This year, the ICOMOS Advisory Committee will organise its Scientific Symposium in Ouro Preto, Brazil, from 13 to 15 November 2024 on the theme “Revisiting the Venice Charter: Critical Perspectives and Contemporary Challenges.”

For more information, visit the ICOMOS website The 60th Anniversary of the Venice Charter provides a unique opportunity to reassess it as a historical document rooted in a specific context and shaped by a particular heritage concept. This Symposium is dedicated to a critical reading, focusing on the Venice Charter’s relevance in the current discourse surrounding heritage and adopting a cross-cutting approach between conventions.

The Symposium aims to comprehensively reassess the Venice Charter in a contemporary context, emphasizing its Eurocentric origins and advocating for a critical rereading considering evolving heritage concepts. Additionally, it seeks to foster a cross-cutting approach between the Venice Charter and other international conventions, emphasizing the importance of diverse epistemologies and contributions from the Global South.

Proposed Sub-Themes for the Symposium

1. Historical Context and Heritage Concepts An exploration of the historical context and conceptual foundations that shaped the Venice Charter, emphasizing its Eurocentric origins and the need for a critical rereading.

2. A Cross-Cutting Approach Between Conventions A discussion linking the Venice Charter with other international documents, notably the Hague Convention of 1954, the World Heritage Convention of 1972, the Nara Document on Authenticity of 1994, the Intangible Heritage Convention of 2003, and the Faro Convention of 2005^[1], exploring intersections and shared principles to address contemporary challenges.

3. Universalism and diversity: Rereading the Doctrinal Documents from Diverse Perspectives A discussion on the importance of the Venice Charter (and other related doctrinal documents) through diverse epistemologies and perspectives, acknowledging the cultural diversity of heritage and exploring contributions from the Global South.

4. Contemporary Challenges in Heritage Discourse A critical examination of the state of the art in heritage discussions, considering the evolving perspectives and challenges that have emerged since the inception of the Venice Charter. Examining the relevance of the Venice Charter in the current context, with a focus on challenges posed by the Western divide between nature and culture, the growing importance of metropolises, social inequities, the environmental impact of human activities, disasters and conflicts, among others.

5. Disaster and Conflict Resilient Heritage Cultural heritage is increasingly vulnerable to disasters and conflicts and subject to rapid destruction, as evidenced by the recent fires, floods, earthquakes and escalating armed conflicts in different parts of the world. At the General Assembly 2023 in Sydney, ICOMOS Advisory Committee approved the theme of “Disaster and Conflict Resilient Heritage – Preparedness, Response and Recovery” as the theme for the Triennial Scientific Plan 2024-2027.  In keeping with the spirit of open, innovative, constructive intergenerational dialogue, and the strategic focus, this sub-theme will address the suitability of the Venice Charter with the theme of disaster and conflict-resilient heritage, emphasizing its broader implications for heritage discourse, development models, and resilience strategies.

By integrating these sub-themes into the Symposium, we aim to foster a comprehensive dialogue that not only critically reinterprets the Venice Charter but also explores its intersections with broader heritage discussions and contemporary challenges including the climate emergency, conflicts and natural disasters.

^[1] Council of Europe’s Convention on the Value of Cultural Heritage for Society