Paris, 16 July 2025 – From 6 to 16 July 2025, at the UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, Kazakhstan, as one of 21 members of the intergovernmental World Heritage Committee, actively participated in the work of its 47^th session, which traditionally focused on the implementation of the 1972 Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage by States Parties.

The Minister of Culture of Bulgaria, Marian Bachev, and UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay officially opened the 47th session of the Committee. According to the latter, in line with the spirit of the Convention, it is essential to continuously protect, transmit, and interpret our rich heritage to contribute to a peaceful future.

“Since 1978, the World Heritage List has grown to include over 1,200 sites covering an area of more than 4.8 million square kilometres. With 196 States Parties, the World Heritage Convention is one of the most widely ratified conventions in the world, confirming its universality and great popularity,” she emphasized.

The Kazakh delegation to the 47^th session included the First Deputy Akim of Turkestan Region Zulfukhar Zholdassov, Chairman of the Committee of Forestry and Wildlife of the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources Daniyar Turgambayev, Acting Director General of Kazrestoration Enterprise, Adviser to the Minister of Culture and Information Olzhas Sheriyazdanov, Secretary-General of the National Commission of Kazakhstan for UNESCO and ICESCO Zhanar Shaimenova, diplomats of the Permanent Delegation of Kazakhstan to UNESCO, and experienced national experts on cultural and natural heritage.

“Being a member of such an influential UNESCO body is a great honor and responsibility for Kazakhstan. For the second consecutive session, the Kazakh delegation has actively participated in the Committee’s efforts to consistently safeguard cultural and natural heritage of outstanding universal value,” noted Permanent Delegate of Kazakhstan to UNESCO, Askar Abdrakhmanov.

Following the discussions, the Committee inscribed 26 new sites on the World Heritage List and examined the state of conservation of 248 World Heritage properties, including four wholly or partially in Kazakhstan: Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi, Western Tien-Shan, Cold Winter Deserts of Turan, and Silk Roads: the Routes Network of Changan-Tianshan Corridor.

In particular, in its decision on the state of conservation of the Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi, the World Heritage Committee “welcomed the adoption of the Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan ‘On the Special Status of the City of Turkestan’, which includes provisions on the protection of cultural heritage, sustainable tourism management, and urban planning, and took note of the height limit of seven meters for constructions within 100 meters from the buffer zone boundaries.”

In its statement, the Kazakh delegation emphasized that the 1972 Convention is mentioned three times in this legislative act and that the development of the city is envisioned in full compliance with Kazakhstan’s obligations to protect this unique monument under UNESCO’s safeguarding.

In this regard, Ambassador Abdrakhmanov, underlined that “the positive assessment of the Law of the Republic of Kazakhstan ‘On the Special Status of the City of Turkestan’ by the World Heritage Committee places additional responsibility on our national authorities to systematically and consistently implement its provisions, which potentially influence the safeguarding of the Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi as a site of outstanding universal value, in cooperation with UNESCO and in line with the 1972 Convention.”

During the session, the Kazakh delegation actively contributed to numerous agenda items and co-authored 15 decisions of the 47^th session of the World Heritage Committee.

Around 1,500 delegates from 150 out of 196 States Parties to the 1972 Convention took part in the session.

The current composition of the World Heritage Committee includes 21 states: Argentina, Belgium, Bulgaria, Greece, Jamaica, Japan, India, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Lebanon, Mexico, Qatar, Republic of Korea, Rwanda, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Senegal, Türkiye, Ukraine, Vietnam, and Zambia. Kazakhstan previously served on this UNESCO body from 2013 to 2017.

Source : https://www.gov.kz/memleket/entities/mfa-unesco/press/news/details/1035016?lang=kk