Culture,
Environment
and Heritage:
Forging New Alliances to Create
a Sustainable Future for the Past
US/ICOMOS Annual Meeting and
II Annual International Conference Washington, DC, 20-21 March 1999
Co-sponsored by the George Washington University Graduate Preservation
Program
How can one put value on heritage? What is culture worth?
In an era of shrinking resources and competing demands for government
and private resources, both heritage and arts organizations are faced
with this challenge far too frequently. In the U.S., the response has
been to justify expenditures as an investment, to document increased
property values in historic districts or to calculate the revenues
generated by heritage tourism, museums and performing arts
organizations. In programs developed by the World Bank, governments and
private foundations, the role of culture and cultural heritage is
currently being promoted as a foundation for social and economic
development throughout the world.
This appeal to the bottom line seems particularly Western and very much
of the moment. At other times and places, the appeal has been more
spiritual or frankly political. In 19th century Japan, preservation of
royal and religious sites was seen as a way of combatting the threat of
Westernization. Likewise, during the same time in the United States,
heritage sites were often used to speed up the adoption of majority
values by immigrants. In the Soviet Union during the 1970's,
preservation organizations provided one of the few safe ways for
citizens to protest against the state. Today, in the Eastern European
countries, especially the newly-formed republics, preservation is seen
as a way of retrieving national identity which had been repressed by
Soviets for several generations.
Whatever the time or the culture, the way that people organize and
interpret the objects, buildings and landscapes of their past is
reflected in the institutions and legislation that they create. To have
long term resonance, programs must appeal to the head and the heart.
They must be embraced by both politicians and the people who live with
the resources. This raises many questions. For example, is it
appropriate to use standards and philosophies developed in and for the
West in non-Western cultures? Is heritage tourism a magic solution for
funding conservation work or a new threat to authenticity? Are there
success stories of integrating preservation into planning efforts as
economic and political structures are radically changing in Eastern
Europe and other locales? Finally, how can benefits identified from
programs abroad be used to strengthen the position of preservation in
the U.S.?
To seek some answers, the US/ICOMOS has invited an illustrious group of
specialists from the US and abroad to share their vision at the
US/ICOMOS II International Annual Conference. Join invited leaders of
key ICOMOS National Committees and experts from the World Bank, the
Getty Conservation Institute, the Aga Khan Trust and others to explore
and strengthen the links between heritage preservation and the greater
conservation spectrum from culture to the national environment.
Presentations will highlight attitudes towards heritage and culture
among various ethnic groups and geographic regions, with case studies of
preservation programs which have been shaped by these attitudes.
Specifically, 4 sessions are being planned to addressing the challenges
through a global approach, and then focusing on the Islamic World, the
Americas and Eastern/Central Europe.
The Conference will also explore successful approaches developed by
other cultural and environmental organizations and identify
opportunities to turn competition into cooperation, always aiming to
make heritage preservation more appealing, more fundable and,
ultimately, more sustainable.
NOTE: COMPLIMENTARY 10% DISCOUNT FROM THE APPROPRIATE REGISTRATION
FEE TO ALL SHPO'S AND STAFF.
Registration fee includes conference papers and portfolio, complimentary
lunch and evening reception on Saturday. All sessions will be held at
the main campus of the George Washington University in Washington, DC.
Full Program with List of Speakers will be sent to all pre-registrants.
Individual Registration Fees before 15 February 1999: After 16 February
1999
ICOMOS Individual Member $185 $235
US/ICOMOS Institutional member (max 4 per inst.)$140 each $190 each
US/ICOMOS Student member $80 $110
Student Non-Member $110 $140
Non-members $250 $300
US/ICOMOS is one of more than 100 National Committees that make up the
global non-governmental professional alliance of preservation
professionals throughout the world. US/ICOMOS fosters heritage
conservation and historic preservation at the national and international
levels through education and training, exchanges of people and
information, technical assistance, advocacy and other activities
consistent with the goals of ICOMOS and through collaboration with other
organizations. US/ICOMOS is committed to sharing the success of US
preservation with other countries and cultures through representation of
our country at every important international preservation initiative.
Similarly, US/ICOMOS strives to disseminate in the United States the
latest and most relevant undertakings, experiences and programs in
heritage preservation from abroad.
Visit our website at www.icomos.org/usicomos
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in the international heritage conservation dialogue. To subscribe send
the following exclusive, unsigned message (without quotation marks)
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Culture, Environment and Heritage
The US/ICOMOS II International Annual Conference
Individual Member Institutional Member Student Member
Individual Non-member Student non-Member
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