Skopje, 19 February 2024 (MIA) - North Macedonia upheld throughout 2023 its commitment to preserving the status of the Ohrid region and implementing UNESCO's recommendations from the reactive monitoring missions and advisory bodies in 2017 and 2020, highlighted on Monday the 6th session of the National Commission for UNESCO.  

The session was chaired by Culture Minister and president of the National Commission for UNESCO, Bisera Kostadinovska-Stojchevska. She addressed the report on the protection of the natural and cultural heritage of the Ohrid region and the progress in implementing the decision of the World Heritage Committee.

"Reaffirming the open and partner relations between North Macedonia and Albania to the UNESCO World Heritage Centre and advisory bodies, in January 2024 we requested a joint reactive monitoring mission, which will be realized towards the end of March 2024," said Kostadinovska-Stojchevska.

She added that the mission will be carried out in order to assess the current situation with the natural and cultural heritage of the Ohrid region and the direction of future activities for its adequate protection.

Members of the Commission were also briefed on the revised Strategic Recovery Plan for the Rehabilitation of the Natural and Cultural Heritage of the Ohrid Region (2023-2030). The Minister confirmed that the procedure of revising the Strategic Plan, developed by an expert team from both countries, also contained indications, remarks and recommendations made by the UNESCO advisory body- International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS).

According to the Ministry of Culture, the documents, once submitted to the World Heritage Center, will be published on the websites of the Culture Ministry and the Ministry of Environment and Physical Planning.

Kostadinovska-Stojchevska said the 46th session of the World Heritage Committee, which is to be held in July 2024, will discuss the report on the protection of the natural and cultural heritage of the Ohrid region, including a new decision on its status.

Today's session also reviewed projects submitted to the open call for project proposals within UNESCO’s Participation Programme for 2024-2025.

Minister Kostadinovska-Stojchevska said that within the given deadline for the call, which was published on the websites of the ministry and department of cooperation with NGOs at the General Secretariat of the Government, nine project proposals from the fields of education, science, culture and environment have been submitted.

Zoran Pavlov, head of the Directorate for the Protection of Cultural Heritage, who also participated in the preparation of the report and the revision of the Strategic Plan, also addressed the session highlighting all activities undertaken by competent institutions responsible for the protection of the Ohrid region. ssh/nn/

Photo: Ministry of Culture