PRILOGA

Osnutek Pisma o nameri za oblikovanje usklajevalnega odbora za enoto oz. območje dediščine Živo srebro in srebro na medcelinski Camino Real – rudarska mesta Almadén, Idrija in San Luis Potosí

PROTOCOL OF INTENTION FOR THE CREATION OF A COORDINATION COMMITTEE FOR THE PROPERTY

“THE MERCURY+SILVER BINOMIAL ON THE CAMINO REAL INTERCONTINENTAL”

WITH REGARD TO ALMADEN, IDRIJA AND SAN LUIS POTOSI

At .... , on … December 2007

BY AND BETWEEN

As party to the first part (Spain), José Jiménez, Director-General of Fine Arts and Cultural Property of Spain's Ministry of Culture,

As party to the second part (Slovenia)

As party to the third part (Mexico), Alfonso de Maria y Campos Castello, Director General of the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH).

All parties, mutually and reciprocally acknowledging the competence and legal capacity necessary to ratify this Protocol of Intention and acting in the capacity as representatives thereof,

STATE AS FOLLOWS

ONE. The mining sites of Almadén (Spain), Idrija (Slovenia) and the historic mining town of San Luis Potosí (Mexico) are fundamental landmarks, genuinely representatives of the historic phenomenon that arose from the interactive dynamic function of mercury and silver, the basis and driving force behind the vast ensemble known as the Intercontinental Camino Real.

The channels established for the distribution of mercury produced in Europe at Almadén and Idrija, the innovative methods used in America for industrial-scale extraction of silver by a process of amalgamation for which mercury was indispensable, the administrative organisation set up for the use and control of the two metals and the subsequent dispatch of the silver to Europe by way of those same channels, constituted a complex, well-structured and perfectly identifiable system whose significance in the economic, social and cultural transformation of the Western World from the XVI to the XIX centuries is undeniable.

TWO. Owing to the transcendence of this historic phenomenon and the importance of its legacy as heritage, in 2006 Spain invited Slovenia, Mexico and Peru to initiate joints efforts for the preparation of a candidacy for a World Heritage serial property. Slovenia with regard to Idrija and Mexico in relation to San Luis Potosí expressed interest in this invitation. Peru expressed its intention of joining this initiative in the future while in the meantime preparing the candidacy of Huancavelica which, together with Almadén and Idrija, was one of the three centres of mercury production forming part of the aforementioned system.

THREE. During 2007 the multi-disciplinary team formed by the three countries involved in the aforementioned project, has worked in close collaboration and held meetings in Spain, Slovenia and Mexico with the participation of a great many experts. A large number of activities have also been carried out with a view to fostering knowledge of, interest in and collective social awareness of this project.

FOUR. As a result of these efforts, in September 2007 the three States submitted a draft proposal to the UNESCO World Heritage Centre calling for the inclusion of the aforesaid candidacy on the World Heritage Listas a transnational serial property.

FIVE. Article 114 of the Operational Guidelines for the Implementation of the World Heritage Convention provides that in the case of serial properties, a management system or mechanisms for ensuring the coordinated management of the separate components are essential.

SIX. The three States recognise the virtue and need to establish a permanent mechanism to facilitate the coordinated management of the property and to preserve the spirit of cooperation which has inspired the project from the outset without prejudice to the conservation and management responsibilities corresponding to each one individually.

For all of the foregoing the signatory parties, in mutual respect for their respective competencies, agree to endorse this Protocol of Intention in accordance with the following

CLAUSES

ONE. The aim of this Protocol of Intention is to formally establish a cooperation structure assuring the development of reciprocal collaboration for the conservation, protection, management and dissemination of the property “The mercury+silver binomial on the Intercontinental Camino Real”, with respect to Almadén, Idrija and San Luis Potosí .

TWO. The signatory parties agree to create a Coordination Committee (hereafter the “Coordination Committee”) as the body responsible for coordination and cooperation in management of the property “The mercury+silver binomial on the Intercontinental Camino Real”, as regards Almadén, Idrija and San Luis Potosí .

THREE. The functions of the Coordination Committee shall be the following:

-Monitor in a coordinated fashion the state of conservation of the property “The mercury+silver binomial on the Intercontinental Camino Real”, with respect to Almadén, Idrija and San Luis Potosí, especially as concerns the process of compiling the periodic reports and the formulation of recommendations which may arise from the latter.

-Adopt recommendations for the coordinated management of the aforenamed sites as concerns those aspects affecting their status as World Heritage.

-Approve a common signposting system of the three sites ascomponents of the serial property.

-Foster research and cooperation among teaching and research institutions, visitors’ centres and museums linked to mining activity and other aspects relating to the mercury+silver binomial within the context of this candidacy.

-Approve joint actions for promotion of the property and awareness-raising among the general public regarding its outstanding universal value, appropriate presentation and interpretation programmes, visitor’s facilities and monitoring measures intended to prevent the negative impacts of uncontrolled tourism.

-Encourage institutional contacts and hold necessary meetings for the adding to this serial property of new cultural landmarks historically linked to the interactive phenomenon of mercury and silver of the Intercontinental Camino Real.

-Any other functions deemed necessary for the proper coordination and cooperation in the management of this serial property.

FOUR. The Coordination Committee shall be divided into a Plenum and Technical Office.

All Committee posts shall be honorary, i.e. without the right to receive any sort of remuneration.

Each State shall cover the expenses deriving from the participation of its representatives on the Committee.

FIVE. The Coordination Committee Plenum shall be comprised of three representatives with political decision-making capacity from each of the Signatory States of this Protocol. Each State shall appoint its representatives in accordance with its legal procedures while assuring proper representation of the State's different levels of political organisation.

Plenum chairmanship shall be for a term of two years and will change on a rotating basis between the States represented on the Committee. The Chairman shall appoint the Secretary.

Members of the Plenum shall be allowed to delegate their representation and attend meetings accompanied by advisors they deem necessary in light of the subjects up for discussion.

The Plenum is responsible for approving decisions taken with regard to the functions laid down in Clause three.

SIX. The Technical Office shall be comprised of six members. Each State shall appoint two representatives with specialised technical background in the matters comprising the functions of the Committee.

The chairmanship of the Technical Committee will be held by one of the representatives of the same State holding the chairmanship of the Plenum. The Chairman shall appoint the Secretary.

The Technical Committee shall be responsible for making proposals to the Plenum regarding the functions laid down in Clause three and to conduct the studies and background work required to that end.

SEVEN. This Protocol of Intention shall enter into force on the day of its signing and its duration shall be indefinite.

In the event of the incorporation of landmarks to the serial property of States other than the signatories of this Protocol, their political representatives shall be encouraged to join the latter. In that case, the makeup of the Coordination Committee’s Plenum and Technical Office shall be amended so as to incorporate three and two representatives respectively for each new ProtocolSignatoryState.

EIGHT. The Coordination Committee shall be constituted within a period of … as from the signing of this Protocol of Intention.

In witness of the content of this Protocol of Intention, it is signed in triplicate by the parties at the place and on the date indicated above, initialling each of its pages.