UNESCO HQ, Paris, World Heritage Centre

I. �Starlight Reserve� Concept

Introduction

Recognizing the importance to promote the Declaration in Defense of the Night Sky and the Right to Starlight (adopted in La Palma, April 2007) trough the different UNESCO Programmes and Initiatives within the framework of the UNESCO Conventions,

Considering that the light pollution as one of the causes of the gas emissions must be considered as an imminent treat for the environment, as well as that climate change poses a threat to the outstanding universal values of World Heritage sites,

Recognizing that the preservation of dark skies is an important and necessary part in the process of the protection and safeguarding of natural and cultural properties world wide,

Following the call of the UNESCO Director-General for "an integrated approach to issues of environmental preservation and sustainable development" (the UNESCO publication "Case Studies on Climate Change and World Heritage"),

The participants of the joint working group on �Starlight Reserve� Concept and the Initiative �Astronomy and World Heritage� recommended adopting the following plan of actions aiming:
- to elaborate the Concept of �Starlight Reserve�
- to identify the different categories of areas, reserves and properties accordingly to this Concept
- to establish general technical recommendations in regard to the starlight protection, related with the safeguarding of natural and cultural properties, lighting pollution and intelligent lighting;
- to integrate these recommendations to the different World Heritage Programmes and Initiatives
- to evaluate the possibilities of the nomination of the �Starlight Reserve� on the World Heritage List and/or as the Biosphere Reserve

Action plan and timeframe

1. �STARLIGHT Initiative� in consultation with IAU � UNESCO � WH Committee Advisory Bodies (ICOMOS-IUCN):

- by December 2007 : to request the presentation of the Starlight Declaration during the Celebration of the International Year of Planet Earth in 2008
- by 15 December 2007 : to prepare the draft Concept proposal on �Starlight Reserve�
- to request the integration of the evaluation of the Starlight Reserve Concept proposal to the programme of the experts meeting on Heritage of Science and Technology initiated and organized by UK authorities (London, 21-23 January 2008)
- by March 2008 : to finalize document on the �Starlight Reserve� Concept proposal for its submission by Spanish authorities to the World Heritage Committee (June-July 2008) during the expert meeting held in Tenerife in February 2008
- by February 2008 : to finalize the �Starlight� activities could be organized by Spanish authorities during the International Year of Astronomy in 2009,
- by September 2008 : to prepare an implementation strategy of the Starlight Reserve Concept

2. �STARLIGHT� in coordination with New Zealand authorities and in consultation with UNESCO-WHC- WH Committee Advisory Bodies:
- to evaluate the possibilities of the nomination of the Starlight Reserves within the framework of the World Heritage Convention : case-study / preparation of the nomination of the Lake Tekapo (NZ)

3. �STARLIGHT Initiative� in consultation with UNESCO-MAB:

- to propose during the special session of 3rd World Congress of Biosphere Reserves: Biosphere Futures, UNESCO Biosphere Reserves for Sustainable Development (4-9 February 2008 - Madrid) to adopt the Starlight Declaration and to promote the implementation of the Starlight Recommendations (For more information: http://www.madrid2008mab.es/)

4. �STARLIGHT Initiative� in consultation with UNESCO-WHC:

- to integrate �Starlight� recommendations to the WH programmes and initiatives (Cities, Tourism, Cultural Landscape, Climate Change & World Heritage, Astronomy & World Heritage etc) (this proposal could be added to the document to be presented by Spain during 32nd session of the World Heritage Committee)
- to prepare a raise awareness paper for State Parties on the implementation of the �Starlight� recommendations
- to prepare the document concerning the implementation strategy of the Starlight Reserve Concept taking into account following documents :
� report on "Predicting and Managing the Effects of Climate Change on World Heritage" and "Strategy to Assist States Parties to Implement Appropriate Management Responses"
� recommendations of the expert meeting on the World Heritage properties� Buffer zones (xxx, March 2008)
� recommendations of the 32nd session of the World Heritage Committee on serial nominations (Canada, June-July 2008)


II. �Astronomy and World Heritage� - first UNESCO Thematic Initiative to promote the Heritage of Science and Technology

Introduction

Noting the considerable progress in the implementation of this Initiative initiated in 2003
Considering the World Heritage Committee requested to further explore the thematic initiative �Astronomy and World Heritage� as a means to promote, in particular, nominations which recognize and celebrate achievements in science (29th session, July 2005)
Taking into account the Resolution of the UNESCO General Conference mentioned which noted that the International Year of Astronomy is the excellent opportunity to raise public awareness, especially within the young generation, of scientific issues and to demonstrate the links between science, education, culture and communication in the framework of ��� the thematic initiative �Astronomy and World Heritage�,

The participants recommended the following plan of actions:

1. IAU in coordination with UNESCO/WHCand Starlight:

- by January 2008 : to prepare a list of most exceptional astronomical properties world-wide from point of view of science which are not World Heritage properties, in conformity with WH criteria, as well as using the classification established during the Venice meeting in 2004
- by May 2008 : to prepare and edit the International Appeal Paper mentioned the importance of identification, safeguarding and recognition of astronomical scientific heritage world wide within the framework of the World Heritage Convention (TBC by IAU) � for its distribution to the Permanent Delegations to UNESCO as well as during the World Heritage Committee in June-July 2008


2. UK Organizing Committee (Meeting on HERITAGE of SCIENCE and TECHNOLOGY, London 21-23 January 2008) in coordination with UNESCO-WHC and WH Committee Advisory Bodies:

- To invite IAU, as well as �STARLIGHT� Scientific Committee representatives to the meeting on scientific heritage
- To evaluate the implementation of the Astronomy and World Heritage Initiative, including the examples of the WH activities could be organized by different State Parties during the International Year of Astronomy in 2009
- To study the WH existing criteria in the context of identification of the cultural heritage properties/monuments which are of outstanding universal value from the point of view of history, art or science, in conformity with the Article 1 of the World Heritage Convention
- To prepare the draft of the Guidelines on the inscription of the properties of science and technology on the World Heritage List, including the definition and categories of these properties which should be used in association with Chapter II the Operational Guidelines (with the recommendation to revise the Annex 3 of the Operational Guidelines in order to add these Guidelines)
- by March 2008 : to prepare a draft of document to the attention of the World Heritage Committee June-July 2008
- by April-May 2008 : To edit the meeting proceedings and recommendations and to add the meeting report to the web address : http://whc.unesco.org/en/globalstrategy

3. IAU and ICOMOS:

- by March 2008 : to prepare the specific guidelines for identification of astronomical properties on the base of the Venice meeting (2004) and UK meeting (2008) recommendations
- by March 2008 : to prepare the proposal to the attention of the World Heritage Committee requesting to undertake the comparative and thematic studies on astronomical scientific heritage, including the identification of the serial transnational properties in order to provide a context for their evaluation
- by June 2008 : to signed an agreement of collaboration in order to provide necessary expertise to the State Parties for the identification and nomination for inscription of astronomical scientific heritage on the World Heritage List
- to evaluate the possibility to create the International Scientific Committee for Astronomical Heritage
- to establish the guidelines for recognition of scientific values of the inscribed World Heritage properties connected with astronomical observations

4. UNESCO-WHC in coordination with WH Committee Advisory Bodies � IAU � State parties involved:

- by February 2008 : to finalize the programme of the meeting on serial nominations of astronomical properties (proposed by Egypt) on the base of recommendation of the UK meeting
- by March 2008 : to consolidate and finalize the document concerning the Heritage of Science and Technology to be presented to the WH Committee in June-July 2008 including :
� The proposal of the Guidelines on the inscription of the properties of science and technology on the World Heritage List with the recommendation to revise the Annex 3 of the Operational Guidelines
� the implementation report of the Thematic Initiative �Astronomy and World Heritage� including the International Appeal Paper of IAU, the request to undertake the comparative and thematic studies on astronomical scientific heritage, the request to approve the list (with a budget proposal) of WH activities could be organized by different State Parties during the International Year of Astronomy in 2009
� document on the �Starlight Reserve� Concept, as well as on the proposal to integrate the Starlight Recommendations to the World Heritage Programme and Initiatives

ANNEX 1

Location : UNESCO HQ, Paris, World Heritage Centre
Working Meeting : 10 October 2007
: 15 October 2007
: 19 October 2007

Participants :
� Astronomy and World Heritage � & Starlight members:
1. Prof. Alexander Boksenberg, Chairperson, UK National Commission for UNESCO
2. Sr. D. Lu�s Ramallo Massanet, Chairperson of the Spanish National Commission for UNESCO
3. Mr Miguel Clusener-Godt, Ecological Sciences and Biodiversity Section SC/EES/ESB
4. Mr Cipriano Marin, Coordinator Starlight Initiative (IAC).
5. Ms Anna Sidorenko-Dulom, Coordinator Astronomy and World Heritage Initiative, CLT/WHC
6. Dr. Phil Cameron, S.J.D., LL.M., J.D. Doctor of International Law, Space Travel Law Association (STELA), USA

UNESCO World Heritage Centre / Culture Sector:
7. Mrs Mechtild Rossler, Chief Europe & North America Section, CLT/WHC/EUR
8. Ms Celine Fuchs, CLT/WHC/EUR
9. Ms Ekaterina Lichtenstein, CLT/WHC/EUR
10. Mr Marc Patry, CLT/WHC

Advisory Bodies of the World Heritage Committee:
11. Mrs Regina Durighello, Director World Heritage Programme, ICOMOS

IAU
12. Prof. Karel A. van der Hucht, General Secretary International Astronomical Union
13. Prof. Richard Wainscoat, President IAU Commission 50, University of Hawaii

State Parties representatives and experts :
14. Ms Margaret Austin, former Chairperson of the New Zealand National Commission
15. Ms Mandy Barrie, Head of Policy, Strategy & Resources Unit, UK Department for Culture, Media & Sport
16. Dr Christopher Young, Head of World Heritage and International Policy, English Heritage, UK Department for Culture, Media & Sport
17. Dr. Alba Zanini, I.N.F.N. sez. di Torino, Italy