International Expert Meeting on World Heritage and Buffer Zones

 (Davos - Switzerland) 
From 11-03-2008   to   14-03-2008

This meeting focuses on problems and best practices concerning buffer zones and issues related to the integrity of properties inscribed on the World Heritage List.

The main objectives of the meeting are to:

• Review the provisions on buffer zones and boundaries in the Operational Guidelines;
• Examine case studies of World Heritage properties, natural, cultural and cultural landscape sites to be presented to the workshop;
• Review background papers by the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies as well as information analyzed through the Retrospective Inventory Project;
• Compile specific recommendations from the working groups and a draft decision for the 32^nd Session of the World Heritage Committee.

The participants are experts and site managers from States Parties to the World Heritage Convention, representatives from the Advisory Bodies to the Convention, IUCN, ICOMOS, ICCROM, representatives of related Conventions and programmes (RAMSAR, MAB) as well as representatives of UNESCO and the World Heritage Centre.

The outcomes of the meeting, including proposals of modifications to the Operational Guidelines of the World Heritage Convention (2005 version) regarding the definition and management of buffer zones, as well as conditions of integrity, will be presented to the 32nd session of the Committee (Québec, July 2008).

The meeting is organized under the auspices of UNESCO by the Swiss Federal Office for Culture, the Swiss Federal Office for Environment and the National Commission of Israel for UNESCO (participation by invitation only).

Contacts: Céline Fuchs (See other contacts below)