18 April 2012

Call for Abstracts ICOMOS Symposium : Reducing Risks to Cultural Heritage from Natural and Human-Caused Disasters

ICOMOSThe ICOMOS Advisory Committee, including the Scientific Council, will meet this year from 27 October to 1 November in Beijing, China. On this occasion, the Scientific Council is organizing a Symposium on the theme: Reducing Risks to Cultural Heritage from Natural and Human-Caused Disasters on 31 October 2012 in Beijing, which will also welcome the general public during its first session.

Background

At the recent ICOMOS General Assembly in Paris, the interdisciplinary theme for the Scientific Council Triennial Action Plan for 2012-14 was discussed. Taking into consideration increasing risks to tangible and intangible cultural heritage due to various natural and human-caused factors, the themes for the scientific symposia for the next three Advisory Committee meetings will focus on risks resulting from natural and human-caused disasters (2012), globalization and uncontrolled development (2013), and loss of traditions and collective memory (2015). Consideration of risks also marks a shift from reactive to a preventive approach for conservation that seeks to put emphasis on risk reduction and preparedness.

The three themes will bring forward the underlying causes for risks to cultural heritage; tools and methodologies for their assessment; and policies, strategies and techniques for reducing potential threats to the future of cultural heritage aimed at protecting and managing our irreplaceable cultural resources for present and future generations.

Context

Cultural heritage is exposed to numerous disasters resulting from natural hazards such as earthquakes, floods, cyclones, as increasingly human-induced hazards, such as arson, armed conflict and civil unrest. The great East Japan Tohuko Earthquake and Tsunami (2011); Thailand Floods (2011); Haiti, Chile and Christchurch earthquakes (2010); and recent civil unrests in Libya, Egypt, Yemen and Syria have caused serious damage to tangible and intangible attributes of cultural-heritage sites ranging from historic buildings, museums, historic settlements, as well as cultural landscapes.

Undoubtedly the frequency and intensity of some disasters has increased recently due to impact of Global Climate Change, as well as social, economic and political changes. Considering these challenges, The ICOMOS Symposium, Reducing Risks to Cultural Heritage from Natural and Human-Caused Disasters, aims to assess these risks and formulate policies, strategies and techniques for reducing risks to disasters, responding to emergencies and recovering from disasters. During the oneday symposium, position papers and case studies will be presented on the following themes:

1 Techniques and Strategies for Mitigating Risks to Cultural Heritage from Natural and Human-Caused Disasters

  • How can we develop appropriate techniques for mitigating risks to cultural heritage from earthquakes and floods, cyclones/hurricanes and fires by considering factors of safety, as well as values?
  • What are traditional materials, skills and knowledge systems for disaster mitigation of cultural heritage, and how can we utilize them in present context?
  • Which maintenance and monitoring strategies can be adopted for reducing risks to cultural heritage due to disasters?
  • How can we enhance security of cultural-heritage sites to prevent risks of terrorism and theft?

2 Methodology and Tools for Undertaking Risk Assessment of Cultural Heritage

  • What are various approaches and tools for assessing risks to cultural-heritage sites from natural and human-caused disasters?
  • What are good practices in documentation, inventorying and mapping for recording and analyzing risks due to natural and human-caused factors?
  • How can we communicate these risks to decision makers?

3 Protecting Cultural Heritage in Times of Conflict and Other Emergencies

  • What kind of policies, techniques and strategies can be adopted for protecting cultural-heritage sites in the times of conflicts and other emergencies?
  • How can we effectively use international legal instruments and coordinate with organizations such as Blue Shield?

4 Planning for Post-Disaster Recovery of Cultural Heritage

  • How do we avoid hasty destruction of vulnerable materials and structures (earth, stone and wood) of architectural heritage located in disaster-prone areas?
  • How do we undertake post-disaster damage assessment of cultural heritage?
  • How can we develop monitoring and evaluation strategies for post-disaster interventions and reconstruction?
  • How do we evaluate costs of post-disaster recovery and rehabilitation of cultural heritage?
  • How do we engage various international and national stakeholders for post-disaster recovery of cultural heritage?
  • How can intangible heritage be utilized effectively for post-disaster recovery and rehabilitation?

5 Awareness-Raising and Capacity-Building for Managing Disaster Risks to Cultural Heritage

  • How do we engage communities for disaster-risk management of cultural-heritage sites?
  • How do we build the capacity of craftsmen, professionals and decision makers for managing risks to cultural heritage from natural and human-caused factors?

Call for Abstracts and Posters

The 2012 Symposium will highlight five main themes in its examination of risks to cultural heritage due to natural and human-caused disasters. However, the questions posed herein are merely suggested as sub-topics; we welcome additional perspectives in submitted proposals for abstracts and posters.

See: complete information [PDF]

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