Decision : 36 COM 8E
Adoption of retrospective Statements of Outstanding Universal Value

The World Heritage Committee,

1.   Having examined Document WHC-12/36.COM/8E,

2.   Congratulates States Parties for the excellent work accomplished in the elaboration of retrospective Statements of Outstanding Universal Value for World Heritage properties in their territories;

3.   Adopts the retrospective Statements of Outstanding Universal Value, as presented in the Annex of Document WHC-12/36.COM/8E, for the following World Heritage properties:

• Australia:  Great Barrier Reef; Lord Howe Island Group; Gondwana Rainforests of Australia; Wet Tropics of Queensland; Fraser Island; Australian Fossil Mammal Sites (Riversleigh / Naracoorte); Heard and McDonald Islands; Macquarie Island; Purnululu National Park;
• Bangladesh: Historic Mosque City of Bagerhat;
• Cambodia: Angkor;
• China: Mount Taishan; The Great Wall; Imperial Palaces of the Ming and Qing Dynasties in Beijing and Shenyang; Mogao Caves; Peking Man Site at Zhoukoudian; Jiuzhaigou Valley Scenic and Historic Interest Area; Temple and Cemetery of Confucius, and the Kong Family Mansion in Qufu; Ancient Building Complex in the Wudang Mountains; Historic Ensemble of the Potala Palace, Lhasa; Lushan National Park; Mount Emei Scenic Area, including Leshan Giant Buddha Scenic Area; Old Town of Lijiang; Temple of Heaven: an Imperial Sacrificial Altar in Beijing; Mount Wuyi; Dazu Rock Carvings; Mount Qincheng and the Dujiangyan Irrigation System; Capital Cities and Tombs of the Ancient Koguryo Kingdom; Sichuan Giant Panda Sanctuaries – Wolong, Mt Siguniang and Jiajin Mountains;
• Côte d’Ivoire and Guinea: Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve;
• Democratic People’s Republic of Korea: Complex of Koguryo Tombs;
• Democratic Republic of the Congo: Virunga National Park; Garamba National Park; Kahuzi-Biega National Park; Salonga National Park;
• Egypt: Wadi Al-Hitan (Whale Valley);
• Estonia: Historic Centre (Old Town) of Tallinn;
• Ethiopia: Rock-Hewn Churches, Lalibela; Lower Valley of the Awash; Lower Valley of the Omo; Harar Jugol, the Fortified Historic Town;
• Gambia: Kunta Kinteh Island and Related Sites;
• Gambia and Senegal: Stone Circles of Senegambia;
• Ghana: Forts and Castles, Volta, Greater Accra, Central and Western Regions; Asante Traditional Buildings;
• India: Taj Mahal; Keoladeo National Park; Sundarbans National Park; Nanda Devi and Valley of Flowers National Parks;
• Indonesia: Borobudur Temple Compounds; Prambanan Temple Compounds;
• Islamic Republic of Iran: Bam and its Cultural Landscape;
• Kazakhstan: Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi; Petroglyphs within the Archaeological Landscape of Tamgaly;
• Madagascar: Tsingy de Bemaraha Strict Nature Reserve; Royal Hill of Ambohimanga;
• Malaysia: Gunung Mulu National Park;
• Mali: Timbuktu; Cliff of Bandiagara (Land of the Dogons); Tomb of Askia;
• Mongolia: Orkhon Valley Cultural Landscape;
• Nepal: Sagarmatha National Park; Kathmandu Valley; Chitwan National Park; Lumbini, the Birthplace of the Lord Buddha;
• New Zealand: Te Wahipounamu – South West New Zealand; New Zealand Sub-Antarctic Islands;
• Nigeria: Osun-Osogbo Sacred Grove;
• Pakistan: Archaeological Ruins at Moenjodaro;
• Philippines: Baroque Churches of the Philippines; Puerto-Princesa Subterranean River National Park;
• Republic of Korea: Seokguram Grotto and Bulguksa Temple; Haeinsa Temple Janggyeong Pangeon, the Depositories for the Tripitaka Koreana Woodblocks; Jongmyo Shrine; Changdeokgung Palace Complex; Hwaseong Fortress; Gyeongju Historic Areas; Gochang, Hwasun and Ganghwa Dolmen Sites;
• Solomon Islands: East Rennell;
• Thailand: Historic City of Ayutthaya;
• Turkmenistan: State Historical and Cultural Park “Ancient Merv”; Kunya-Urgench;
• United Republic of Tanzania: Serengeti National Park; Kondoa Rock-Art Sites; 
• Uzbekistan: Historic Centre of Bukhara; Historic Centre of Shakhrisyabz; Samarkand – Crossroad of Cultures;
• Viet Nam: Ha Long Bay; My Son Sanctuary; Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park;
• Zambia and Zimbabwe: Mosi-oa-Tunya / Victoria Falls;
• Zimbabwe: Great Zimbabwe National Monument; Khami Ruins National Monument; Matobo Hills;

4.   Decides that retrospective Statements of Outstanding Universal Value for World Heritage properties in Danger will be reviewed by the Advisory Bodies in priority;

5.   Further decides that, considering the high number of retrospective Statements of Outstanding Universal Value to be examined, the order in which they will be reviewed by the Advisory Bodies will follow the Second Cycle of Periodic Reporting, namely:

• World Heritage properties in the Arab States;
• World Heritage properties in Africa;
• World Heritage properties in Asia and the Pacific;
• World Heritage properties in Latin America and the Caribbean;
• World Heritage properties in Europe and North America.