The 31st General Assembly of the International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property (ICCROM), which coincides with the 60th anniversary of the centre, will be launched today at Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) headquarters in Rome, Italy.
The event will end tomorrow.
The two-day event will focus on the most relevant issues and topics of concern on cultural heritage promotion and provide a platform to stimulate dialogue on sustainable approaches for the protection and preservation of cultural and natural heritage in the world. Delegations of ICCROM’s 137 member states will meet to discuss and enhance the agency’s strategic directions and work plan, and review its activities for the past biennium 2018-2019. It will elect its new governing council. The event will also be an opportunity to welcome ICCROM’s newest member state, Costa Rica.
A discussion on Decolonising Heritage will hold as part of the 31st General Assembly tomorrow. The ICCROM award ceremony, which is granted to individuals who have contributed significantly to ICCROM’s development, or who have special merit in the field of conservation, protection and restoration of cultural heritage, will also be given on same day.
In a statement ICCROM’s Director-General Webber Ndoro thanked member states for the continuous support and collaboration of all in the implementation of the programmes and activities of ICCROM. “The generous contribution of member states of ICCROM is the main pillar of the success of all projects and programmes implemented by ICCROM in many parts of the world,” said Ndoro.
“A special thank-you goes to the host country, Italy, which embraced the center since its creation and continues to provide generous support to ICCROM’s projects and activities all over the world”, added Ndoro. Italy is a major contributor to the budget of ICCROM and has institutional long-standing scientific and technical partnerships, which contribute significantly to the organisation.
“We truly hope to further our collaboration and to develop an agreement with the Italian partner to support common actions aimed at protecting and improving cultural and natural heritage in Africa and other parts of the world,” said Ndoro in his statement.
The 31st General Assembly marks 60 years of ICCROM. For decades, ICCROM has partnered with its member states to support them in safeguarding heritage within their borders and beyond. Working at the international and governmental levels, and with institutions and professionals on the ground, the organisation engages and informs new generations of professionals and the general public on the current and future needs of the preservation and conservation of cultural heritage.
“Over the course of sixty years, ICCROM has developed and adopted its programmes and activities to address new challenges and to meet the evolution of the very concept of cultural heritage which, in addition to going beyond national boundaries, has to deal with new issues and risks caused by the effects of climate change, devastating wars and conflicts and neglect by human actions” said Ndoro.
“Sustainable development is also a key objective of ICCROM, particularly in some regions, such as Africa. This includes supporting entrepreneurship opportunities and assuring access to quality education in a more general context of gender equality,” he said.
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