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The World Heritage Committee

The World Heritage Committee meets once a year, and consists of representatives from 21 of the States Parties to the Convention elected by their General Assembly. At its first session, the Committee adopted its Rules of Procedure of the World Heritage Committee.

The Committee is responsible for the implementation of the World Heritage Convention, defines the use of the World Heritage Fund and allocates financial assistance upon requests from States Parties. It has the final say on whether a property is inscribed on the World Heritage List. It examines reports on the state of conservation of inscribed properties and asks States Parties to take action when properties are not being properly managed. It also decides on the inscription or deletion of properties on the List of World Heritage in Danger.

Information

In light of the developments in the world related to pandemic COVID-19, it was decided that the 44th session of the World Heritage Committee, initially scheduled for 29 June - 9 July 2020 would be postponed to a later date.

At its 14th extraordinary session, held online on 2 November 2020, the World Heritage Committee has decided to hold an extended 44th session in June/July 2021 in Fuzhou, China. The exact dates will be determined at a later stage by the Chairperson of the Committee in consultation with the Secretariat.

Please note that the dates of the dispatches of statutory documents for the 44th session will be established, in accordance with the Rules of Procedure, once the exact dates of the 44th session of the Committee are fixed.

14th extraordinary session of the World Heritage Committee

Online Meeting

The 14th extraordinary session of the World Heritage Committee
was held online on 2 November 2020,
from 12 pm to 3 pm (Paris Time, France).

 Access the session page

Strategic Objectives of
the World Heritage Convention

The Five "Cs"

Budapest Declaration (2002): the “four Cs” - The "fifth C" (2007)

Credibility 

Strengthen the Credibility of the World Heritage List.

Conservation 

Ensure the effective Conservation of World Heritage properties.

Capacity-building

Promote the development of Capacity-building measures.

Communication

Increase public awareness, involvement and support for World Heritage through Communication.

Communities

Enhance the role of Communities in the implementation of the World Heritage Convention.

Bureau of the World Heritage Committee

The Bureau consists of seven States Parties elected annually by the Committee: a Chairperson, five Vice-Chairpersons, and a Rapporteur. The Bureau of the Committee coordinates the work of the Committee and fixes the dates, hours and order of business of meetings. The election of the new Bureau will take place at the end of the next session of the World Heritage Committee.

Chairperson: H.E. Mr. Tian Xuejun (China)
Rapporteur:
Ms. Miray Hasaltun Wosinski (Bahrain)
Vice-Chairpersons:
Bahrain, Guatemala, Hungary, Spain, Uganda

World Heritage Committee Members

According to the World Heritage Convention , a Committee member's term of office is for six years, but most States Parties choose voluntarily to be Members of the Committee for only four years, in order to give other States Parties an opportunity to be on the Committee.

The 21 States Parties of the current World Heritage Committee are the following:

Australia, Bahrain, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Hungary, Kyrgyzstan, Mali, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Russian Federation, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Spain, Thailand, Uganda

 Rules of Procedure

Established under the Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage adopted by the General Conference of UNESCO at its seventeenth session on 16 November 1972. The Rules of Procedure were last revised by the World Heritage Committee at its thirty-ninth session (Bonn, 2015). The Rules of Procedure are periodically revised to reflect the decisions of the World Heritage Committee.

Rules of Procedure (July 2015)  Règlement Intérieur (juillet 2015)

Rules of Procedure: Historical Development
Date Title
2015  English  French
2013  English  French
2011  English  French
2010  English  French
2006  English  French
2003  English  French
2001  English  French
2000  English  French
1996  English  French
1979  English  French
1978   English  French
 1977  English  French
Ordinary sessions of the World Heritage Committee

44COM Fuzhou, China (2020)
43COM Baku, Azerbaijan (2019)
42COM Manama, Bahrain (2018)
41COM Kraków, Poland (2017)
40COM Istanbul, Turkey, July / UNESCO’s Headquarters, October (2016)
39COM Germany, Bonn (2015)
38COM Qatar, Doha (2014)
37COM Phnom Penh, Cambodia (2013)
36COM Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation (2012)
35COM UNESCO, Paris (2011)
34COM Brasília, Brazil (2010)
33COM Sevilla, Spain (2009)
32COM Quebec City, Canada (2008)
31COM Christchurch, New-Zealand (2007)
30COM Vilnius, Lithuania (2006)
29COM Durban, South Africa (2005)
28COM Suzhou, China (2004)
27COM UNESCO, Paris (2003)
26COM Budapest, Hungary (2002)
25COM Helsinki, Finland (2001)
24COM Cairns, Australia (2000)
23COM Marrakesh, Morocco (1999)
22COM Kyoto, Japan (1998)
21COM Naples, Italy (1997)
20COM Mérida, Mexico (1996)
19COM Berlin, Germany (1995)
18COM Phuket, Thailand (1994)
17COM Cartagena, Colombia (1993)
16COM Santa Fe, USA (1992)
15COM Carthage, Tunisia (1991)
14COM Banff, Canada (1990)
13COM UNESCO, Paris (1989)
12COM Brasilia, Brazil (1988)
11COM UNESCO, Paris (1987)
10COM UNESCO, Paris (1986)
09COM UNESCO, Paris (1985)
08COM Buenos Aires, Argentina (1984)
07COM Florence, Italy (1983)
06COM UNESCO, Paris (1982)
05COM Sydney, Australia (1981)
04COM UNESCO, Paris (1980)
03COM Luxor, Egypt (1979)
02COM Washington, D.C (1978)
01COM UNESCO, Paris (1977)

Extraordinary
Sessions

14EXTCOM Online (2020)
13EXTCOM UNESCO, Paris (2019)
12EXTCOM UNESCO, Paris (2017)
11EXTCOM UNESCO, Paris (2015)
10EXTCOM UNESCO, Paris (2011)
9EXTCOM UNESCO, Paris (2010)
08EXTCOM UNESCO, Paris (2007)
07EXTCOM UNESCO, Paris (2004)
06EXTCOM UNESCO, Paris (2003)
05EXTCOM UNESCO, Paris (2001)
04EXTCOM UNESCO, Paris (1999)
03EXTCOM UNESCO, Paris (1999)
02EXTCOM UNESCO, Paris (1997)
01EXTCOM UNESCO, Paris (1981)

Decisions (3)
Show 39COM 17 Election of the Chairperson, Vice-Chairpersons and Rapporteur of the 40TH session of the World Heritage Committee (2016)
Show 37COM 18A Provisional Agenda of the 38th session of the World Heritage Committee (2014)
Show 06EXTCOM 3 Revision of the Rules of Procedure of the World Heritage Committee