Thematic Studies

ICOMOS undertakes comparative and thematic studies, often with partner organizations, in order to provide a synthesis of current research and knowledge on a specific theme and/or region. In particular, these studies provide State Parties wishing to submit a property for inscription on the World Heritage List with a framework to carry out comparative analyses. See Thematic Studies

---

 

The World Heritage List: Filling the gaps - An Action Plan for the Future

Commonly referred to as the "Gap Report", this 2005 report is the result of a study carried out as part of the Global Strategy for a Balanced, Representative and Credible World Heritage List. Through an analysis of the properties inscribed on the World Heritage List, this publication identifies the categories of sites and the regions that are best and least represented today. It also observes the trends for the future revealed by the tentative lists, before suggesting measures to achieve a better representativeness of the World Heritage List. ICOMOS is currently working on the updating of this study. See the Gap Report

 

Photo: One of Hama's waterwheels on Orontes river (Syria) © Nancy Goldring / ICOMOS

Apart from its responsibilities as to the evaluation and monitoring of World Heritage cultural sites, ICOMOS offers its services to States Parties that encounter difficulties in meeting the requirements of the World Heritage Convention. It can intervene at various stages of the inscription process of a site, namely:

Beforehand: ICOMOS can advise a State Party for a site that has not yet been nominated. At this stage, it can undertake a feasibility study to ascertain whether the property could be a sound future nomination, provide advice on the logic behind the site's boundaries or on the methodology used for the comparative analysis part of the nomination dossier, etc. In no case can ICOMOS participate in the drafting of the actual dossier. Its role is simply to guide the work of the State Party in the right direction. In this regard, ICOMOS encourages States Parties to organize and improve their Tentative List before preparing nomination dossiers. This preliminary work, which ICOMOS can also help with, enables the identification of the most promising properties in the country and the optimization of time and financial resources by concentrating from the outset on the sites most likely to get inscribed on the World Heritage List.

Afterwards: ICOMOS can provide assistance to a State Party that is experiencing specific problems in relation to a site already inscribed on the World Heritage List. For instance, it can give technical advice on issues such as the building of a new development project, the updating of the management plan, the restoration of a monument, etc.

The assistance provided by ICOMOS can take different forms: it generally involves a substantial desk review, an on-site mission and direct discussions with the concerned State Party. After these exchanges, ICOMOS produces a final report to be delivered to the State Party, a copy of which is also sent to the World Heritage Centre. Unlike evaluation and monitoring activities, this service is not automatically funded by the World Heritage Fund. The State Party may, however, submit a request for international financial assistance to the World Heritage Centre.

 

 

 

Reactive monitoring and SOC reports

ICOMOS is actively involved in the reactive monitoring process set up by the World Heritage Committee to ensure an effective protection and conservation of sites. In this regard, it continuously collects and analyzes information regarding the state of conservation of World Heritage properties and the dangers likely to have an impact on their Outstanding Universal Value. This information comes from various sources: reports submitted by States Parties, data provided by third-party organizations or individuals, press articles, etc. All the information is gathered in state of conservation reports (SOC), jointly prepared by the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies once a year. These SOC reports are then presented in the form of a working document to the World Heritage Committee, which then makes requests to States Parties concerning the necessary measures to be taken to safeguard the sites.

---

 

 

 

 

Reactive monitoring missions and practical tools

Upon receipt of a SOC report, the Committee may appeal to ICOMOS for a reactive monitoring mission. Experts are then sent on site to assess the threats to the property’s outstanding universal value and to identify concrete actions to improve its state of conservation. These missions, paid for by the World Heritage Fund, may be carried out conjointly with the World Heritage Centre, IUCN or ICCROM. They lead to the preparation of a mission report, which is revised by the World Heritage Centre and the Advisory Bodies before being transmitted to the State Party. 

To help States Parties deal with threats to World Heritage properties, such as urban development, natural disasters, armed conflicts or mass tourism, ICOMOS also produces studies and practical tools:

• Threats to World Heritage Sites 1994-2004: An Analysis
• Guidance on Heritage Impact Assessments for Cultural World Heritage Properties

[text currently under revision]

A one year and a half evaluation cycle by world heritage experts 

At ICOMOS, the evaluation cycle for nomination dossiers is spread over a year and a half. During this period, the organization uses its network of experts to study the nominated properties using two complementary approaches:

an evaluation mission carried out on site in order to study the authenticity and integrity of the property, its boundaries as well as the factors affecting its protection, conservation and management ;

a desk review to check if the property has Outstanding Universal Value. 

Once this task is completed, the ICOMOS World Heritage Panel gets together to examine the reports provided by the experts. The Panel is composed of the Bureau members of the ICOMOS Board, representatives of the International Scientific Committees and independent experts. It is established annually in accordance with the regions, typologies and historical periods represented in the nomination dossiers.

 

 

Nominations : inscribed, referred back or deferred ? 

With the assistance of advisors designated by ICOMOS, the Panel analyzes the information provided by the experts in their evaluation missions and desk reviews in order to formulate the official ICOMOS recommendations regarding the nominated properties. The four possible recommendations are:

• Inscription: the property is of Outstanding Universal Value and meets the management and protection requirements.
• Referral: the property is of Outstanding Universal Value but the management and protection conditions are not satisfactory. The State Party is asked to submit additionnal information within three years in order to remedy the shortcomings.
• Deferral: the property needs further demonstration of its potential Outstanding Universal Value. The State Party is asked to submit a new nomination dossier. 
• Non-inscription: the property is not of Outstanding Universal Value. 

These recommendations are conveyed to the States Parties and made public six weeks before the annual session of the World Heritage Committee. They are then presented at the session by a representative of ICOMOS in order to help the Committee in its deliberations. It is up to the latter to decide whether to inscribe a site on the List.

 

 Download: ICOMOS evaluation process diagram

 

The International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) is a non-governmental organization responsible for supporting UNESCO in the implementation of the World Heritage Convention.

It is one of the three advisory bodies named in the 1972 Convention, alongside the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the International Center for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property (ICCROM). In this capacity, it provides scientific and professional assistance to the World Heritage Committee on cultural heritage issues. Specifically, it assesses the cultural and mixed (possessing both cultural and natural features) properties put forward for inscription on the World Heritage List and provides reports on the state of conservation of inscribed sites. 

ICOMOS diligently ensures the implementation and intellectual development of the Convention’s principles through a variety of initiatives. To this end, it benefits from a vast professional network consisting of its National Committees, its International Scientific Committees and its individual members, chosen for their competence and experience. It also works in close collaboration with the UNESCO World Heritage Center, IUCN and ICCROM.

 

Photo: ICOMOS Headquarters entrance, Charenton-le-Pont, France © Lucile Smirnov / ICOMOS

 

ICOMOS members are professionals in disciplines concerned with the protection and conservation of cultural heritage. Most professionals travel a great deal within their own countries and abroad, both on business and for pleasure, and these visits frequently take them to towns, monuments, and sites that are inscribed on the World Heritage List. The object of the form provided is to enable members or profesionnals to provide short, informal reports on any observations they have made during their visit to any World Heritage Sites.

The reports will be used primarily to build up a database, to assist the efforts of ICOMOS in its World Heritage work. Where attention is drawn to serious threats to the conservation and integrity of properties on the List, the Secretariat may make use of the reports to initiate corrective action through the World Heritage Committee and UNESCO. It should be stressed that these reports will be treated in strict confidence by the International Secretariat. 

If you are a member of ICOMOS and wish to fill in a World Heritage site visit report, please download the provided form and return it to ICOMOS by e-mail, post or fax to the ICOMOS International Secretariat in Paris.

→ Download report form (Word document)

 

Photo : Urnes Stave Church, Norway © Flickr / karaian