Decision : 36 COM 7B.68
Old Town of Galle and its Fortifications (Sri Lanka) (C 451)
The World Heritage Committee,
1. Having examined Document WHC-12/36.COM/7B.Add,
2. Recalling Decision 35 COM 7B.78, adopted at its 35th session (UNESCO, 2011),
3. Regrets that no state of conservation report has been submitted by the State Party since 2009 despite the requests of the Committee at its 34th and 35th sessions and notes that the concerns raised by the 2010 reactive monitoring mission remain unaddressed;
4. Also notes the submission of the Galle Management Plan (2010) by the State Party, and urges the State Party to continue his efforts and develop more detailed Conservation Plans;
5. Expresses its concern at the lack of management system and control, coherent conservation principles and plans, appropriately qualified staff and suitable levels of funding risk which jeopardize the conservation of the property;
6. Strongly urges the State Party to review the buffer zone surrounding the Old Town of Galle, its fortifications and marine archaeology, in the context of protecting its setting from adverse effects of any future development;
7. Reiterates its request to the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, for review by the Advisory Bodies, details of the proposed developments in the port area accompanied by heritage impact assessment detailing potential impact on the Outstanding Universal Value of the property and the newly discovered marine archaeology within the harbour;
8. Requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, in conformity with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines, detailed information concerning any significant new developments before their approval, for review by the Advisory Bodies;
9. Invites the State Party to explore all the possibilities to attract financial and technical assistance for conservation schemes including through international assistance from the World Heritage Fund;
10. Also requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2013, an updated report on the state of conservation of the property and progress with the implementation of the above, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 37th session in 2013.
Decisions Report