World Heritage properties continue to face pressure from various forms of development – including commercial and residential projects, energy projects, transport infrastructure and tourism development – and other significant changes that can affect their Outstanding Universal Value. State of Conservation Reports often bring these issues to the attention of the World Heritage Committee, which has long requested impact assessments to inform better decision-making for the future of World Heritage. To respond to these Committee requests and comply with the Operational Guidelines for the Implementation of the World Heritage Convention, States Parties, local authorities and World Heritage management teams have increasingly sought guidance and support to build capacities on impact assessment.
This online course on Impact Assessment in a World Heritage context will introduce participants to the methodology outlined in the updated Guidance and Toolkit for Impact Assessment in a World Heritage context (July 2022), which was prepared by the three Advisory Bodies to the World Heritage Convention – ICOMOS, ICCROM and IUCN – in partnership with the UNESCO World Heritage Centre.
The course will explore how impact assessment and multidisciplinary cooperation can be useful in identifying solutions for both protecting World Heritage sites and supporting high-quality, appropriate development.
Objectives
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Introduce participants to the updated methodology of the new Guidance and Toolkit for Impact Assessment in a World Heritage context;
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Equip participants with current knowledge of and skills to use impact assessments to inform decision-making regarding various factors affecting heritage in general and World Heritage properties in particular;
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Provide participants with knowledge on management and monitoring requirements and reporting mechanisms for World Heritage properties;
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Effectively communicate the benefits of linking nature and culture and the role of impact assessments in heritage management planning; and
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Promote the exchange of experiences and information in heritage management and conservation among practitioners.
Participants
The training is designed for a maximum of 25 participants. Priority is given to:
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Heritage practitioners involved in an Environmental Impact Assessment, a Heritage Impact Assessment or other type of impact assessment related to a World Heritage property or other heritage place;
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Officials and decision-makers whose State Party has been requested to conduct an impact assessment by the World Heritage Committee; and
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Other practitioners or heritage stakeholders involved in impact assessments at heritage places.
Course certificate
A certificate of course completion will be awarded by the ICCROM-IUCN World Heritage Leadership programme to all participants who participate in at least 85% of course sessions and actively engage in course exercises and discussions.
Course cost and scholarships
The course fee for this capacity-building activity is:
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Applicants from for-profit organizations and private sector companies: € 500,00
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Applicants from non-profit organizations and governmental agencies: € 300,00
In addition to the course fee, participants are required to cover all other relevant expenses for their participation. This includes access to and use of a computer, a stable internet connection and their time.
To facilitate the participation of a diverse group of professionals, the World Heritage Leadership programme will offer a limited number of scholarships for participants applying from Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and countries with low-income economies.
Application
The online application is to be submitted in English on the ICCROM website. To complete the form, you are required to upload the following items:
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a passport-style photo or similar;
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your professional curriculum vitae (in English; maximum two pages);
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the official endorsement of your institution (not necessary if you are a freelancer or similar);
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a short personal statement explaining your involvement with World Heritage and impact assessment and why this course would be useful; and
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if a scholarship is requested, a brief motivation letter is also required.
If you encounter any issues submitting your application via the ICCROM website, please email us at whia23-online@iccrom.org.
About World Heritage Leadership
The World Heritage Leadership programme is delivered by IUCN and ICCROM in collaboration with ICOMOS and the UNESCO World Heritage Centre. It is funded by the generous support of the Norwegian Ministry of Climate and Environment, with contributions from the Korean Cultural Heritage Administration (CHA), the Swiss Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN) and other partners. It is a capacity-building programme focused on promoting links between people-nature-culture in the management of heritage places and securing heritage a more dynamic role in wider sustainable development.