The 11th US/ICOMOS International Symposium will initiate a process for implementing the recommendations of the PreserveAmerica Summit’s “Participating in the Global Community” panel that will reinvigorate and enhance the U.S. role in international preservation. The Global Community panel made recommendations in four areas: community building, stewardship, leadership, and capacity-building (more detailed recommendations for these four areas are outlined below).

US/ICOMOS seeks abstracts that discuss innovative, successful programs and partnerships from the Unietd States and other countries involving collaboration in international preservation within these four broad areas. US/ICOMOS is particularly interested in receiving abstracts from the international community that discuss the benefits received from collaboration with US preservationists, organizations, and agencies in addition to abstracts from US preservationists who have benefited from international collaboration in their work. Other multilateral and bilateral programs with third countries are also welcome.

In addition to invited and selected papers to be presented at the symposium, US/ICOMOS is initiating a series of panel discussions amongst our members prior to the symposium, each of which will result in draft recommendations, or action items, to be presented to the full symposium in Washington, DC. The symposium will also include break-out sessions for each panel that will allow conference attendees to discuss and finalize the draft recommendations into final reports that will be presented to the entire conference during the closing session.

Also, visit the PreserveAmerica website at http://www.preserveamerica.gov for more information on the PreserveAmerica Summit (at http://www.preserveamerica.gov/summit.html) and the Global Participation panel report (pdf file).

Instructions for Submitting an Abstract (please read carefully)

• Abstracts must be received in US/ICOMOS by 15 November 2007
  
• Maximum text of 250 words in English
  
• US/ICOMOS will accept electronic (Microsoft Word or Adobe pdf. files only) or hard copy abstracts
  
• Abstracts may be accompanied by one (1) illustration only
  
• The page with the abstracts must contain the title of the proposed paper, the name of the author(s), and the contact information

A committee of distinguished preservationists will evaluate all abstracts. Authors selected for paper presentations will be notified by 15 December 2007. Non-complying abstracts may not be considered.

Send Abstracts To

Please, send your abstracts by e-mail to: symposium@usicomos.org or by fax to 1-202-842-1861 or by courier/regular air mail (please, no return mail signature requests nor registered mail): US/ICOMOS, Attn: 11th Symposium Abstracts, 401 F Street NW, Suite 331, Washington DC 20001-2728

Note: Each year, US/ICOMOS has made every effort to secure grants and monetary contributions to help defray travel, lodging, and registration costs for international speakers selected to present papers. While US/ICOMOS cannot guarantee that such funding will be available in 2008, we will try once again to secure such support.


Issue Areas for Abstracts and Panel Discussions

Abstracts are sought for the following areas, paralleling the recommendations of the PreserveAmerica Summit’s “Participation in the Global Community” panel are outlined below.

Community Building

• Support a national effort to attract foreign tourism to cultural heritage destinations within the United States.
  
• Facilitate the participation of US cities, historic districts, and cultural/natural landscapes in the World Heritage program through amendments to existing legislation [Preservation Act Amendments of 1980, provision 16 USC 470a-1(c)].
  
• Allow replacement applications to the U.S. World Heritage Tentative List as sites are nominated and forwarded to UNESCO for World Heritage consideration.
  
• Increase funding for and facilitate the participation of foreign professionals, academics, and policymakers in US preservation discourse and practice, and the participation of Americans in international discourse and practice, through NGO- or university-sponsored exchanges, government-sponsored tours and roundtables, etc.
  
• Promote public awareness of and enhance education about the significance of historic cultural sites, landscapes, and shared heritage in nations’ histories and development by (a) engaging local school boards, and Federal and State education agencies, in making heritage education and awareness part of the curriculum; and (b) enhancing the World Heritage in Young Hands Program.

Stewardship

• Require Federal agencies and all government-sponsored undertakings abroad (including foreign aid, disaster planning and recovery, government-issued contracts, trade agreements, etc) to review and consider heritage concerns in their international operations. For example, establish a mechanism (forum, proposed legislation, etc.) to enhance the policies of USAID, the Department of State, and other Federal agencies to a) create conditions for local engagement, so as to incorporate relevant values and traditions, and b) assess the impact of their work on cultural landscapes, sites, and traditions.
  
• Strengthen Department of Defense contingency planning and training to a) avoid, to the extent possible, destruction of cultural resources during periods of conflict and, b) incorporate heritage concerns in post-conflict reconstruction.
  
• Raise awareness and promote the integration of heritage concerns as part of the private sector’s international activities, including relief and assistance endeavors, technology and academic exchanges, and corporate investments abroad; and encourage American business to support preservation (and its interpretation) here and abroad. For example, require that portions of National Science Foundation grants for archaeological research overseas be used for conservation; encourage organizations involved in relief housing construction to incorporate traditional settlement patterns that rely on local building techniques and materials, etc.
  
• Leverage and encourage international development organizations (such as the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, the Inter-American Development Bank, UNDP, and others) to embed heritage within their planning and development policies and frameworks.
  

Leadership

Reestablish a US Government presence and bolster its role in inter-governmental organizations dealing with heritage. For example:

­ Provide US Government support for the participation of US representatives in the governing bodies of ICCROM (International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property) and ICOM (International Council of Museums); Cultural Heritage Steering Committee (CDPAT) of the Council of Europe

­ Send official delegations to meetings of the Council of Europe, where the US holds a seat that is always empty.

­ Provide government support for the appointment of US representatives to offices and advisory committees of ICOMOS (International Council on Monuments and Sites);

­ Join the UN World Tourism Organization and provide leadership in promoting the tourism value of heritage preservation.

• Increase funding and resources for Federal agencies and programs dealing with heritage issues abroad, such as the State Department’s Ambassador’s Fund, the NPS Office of International Affairs, etc.
  
• Increase government support for American organizations addressing international heritage concerns, such as US/ICOMOS, AAM-ICOM, et al.
  
• Ratify the 1954 Hague Convention and its two Protocols.
  
• Strengthen the heritage preservation elements of US diplomacy, through the development of new initiatives and the enhancement of existing programs, such as the Ambassadors’ Fund and the International Visitors programs.
  

Capacity-Building

• Institute or enhance a forum or fora for sharing experiences and fostering an international dialogue about best practices among US agencies, organizations, institutions, and companies (public and private) engaged in preservation practices abroad, and their overseas partners (The Cooperative Conservation Conference might serve as a model).
  
• Establish or enhance a network/clearinghouse (a) to gather and share data, information, and analysis; (b) to identify and coordinate gaps in knowledge and research; (c) to facilitate cooperative efforts; and (d) to assess international preservation practice effectiveness. (US/ICOMOS, the National Center for Preservation Technology and Training /NCPTT, and the Federal Preservation Institute might serve as conduits).
  
• Expand support for existing programs that opportunities for international education, exchanges, and partnerships among public agencies, not-for-profits and NGOs, and private entities, such as Fulbright Fellowships, the US/ICOMOS exchange programs, ICCROM Fellowships, International Visitors programs, Ambassadors Fund, NPS twinning projects, and US-Italy exchange with USFS and NPS, technical and volunteer exchanges (USFS - Italy Heritage Excursions program).
  

For the full PreserveAmerica report, please visit http://www.preserveamerica.gov . Also, visit the US/ICOMOS website for more information on this and past symposia at http://www.icomos.org/usicomos

Donald G Jones, PhD
Director of Programs
US/ICOMOS
401 F Street, NW, Suite 331
Washington, DC 20001
Ph 202-842-1866
Fax 202-842-1861
Website: http://www.icomos.org/usicomos