Decision : 36 COM 7B.83
Kizhi Pogost (Russian Federation) (C 544)

The World Heritage Committee,

1.   Having examined Document WHC-12/36.COM/7B.Add,

2.   Recalling Decision 34 COM 7B.94, adopted at its 34th session (Brasilia, 2010),

3.   Acknowledges the progress made by the State Party in the implementation of the World Heritage Committees decisions and in the restoration works and urges it to continue these efforts in close collaboration with the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies;

4.   Takes note of the results of the reactive monitoring mission of February 2011 and the advisory mission of November 2011 and encourages the State Party to implement their recommendations and to prioritise the implementation of the following actions:

a)  Formally submit to the World Heritage Centre the new proposal of the buffer zone of the property as a request for minor boundary modification, in accordance to paragraphs 163-165 of the Operational Guidelines, by 1 Februray 2013,

b)  Finalize the development of the integrated management plan, including a revised zoning proposal with adequate provisions for the protection of the landscape setting, a tourism strategy, risk preparedness and an archaeological rescue and monitoring strategy, all in consideration of clear boundaries and buffer zone definitions, and to submit the draft plan for review prior to approval,

c)  Update the project schedule and funding requirements upon completion of stage 3 to secure the necessary resources for the conservation, management and protection of the property beyond 2014,

d)  Develop guidelines for interventions to address restoration criteria and issues such as the treatment of elements from various periods, treatment of witness marks, introduction of modern materials, structural reinforcement, among others,

e)  Develop guidelines for the planning and design of new construction to regulate scale, massing and materials to ensure compatibility with the attributes that sustain the Outstanding Universal Value of the property;

5.   Reiterates its concern regarding proposals for new developments in the vicinity of the property, such as new visitor facilities and a new visitor centre and also urges the State Party to halt any developments within the property, its setting and protected areas of the Kizhi Museum-Reserve and Kizhi Island, and to submit to the World Heritage Centre, in conformity with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines, all projects for review and comments prior to their approval;

6.   Requests the State Party to invite a joint World Heritage Centre/ICOMOS reactive monitoring mission in early 2013 to assess the progress made in the restoration works and on the implementation of the above;

7.   Also requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 February 2013, a report on the state of conservation of the property and on the steps taken to implement the recommendations set out above, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 37th session in 2013.