Four of SPAs composing the Volcanoes of Kamchatka World Heritage site, namely the Kronotsky State Biosphere Reserve, Uzhno-Kamchatsky Zakaznik, Nalychevo and Bystrinsky Nature Parks, will be provided with 2009-2013 management plans, which will be developed during 2008 in the framework of a UNDP/GEF project "Demonstrating Sustainable Conservation of Biological Diversity in Four Protected Areas of Russia's Kamchatka Oblast".

The Lena Pillars nomination dossier, prepared and submitted to the World Heritage Center by the Russian Federation in 2007, met all of the technical requirements outlined in the Operational Guidelines concerning nominations to the World Heritage List and is determined to be technically "complete".

The work on the preparation of the Magadansky Reserve's nomination dossier has been resumed after a 4-year break. Agencies participating in the project are the Natural Heritage Protection Fund, the Institute of Geography RAS, the Technical University of Dresden and the Russian Research Institute for Cultural and Natural Heritage. The Magadansky Reserve natural site is nominated for inscription on the UNESCO World Heritage List. It is planned to send the nomination file to the World Heritage Centre before the end of 2008.

World Heritage is English Language & Communication Skills Training, based in Bath, UK a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The training is designed for people who:

• work in World Heritage management and conservation
• use English at work
• want to improve their English language and communication skills

The main focus of this training initiative is to help participants improve the everyday effectiveness of their communication with other World Heritage professionals. It provides a positive learning experience in three different British World Heritage sites.

World Heritage Course details

Dates:20th 27th April, 2008 or 4th-11th May, 2008

The closing date for applications is Friday, 22nd February, 2008.

The training programme includes:

• language and communication skills activities focusing on heritage management issues
• visits to three World Heritage Sites [Bath, Stonehenge and Avebury, Jurassic Coast]
• discussions about heritage policy and practice with local professionals
• visits to museums, historic buildings and regeneration sites
• opportunities for cultural activities: theatres, art galleries, concerts

For further information follow the link to http://www.words4work.com/course_ch.asp or e-mail

The map features the 851 World Heritage properties, brief explanations of the World Heritage Convention and World Heritage conservation programmes, as well as superb photos of World Heritage sites with explanatory captions. The dimensions of the map are 78 cm by 50 cm (31 by 20 in.), and it can be downloaded free of charge from the website http//whc.unesco.org. It is available in English, French, and Spanish versions.

24 October nine new members have been elected to the 21-member World Heritage Committee in charge of implementing UNESCO Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage.

An International Practical Conference "Ancient Sogdiana: Past, Present and Future" took place on 18-19 October in Dushanbe. The conference was dedicated to issues of conservation and development of the Yagnob valley and its people - Yagnob small mountain ethnic group (5000 people), speakers of ancient Sogdiana language.

The Lena Pillars nomination file for inscription of the Nature Park of the same name of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) on the World Heritage List has been sent to the World Heritage Centre. The Lena Pillars is the 12th natural complex nominated by Russia for receiving the high status of the UNESCO World Heritage Site (8 sites have already been inscribed onto the List, 2 have been neglected and 1 is being presently considered by the World Heritage Centre).

The Russian edition of the World Heritage Information Kit '2005 by the UNESCO World Heritage Centre, has come out. The Russian version of the publication was prepared by the Natural Heritage Protection Fund with the support of the TNK-BP Company.

An IUCN expert mission visited the Putoransky State Nature Reserve, Moscow and Norilsk from 28 August to 5 September, within the framework of the project to inscribe the Putorana Plateau natural site on to the UNESCO World Heritage List. During the trip, the expert mission examined the relevant documents at the Putorana Reserve office and held numerous meetings with the staff of the reserve, as well as researchers of the Extreme North Agricultural Research Institute and the Museum of History and Development of the Norilsk Industrial Area. The mission also included a helicopter flight to evaluate the state of conservation of natural complexes of the nominated property. On the 5th of September the final meeting between the IUCN expert and representatives of the Russian Ministry of Natural Resources and the Rosprirodnadzor was held.