The public sessions start today.
The livestream can be found here:
https://whc.unesco.org/include/tool_video_bootstrap.cfm?youtubeid=pDPkWuPeW74

As usual, put your comments on the live action in this topic.
The discussion about the new WHS is expected to start on Friday July 26.

The first amendments are logged as well - go to https://whc.unesco.org/en/sessions/46COM/documents/ and then check the tab "Amendments".
Vjetrenica Cave proposed to Inscribe (was a Referral), amendment by Kazakhstan and Turkiye.

Azerbaijan lashes out at Armenia with claims of cultural heritage destruction, including land mines. Armenia partially replies that with regret they will respond to the 'spiteful statements' of Azerbaijan. Both countries ask for support to be elected to the World Heritage Committee for 2025.

Order of Nominations - Starting Friday July 26th

1. China Badain Jaran Desert - Towers of Sand and Lakes
2. China Migratory Bird Sanctuaries along the Coast of Yellow Sea-Bohai Gulf of China (Phase II)
3. Bosnia and Herzegovina Vjetrenica Cave, Ravno
4. United Kingdom The Flow Country
5. Brazil Lencois Maranhenses National Park
6. Ethiopia Melka Kunture and Balchit Archeological and Paleontological Site
7. France Te Henua Enata – The Marquesas Islands
8. Burkina Faso Royal Court of Tiebele
9. Kenya The Historic Town and Archaeological Site of Gedi
10. South Africa Human Rights, Liberation and Reconciliation: Nelson Mandela Legacy Sites
11. South Africa The Emergence of Modern Humans: The Pleistocene Occupation Sites of South Africa
12. Jordan Umm Al-Jimal
13. Saudi Arabia The Cultural Landscape of Al-Faw Archaeological Area
14. China Beijing Central Axis: A Building Ensemble Exhibiting the Ideal Order of the Chinese Capital
15. India Moidams – the Mound-Burial System of the Ahom Dynasty
16. Iran (Islamic Republic of) Hegmataneh and Historical Centre of Hamedan
17. Japan Sado Island Gold Mines
18. Malaysia The Archaeological Heritage of Niah National Park's Caves Complex
19. Thailand The Phu Phrabat Historical Park
20. Germany Schwerin Residence Ensemble
21. Italy Via Appia. Regina Viarum
22. Romania Brancusi Monumental Ensemble of Targu Jiu
23. Romania Frontiers of the Roman Empire - Dacia
24. Russian Federation Testament of Kenozero Lake
25. Germany, United Kingdom, United States of America Moravian Church Settlements
26. Panama The Colonial Transisthmian Route of Panama
27. State of Palestine Saint Hilarion Monastery/ Tell Umm Amer

I am unsure when in the agenda the State of Palestine's nomination is evaluated.

I was thinking that Bac withdrew?

Exclude 2 extensions, 3 capitals (Panama, Beijing, Pretoria), 5 European sites (Flow, Schwerin, Via Appia, 2 Romania) and take the mean visitor number of the remaining 17 sites; it is just 8. It will be a very sad year for most of us.

1. China Badain Jaran Desert - 2
2. Bosnia and Herzegovina Vjetrenica Cave - 11
3. Brazil Lencois Maranhenses National Park - 11
4. Ethiopia Melka Kunture and Balchit - 9
5. France Marquesas Islands - 2
6. Burkina Faso Tiebele - 6
7. Kenya Gedi - 9
8. South Africa Pleistocene Occupation Sites - 8
9. Jordan Umm Al-Jimal - 18
10. Saudi Arabia Al-Faw - 5
11. India Moidams - 2
12. Iran Hegmataneh - 10
13. Japan Sado Island Gold Mines - 2
14. Malaysia Niah - 14
15. Thailand The Phu Phrabat - 23
16. Russian Federation Kenozero Lake - 4
17. Palestine Tell Umm Amer - 0

they did


It will be interesting to see whether this stays at 8 after inscription, or goes lower - 2 out of the 3 included components are closed to visitors; my guess would be that most of the 8 visitors to the TWHS went to Klasies River, which has since been excluded (may become a future extension).

There may also be a few people who may visit here and have not ticked it, such as Zoe.

Kenya has prepared an amendment to NOT put Stonehenge in Danger. "recognises that the proposed design developments offer enhanced mitigation of the impacts on the integrity of the property and that the impacts of the proposed open 0.7km cutting at the Western Portal do not constitute sufficient ascertained or potential danger to warrant inclusion on the List of World Heritage in Danger;"

https://whc.unesco.org/document/207810

Would be interesting to know when this will be discussed (at the earliest Wednesday afternoon as far as I can see).

It would be wonderful to know the diplomacy which has taken place behind the scenes to arrive at this stage.....
I am thinking of all those people in Kenya who stay awake at night worrying about the state of Stonehenge and its traffic problems and feel that something must be done after all these years..........and that their government MUST assist in the matter.......it is so good that all those Kenyan experts in Stonehenge have been able to put together such a knowledgeable amendment!!!

What quid pro quo has Kenya obtained for putting forward this amendment.....does it or UK really believe it can be got through? Does the UK's new Labour government still support the current proposal anyway? The amendment was only tabled yesterday (22 July) so one must assume that Kenya had the UK's "OK" to do so .......as such it would seem to be just a holding operation to avoid the nuclear option of "In Danger" status with another "wait and see" decision whilst the UK government decides what on earth it is going to do about the (probably insoluble) problem......

I suspect they reached out to a Commonwealth Member...

The amendments show a nice overview of 'political friends':
- Kazakhstan, Türkiye in support of the fellow-Islamic state of Bosnia Herzegovina's Vjetrenica Cave nomination
- Kazakhstan trying to get the texts about the Russian invasion of Ukraine more neutral
- Lebanon is everyone's friend? Or just honestly active in putting things on paper. They support France, Venezuela, Burkina Faso
- India bothers about neighbouring Lumbini and doesn't want it inscribed In Danger

I wonder who is going to step forward to get Iran's proposal from a Deferral to a Referral or Inscription. Qatar?

They had India, Jamaica, Rwanda and Zambia to call upon in this respect as well..........if they vote as a "Commonwealth bloc" that is 5 to start with!

Don't forget mighty Saint Vincent and the Grenadines!

Will the unticks be enforced? ó_ó

Indeed - I hadn't realised that the Caribbean has 2 islands on the WHC this year and I don't really understand how that has come about since, as far as I can see, there were no "losses" from the Latin America/Caribbean countries to justify Jamaica's entry

It might be of interest to compare the 2023 and 2024 WHC memberships in advance to try to understand any changes in the "balance of power" as might emerge in the remaining days as matters get tense!

My understanding (open to corrections) is the following

OUT from 2023 (9)
Egypt, Ethiopia, Mali, Nigeria, Oman, Russian Fed, Saudi, S Africa, Thailand

IN for 2024 (9)
Jamaica, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Lebanon, Rep of Korea, Senegal, Turkey, Ukraine, Vietnam

THE SAME (12)
Argentina, Belgium, Bulgaria, Greece, India, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Qatar, Rwanda, St Vincent, Zambia

So -
Africa
Ethiopia, Mali, Nigeria, S Africa are replaced by Kenya and Senegal (with Rwanda and Zambia staying on) - Minus 2

Arab/M East
Egypt, Oman, Saudi are replaced by just Lebanon (with Qatar staying on) - Minus 2

Asia
Thailand replaced by Rep of Korea, Vietnam, Kazakhstan (with India, Japan staying on) - +2

Europe
Russia replaced by Turkey , Ukraine (with Belgium, Bulgaria, Greece, Italy staying on)- +1

Latin America/Carib
Jamaica in as extra (with Argentina, Mexico, St Vincent staying on) - +1