Results of an European Project for preservation of UNESCO Cultural Hertiga in Georgia and Lebanon

WAR FREE WORLD HERITAGE LISTED CITIES project has been designed and co-financed within the framework of the EC ENP Instrument through the CIUDAD program and arises from an international cooperation among the Council of the United Municipalities of Byblos (Lebanon), the Head of the Board of the City of Mtskheta (Georgia), the World Association for the protection of Tangible and Intangible Cultural Heritage in times of armed conficts – WATCH (Italy) and the University of Bologna (Italy). The project focuses on urban and regional planning for cities that are registered in the World Heritage List and located in critical areas being exposed to the threats of conflict and natural hazards such as earthquakes or flood. As case studies, Risk Preparedness Plans and Risk Mitigation measures have been defined for the cities of Byblos and Mtskheta abiding with the Guidelines issued in 2009 by UNESCO for the implementation of the Second Protocol of the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Properties in times of armed conflicts. During its thirty months of duration, the project has developed a strategy to create the required conditions for both Byblos and Mtskheta to be candidates for enhanced protection status to UNESCO.