Every year, on the occasion of the International Day for Monuments and Sites, ICOMOS proposes a theme for the celebrations and activities to be organised by our Committees, members and partners.

Now, more than ever, the theme of Shared Cultures, Shared Heritage, Shared Responsibility is important as an expression of our global unity in the face of the ongoing worldwide health crisis.

Dear members and friends of ICOMOS

The COVID-19 pandemic is affecting an ever growing number of countries and having a profound impact on our lives for a presently unforeseeable period of time. Our primary concern is the safety and well-being of our members, friends, and all parts of the extended ICOMOS family. ICOMOS expresses its solidarity with all those who are on the front-line fighting to contain this outbreak, care for its victims, and maintain civic life, and those who have already been directly affected in their wellbeing or have lost loved ones.

Conference cancelled

The Board of the ICOMOS International Committee for the Interpretation and Presentation of Cultural Heritage Sites (ICIP) is pleased to announce the ICOMOS Interpretation 2020 Conference at Angkor, Cambodia. The conference will take place on 28 and 29 September 2020 with pre-conference tours on 26 and 27 September.

Museums, memory institutions and heritage professionals in the European Union get a last chance to overturn an EU regulation banning the use of in-situ generated Nitrogen.

Three months ago, on 18 April 2019, we celebrated the International Day on Monuments and Sites on the theme of rural landscapes. The richness of rural heritage, but also the challenges of its conservation in a context of climate change and sustainable development, have given rise to many varied events: educational exhibitions, guided tours, hikes, conferences and round tables.... People in 48 countries and members of 33 National Committees played the game and proposed activities: thank you all for this rich and exciting day! Some photo reportages are available below.

In 1982, ICOMOS established 18 April as the International Day for Monuments and Sites. UNESCO approved it the following year during its 22^nd General Conference. Since then, 18 April has been a day to celebrate and promote cultural heritage, and an opportunity to raise awareness about its diversity, its relevance, how vulnerable it can be and what the needs and benefits of its conservation are. Every year, ICOMOS proposes a theme for the celebrations and activities to be organised by the ICOMOS National and International Scientific Committees and by other organisations that wish to participate. In 2019, the theme is Rural Landscapes – which is linked to the theme of the 2019 ICOMOS Scientific Symposium on Rural heritage to take place in October in Marrakesh, Morocco (see our page about the Symposium and the call for proposals).

Download the 18 April 2019 leaflet in: English - French - Spanish.