A workshop meeting "Serial natural World Heritage sites: challenges for nomination and management" took place

A workshop meeting "Serial natural World Heritage sites: challenges for nomination and management" took place at the International Academy for Nature Conservation on the isle of Vilm in Germany between 7 and 11 of November.

This meeting was organized by German Federal Agency for Nature Conservation (BfN) in cooperation with the UNESCO World Heritage Centre and IUCN to bring into effect the decision of the 32nd session of the World Heritage Committee on preparation of transnational nominations (file WHC-08/32.COM/10B).

The meeting was attended by the representatives of the 9 State Parties to the Convention, including 6 members of the World Heritage Committee (Australia, Mexico, Russian Federation, France, Switzerland, Sweden), experts of the UNESCO World Heritage Centre, IUCN, German Federal Agency for Nature Conservation. The Natural Heritage Protection Fund presented the Russian experience of preparation serial (Magadansky Reserve) and transnational (Daurian Steppes) nominations.

As a result of the seminar some amendments to the basic working document of the Convention "Operational Guidelines for the Implementation of the World Heritage Convention" were suggested for consideration later at the 34th session of the WH Committee (22-30 June 2010), as well as a number of recommendations to IUCN, UNESCO World Heritage Centre, State Parties and advisory bodies.