UNESCO Exec Board adopts decisions to safeguard Old City of Jerusalem – UNESCO press release

UNESCO Executive Board adopts by consensus two decisions on the Old City of Jerusalem

The Director General of UNESCO, Koïchiro Matsuura, has welcomed warmly the adoption by consensus of two decisions concerning respectively the Old City of Jerusalem and the Mughbrabi ascent in the Old City of Jerusalem[Link] by the Executive Board during its 180th session.

“I am very happy to see that UNESCO is still providing a forum for consensus, discussion and dialogue for this difficult subject,” declared Mr Matsuura. “I am also deeply satisfied to see that all the concerned parties are able to get together and reach an understanding in the interest of safeguarding the cultural heritage of the Old City of Jerusalem, inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1981 and on the World Heritage in Danger List in 1982.”

“We must continue showing our shared will to preserve heritage recognized by the international community as being of ‘outstanding universal value’. This is what is at stake in UNESCO’s Action Plan for the Safeguarding of the Old City of Jerusalem, like the technical meetings organized by UNESCO between the concerned parties to facilitate dialogue on the town planning scheme for the Mughrabi ascent, mindful of the principles of the 1972 Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage,” he said.

“It is only on the basis of shared values and a common vision of our obligations to generations yet unborn, that we can enable this dialogue to bear fruit. It is my most fervent desire that this spirit of consensus may also mark the debates of the 33rd session of the World Heritage Committee in Seville from 22 to 30 June, 2009,” concluded the Director-General of UNESCO.

Author(s):Press Release N°2008-106

Source:UNESCOPRESS

22-10-2008