Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage

 

IV. Fund For The Protection Of The World Cultural And Natural Heritage

Article 15

1. A Fund for the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage
of Outstanding Universal Value, called “the World Heritage Fund”, is
hereby established.

2. The Fund shall constitute a trust fund, in conformity with the
provisions of the Financial Regulations of the United Nations
Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.

3. The resources of the Fund shall consist of:

(a) compulsory and voluntary contributions made by States Parties to
this Convention,

(b) Contributions, gifts or bequests which may be made by:

(i) other States;

(ii) the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization, other organizations of the United Nations System ,
particularly the United Nations Development Programme or other
intergovernmental organizations;

(iii) public or private bodies or individuals;

(c) any interest due on the resources of the Fund;

(d) funds raised by collections and receipts from events organized
for the benefit of the fund; and

(e) all other resources authorized by the Fund’s regulations, as
drawn up by the World Heritage Committee.

4. Contributions to the Fund and other forms of assistance made
available to the Committee may be used only for such purposes as the
Committee shall define. The Committee may accept contributions to be
used only for a certain programme or project, provided that the
Committee shall have decided on the implementation of such programme
or project. No political conditions may be attached to contributions
made to the Fund.

Article 16

1. Without prejudice to any supplementary voluntary contribution, the
States Parties to this Convention undertake to pay regularly, every
two years, to the World Heritage Fund, contributions, the amount of
which, in the form of a uniform percentage applicable to all States,
shall be determined by the General Assembly of States Parties to the
Convention, meeting during the sessions of the General Conference of
the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.
This decision of the General Assembly requires the majority of the
States Parties present and voting, which have not made the
declaration referred to in paragraph 2 of this Article. In no case
shall the compulsory contribution of States Parties to the Convention
exceed 1% of the contribution to the regular budget of the United
Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.

2. However, each State referred to in Article 31 or in Article 32 of
this Convention may declare, at the time of the deposit of its
instrument of ratification, acceptance or accession, that it shall
not be bound by the provisions of paragraph 1 of this Article.

3. A State Party to the Convention which has made the declaration
referred to in paragraph 2 of this Article may at any time withdraw
the said declaration by notifying the Director-General of the United
Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. However,
the withdrawal of the declaration shall not take effect in regard to
the compulsory contribution due by the State until the date of the
subsequent General Assembly of States parties to the Convention.

4. In order that the Committee may be able to plan its operations
effectively, the contributions of States Parties to this Convention
which have made the declaration referred to in paragraph 2 of this
Article, shall be paid on a regular basis, at least every two years,
and should not be less than the contributions which they should have
paid if they had been bound by the provisions of paragraph 1 of this
Article.

5. Any State Party to the Convention which is in arrears with the
payment of its compulsory or voluntary contribution for the current
year and the calendar year immediately preceding it shall not be
eligible as a Member of the World Heritage Committee, although this
provision shall not apply to the first election.

The terms of office of any such State which is already a member of
the Committee shall terminate at the time of the elections provided
for in Article 8, paragraph 1 of this Convention.

Article 17

The States Parties to this Convention shall consider or encourage the
establishment of national public and private foundations or associations
whose purpose is to invite donations for the protection of the cultural and
natural heritage as defined in Articles 1 and 2 of this Convention.

Article 18

The States Parties to this Convention shall give their assistance to
international fund-raising campaigns organized for the World Heritage Fund
under the auspices of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and
Cultural Organization. They shall facilitate collections made by the bodies
mentioned in paragraph 3 of Article 15 for this purpose.

V. Conditions And Arrangements For International Assistance

Article 19

Any State Party to this Convention may request international assistance for
property forming part of the cultural or natural heritage of outstanding
universal value situated within its territory. It shall submit with its
request such information and documentation provided for in Article 21 as it
has in its possession and as will enable the Committee to come to a
decision.

Article 20

Subject to the provisions of paragraph 2 of Article 13, sub-paragraph (c)
of Article 22 and Article 23, international assistance provided for by this
Convention may be granted only to property forming part of the cultural and
natural heritage which the World Heritage Committee has decided, or may
decide, to enter in one of the lists mentioned in paragraphs 2 and 4 of
Article 11.

Article 21

1. The World Heritage Committee shall define the procedure by which
requests to it for international assistance shall be considered and
shall specify the content of the request, which should define the
operation contemplated, the work that is necessary, the expected cost
thereof, the degree of urgency and the reasons why the resources of
the State requesting assistance do not allow it to meet all the
expenses. Such requests must be supported by experts’ reports
whenever possible.

2. Requests based upon disasters or natural calamities should, by
reasons of the urgent work which they may involve, be given
immediate, priority consideration by the Committee, which should have
a reserve fund at its disposal against such contingencies.

3. Before coming to a decision, the Committee shall carry out such
studies and consultations as it deems necessary.

Article 22

Assistance granted by the World Heritage Fund may take the following forms:

(a) studies concerning the artistic, scientific and technical problems
raised by the protection, conservation, presentation and
rehabilitation of the cultural and natural heritage, as defined in
paragraphs 2 and 4 of Article 11 of this Convention;

(b) provisions of experts, technicians and skilled labour to ensure that
the approved work is correctly carried out;

(c) training of staff and specialists at all levels in the field of
identification, protection, conservation, presentation and
rehabilitation of the cultural and natural heritage;

(d) supply of equipment which the State concerned does not possess or is
not in a position to acquire;

(e) low-interest or interest-free loans which might be repayable on a
long-term basis;

(f) the granting, in exceptional cases and for special reasons, of non-
repayable subsidies.

Article 23

The World Heritage Committee may also provide international assistance to
national or regional centres for the training of staff and specialists at
all levels in the field of identification, protection, conservation,
presentation and rehabilitation of the cultural and natural heritage.

Article 24

International assistance on a large scale shall be preceded by detailed
scientific, economic and technical studies. These studies shall draw upon
the most advanced techniques for the protection, conservation, presentation
and rehabilitation of the natural and cultural heritage and shall be
consistent with the objectives of this Convention. The studies shall also
seek means of making rational use of the resources available in the State
concerned.

Article 25

As a general rule, only part of the cost of work necessary shall be borne
by the international community. The contribution of the State benefiting
from international assistance shall constitute a substantial share of the
resources devoted to each programme or project, unless its resources do not
permit this.
Article 26

The World Heritage Committee and the recipient State shall define in the
agreement they conclude the conditions in which a programme or project for
which international assistance under the terms of this Convention is
provided, shall be carried out. It shall be the responsibility of the
State receiving such international assistance to continue to protect,
conserve and present the property so safeguarded, in observance of the
conditions laid down by the agreement.

 

Author: international

Mentioned in these Entries

Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, United Nations System.