Asia and the Pacific

When disasters strike, local communities are the first to try and safeguard their cultural heritage, however their ability to intervene is often greatly reduced during complex and multi-faceted humanitarian crises. At the same time, first responders may not always be aware of what is culturally important, and they often lack the training to handle heritage objects and structures, and meet the...

From 8 – 19 October, the Course on Management & Monitoring of World Heritage Sites was held in the Historic Centre of Macao SAR, China. Lasting two weeks, the course provided ten international participants and 13 Chinese participants with theoretical lectures and on-site practice, using the Historic Centre of Macao as a case study. Senior experts from ICCROM, mainland China and Macao gave guidance...

The 2018 edition of the International Course on Japanese Paper Conservation (JPC) was held from 29 August to 17 September in Tokyo, Japan. This highly specialized, three-week event brought together ten heritage professionals from around the world. For the first time, colleagues from Fiji and Zambia joined the course.

Cyclones, typhoons, floods and earthquakes have been identified as the biggest threats to human development. They are also on the rise, with devastating consequences for cultural heritage. For this reason, as a field, we are increasingly finding ourselves in the position of needing to be ready at any moment to intervene after a disaster strikes.

The 42nd session of the World Heritage Committee meeting held in June put a strong emphasis on the importance of capacity building. Numerous committee decisions requested and recommended capacity building for conservation of sites, with the Site Managers Forum adding a firm voice to the importance and vital need for better guidance and assistance.

The Egyptian National Organization for Urban Harmony, operating under Egypt’s Ministry of Culture in collaboration with UNESCO, has chosen to honour two prominent architectural heritage specialists from Egypt and the Arab world, for their significant contributions to safeguard cultural heritage.

Over recent years the terraced rice fields in Vietnam have become much better known. This is particularly true of Mu Cang Chai, a remote district located in the country’s Northwest mountain range. Becoming an emerging tourist destination can be an opportunity for local socio-economic development, but it also poses a potential threat to the integrity of this complex living structure in rural...

Earthquakes are disruptive events that too often have devastating consequences. They leave their marks on landscapes and buildings, influence the lives of those who experience them, and can be traumatic events for those same people. Yet what do earthquakes represent in Japan’s history and society, beyond these negative connotations? What signs have earthquakes left in the cultural heritage of...

On 6 April, a group of students from Bahcesehir University, Istanbul, currently studying at the International Academy of Rome, visited ICCROM. They were led by Dr Hicran Topcu, past ICCROM Fellow.

On 1 February, Mrs Elena Bogdanova, Director, Kizhi Open Air Museum, and Ms Olga Bukchina, Leading Specialist of the World Heritage Site Management Unit of the Kizhi Open Air Museum, visited ICCROM.