ICOMOS Workshop Series: Capacity Building for HIA in a World Heritage Context

As World Heritage sites face increasing human and natural pressures and threats, Heritage Impact Assessments (HIA) have become essential tools for managing and mitigating potential risks. Heritage Impact Assessments are project-specific evaluations designed to assess how proposed changes—particularly development projects—may affect a site’s Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) and other heritage attributes. If not properly planned and assessed, such changes can result in irreversible damage. HIAs provide a structured framework to determine whether a project should proceed and how potential negative impacts can be avoided or mitigated.

In response to increasing demand from ICOMOS National Committees, ICOMOS has developed the workshops series on “Capacity building for Heritage Impact Assessment in a World Heritage Context”, aiming to strengthen the capacities of heritage professionals and key stakeholders in conducting HIAs effectively. The workshops provide structured guidance on implementing HIA methodologies to ensure sustainable decision-making for World Heritage sites. The main objective of the workshop is to provide capacity building and guidance for the members of ICOMOS National Committees, but also for the principal World Heritage stakeholders (managers, developers, consultants, decision-makers, representatives of national/local authorities) in the countries concerned, in order to enhance the knowledge and stress the necessity of properly conducting HIAs.

The workshops emphasize the importance of integrating HIA into all interventions and investments that could impact World Heritage properties. Participants will gain hands-on experience and knowledge on best practices for conducting HIAs, ensuring that heritage conservation is embedded in the decision-making process. The expected result of the workshops is to establish a base of well-trained heritage professionals among the members of ICOMOS National Committees, and to build capacity for future ongoing training in HIA.

The training programme is based on the “Guidance and Toolkit for Impact Assessments in a World Heritage Context” (2022), prepared by the Advisory Bodies (ICOMOS, ICCROM and  IUCN) together with  UNESCO, within the World Heritage Leadership Programme.