Azerbaijan hosts annual summit on World Heritage

11-day UNESCO World Heritage Committee summit is being attended by more than 2,500 delegates from 180 countries

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ANKARA (AA) – Azerbaijan is hosting 43rd annual summit of UNESCO World Heritage Committee where representatives of about 180 countries are participating.

According to Azeri media, the session commenced on June 30 and the ongoing annual summit in Baku will review 36 candidate nominees which will be, if passed, inscribed on UNESCO's World Heritage List.

A total of 42 nominations were made for the current summit.

“28 of the nominated files belong to the cultural site, while 6 are natural and 2 are mixed [nature and cultural] monuments,” News.Az reported.

Besides, UNESCO said that the summit will also examine the state of conservation of 166 sites on the World Heritage List, 54 of which are also on the List of World Heritage in Danger.

Azerbaijan’s First Vice-President Mehriban Aliyeva addressed the opening ceremony which is being attended by more than 2,500 delegates from 180 countries.

According to a statement by UNESCO, a report on 42nd session of the World Heritage Committee held in Manama, Bahrain will be presented at the Baku summit besides it will also examine state of conservation of World Heritage properties.

Besides, the summit will hold hearing for report on the UN body’s 2018-2019 budget while it will discuss budget proposal for the World Heritage Fund for 2020-2021.

The summit will also adopt Baku declaration when the summit ends on July 10.

High-level officials from UNESCO member states, including prime ministers, deputy prime ministers, culture, environment, tourism ministers, as well as heads of international organizations, heads of UNESCO advisory bodies, permanent representatives to about 70 UNESCO countries and specialists in architecture, heritage and environment are attending the event.

After becoming UNESCO member in 1992, Azerbaijan signed a memorandum of cooperation with the UN body in 1996.

The Walled City of Baku, Shirvanshah’s Palace and Maiden Tower, and Gobustan Rock Art Cultural Landscape are featured as UNESCO World Heritage sites.

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