Decision 44 COM 7B.130

Byblos (Lebanon) (C 295)

The World Heritage Committee,

1. Having examined Document WHC/21/44.COM/7B,
2. Recalling Decisions 42 COM 7B.56 and 43 COM 7B.48, adopted at its 42nd (Manama, 2018) and 43rd (Baku, 2019) sessions respectively,
3. Acknowledges that the Centre for Research and Conservation of Lebanese Cultural Heritage has become operational, and encourages the State Party to carry out further capacity building activities in order to develop the centre as an internationally-acknowledged research and educational facility on archaeological conservation and management practices;
4. Notes that all works on the ‘Diplomatic Club’ touristic beach resort project adjacent to the property have been suspended, as requested in its previous Decision, and that no further archaeological investigations have been conducted since;
5. Reiterates its concern that the project in its current form is not suitable, and also notes that any enhancement of the direct surroundings of the archaeological area must ensure appropriate environmental and archaeological outcomes for the World Heritage property, and that any project planned adjacent to the excavated areas should be subject to a Heritage Impact Assessment prior to any construction;
6. Also notes the efforts of the State Party to clarify the extent of the property at the time of inscription, and requests the State Party, in consultation with the Advisory Bodies, to elaborate and submit a Minor Boundary Modification, in line with Paragraphs 107 and 164 and Annex 11 of the Operational Guidelines;
7. Urges the State Party to implement the recommendations of the 2018 mission report, with particular attention to the following:
   1. Exploring synergies with the UNESCO 2001 Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage and the UNESCO 2003 Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage,
   2. Developing a management plan with provisions for sustainable tourism, conservation activities, and regular maintenance,
   3. Establishing a national data management strategy that ensures making documentation and inventory information available for site management and research at the local level,
   4. Considering the Historic Urban Landscape (HUL) approach for integrating the management plan with the urban development for the old town of Byblos;
8. Also encourages the State Party to submit an International Assistance request to support efforts in the elaboration of needed management tools;
9. Invites the State Party to inform the Committee, through the World Heritage Centre, of any future plans for major restoration or new construction projects that may affect the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property, in accordance with Paragraph 172 of the Operational Guidelines;
10. Also requests the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre, by 1 December 2022, an updated report on the state of conservation of the property and the implementation of the above, for examination by the World Heritage Committee at its 46th session.