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Periodic Reporting



© UNESCO/Valentino Etowar


Access the questionnaire of
the Third Cycle of the Periodic Reporting
(2018-2024)

Third Cycle platform

What is Periodic Reporting?

Periodic Reporting is one of the core conservation monitoring mechanisms of the World Heritage Convention. Every six years, the States Parties are invited to submit to the World Heritage Committee a Periodic Report on the application of the World Heritage Convention in their territory.
Article 29 of the World Heritage Convention
  1. The States Parties to this Convention shall, in the reports which they submit to the General Conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization on dates and in a manner to be determined by it, give information on the legislative and administrative provisions which they have adopted and other action which they have taken for the application of this Convention, together with details of the experience acquired in this field.
  2. These reports shall be brought to the attention of the World Heritage Committee.
  3. The Committee shall submit a report on its activities at each of the ordinary sessions of the General Conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.
 
Operational Guidelines

Periodic Reporting is a self-reporting process and should be led as far as possible by the States Parties in each region. The Secretariat coordinates and facilitates the Periodic Reporting Process at the global level. States Parties may request expert advice from the Advisory Bodies and the Secretariat, which may also (with agreement of the States Parties concerned) commission further expert advice.

How does it work?

The World Heritage Committee has a regional approach to Periodic Reporting in order to promote regional collaboration and to be able to respond to the specific characteristics of each region.

Each year, State Parties of one of the five regions – the Arab States, Africa, Asia and the Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Europe and North America (in this order) – complete and submit both sections of the questionnaire.

The World Heritage Centre compiles regional reports from the data gathered and this is presented to the World Heritage Committee for examination and adoption. The World Heritage Committee also formulates recommendations to State Parties at the regional level, Action Plans are formulated through a collaborative process which often involves site managers, Advisory Bodies and the World Heritage Centre.

The process lasts for a period of approximately six years, and before the start of a new cycle, a Reflection period is initiated to evaluate the Periodic Reporting mechanism.

Periodic Reporting Cycles

Third Cycle (2018-2024)

The questionnaire for the Third Cycle of Periodic Reporting was revised within the framework of the Reflection on Periodic Reporting (2015-2017) and incorporates an extensive number of changes and improvements. As well as countless minor improvements, the major developments include full integration of the Sustainable Development approach, an emphasis on synergies with other conventions and programmes relevant to World Heritage and the creation of a monitoring indicator framework for the implementation of the World Heritage Convention. This new format was adopted by the World Heritage Committee at its 41st session in Krakow, Poland (2017).

Region Reporting period Year of examination of Regional Report by the World Heritage Committee

Number of States Parties
(as of 2020) 

Arab States 2018-2019 2020 2021 19
Africa 2019-2020 2021 46
Asia and Pacific 2020-2021 2022 44
Latin America and the Caribbean 2021-2022 2023 33
Europe and North America 2022-2023 2024 51

Second Cycle (2008-2015)

Two full cycles of Periodic Reporting have been implemented globally, Cycle I (2000-2006) and Cycle II (2008-2015). For more information on the First and Second Cycles specific to a certain region, please click on the links in the table.

Region Reporting period Year of examination  of Regional Report by the World Heritage Committee

Number of States Parties

Arab States 2008-2009 2010 18
Africa 2009-2010 2011 34
Asia and Pacific 2010-2011 2012 36
Latin America and the Caribbean 2011-2012 2013 32
Europe and North America 2012-2015 2014 (North America) 
2015 (Europe)
50

First Cycle (2000-2006)

Participation in Cycle 1
Region Reporting period Year of examination Regional Report by the World Heritage Committee

Number of States Parties involved

Arab States 1998-1999 2000 18
Africa 1999-2000 2001 34
Asia and Pacific 2001-2002 2002 36
Latin America and the Caribbean 2002-2003 2003 28
Europe and North America 2003-2004 2005 (North America)
2006 (Europe)
50

Regional Reports
and Action Plans





Regional
Reports

Having undergone the Periodic Reporting Process, a final report for each Region is prepared for presentation to the World Heritage Committee. The final report forms the baseline for the development of targeted Action Plans at national and regional levels, which respond to the needs, challenges, threats, strengths and opportunities identified and presented as a result of the Periodic Reporting exercise.  

Action
Plans

Action Plans are a tool for setting regional priorities for implementing the World Heritage Convention. It is a way of interpreting and translating the Periodic Reporting data into concrete goals following a set timeline. Site manager and focal point can use the Action Plan to guide, inspire and inform their World Heritage-related work.

Action Plans are formulated through a collaborative process that can involve national focal points, site managers, Advisory Bodies and the World Heritage Centre. From this perspective, the action plan is a user-generated tool that incorporates the specific needs of Site Managers and States Parties.

Periodic Reporting Reflections

After each Periodic Reporting cycle, a period for reflection and evaluation is initiated allowing the periodic reporting mechanism to be assessed and revised as appropriate before a new cycle is initiated. Following the previous two cycles, the process and format of the exercises were revised and updated in the framework of Reflection Periods. The most recent of these was carried out from 2015-2017 and has resulted in a fully revised and updated questionnaire as well as reinforced tools and guidance to support capacity building for Periodic Reporting on the World Heritage Convention.

For more information on how the Periodic Reporting exercise evolved through these Reflection Periods please consult the following pages.

Documents
Events (18)
Decisions (27)
Show 43COM 10B Progress report on the Third Cycle of Periodic Reporting
Show 41COM 10A Report on the Periodic Reporting Reflection (2015-2017) and Launch of the Third Cycle
Show 40COM 10A Progress report on the Periodic Reporting Reflection (2015-2017)
Show 40COM 10B.1 Follow-up to the Second Cycle of the Periodic Reporting Exercise for Asia and Pacific region
Show 40COM 10B.2 Follow-up to the Second Cycle of the Periodic Reporting Exercise for Africa region
Show 40COM 10B.3 Follow-up to the Second Cycle of the Periodic Reporting Exercise for Arab States region
Show 40COM 10B.4 Follow-up to the Second Cycle of the Periodic Reporting Exercise for the Latin America and the Caribbean region
Show 40COM 10B.5 Follow-up to the Second Cycle of the Periodic Reporting Exercise for the Europe and North America region
Show 39COM 10B.1 Follow-up of the second cycle of the Periodic Reporting exercise for the other regions and general reflection on Periodic Reporting
Show 39COM 10B.2 Follow-up of the second cycle of the Periodic Reporting exercise for the other regions and general reflection on Periodic Reporting