the World Heritage Centre website at http://whc.unesco.org/en/futureoftheconvention/

12. Also notes the need to develop an Implementation Plan to operationalise the priorities detailed in the Draft Strategic Action Plan and Vision, as well as priorities for international assistance as outlined in paragraph 235 of the Operational Guidelines, and further requests the World Heritage Centre to work with the Advisory Bodies to develop a draft Implementation Plan, including potential sources of funding for actions included within it, for consideration by the 36th session of the World Heritage Committee (2012), drawing upon inter alia the external audits on the implementation of the Global Strategy from its inception in 1994 to 2011 and the Partnership for Conservation Initiative (PACT), other existing strategy documents (such as the World Heritage Capacity Building Strategy and the Disaster Risk Reduction Strategy), as well as the recommendations of the expert working group meetings held on:

• the global state of conservation challenges for World Heritage properties (Dakar, Senegal, 13-15 April 2011),
• decision-making procedures of the statutory organs of the World Heritage Convention (Manama, Bahrain, 15-17 December 2010),
• improvements to 'upstream processes' prior to consideration of nominations by the World Heritage Committee (Phuket, Thailand, 27-29 April 2010),
• the relationship between the World Heritage Convention, conservation and sustainable development (Paraty, Brazil, 29-31 March 2010);

13. Recommends the 18th session of the General Assembly takes note of documents WHC-11/35.COM/12A, WHC-11/35.COM/12B, WHC-11/35.COM/12C, WHC-11/35.COM/12D and WHC-11/35.COM/INF.7C, as part of a summary of the work undertaken in relation to the reflection on the future of the Convention.