A New International Instrument: the proposed UNESCO Recommendation on the Historic Urban Landscape (HUL Preliminary Report IN!RO"UC!

ION Urban conservation is an important part of modern heritage policies. For at least half a century, historic cities have acquired an incomparable status in modern culture and in modern life; a status defined by the quality of the architectural and physical environment, by the persistence of the sense of place, and by the concentration of the historic and artistic events that form the basis for the identity of a people. Last but not least, they have become the icons of global cultural tourism and coveted places for the enjoyment of a different lifestyle and for cultural e periences for millions of people. !ut can "e say that conservators have the tools they need to ensure the long term protection of the urban historic values# Unfortunately, if "e consider the economic and environmental trends, "e can easily see ne" threats emerging for urban historic conservation, "ith a lac$ of adequate tools to cope "ith them. %s the economic and social role of the historic city changes "ith time, as its o"n uses and functions are less and less decided by its o"n inhabitants, but rather by global forces such as the tourism or real estate industries, the meaning of urban conservation changes and needs to be reassessed. &he first decade of the ''(st century has already sho"n "hich are the emerging challenges for urban historic conservation) global population gro"th and migrations, the e plosion of domestic and international tourism, the gro"ing demand for specific historic *pac$ages+ and the increasing pressures for land conversion inside and ,most of all, outside the historic precincts. -hile many countries have been able in the past decades to develop adequate legislation and regulations for the protection of urban historic areas, the sustainability of public and private efforts to"ards conservation is far from being demonstrated, in a "orld "here public resources available for cultural investments are scarce and d"indling. &he tool$it available today to urban conservators is not small) it is formed by a good system of internationally accepted principles of conservation, reflected in important international .harters and legal tools such as the /012 -orld 3eritage .onvention. Furthermore, the tool$it is supported by a large number of good practices developed over more than a century in different conte ts and on an elaborate planning and regulatory frame"or$.

3o"ever, this apparatus is often "ea$ and po"erless in front of the forces of change that dominate the "orld and its urban scenes today and in the foreseeable future. 4any of the most important urban historic areas e isting in 5urope, %sia and Latin %merica have lost their traditional functions and are under the pressure of tourism and other transformation agents. &he planning and regulatory tools put in place are not al"ays adequate to address the ne" challenges. Urban conservators are increasingly a"are of the gap e isting bet"een the ideal "orld of the *.harters+ and the practical realities, especially in emerging societies, and are advocating that ne" principles, approaches and tools have to be identified to cope "ith the ne" challenges. !HE IN!ERNA!IONAL "E#A!E &he /012 -orld 3eritage .onvention has played an important role in fostering urban historic conservation. &oday, historic cities constitute the largest heritage 6category7 on the -orld 3eritage List, "ith over 289 inscribed sites out of more than 099. &he -orld 3eritage .ommittee in the past fe" years has invested a considerable effort to identify the challenges for the conservation of urban heritage and to develop appropriate policy orientations. (n 2998 a major conference "as organised in :ienna to discuss the issue and to define a ne" approach. &he document that "as issued by that conference, the *:ienna 4emorandum+, constituted an initial step to support the action of the .ommittee and to revise the current conservation policies. ;ince then, an important debate has ta$en place in the international conservation community. -ith the support from the ;tates Parties to the -orld 3eritage .onvention, the -orld 3eritage .ommittee and the %dvisory !odies to the -orld 3eritage .ommittee, (.<4<;, (..R<4 and (U.=, the -orld 3eritage .entre has started a process of regional consultation meetings to receive e pert input on concepts, definitions and approaches to urban historic conservation. Five regional e pert meetings, in >erusalem ?>une 299@A, ;aint Petersburg, Russian Federation ?>anuary 2991A, <linda, !raBil ?=ovember 2991A, CanBibar, &anBania ?=ovemberDEecember 2990A and Rio de >aneiro, !raBil ?Eecember 2990A, in addition to three planning meetings held at U=5;.< 3eadquarters ?in ;eptember 299@, =ovember 299F and February 29/9A, constitute the core of the debate "ith identification of issues, approaches and tools. (n general a broad support for the ongoing revie" process has been e pressed, in "hich the 2998 :ienna 4emorandum "as "idely recogniBed as a useful basis. Furthermore, this debate "as at the heart of the approval by the U=5;.< General .onference to prepare a ne" Recommendation on the 3istoric Urban Landscape for adoption in 29//. !HE ISSUES Global processes have a direct impact on the identity and visual integrity of historic cities and their broader setting, as "ell as on the people "ho live in them. -hile some cities are gro"ing e ponentially, others are shrin$ing and being radically restructured as a result of shifting economic processes and ne" patterns of migration. &o address these issues, local urban strategies are becoming the $ey component of urban development planning. &he increasing globaliBation of the economy is radically transforming many contemporary cities, benefiting some groups, "hilst marginaliBing others. (n some countries, centrally controlled planning has given "ay to decentraliBation and mar$etHoriented approaches. &he result is that cities have been e posed to ne" pressures, among "hich the follo"ing)

Rapid urbaniBation threatening the sense of place and identity of communities Uncontrolled, poorly conceived andDor badly implemented urban development (ntensity and speed of changes, including global "arming Unsustainable consumption of resources.

!HE $A% &OR$AR" -hile most of the issues related to the present and future challenges have been identified, the ne" Recommendation "ill have to reflect a great variety of situations and stages of evolution that historic cities face "ithin regions, as "ell as in different regions of the "orld. % document "ith universal value "ill necessarily encompass the diversity of approaches and value systems of the different cultures, and define concepts and tools that are to be adapted to their specific conte ts. &he discussion "ill revie" the main components of urban conservation and in particular the follo"ing) &he system of values and meanings of urban heritage Recognising the transition of the values associated to urban heritage conservation "ill open the "ay to the definition of the present and future value system. &he historical transition of urban heritage values from 6monument7 to 6social comple 7 to 6living heritage7 needs to be understood to support a ne" approach. &he definition of 3istoric Urban Landscape &he 3istoric Urban Landscape is the urban settlement understood as a historic layering of cultural and natural values, e tending beyond the notion of 6historic centre7 or 6ensemble7 to include the broader urban conte t and its geographical setting. &he 3istoric Urban Landscape approach suggests that intelligent planning of the larger urban area starts "ith understanding the evolution of the historic urban landscape at this larger scale, and then seeing the current city as a depositing of many layers over time into that setting. (n every case, the history needs to be made $no"n and multiple layers need to be revealed and celebrated. &he 4anagement of .hange .urrent principles and practices are still inadequate to define the limits of acceptable change, and the assessments tend to be ad hoc and based on subjective perceptions. % specific approach has to be developed to define the role of contemporary architecture and contemporary creation in historic places, as the need to respect a continuum has been frequently disregarded or misunderstood. ;ustainable ;ocial and 5conomic Eevelopment % reflection on the changing role of urban historic areas and on the "ay to synergiBe socioHeconomic development and conservation strategies is necessary, in order to identify the ne" policies and the resource stream necessary to maintain the historic urban landscape in a sustainable "ay. Updated &ools for Urban .onservation =e" urban conservation tools for the management of urban values need to be defined. &his may include tools to involve the participation of the communities of sta$eholders in the definition of the value system of an historic place, tools to define and protect integrity of the urban fabric and the urban landscape, tools to identify the tradeHoffs and the limits of acceptable change in an historic conte t.

!HE 'ROCESS (n accordance "ith the Rules of Procedure concerning Recommendations to Member States and International Conventions covered by U=5;.<7s .onstitution, the EirectorHGeneral presented a proposal to the I8th General .onference to prepare an international standardHsetting instrument on the conservation of historic urban landscapes. &his instrument should be developed to address the ne" challenges that have emerged in the field of urban conservation since the adoption of the last U=5;.< Recommendation on heritage, i.e. the /01@ Recommendation concerning the Safeguarding and Contemporary Role of Historic Areas. (t should be emphasiBed that this proposed ne" standardHsetting instrument "ould not be specific to -orld 3eritage cities, but broadened to all historic cities. -ith the General .onference7s approval and adoption of Resolution I8.DJ2 on /@ <ctober 2990 "or$ on the issues and "ays of addressing the ne" challenges of urban heritage conservation and management has commenced, "hich has resulted in the Eraft Recommendation on the 3istoric Urban Landscape accompanying this !ac$ground Paper. &his te t is the result of the accumulated "isdom of urban conservation professionals, and urban and national level administrators and managers, brought together by the -orld 3eritage .entre in regional e pert meetings and planning sessions ?F in total over the period >une 299@ to February 29/9A since the -orld 3eritage .ommittee7s recommendation *that the General .onference of U=5;.< adopt a ne" Recommendation to complement and update the e isting ones on the subject of conservation of historic urban landscapes, "ith special reference to the need to lin$ contemporary architecture to the urban historic conte t+ ?"ecision () CO* +"A. (n addition to the %dvisory !odies to the -orld 3eritage .ommittee, various professional organiBations have provided input into the debate and this Eraft te t, including U=H3%!(&%&, the -orld !an$, the (nterH %merican Eevelopment !an$ ?(E!A, the <rganisation for 5conomic .oHoperation and Eevelopment ?<5.EA, the (nternational Union of %rchitects ?U(%A, the (nternational Federation of Landscape %rchitects ?(FL%A, the (nternational Federation for 3ousing and Planning ?(F3PA, the %ga Khan &rust for .ulture ?%K&.A, the (nternational ;ociety of .ity and Regional Planners ?(;o.aRPA, the Getty .onservation (nstitute ?.G(A, the <rganiBation of -orld 3eritage .ities ?<-3.A and the (nternational %ssociation of (mpact %ssessment ?(%(%A. %ccording to the Rules of Procedure concerning Recommendations to Member States and International Conventions, the 4ember ;tates "ill need to submit their comments on this Eraft te t to U=5;.< by (+ "ecember (,-, at the latest. % final draft te t shall be presented and discussed at a .ategory 2 (nterHGovernmental 4eeting in ;pring 29// ?e act dates to be determinedA, as put for"ard in Resolution I8.DJ2, of /@ <ctober 2990, "ith Representatives of 4ember ;tates of U=5;.< for finaliBation and eventual adoption by U=5;.<7s General .onference at its I@th session in <ctoberD=ovember 29//.

Recommendation on the Historic Urban Landscape &irst "ra.t 'REA*#LE Considerin/ that historic urban areas are among the most abundant and diverse manifestations of our common cultural heritage constituting a $ey testimony to human$ind7s endeavours and aspirations through the centuries and in all parts of the "orld, &urther considerin/ that urban heritage is a human and social element, defined by a historic layering of cultural and natural values that have been produced by passing cultures and an accumulation of traditions, recogniBed as such in their diversity, Also considerin/ that urbaniBation is proceeding at an unprecedented scale in the history of human$ind and that throughout the "orld this is driving socioHeconomic change and gro"th, "hich should be harnessed at the local, regional, national and international levels, Notin/, ho"ever, that rapid and uncontrolled development is transforming urban areas and their settings, "ith a fragmentation and deterioration of urban heritage and a deep impact on community values, all over the "orld, Considerin/ therefore that, in order to support the protection of natural and cultural heritage, emphasis needs to be put on the integration of urban conservation strategies into local development processes, including contemporary architecture, for "hich the application of a landscape approach is considered $ey to urban heritage management and maintaining urban identity, Recallin/ that a corpus of standardHsetting documents, including .onventions, Recommendations and .harters, e ists on the subject of the conservation of historic areas, / all of "hich remain valid,
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In particular the 1972 UNESCO Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, the 2003 UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, the 2005 UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions; the 1962 UNESCO ecommendation concerning the Safeguarding of the !eauty and Character of "andscapes and Sites , the 1968 UNESCO ecommendation concerning the Preservation of Cultural Property endangered by Public or Private #or$s , the 1972 UNESCO ecommendation concerning the Protection% at National "evel% of the Cultural and Natural Heritage , the 1976 UNESCO ecommendation concerning the Safeguarding and Contemporary ole of Historic &reas ; the 1964 ICO OS International Charter for the Conservation and estoration of 'onuments and Sites !"enice

Notin/, ho"ever, that under processes of global mar$et liberalisation and decentraliBation, as "ell as mass tourism, mar$et e ploitation of heritage, and climate change, conditions have changed and cities are no" subject to ne" development pressures and challenges not present at the time of adoption of the last U=5;.< recommendation on historic areas in /01@ ?i.e. the Recommendation concerning the ;afeguarding and .ontemporary Role of 3istoric %reasA, &urther notin/ the evolution of the concepts of culture and heritage, and approaches to their management, through $ey international meetings, 2 "hich have been useful in guiding policies and practices "orld"ide, "esirin/ to supplement and e tend the application of the standards and principles laid do"n in these international instruments, Ha0in/ be.ore it proposals concerning the 3istoric Urban Landscape as an approach to urban heritage conservation, "hich question appears on the session7s agenda as item LMN, Ha0in/ decided at its thirtyHfifth session that this question should ta$e the form of a Recommendation to 4ember ;tates, Adopts1 Lthis M day of M 29//N, the present Recommendation. &he General .onference recommends that 4ember ;tates apply the above provisions by adopting, as a national la" or in some other form, measures "ith a vie" to giving effect to the principles and norms set out in this Recommendation in the territories under their jurisdiction. &he General .onference recommends that 4ember ;tates bring this Recommendation to the attention of the national, regional and local authorities and of institutions, services or bodies and associations concerned "ith the safeguarding of urban historic settlements and their "ider geographical setting. &he General .onference recommends that 4ember ;tates report to it, at the dates and in the form determined by it, on action ta$en by them on this Recommendation.

Charter#, the 1982 ICO OS International Charter for Historic (ardens !$l%rence Charter#, an& the 1987 ICO OS Charter for the Conservation of Historic )o#ns and *rban &reas !'a(hin)t%n Charter#* 2 In particular the 1982 World Conference on Cultural Policies in e+ic% Cit,, the 1994 Nara 'eeting on &uthenticity, the 1995 (u--it %. the World Commission on Culture and Development , the 1996 H&!I)&) II Conference in I(tan/ul 0ith rati.icati%n %. 1)en&a 21, the 1998 UNESCO Intergovernmental Conference on Cultural Policies for Development in St%c2h%l-, the 1998 3%int '%rl& 4an25UNESCO Conference on Culture in Sustainable Development+Investing in Cultural and Natural Endo#ments, the 2005 International Conference on World Heritage and Contemporary &rchitecture in ,ienna, the 2005 ICO OS (eneral &ssembly on the Setting of 'onuments and Sites in 6i7an, an& the 2008 ICO OS (eneral &ssembly on the Spirit of Place in 8u9/ec*

IN!RO"UC!ION /. <ur time is "itness to the biggest human migration in history) urban areas no" shelter more than half of humanity. Urban areas are increasingly important as engines of gro"th and as centers of innovation and creativity; they provide opportunities for employment and education and respond to people7s evolving needs and aspirations. Rapid and uncontrolled urbaniBation, ho"ever, can result in a drastic deterioration of urban environmental quality. &his may be due to e cessive building density, standardiBed and monotonous buildings, loss of public space and amenities, inadequate infrastructure, debilitating poverty, social isolation, and an increasing ris$ of climate related disasters. Urban heritage, including its tangible and intangible components, constitutes a $ey resource in enhancing the livability of urban areas and sustaining productivity, in a changing global environment. %s the future of humanity hinges on an effective management of resources, conservation becomes a strategy to achieve balanced urban gro"th and quality of life. (n the course of the past half century, urban heritage conservation has emerged as an important sector of public policy "orld"ide. (t is a response to the need to preserve shared values and to benefit from the legacy of history. 3o"ever, the shift from an emphasis on architectural monuments primarily to"ards a broader recognition of the importance of social, economic and cultural processes in the conservation of urban values, matched by a drive to adapt the e isting policies and to create ne" tools to address this vision, has not yet reached its full potential. &his Recommendation addresses the need to better frame urban heritage conservation strategies "ithin the larger goals of overall sustainable development, in order to support public and private actions aimed at preserving and enhancing the quality of the human environment. (t suggests a landscape approach for identifying, conserving and managing historic areas "ithin their broader urban conte ts, by considering the interHrelationships of their physical forms, their spatial organiBation and connection, their natural features and settings, and their social and cultural values. &his approach addresses the policy and management concerns of a variety of sta$eholders, including local, national, international, public and private actors in the urban development process. &his Recommendation builds upon the four previous U=5;.< Recommendations related to heritage preservation, recogniBing the importance and the validity of their concepts and principles in the history and practice of conservation. (n addition, modern conservation .onventions and .harters address the many dimensions of cultural and natural heritage and constitute the foundations for this Recommendation. &o assist 4ember ;tates in its implementation, this Recommendation is supported by an action plan.

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I "E&INI!ION 0. &he 3istoric Urban Landscape is the urban area understood as a historic layering of cultural and natural values, e tending beyond the notion of 6historic centre7 or 6ensemble7 to include the broader urban conte t and its geographical setting. &his "ider conte t includes the site7s topography, geomorphology and natural features; its built environment, both historic and contemporary; its infrastructures above and belo" ground; its open spaces and gardens; its land use patterns and spatial organiBation; its visual relationships; and all other elements of the urban structure. (t also includes social and cultural practices and values, economic processes, and the intangible dimensions of heritage as related to diversity and identity. &his definition provides the basis for a comprehensive approach for the identification, conservation and management of historic urban landscapes "ithin an overall sustainability frame"or$. &he 3istoric Urban Landscape approach aims at preserving the quality of the human environment and enhancing the productivity of urban spaces. (t integrates the goals of urban heritage conservation "ith the goals of social and economic development. (t is rooted in a balanced and sustainable relationship bet"een the built and natural environment. &he 3istoric Urban Landscape approach considers cultural creativity as a $ey asset for human, social and economic development and provides tools to manage physical and social transformation and to promote harmonious integration of contemporary interventions.

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/J. &he 3istoric Urban Landscape approach learns from the traditions of local communities and promotes respect for their values, "hile recogniBing the legitimate concerns of the national and international communities. II O''OR!UNI!IES and CHALLEN2ES o. UR#AN CONSER3A!ION in the (-st CEN!UR% /8. &he e isting U=5;.< Recommendations recognise the importance of historic areas in modern societies. &hey identify a number of specific threats to the conservation of historic areas, and provide general principles, policies and guidelines to meet such challenges. (n the past decades, due to the sharp increase in the "orld7s urban population, the scale and speed of development and the changing economy, urban settlements and their historic areas have become drivers of economic gro"th in many regions of the "orld and ta$en on a ne" role in cultural and social life. &hey have also been e posed to ne" pressures. %mong these pressures are the follo"ing) Urbanization /1. Rapid urban gro"th is transforming the face of urban historic areas. Global processes have a deep impact on the integrity and community values of urban areas and their settings, and on the perceptions and realities of inhabitants and users. <n the one hand, urbaniBation provides economic, social and cultural

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opportunities that can enhance the quality of urban areas; on the other hand, it carries a threat to the sense of place, the identity of communities, and the integrity of the urban fabric. evelopment /F. Global economic processes offer "ays and means to alleviate urban poverty and to promote social and human development. &he greater availability of innovations, such as information technology and sustainable planning, design and building practices, can improve urban areas and their quality of life. =e" functions in urban historic settlements, such as services and tourism, are important economic initiatives that can contribute to the "ellHbeing of the communities and to the conservation of cultural heritage. 3o"ever, failing to capture these opportunities leads to unsustainable and unviable cities, "hile implementing them badly "ith poorly conceived development results in the destruction of heritage assets. !nvironment /0. 3uman settlements have constantly adapted to climatic and environmental changes. 3o"ever, the intensity and speed of present changes is challenging our comple urban environments. .oncern for the environment, in particular for energy consumption, is giving rise to ne" approaches and ne" models for urban living, based on innovative and more ecologically sensitive policies and practices aiming at strengthening sustainability and the quality of urban life. 4any of these initiatives, ho"ever, do not yet integrate natural and cultural heritage. &he 3istoric Urban Landscape approach reflects the fact that the discipline and practice of urban heritage conservation has evolved significantly in these same decades, enabling policy ma$ers and managers to deal more effectively "ith the ne" opportunities and challenges. &he 3istoric Urban Landscape approach supports communities in their quest for development and adaptation, "hile retaining qualities and values lin$ed to their history and collective memory.

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III 'OLICIES 2/. 4odern urban conservation policies, as reflected in e isting international Recommendations and .harters, have set the stage for the preservation of historic urban areas. 3o"ever, present and future challenges require the definition and implementation of a ne" generation of public policies identifying and protecting the historic layering of cultural and natural values in urban environments. Policies for urban heritage conservation should be integrated "ithin a broader urban conte t, and historic forms and practices should inform sustainable contemporary development. Policies should provide mechanisms for balancing longHterm conservation and sustainability "ith shortHterm management objectives. %n integrated approach allo"ing conservation practice to be part of distinctive and successful urban design and development should also e plore innovative technical and planning practices applicable to historic settings. (n particular, the responsibilities of the different actors are the follo"ing) 4ember ;tates should integrate urban heritage conservation strategies into national development policies and agendas according to the 3istoric Urban

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Landscape approach. -ithin this frame"or$, local authorities should prepare urban development plans that are informed by historic forms and practices. 2J. Public service providers and the private sector should be a"are of their responsibilities and cooperate through publicHprivate partnerships to ensure the successful application of the 3istoric Urban Landscape approach. (nternational organiBations dealing "ith sustainable development processes should integrate the 3istoric Urban Landscape approach in their strategies, plans and operations. =ational and international nonHgovernmental organiBations should participate in developing and disseminating tools and best practices. %ll levels of government, local, national, regional, federal, should be a"are of their responsibility and contribute to the definition, development, implementation and assessment of urban heritage conservation policies, coordinated both from an institutional and sectoral vie"point.

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I3 !OOLS 2F. &he successful application of the 3istoric Urban Landscape approach demands a robust tool$it that includes a range of interdisciplinary and innovative tools, adapted to local conte ts. &ools may be organiBed into the follo"ing categories) Re/ulator4 S4stems should include special ordinances, acts, or decrees to manage tangible and intangible components of the urban heritage, including their social and environmental values. &raditional and customary systems should be recogniBed and reinforced as necessary. Communit4 En/a/ement !ools should empo"er a diverse crossHsection of sta$eholders to identify $ey values in their urban areas, develop visions, set goals, and agree on actions to safeguard their heritage and promote sustainable development. &hese tools should facilitate interHcultural dialogue by learning from communities about their histories, traditions, values, needs, and aspirations and by facilitating the mediation and negotiation bet"een conflicting interests and groups. !echnical !ools should help protect the integrity and authenticity of the architectural and material attributes of urban heritage. &hey should also allo" for the recognition of cultural significance and diversity, and provide for the monitoring and management of change to improve the quality of life and of urban space. .onsideration should be given to the mapping of cultural and natural features, "hile heritage, social and environmental impact assessments should be used to support sustainability and continuity in planning and design. &inancial tools should aim to improve urban areas "hile safeguarding their heritage values. &hey should aim to build capacities and support innovative income generating development rooted in tradition. (n addition to government and global funds from international agencies, financial tools should be effectively employed to promote private investments at the local level. 4icrocredit and other fle ible financing to support local enterprise, as "ell as a variety of models of publicHprivate partnerships are also central to ma$ing the 3istoric Urban Landscape approach financially sustainable.

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3 CA'ACI!% #UIL"IN21 RESEARCH1 IN&OR*A!ION and CO**UNICA!ION II. .apacity building should involve the main sta$eholders) communities, decisionHma$ers, and professionals and managers, in order to foster understanding of the 3istoric Urban Landscape approach and its implementation. 5ffective capacity building hinges on an appropriate interaction of these main sta$eholders, aimed to define strategies and objectives, action frame"or$s and resource mobiliBation schemes. Research should target the comple layering of urban settlements, in order to identify values and understand their meaning for the communities. (t is essential to document the state of urban areas and their evolution, to facilitate the evaluation of proposals for change and to improve management. ;tate of the art information and communication technology should be used to document, understand and present the comple layering of urban areas and their constituent components, in particular to reach out to "omen, youth and all underrepresented constituencies to capture their attention and foster their support and participation.

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3I IN!ERNA!IONAL CO5O'ERA!ION I@. 4ember ;tates and international governmental and nonHgovernmental organiBations should facilitate public understanding and involvement in the implementation of the 3istoric Urban Landscape approach, by disseminating best practices and lessons learnt from different parts of the "orld, in order to strengthen the net"or$ of $no"ledge sharing and capacity building. &hey should also encourage corporate social responsibility, "ith a vie" to ma$ing the private sector a full partner in the 3istoric Urban Landscape approach, and to establish enabling environments for private investment in sustainable management of urban areas and their historic settings. (n all cases, global participation and pressure should be balanced against local identity and the desire to respect the goal of historical and cultural continuity "ithin a frame"or$ of dynamic and creative evolution.

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AC!ION 'LAN to accompan4 the Recommendation on the Historic Urban Landscape Upon adoption of the ne" U=5;.< Recommendation on the .onservation of 3istoric Urban Landscape, at the I@th session of the General .onference in the fall of 29//, the 4ember ;tates commit themselves to ta$ing appropriate steps) &o %dapt this ne" instrument to their specific conte ts &o Eisseminate it "idely across their national territories &o Facilitate implementation through formulation and adoption of supporting policies %nd to monitor its impact on the conservation and management of historic cities and urban settlements.

-hile stressing the need to ta$e account of the sin/ularit4 o. the conte6t of each historic city and urban settlement, "hich "ill result in a different approach to its management, nevertheless si critical steps can be identified for 4ember ;tates to consider "hen implementing the 3istoric Urban Landscape approach. &hey "ould include the follo"ing) /A Underta$e comprehensive surveys and mappin/ o. the cit47s natural1 cultural and human resources ?such as "ater catchment areas, green spaces, monuments and sites, vie"sheds, local communities "ith their living cultural traditionsA; 2A Reach consensus usin/ participator4 plannin/ and sta8eholder consultations on what 0alues to protect and to transmit to future generations and to determine the attributes that carry these values; IA Assess 0ulnerabilit4 of these attributes to socioHeconomic stresses, as "ell as impacts of climate change; JA -ith these in hand, and only then, develop a city development strategy ?.E;A or a city conservation strategy ?..;A to inte/rate urban herita/e 0alues and their 0ulnerabilit4 status into a wider .ramewor8 o. cit4 de0elopment , the overlay of "hich "ill indicate %A strictly noHgo areas; !A sensitive areas that require careful attention to planning, design and implementation; and .A opportunities for development ?among "hich highHrise constructionsA; 8A 'rioriti9e actions for conservation and development; @A 5stablish the appropriate partnerships and local mana/ement .ramewor8s for each of the identified projects for conservation and development in the .E;D..;, as

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"ell as to develop mechanisms for the coordination of the various activities bet"een different actors, both public and private; &o assist the 4ember ;tates in this e ercise, U=5;.< aims to establish a HUL Support 'ro/ramme that "ill dra" upon international and inter5sectoral e6pertise in the fostering of cooperation in the further development and implementation of the 3istoric Urban Landscape approach, the e change of ideas and practices, and communication and transmission of $no"ledge to all sta$eholders and civil society. (n this vein, the 3UL ;upport Programme "ould comprise the follo"ing se0en actions) /. .reate a special website to facilitate communication and e change on the 3istoric Urban Landscape approach related to its development and implementation, in particular as a virtual platform for Local Governments and ;ite 4anagers to share vie"s, ideas and $no"ledge. 2. 5stablish a wor8in/ /roup comprised of institutional partners relevant to the development and implementation of the 3istoric Urban Landscape approach, "ith a particular focus on those that can provide specialiBed s$ills and e pertise to 4ember ;tates requesting technical assistance. I. Eevelop technical assistance pac8a/es "hich can be sponsored by bilateral donors and private sector parties, "ith an emphasis on lesserH developed regions, such as %frica, .entral %sia and ;mall (sland Eeveloping ;tates, and "ith a selection of pilot sites that require particular attention, such as historic cities inscribed on the -orld 3eritage List in Eanger or other international "atch lists. J. 5ncourage scienti.ic research on specific aspects of the 3istoric Urban Landscape %pproach, including (ntegrated 3eritage Legislation; Urban 3eritage and (ntegrity; .ompatibility of .ontemporary (nterventions; Limits of %cceptable .hange; ;trategic %ssessment and 3eritage (mpact %ssessment; 4odern Planning O Eesign and &raditional Kno"ledge; .reativity and 4a$ing 3eritage; Eisaster Reduction and %daptation; Private ;ector (nvolvement; Eocumentation, :isualiBation and Presentation, to name but a fe". 8. <rganiBe con.erences and s4mposia to foster international debate on the further development and implementation of the 3istoric Urban Landscape %pproach and to disseminate the stateHofHtheHart in research and practice, and also to ma$e them $no"n through publications in the virtual and real domains. @. ;upport the development of didactic materials1 curriculum desi/n and teacher trainin/ "ith regard to courses and modules on urban conservation and the 3istoric Urban Landscape %pproach in synergy "ith (..R<4 and the various category 2 centres established under the auspices of U=5;.< around the "orld. 1. <rganiBe a re0iew e6ercise, once every @ years, "ith regard to the implementation of the Recommendation by 4ember ;tates and its impact on the conservation and management of urban settlements and historic cities, to be used to formulate best practice guidelines and specific advise to the sta$eholders, and to report bac$ to U=5;.<7s General .onference.

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