Heritage Changes: A Look Back at the 2023 IDMS Events

- Created: 21 April 2023

IDMS 2023 Website Banner 1

On 18 April 2023, the world celebrated the International Day for Monuments and Sites with the theme "Heritage Changes".

This annual event, established by ICOMOS in 1982, provides an opportunity for heritage enthusiasts and organisations worldwide to come together and celebrate the importance of cultural heritage.

18 April 2023 on Social Media

ICOMOS used social media to share highlights of events and activities organised by its committees, members and partners around the world via the hashtags #18April #ICOMOS #HeritageChanges #heritage4climate #IDMS2023 #icomosIDMS2023. Virtual tours of historic sites, lectures and discussions on the role of cultural heritage in promoting climate resilience, community-led initiatives demonstrating the importance of traditional knowledge and practices in addressing climate change were organised to celebrate IDMS.

Contributions on Instagram by the ICOMOS Working Group OCD-RBA, ICOMOS Argentina, ICOMOS Macedonia,
ICOMOS Iran, ICOMOS Panama and ICOMOS Italy

Highlights of 18 April Events

The celebration of IDMS 2023 included a variety of events and activities organised by ICOMOS, its partners and heritage enthusiasts worldwide. One of the key aspects of this year's IDMS theme was the integration of traditional, historic building conservation, adaptive reuse and energy efficiency of heritage buildings and landscapes. Innovative infrastructure development was also presented, showing how traditional knowledge, practices and cultural heritage can be part of the solution to fight climate change.

Below is a non-exhaustive selection of 18 April 2023 events and publications.

ICOMOS Armenia

Scientific student conference with The National University of Architecture and Construction of Armenia and Chair of Theory and History of Architecture and Heritage

Photo credits: ICOMOS Armenia

ICOMOS Bosnia and Herzegovina

Article raising awareness on the fate of Sarajevo's Power Plant [Bosnian]

ICOMOS Canada x Heritage Montreal

Roundtable on a changing heritage and building and landscape protection [French]

ICOMOS China

25 activities organised throughout China

Egypt | Abu Simbel Campaign - AH-CI | Egypt - MUST Uni

Visit of the Serapeum of Alexandria + discussion sessions, visit of the Museum of Fine Arts + panel discussion, seminar. Download the recap here.

Photo credits: Hamdy EL-Setouhy

ICOMOS Georgia x Heritage Resource Centre

Presentation by Geographer and Consultant in Environmental Issues Irakli Kobulia, panel discussion and documentary film screening

Photo credits: ICOMOS Georgia

ICOMOS Germany

«Second socialist modernism» (from 1955 until 1990) workshop and guided tours of monuments and sites of Eastern Modernism in Berlin-Brandenburg

Watch the workshop recordings on YT

Photo credits : Dörthe Hellmuth - ICOMOS GERMANY

ICOMOS India

Publication of "Resilient and Sustainable Development of Historic Areas and Precincts: Focus West Bengal"

Photo credits: ICOMOS India

ICOMOS Italy

5 events and contributions by :

ICOMOS CIF
ICOMOS CIPA
ICOMOS ICORP - Video 1 / Video 2
EPWG ICOMOS Italy
ICOMOS Italy x CIF x ICORP x EPWG ICOMOS Italy

International Conservation Center - Xi'an

Series of events comprising site tours, roundtables on cultural heritage and volunteering, collaborative competition of cultural heritage knowledge, creation and editing of graphic promotion materials, vlog shooting and production.

Photo credits: International Conservation Center - Xi'an

ICOMOS Korea

Roundtable on traditional knowledge to cope with climate chang e

ICOMOS Latvia

The nature component of the Cēsis Castle complex and its preservation [English/Latvian]

ICOMOS Pakistan

Panel discussion on climate change and its impact on heritage

ICOMOS Philippines

Critical discussion on public memorializations in the Philippines : What constitutes 'legitimate heritage', and what do these choices reflect about our biases and ethical persuasions?

Qatar Museums