Result of Pre-Assessment by ICOMOS for Hikone Castle

- Possible for Criteria III.
- Need more study on OUV of Daimyo governance and comparative study with other castles of Tokugawa Shogunate.
- Question that can Hikone Castle alone show the OUV, combine with other castles as serial nomination is recommended.

https://www.bunka.go.jp/koho_hodo_oshirase/hodohappyo/pdf/94121701_02.pdf

Orchha (India)

2027/2028

https://organiser.org/2024/10/18/261098/bharat/unesco-accepts-dossier-orchha-moves-closer-to-world-heritage-status/

Nice. There is a set of original castle which could easily make a nomination, but then: extension of Himeji? A different, individual nomination would be quite awkward. Himeji already looks as the best speciment chosen from this set.

Astraftis

From the report, look like ICOMOS already buy the idea of differences between wartime and peaceful time on Japanese castle's OUV. Himeji will become the best representative of well-preserved wartime castle, while Hikone want to be the best representative of castle that display ruling class authority during peaceful time. The idea is already possible but for Hikone to be able to claim the best title is still questionable, a big homework for Japan on comparative study.

Birkenhead Park (UK) goes for 2027
https://www.birkenhead.news/birkenhead-parks-world-heritage-bid-discussed-in-new-york/

"It was chosen as the first site from the list [the new UK T LIst] to be put forward for the title, a decision which is due in 2027."
(the other one we had for UK in this 2027 topic, York, seems to be aiming at 2029)

I have posted more detail on this (including how "firm" or otherwise this date might be) under the UK topic here - https://www.worldheritagesite.org/forums/index.php?action=vthread&forum=10&topic=212&page=17#msg35490

Australia: Paramatta Female Factory

The report claimed that the nomination preliminary request was sent last month.

https://architectureau.com/articles/australias-oldest-surviving-homestead-closer-to-national-heritage-listing/

Bad news for Charolais-Brionnais

https://france3-regions.francetvinfo.fr/bourgogne-franche-comte/saone-et-loire/stupeur-incomprehension-apres-13-ans-de-procedure-le-bocage-du-charolais-brionnais-elimine-des-candidats-au-patrimoine-mondial-de-l-unesco-3070978.html

I note it has had 100% favourable votes from the Community!
It seems very early in the process for ICOMOS to have "damned" it? Planned for the 2027 WHC, its nomination wasn't required to be complete and submitted until Feb 2026. Was it going through an "Upstream process"? The official up to date list of sites having submitted a request for upstream process assessment by 31 March 2024 doesn't mention it?

This report in Le Pays hints at problems involving the "anti meat lobby!!! it also hints at the "administration" being against the nomination (implying a "political" agenda - but perhaps that is to be expected in the current politically pol;arised situation there?) - "n'aient aucun doute sur la volonté de l'administration d'enterrer cette candidature sans débat"

And France doesn't normally "give up" so easily - the country which fought IUCN to the very end to get the Chaine des Puys inscribed! What has been going on here?

Is it the Preliminary Assessment at work? Voluntary up and until 2027, mandatory thereafter.

Yes - you reported in June this year that "Le Charolais-Brionnais, bocage de l'élevage bovin" was among a number of sites which had requested a preliminary assessement - https://www.worldheritagesite.org/forums/index.php?action=vthread&forum=4&topic=2427

So the assignment of 2027 as the intended year of nomination for Le Charolais was an "assumption" not a stated fact anywhere?

It looks as if the compulsorary introduction of "Preliminary assessements" could have more impact on a site's chances of successful nomination than perhaps we had presumed - The result of the process is not published unless and until the States Party actually puts forward a nomination ("the Secretariat will ...... not indicate the guidance given by the Advisory Bodies to the concerned State(s) Party(ies) in a completed Preliminary Assessment. However, once a nomination is submitted, the related Preliminary Assessment Report shall be annexed to it."). Though there is nothing said which would seem to prevent the SP from publishing the result itself - indeed it must "ensure that the conclusions of the Preliminary Assessment are communicated to the relevant stakeholders.". The output of the "Preliminary Assessment" is described in the Operational Guidelines as being "Guidance" ....... but it would surely be a very very brave SP which continued with the preparation and submission of a Nomination against at least the "spirit" of that guidance - especially as it will be appended to any future nomination (if within 5 years).

This seems to me to deprive SPs of a major weapon they had under previous procedures - namely the ability to play diplomatic and other "games" at the WHC in order to question and overcome a negative recommendation by an AB. It is notable I think that the very first example we have of a prliminary assessment givin a negative result appears to have been accepted by an SP which is normally as "disputaceous" as France. Could we really have seen it withdrawing that nomination if it had got as far as evaluation and discussion at a WHC?

More like an educated guess, there are precise timelines starting from submitting for a Preliminary Assessment and then the next steps.

But there is 5 years of latitude in preparing a Nomination after a preliminary assessment - it doesn't have to follow on immediately.

Indeed I think it might be worth trying to "play through" a likely new standard timescale for Nominations starting with the date on which a Preliminary Assessment is requested. It would seem likely to extend that total timescale for a nomination to reach a WHC...... to what extent is an SP going to progress the preparation of a full Nomination before the output of the Preliminary Assessment?
15 Oct Yr 1 - An agreed "Complete" Request for Preliminary Assessment must have been received
1 Oct yr 2 - Result of Preliminary Assessment is delivered to the SP...
Could we really expect an SP to be in a position to provide a completed Nomination File by the deadline of Feb 1 Yr 3 for consideration at the WHC of Yr 4?? To do so it will need to have progressed matters in parallel with the Preliminary assessment or else work PDQ to put a final version together in 4 elapsed months (Oct 1 Yr 2 to Feb 1 Yr 3) - If not then that is going to add another elapsed year

Capital Fortifications of Hanyang (Republic of Korea) - Result of Preliminary Assessment

Goyang City announced that it has received a positive result of the preliminary World Heritage assessment of the "Capital Fortifications of Hanyang," which includes Bukhansan Fortress

https://www.wowkorea.jp/news/read/472340.html