Comparative Assessment of Monitoring of World Heritage Sites in the Arab Region

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to identify the challenges faced by the monitoring system at the World Heritage Sites in the Arab Region. This paper studies the process of monitoring the inscribed properties of the Arab States. More particularly, the study will review the State of Conservation Reports as well as periodic and mission reports related to the scope of the research. The paper will focus on three case studies: the site of Tyre in Lebanon, the site of Petra in Jordan and the Land of Olives and Vine—the cultural landscape of southern Jerusalem, Battir in Palestine. One main question to be answered in this study is why decisions resulting from State of Conservation Reports (SOC) concerning the management plan structure are not fully implemented.

The study concludes that State of Conservation Reports are procedural and not operational by nature.  The non-dynamic and outdated administrative system, as a blockage to the proper management of the WHS is considered a major challenge in achieving effective management. In addition, a lack of cooperation and coordination between various departments at the local and regional levels was identified as being of great importance.

Keywords: world heritage sites, monitoring, management plan, Arab Region, Cultural heritage