WORLD HERITAGE COMMITTEE (Syllabus: GS Paper 1 – Art and Culture)

Context: India is hosting the World Heritage Committee Meeting for the 1st time at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi. 

World Heritage Committee

• About: It is a committee of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) that selects the sites to be listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
• Aim: It is responsible for managing all matters on World Heritage and deciding on sites to be inscribed on the World Heritage list.
• Meetings: The committee meets annually.
• Objective: The committee focuses on Credibility, Conservation, Capacity building, Communication, and Communities.
• Representation: It consists of representatives from 21 of the States Parties to the Convention elected by their General Assembly.
• Bureau of the World Heritage Committee: The Bureau consists of 7 States Parties elected annually by the Committee: a chairperson, 5 Vice-Chairpersons, and a Rapporteur. 

oThe Bureau of the Committee coordinates the work of the Committee and fixes the dates, hours, and order of business of meetings.

• Tenure: Committee members' term of office is for 6 years, but most States Parties choose voluntarily to be Members of the Committee for only 4 years to allow other States Parties to be on the Committee.
• Powers

oThe Committee is responsible for implementing the World Heritage Convention, defining its use, and allocating financial assistance upon requests from States Parties. 

oIt has the final say on whether a property is inscribed on the World Heritage List, examines reports on the conservation of inscribed properties, and asks States Parties to act when properties are not being properly managed. 

oIt also decides on the inscription or deletion of properties on the List of World Heritage in Danger.