46th Session of the World Heritage Committee in New Delhi, India
The 46th Session of the World Heritage Committee took place from 21 to 31 July 2024 in New Delhi, India. Both the ICOMOS Evaluation Unit and the Monitoring Unit were present through their Directors, along with ICOMOS President Teresa Patrício, General Director Marie-Laure Lavenir, and ICOMOS World Heritage Advisors and Board members.
ICOMOS' role
Functioning as an advisory body to the World Heritage Committee, ICOMOS offers guidance and puts forth recommendations concerning all the matters associated with cultural and mixed heritage. This includes aspects such as the inscription and ongoing assessment of property conservation statuses. Subsequently, the World Heritage Committee engages in discussions and makes decisions based upon these recommendations.
Side events
This year, ICOMOS staff, Board members and World Heritage Advisors participated in more than 10 side events, some of which were co-organised by ICOMOS National and Scientific Committees. These side events aimed to explain the organisation's work, activities and publications, discuss community involvement and climate action in the World Heritage process, and explore the significance of specific types of cultural heritage such as crafts making heritage, fortified heritage or underwater heritage. ICOMOS representatives also participated in the World Heritage Site Managers' Forum between 21-25 July.
Other activities
The ICOMOS delegation also took part in World Heritage Committee Bureau meetings and plenary sessions, during which Teresa Patrício provided updates and details on the organisation's work. ICOMOS World Heritage Evaluation Unit Director Gwenaëlle Bourdin and World Heritage Advisory and Monitoring Unit Director Regina Durighello took part in the plenary sessions along with ICOMOS World Heritage Advisors, who provided, among other things, the latest updates on State of Conservation reports. On 24 July, ICOMOS representatives met the Delegation of the Republic of Vietnam to the World Heritage Committee and took the opportunity to acknowledge their fruitful collaboration. The next day, Teresa Patrício met ICOMOS India members including Dr. Ramesh Chandra Agrawal who played a critical role in the re-vitalisation of the Indian Committee and was awarded ICOMOS India Honorary membership shortly before his passing, on 30 July, 2024.
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