International Heritage News
01
Second ICOMOS Culture-Nature Prize Now Open for Applications
The International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) has launched the call for the second "ICOMOS Culture-Nature Prize," aimed at supporting outstanding cultural-natural heritage conservation projects carried out by ICOMOS members.
The "ICOMOS Culture-Nature Initiative" seeks to strengthen the interconnections between cultural and natural heritage and encourage heritage practitioners to rethink how to protect cultural and natural heritage in an integrated manner through collaboration with local communities.
This Culture-Nature Prize will be awarded to ongoing projects that aim to enhance the linkages between cultural and natural elements while making significant contributions to the heritage field in innovative and effective ways. There are no specific restrictions on the content, scope, or scale of the projects submitted; they may involve tangible or intangible heritage, and can be local or international in scope.
ICOMOS members, scientific committees, and working groups are eligible to submit applications. Applicants must submit their materials by May 31, 2024.
For more information, please visit:
https://www.icomos.org/en/89-english-categories/home/139192-call-for-applications-for-icomos-culture-nature-prize-by-31-may
Source: ICOMOS China
02
UNESCO Designates 18 New World Geoparks
On March 27, 2024, the UNESCO Executive Board approved the addition of 18 new sites to the UNESCO Global Geoparks Network. This brings the total number of geoparks to 213, distributed across 48 countries.
UNESCO Global Geoparks certification was established in 2015 to recognize geological heritage of international significance. Geoparks combine the protection of their significant geological heritage with public outreach and sustainable development approaches, contributing to local communities.
The newly designated geoparks are located in Brazil, China, Croatia, Denmark, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Poland, Portugal, and Spain, and include one transboundary geopark spanning the border between Belgium and the Netherlands. China's new geoparks are located in Hubei, Gansu, Fujian, Jilin, Jiangxi, and Guizhou provinces.
Source: UNESCO
03
Sixth World Heritage Site Managers' Forum
The UNESCO World Heritage Centre, ICCROM, and IUCN, under the World Heritage Leadership Programme, have announced that the 6th World Heritage Site Managers' Forum (WHSMF24) will be held in India concurrently with the 46th session of the World Heritage Committee. The theme is: "Heritage and Communities: Inclusive and Effective Approaches to Sustainable Management of World Heritage."
World Heritage site managers from around the world, as well as members of World Heritage site management teams, may participate in the forum. The forum aims to create cooperation opportunities for site managers, expand organizational networks, and facilitate the exchange of knowledge and experience among organizations at the international level.
Location: New Delhi, India
Organizers: Archaeological Survey of India (attached office of the Ministry of Culture, India), Aga Khan Trust for Culture, UNESCO World Heritage Centre, ICCROM-IUCN World Heritage Leadership Programme
Dates: July 18–25, 2024
Forum Language: English (French interpretation will be provided during the conference)
Partner: ICOMOS
Abstract Deadline: April 25, 2024
Source: whc.unesco.org
04
Call for Abstracts: ICOMOS 2024 Scientific Symposium
The ICOMOS Advisory Committee will hold its Scientific Symposium in Ouro Preto, Brazil, from November 13 to 15, 2024, on the theme: "Revisiting the Venice Charter: Critical Perspectives and Contemporary Challenges." The symposium is calling for abstracts, with a deadline of May 15, 2024.
The symposium aims to comprehensively reassess the Venice Charter in a contemporary context, highlighting its Eurocentric origins and advocating for a critical rereading that takes into account evolving heritage concepts.
For more information, please visit:
https://www.icomos.org/en/about-icomos/governance/general-information-about-the-general-assembly/annual-general-assembly-2024/138324-icomos-scientific-symposium-2024-theme-and-call-for-abstracts
Source: www.icomos.org
05
Getty 2025 EAC Course
The third International Course on Earthen Architecture Conservation (EAC) will be held from January 25 to February 23, 2025.
The International Course on Earthen Architecture Conservation is a one-month training program organized by the Getty Conservation Institute in collaboration with the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, held in the World Heritage city of Al Ain, UAE. The course aims to improve earthen heritage conservation practices by providing hands-on training for mid-career professionals from the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia regions.
Course Location: Al Ain, UAE, and Nizwa, Oman
Applications are now open: Deadline for applications is April 15, 2024.
Source: www.getty.edu
Domestic Heritage News
01
Peking University's School of Archaeology and Museology Renews Cooperation Agreement with KU Leuven Faculty of
Engineering Science
To cultivate high-quality architectural archaeology talents with an international perspective and promote the development of international archaeological research, the School of Archaeology and Museology at Peking University and the Faculty of Engineering Science at KU Leuven (Belgium) renewed their cooperation agreement for a five-year term in Beijing on March 22. Professor Shen Ruiwen, Dean of the School of Archaeology and Museology, and Professor Thomas Coomans of KU Leuven's Faculty of Engineering Science represented both sides at the signing ceremony and exchanged agreements. Professors Xu Yitao and Zhang Jianwei (tenured associate professor) from the School's Cultural Heritage Architecture Section attended the signing ceremony.
This cooperation is an implementation of the overall cooperation framework between Peking University and KU Leuven. The first cooperation agreement was signed in 2014 and renewed in 2019, yielding a series of internationally influential outcomes. These include co-organizing the "First Sino-European Architectural Archaeology Forum," co-publishing the academic volume The Substance and Use of Architectural Archaeology, conducting joint teaching in architectural heritage surveying, and facilitating faculty and student exchanges. Following the renewal, both sides will continue to deepen their cooperation and further advance research on theories and methods in the field of architectural archaeology.
Source: School of Archaeology and Museology, Peking University
02
Secretariat of ISO Technical Committee on Cultural Heritage Conservation Established in China
The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) recently approved the establishment of a Technical Committee on Cultural Heritage Conservation (ISO/TC 349), with its secretariat based in China.
International standards are an important technical foundation for global economic and trade cooperation and development. As the largest and most authoritative comprehensive international standards body, ISO's standards are widely applied around the world. ISO/TC 349 currently has 28 participating member countries and 13 observing member countries. The committee aims to further consolidate global consensus on cultural heritage conservation, fully leverage the important role of standards in promoting cultural exchange and mutual learning and upholding shared human values through the international standardization of terminology, technologies, materials, and equipment used in heritage monitoring, assessment, conservation, and restoration. It also seeks to share advanced and applicable technologies and best practices in cultural heritage conservation, and collectively enhance the capacity to address serious challenges in heritage protection.
Cultural heritage is a witness to human civilization, containing precious historical, artistic, and scientific value. China, an ancient civilization with over 5,000 years of history, uses its cultural heritage to carry a splendid civilization, transmit history and culture, and serve as a golden card showcasing China's image and enabling the world to understand China. As the country hosting the secretariat of the ISO Technical Committee on Cultural Heritage Conservation, China will contribute its strength to promoting the sustainable development of global cultural heritage conservation, strengthening international cultural exchanges and cooperation, and fostering mutual learning among global civilizations.
Source: National Cultural Heritage Administration
03
Registration Opens for the 7th International Conference on Digital Heritage (CHCD2024)
The 7th International Conference on Digital Heritage (CHCD2024) is scheduled to be held in Beijing from July 16 to 19, 2024. The conference theme is "RE-shape: Digital Heritage Driven by Technological Innovation."
The conference will invite internationally renowned scholars to deliver special reports and will also organize special sessions and activities such as country-specific sessions, international heritage site promotion sessions, and young expert forums. The aim is to promote cutting-edge international discussions, build platforms for innovation and cooperation, and support the development of the global cultural heritage industry.
The International Conference on Digital Heritage (originally named the International Symposium on Cultural Heritage Conservation by Digitization – CHCD) is a renowned biennial conference jointly organized by CIPA Heritage Documentation (ICOMOS International Scientific Committee), ICOMOS China, and Tsinghua University. Founded in 2010, it has successfully held six editions. It is a landmark conference focusing on cultural heritage, integrating academia and industry, fostering cross-border innovation and integration, leading industry frontiers, engaging with global resources, and building a "heritage silicon valley."
For more detailed information, please visit:
https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/KrFC6_2QrK755C0vvDo_0A
Source: ICOMOS China
04
Mutual Learning on Water Civilizations, Jointly Promoting Water Cooperation: 2024 "World Water Day" Open Day Held in
Hangzhou
On March 22, the 2024 "World Water Day" Open Day event was held in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province. The event was co-organized by the China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research (IWHR) and the UNESCO Regional Office for East Asia, and co-hosted by the National Water Museum of China, the International Association for Hydro-Environment Engineering and Research (IAHR), the International Research and Training Center on Erosion and Sedimentation (IRTCES), and the IAHR China Chapter. Attendees included Peng Jing, President of IWHR; Professor Shahbaz Khan, Director of the UNESCO Regional Office for East Asia; Chen Yexing, Chief Engineer of the Zhejiang Provincial Department of Water Resources; Chen Yongming, Director of the National Water Museum of China; leading experts from directly affiliated institutions of the Ministry of Water Resources and relevant local units; and representatives from embassies and consulates of Pakistan, Mongolia, Indonesia, Mexico, Brazil, Uruguay, Austria, Denmark, Australia, and other countries.
World Water Day was established by the United Nations in 1993 and is observed annually on March 22 to highlight the importance of water and advocate for the sustainable management of water resources. The theme of World Water Day 2024 is "Water for Peace," emphasizing the vital role of water in promoting peace and prosperity and achieving sustainable development.
The 2024 World Water Day Open Day event, through museum study tours, salon discussions and seminars, and urban water system inspections, built a platform for dialogue among different water cultures and mutual learning among different water civilizations. The goal was to appreciate the beauty of diverse water civilizations, discuss national water governance strategies, and use water as a medium to promote global water cooperation and jointly build a harmonious future for people and water.
Source: UNESCO
05
China-Mexico Heritage Digital Interactive Game Project Exchange Meeting Successfully Held
On the morning of March 14, Beijing time (afternoon of March 13, Mexico time), the China-Mexico Heritage Digital Interactive Game Project Exchange Meeting, hosted by the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC), was successfully held. The meeting was chaired by Ms. Muriel Oben, Senior Programme Officer of UNOSSC. Representatives from international organizations, city governments, and experts from China, the United States, and Mexico were invited to participate, conducting a comprehensive evaluation of the first innovative cooperation incubation project jointly carried out by the Award for World Heritage Education Innovative Cases (AWHEIC) and UNOSSC.
Source: UNESCO Asia-Pacific World Heritage Training and Research Center
Compiled by: Lyu Jiaxin
Editors: Lyu Jiaxin, Piao Lina
Reviewers: Li Guanghan, Wang Siyu
Final Review: Shen Ruiwen, Zhang Jianwei
