One of the leading players in the international organization, ICOMOS Canada celebrated twenty years of action: the development of national and international policies; pilot-projects; training and education programs, and, above all, sharing of knowledge.
Tracing ICOMOS Canada's history brings to light the numerous regional, national and international dialogues and exchanges between specialists brought together in heritage conservation from near and far. This twenty years of sharing knowledge has created a vast network of professionals, and has contributed to the substantial progress made in the conservation and management of cultural and natural heritage throughout the world. Without this sharing of knowledge, the discipline of conservation as we know it today could not have developed.
Bringing together professionals from across Canada as well as a few international participants, the organizing committee of the 1997 ICOMOS Canada Congress wished, in this respect, to mark the twentieth anniversary of the organization: protecting heritage and sharing knowledge. Looking at the past and opening up to the future, this annual event was a time for review, a time to consider new opportunities, a time to identify objectives, and a time to share disciplinary knowledge.