ICOMOS and the Organization of World Heritage Cities renew their Memorandum of Understanding

ICOMOS and the Organization of World Heritage Cities (OWHC) have renewed their Memorandum of Understanding during ICOMOS 2019 Annual General Assembly in Marrakesh, Morocco.

In particular ICOMOS and OWCH will work on, through CIVVIH, the theme of preservation and development of world heritage cities, and through other ICOMOS International Scientific Committees, working groups, and focal points for example on themes related to cruise tourism, sustainable development, climate change, risk prevention, reconstruction following disasters. Part of this collaboration also includes the mutual promotion of the International Day for Monuments and Sites (April 18), the Solidarity Day of World Heritage Cities (September 8) and Urban October (UN-Habitat).

The MoU, which was first signed in 2013, has the main objective of establishing a framwork to foster cooperation between OWHC and ICOMOS in various areas including in the research and development of improved approaches to the conservation and management of World Heritage Cities, and in particular:

• The development of strategies to better face crises, challenges and the complex pressures experienced by historic cities throughout the world.
• Coordinate and exchange to enhance work of shared interest, as appropriate, in relation to the implementation of the World Heritage Convention.
• Develop a joint project to analyze urban world heritage case studies.
• Participation of ICOMOS in the OWHC World Congress Scientific Committee to further strengthen the scientific component of this event. 
• Joint participation as jury members of the OWHC’s Jean-Paul L’Allier Prize for Heritage.

Crédit photo: from left to right Samir Abdulac, Vice-president of ICOMOS-CIVVIH, Denis Ricard, Secretary General of the OWHC, Toshiyuki Kono, President of ICOMOS and Claus-Peter Echter, President of CIVVIH / © Gaia Jungeblodt.

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The creation of the MoU in 2013