Riyadh: The Open-Ended Working Group on Achieving Balance in UNESCO’s World Heritage List has held a meeting at the organization’s headquarters, chaired by the Kingdom’s nominee and Advisor of the Saudi National Commission for Education, Culture, and Science, Eng. Mohammad Yosof Al-Aidaroos. The meeting was held in implementation of the decision presented by the Kingdom to establish the group during the 45th session of the World Heritage Committee in September 2023, held in Riyadh. The decision received unanimous approval and support from member states of the World Heritage Committee, which recommended that the Kingdom chair this group upon its convening.
The group aims to consider necessary improvements to narrow the gap in the representation of state parties on the World Heritage List and enhance the geographical balance of the list. It proposes solutions for the requirements of technical evaluation, including improving capacity-building activities, exploring the possibility of using additional service pro
viders, and suggesting sustainable solutions for the financial requirements of the nomination process. This includes initial assessment and considering the extension of the mandate of the Open-Ended Working Group to embark on implementing the improvements.
The Kingdom’s presence in this group, through the chairmanship and the participating team, represents a significant contribution to making and shaping decisions with a strategic dimension in the work of UNESCO.
Source: Saudi Press Agency