The seventh meeting of the Scientific and Technical Advisory Body will take place at UNESCO Headquarters on 10 May 2016.
This meeting will follow an Information Meeting for Permanent Delegations on Underwater Cultural Heritage and a Working Meeting for States Parties to the 2001 Convention on a Draft Ratification and Implementation Strategy which will both take place on 9 May 2016, and precedes a meeting of the UNESCO UNITWIN Underwater Archaeology Network on 11 and 12 May 2016.
Among others, the Advisory Body:
- Assists the Meeting of States Parties to the Convention in scientific or technical issues regarding the implementation of the ‘Rules concerning activities directed at underwater cultural heritage’ (Annex to the Convention);
- May be consulted for the elaboration, in consultation with the Bureau of the Meeting of States Parties, of the draft Operational Guidelines directly related to the Rules;
- Gives guidance in questions directly related to Rules in the framework of the practical application of the State cooperation mechanism contained in the Convention (Articles 8 to 13).
The Sixth Meeting of the Advisory Body will discuss strategies on best practices regarding public access to the underwater cultural heritage sites; cooperation among accredited NGO's as well as education and awareness-raising activities.