Media Update: United Nations Pakistan, 23 January 2026
26 January 2026
UNESCO
Media Advisory
Training on World Heritage Site Management, Documentation, and Boundary Delineation
When: Friday, 26-29 January 2026
Where: Peshawar, Pakistan
What: The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), in collaboration with Pakistan’s Department of Archaeology and Museums (DOAM) and provincial heritage authorities, is organizing a national workshop on World Heritage Site Management, Documentation, and Boundary Delineation from 26 to 29 January 2026 in Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The four-day programme will bring together site managers from all six inscribed World Heritage properties, along with federal and provincial officials and heritage professionals. Through expert-led sessions and applied group work, participants will strengthen skills related to management planning, documentation, mapping, and buffer zone definition, drawing on both national experience and international expertise.
A guided field visit to the World Heritage Site of Takht-i-Bahi will anchor the discussions in practical, site-based realities and encourage peer learning.
Who: site managers from all six inscribed World Heritage properties, along with federal and provincial officials and heritage professionals
Programme Agenda:
| Provisional Agenda | |||
| Day One | |||
| Date: 26 January 2026, Monday | Venue: Peshawar Museum | ||
| Time | Activity | Facilitator | |
|
09:00 – 09:30 AM |
Participant Registration and Networking | ||
|
09:30 – 10:00 AM |
Opening Session Welcome Address by Abdul Samad, Director General of Archaeology and Museums for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Province
Opening Remarks by Fuad Pashayev, Head of UNESCO Islamabad Office in Pakistan
Opening Remarks by Nicolas Galey, Ambassador of France to Pakistan
|
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10:00 – 10:15 AM |
Tea Break | ||
|
10:15 – 10:45 AM |
Session One Objectives of the Workshop And introduction of participants |
Jawad Aziz National Professional Officer-Culture UNESCO Islamabad |
|
| 10:45 AM – 12:45 PM |
Session Two Presentations by Site Managers for Each World Heritage Sites Each site manager (20 min. each) will present an overview of the challenges of their respective sites, with a focus on the gaps related to World Heritage Site requirements, such as Management Plans, Buffer Zones, Documentation etc.
|
Cristina Menegazzi International Expert - Culture and Heritage UNESCO Islamabad |
|
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12:45 – 01:45 PM |
Lunch Break | ||
|
01:45 – 03:15 PM |
Session Three World Heritage in Pakistan An Historical Overview and Strategy for the Future
|
Tahir Saeed Former Director Department of Archaeology and Museums, Islamabad |
|
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03:15 – 03:30 PM |
Tea Break | ||
|
03:30 – 05:30 PM |
Session Four Defining the Heritage Property Group work on World Heritage attributes / value and authenticity Mapping attributes and property boundaries / integrity
|
Kai Weise UNESCO Consultant President of ICOMOS Nepal |
|
| Day Two | |||
| Date: 27 January, Tuesday |
Venue: World Heritage Site Takht-i-Bahi and Peshawar Museum |
||
| Time | Activity | Facilitator | |
| 07:30 AM | Departure for Takht-i-Bahi from Hotel | ||
| 09:00 AM – 12:00 PM |
Session Five Takht-i-Bahi Site Visit Guided site visit to discuss and understand the needs of a World Heritage Site in situ
|
Led by the Directorate of Archaeology and Museums for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Province
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01:30 – 02:30 PM |
Lunch Break | ||
|
02:30 – 03:30 PM |
Session Six Documentation Requirements for World Heritage Sites Maps, Demarcation, Buffer Zone, Photographs, Management Plans
|
Usman Sami President ICOMOS Pakistan |
|
|
03:30 – 05:30 PM |
Session Seven Issues and Actions Group work: Identifying Issues and discussions on management objectives Response procedures to issues – presentation and discussions on actions Action categories and preparing Plan of Actions
|
Usman Sami Tahir Saeed Kai Weise
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| Day Three | |||
| Date: 28 January 2026, Wednesday | Venue: Peshawar Museum | ||
| Time | Activity | Facilitator | |
|
09:00 – 11:00 AM |
Session Eight Management Frameworks Group work on Institutions and Legal Framework and discussions Group work on Resources Framework and discussions Additional management tools – presentations and discussions
|
Usman Sami Tahir Saeed Kai Weise
|
|
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11:00 – 11:15 AM |
Tea Break | ||
|
11:15 – 01:15 PM |
Session Nine Approaches and Sector Strategies Discussions on vision and approaches Categorization of issues and sector strategies Preparing, finalizing and adopting the Management Document
|
Usman Sami Tahir Saeed Kai Weise
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01:15 – 02:15 PM |
Lunch Break | ||||
|
02:15 – 04:00 PM |
Session Ten Roles, Structures, Procedures and Challenges of Provincial and Federal Departments of Archaeology & Museums
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Usman Sami Tahir Saeed Kai Weise
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04:00 – 05:30 PM |
Session Eleven Roles & Responsibilities of Stakeholders and Site Managers for World Heritage Sites
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Usman Sami Tahir Saeed Kai Weise
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08:00 – 10:00 PM |
Networking Dinner | ||||
| Day Four | |||||
| Date: 29 January 2026, Thursday | Venue: Peshawar Museum | ||||
| Time | Activity | Facilitator | |||
|
09:00 – 11:00 AM |
Session Twelve World Heritage Strategy for Pakistan Presentation by DOAM on the need for an effective World Heritage Strategy for Pakistan Guided discussion among all participants on the revision of the Tentative List
|
Cristina Menegazzi
|
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11:00 – 11:15 AM |
Tea Break | ||||
|
11:15 – 01:00 PM |
Session Thirteen Future Nominations Plans Each provincial director/director-general will present an overview of the nomination plan for the next ten years for the World Heritage Site List in Pakistan
|
Jawad Aziz
|
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01:00 – 02:00 PM |
Lunch Break | ||||
|
02:00 – 03:00 PM |
Session Fourteen Recommendations Discussion on Recommendations for Effective Management of World Heritage Sites in Pakistan
|
Cristina Menegazzi
|
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|
03:00 – 03:30 PM |
Certificates Distribution Closing Session
Remarks by Amanullah Director General Department of Archaeology and Museum, Islamabad Remarks by Dr. Abdul Samad Directorate General of Archaeology and Museums, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
Closing Remarks by UNESCO Representative
|
Jawad Aziz
|
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03:30 – 04:30 PM |
Tea & Departure of Participants | ||||
Note to the Media Participants:
You are kindly requested to assign a reporter/cameraperson to cover the event.
For RSVP please contact:
- Zahra Sohail, Cell: 0309 099 3005, Email: z.sohail@unesco.org
We look forward to your participation and coverage.
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