Disasters and Pandemics – OurWorldHeritage

Recent disasters and actual pandemic have exposed the fragility and vulnerability of our world heritage. These exceptional sites and pieces, which we would like to preserve for all humanity and future generations, do not exist in a segregated world. They belong to our social environment and our daily life. But at the same time, the World Heritage Sites are in danger! They are threatened by natural hazards that attempt against their existence. The pandemic has revealed their fragility and how much the human presence in them is vital and necessary for their survival. How can we protect them and at the same time give them life and new meanings? If we hope for a future for them, we should stop considering them only as beautiful objects or places, merchandise for the tourist industry, and fully integrate them into the social and cultural dynamics of daily life. We propose to promote a great discussion around the world on the risks and effects of disasters and pandemics on World Heritage Sites. We invite Non-Governmental Organizations, Academies, representatives of civil society, and local governments to participate, to contribute with new proposals for public policies on the conservation and safeguarding of the cultural and natural heritage of humanity.

ONE WORLD SEMINAR (AVAILABLE ON YOUTUBE!)

SESSION 1: NATURAL AND SOCIAL DISASTERS IN WORLD HERITAGE SITES >>
SESSION 2: LOCAL AND INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITIES IN WORLD HERITAGE SITES >>
SESSION 3: TOURISM AND PANDEMICS IN WORLD HERITAGE SITES >>
SESSION 4: PANDEMICS AND HISTORIC CENTERS >>
SESSION 5: NATURE-CULTURE APPROACHES TO DISASTERS PREVENTION >>
AND POST-DISASTER RECOVERY IN WORLD HERITAGE >>
SESSION 6: PREPARING FOR EMERGENCY TO ENSURE RESILIENCE OF CULTURAL AND NATURAL HERITAGE SYSTEMS UNDER THREAT: A MATTER OF GOOD TERRITORIAL GOVERNANCE! >>
SESSION 7: PREVENTING EARTHQUAKE DESTRUCTION IN WORLD HERITAGE SITES:
LEARNING FROM EMPIRICISM TO REGULATIONS >>
SESSION 8: PREVENTION AND CONSERVATION IN WORLD HERITAGE SITES >>
SESSION 9: CULTURE, HERITAGE AND RESILIENCE :
LOCAL CREATIVE RESPONSES TO NATURAL DISASTERS AND CLIMATE CHANGE >>
SESSION 10: INFORMAL KNOWLEDGE, PARTICIPATION AND HERITAGE DURING PANDEMICS >>
SESSION 11: IDENTITY AND RESILIENCE IN WORLD HERITAGE SITES >>
SESSION 12: THE VALUE OF CULTURE DURING PANDEMICS >>
SESSION 13: INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH IN DISASTER RISK REDUCTION:
AN UNCOMFORTABLE UNDERSTANDING >>
SESSION 15: INTANGIBLE HERITAGE AND DISASTERS >>
SESSION 16: SUSTAINABILITY AND FUTURE AFTER DISASTERS AND PANDEMICS >>
SESSION 17: INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES FOR PREPAREDNESS AND MITIGATION:
PRIOR OR AFTER DISASTERS AND PANDEMICS (ROUND TABLE) >>
SESSION 18: HERITAGE AND SOCIAL RECONSTRUCTION >>
SESSION 19: CONSERVATION EMERGENCY! >>
SESSION 20: PHYSICAL RECONSTRUCTION IN WORLD HERITAGE SITES >>
SESSION 21: CLOSING SESSION >>

ORGANISERS

Maria Eugenia Siguencia Avila, Coordinator

University of Cuenca (Ecuador)

Architect. Master in Conservation of Monuments and Sites and PhD fom KU Leuven, Belgium. Assistant Professor at the Faculty of Architecture in the University of Cuenca, Ecuador. She is active in the Go-HUL, the CIPA Emerging-Professionals and ICOMOS Ecuador.