World Heritage 43 COM WHC/19/43.COM/INF.1 Paris, 15 April 2019 Original: English UNITED NATIONS EDUCATIONAL, SCIENTIFIC AND CULTURAL ORGANIZATION CONVENTION CONCERNING THE PROTECTION OF THE WORLD CULTURAL AND NATURAL HERITAGE WORLD HERITAGE COMMITTEE Forty-third session Baku, Republic of Azerbaijan 30 June – 10 July 2019 GENERAL INFORMATION SUMMARY This document provides important information regarding the 43rd session of the World Heritage Committee that will be held in the Republic of Azerbaijan (Baku) from 30 June to 10 July 2019 (registration, visas, travel and accommodation, etc.). All information on the 43rd session of the World Heritage Committee is also available at the following webpage: 43whcbaku2019.az Contents 1 Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 4 2 Purpose ............................................................................................................................... 4 3 Session Organizers .............................................................................................................. 4 3.1 Contact Details Of The Organizers .............................................................................. 5 3.2 Service Contacts And Side Events ............................................................................... 5 4 Participants and Registration .............................................................................................. 6 4.1 Participants ................................................................................................................. 6 4.2 Registration ................................................................................................................. 7 5 Protocol ............................................................................................................................... 7 6 Accommodation .................................................................................................................. 7 7 Passport, Visa and Other Travel Information ...................................................................... 8 7.1 Passport Requirements ............................................................................................... 8 7.2 Visa Requirements ...................................................................................................... 8 7.3 E-Visa (ASAN Visa) ....................................................................................................... 9 7.4 Travel To Azerbaijan and To Baku ............................................................................. 10 7.5 Medical Insurance ..................................................................................................... 10 8 The Meeting ...................................................................................................................... 10 8.1 Conference Venue ..................................................................................................... 10 8.2 Local Transportation and Transfers To The Conference Venue................................ 11 8.3 Registration Desk and Distribution Of Badges .......................................................... 11 8.4 Badges ....................................................................................................................... 11 8.5 Service Area For Participants .................................................................................... 11 8.6 Meals And Refreshments .......................................................................................... 11 8.7 Prayer And Meditation Room ................................................................................... 12 9 Media ................................................................................................................................ 12 9.1 Accreditation, VISA and Customs .............................................................................. 12 9.2 Media Registration and Security Measures .............................................................. 12 9.3 Media Centre ............................................................................................................ 12 9.4 Press Conferences ..................................................................................................... 13 9.5 Press Material ........................................................................................................... 13 9.6 Media Access to the Session Or Media Assistance on the Spot ............................... 13 10 Reception Programme And Related Events .................................................................. 13 10.1 Guided Tours and Day Trips ...................................................................................... 13 11 World Heritage Young Professionals Forum ................................................................. 14 12 World Heritage Site Managers Forum .......................................................................... 14 13 Information about The Republic Of Azerbaijan ............................................................ 14 13.1 Republic of Azerbaijan .............................................................................................. 14 13.2 Climate ...................................................................................................................... 15 13.3 Currency & Exchange ................................................................................................ 16 13.4 Gratuities ................................................................................................................... 16 13.5 Electricity Supply ....................................................................................................... 16 13.6 Smoking ..................................................................................................................... 16 13.7 Time Zone .................................................................................................................. 17 13.8 Drinking Water .......................................................................................................... 17 13.9 Telephone, Mobile & Useful Phone Numbers .......................................................... 17 13.10 Medical Care ......................................................................................................... 17 14 Additional Information .................................................................................................. 17 Annex 1: Recommended 4* and 5* Hotels ............................................................................... 18 Annex 2: Visa Regulations ......................................................................................................... 25 General Information WHC/19/43.COM/INF.1, p. 3 1 INTRODUCTION The Republic of Azerbaijan has the pleasure of hosting the 43rd session of the World Heritage Committee. The Committee Session will take place in Baku, Azerbaijan from 30 June to 10 July, 2019. The information document is hereby presented to give a general introduction to the participants of the 43rd session of the World Heritage Committee. The practical information included in the document intends to ensure that the participants have all the required information to conveniently plan and realize their visit to the Host Country, Azerbaijan. Kindly be reminded that the official website 43whcbaku2019.az and the organizers of the 43rd Session of the Committee are ready to assist you, if you have any further questions. 2 PURPOSE The World Heritage Committee is comprised of representatives from 21 States Parties to the Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage elected by the General Assembly of States Parties to the Convention. The current composition of the Committee is as follows: Angola, Australia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Burkina Faso, China, Cuba, Guatemala, Hungary, Indonesia, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Norway, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Spain, Tunisia, Uganda, United Republic of Tanzania, Zimbabwe. For further information, please visit https://whc.unesco.org/en/committee/ . The essential functions of the Committee are: i. To identify, on the basis of nominations submitted by States Parties, cultural and natural properties of Outstanding Universal Value which are to be protected under the Convention, and to inscribe those properties on the World Heritage List; ii. To monitor the state of conservation of properties inscribed on the World Heritage List, in liaison with States Parties; decide which properties included in the World Heritage List are to be inscribed on or removed from the List of World Heritage in Danger; decide whether a property may be deleted from the World Heritage List; iii. To examine requests for International Assistance financed by the World Heritage Fund. The 43rd session of the World Heritage Committee will be held in Baku from 30 June to 10 July 2019 at the Baku Congress Centre. 3 SESSION ORGANIZERS The 43rd session is organized by UNESCO with the Republic of Azerbaijan. H.E. Mr. Ilham Aliyev, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan signed an order on 9 August 2018 to establish the Organizing Committee in connection with holding the 43rd Session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee in Baku in 2019. According to this order, the Ministry of General Information WHC/19/43.COM/INF.1, p. 4 Culture of the Republic of Azerbaijan is the main organizer of the session