Public Information and Advocacy

Leaders Discuss Cultural Heritage Protection at UNESCO

Panel discussions at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris on 15 May emphasized the importance of protecting cultural heritage as a universal value in times of conflict. The panel consisted of the Director of the UNESCO World Heritage Centre & Heritage Division; the Director for Culture and Creativity at the Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture at the European Commission; and ICCROM’s Director-General Webber Ndoro.

ICCROM Delegation Contributes to European Heritage Heads Forum Meeting

The 13th Annual Meeting of the European Heritage Heads Forum took place in Luxembourg on 16–18 May. Organized as part of EYCH 2018, its focus was “Old Sites and New Functions: Sharing Our Built Heritage with the Next Generation.” At the meeting, Council Chairperson Oliver Martin and Director-General Webber Ndoro illustrated ICCROM’s programmes and stressed the importance of collaboration with European countries in the efforts to protect and promote built heritage.

Point of the Matter Dialogue Takes Up Rescue of Cultural Heritage

In collaboration with ICCROM, the International Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works (IIC) hosted a panel discussion in Turin, Italy, on 12 September as part of the Point of the Matter Dialogue series at the IIC’s 27th Biennial Congress. The programme, titled “Culture Cannot Wait: Integrating Heritage First Aid with Humanitarian Assistance in Crises” brought together seven specialists who have worked to conserve heritage through war, earthquakes and disaster.

The speakers considered the priorities of the agencies coordinating the emergency response and the role of salvage of cultural heritage for a society recovering from the trauma of a disaster or war. Conservators, soldiers and firefighters explored why preserving heritage is essential in the psycho-social recovery of societies and discussed how to include rescue of cultural heritage in the emergency management plans of national, local and military agencies.

Photography Exhibition Travels to Morocco

The photography exhibition “The Day After: Shadows of Heritage” was on display at Sidi Mohammed Bin Abdullah Museum in the Old City of Essaouira, Morocco, 26 November–9 December to coincide with the International Forum on Cities and Heritage in Arab Countries.

The exhibition shows significant historic buildings, structures and cities before and after destruction in several areas in the Arab region. Though their integrity has been affected, the aura of these buildings and sites persists.

This exhibition was first presented at the Egyptian Academy in Rome in December 2017. In June 2018 it was on display in Bahrain during the 42nd Session of the World Heritage Committee.

VigoniForEurope Brings Together German and Italian Institutions to Discuss Culture

In September, the German and Italian Ministries of Foreign Affairs organized VigoniForEurope: Cultural Heritage and International Cultural Relations, a conference to discuss cultural policies and models. This year’s meeting focused on three main themes: cultural heritage and cultural policies in a globalized world, cultural heritage narratives and communication, and what could concretely be done particularly in areas of conflict. ICCROM gave a presentation titled “Protection and Recovery of Cultural Heritage: Possible Activities in the Context of the EU’s Common Foreign and Security Policy.”

Other participating institutions included the Deutsches Archäologisches Institut, Associazione Nazionale Industrie Cinematografiche Audiovisive e Multimediali (ANICA), University of Franz Liszt, Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and the Galleria dell’Accademia di Firenze.

Congress Offers Opportunities to Highlight Conservation in Africa and Strengthen Collaboration with Mexico

More than 60 scholars attended the International Congress of Theories and History of Conservation held in Mexico City, Mexico, from 18 to 21 September. The gathering devoted particular attention to the work of Cesare Brandi. ICCROM staff gave a presentation on heritage values, outlining the history of conservation in Africa from precolonial times to the present day. The event also offered an occasion to hold various meetings with the Instituto Nacional de Anthropología e Historia (INAH), with a view to strengthening collaboration with Mexico.

ICCROM Highlights World Heritage Leadership Programme at Rome Exhibition

ICCROM’s participation at the RO.ME Museum Exhibition, Fiera di Roma, Italy, on 29 November contributed to fostering a collaboration between the World Heritage Leadership Programme and Italian heritage conservation institutions. A scientific panel session focusing on World Heritage Conservation highlighted key aspects of the Programme, including the experiences of Herculaneum, Dolomites and Florence regarding nature-culture linkages, participatory people-centred approaches and impact assessments for sustainable development.