The main aim of the coordination workshop for ‎international and Iraqi experts on “The Ahwar of Southern Iraq and the Relict Landscape of the ‎Mesopotamian Cities” was to develop a management plan that safeguarded the integrity of ‎the site.‎ The workshop is part of the UNEP-UNESCO initiative to use the World Heritage ‎nomination and management planning process to ensure sustainable development of the Iraqi ‎Marshlands and conserve the values inherent in the historical, cultural, environmental, and ‎socio-economic characteristics of the area.