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What is ICOMOS?

International Council on Monuments and Sites

ICOMOS works for the conservation and protection of cultural heritage places. It is the only global non-government organisation of this kind, which is dedicated to promoting the application of theory, methodology, and scientific techniques to the conservation of the architectural and archaeological heritage. Its work is based on the principles enshrined in the 1964 International Charter on the Conservation and Restoration of Monuments and Sites (the Venice Charter).

ICOMOS is one of the three formal advisory bodies to the World Heritage Committee. It participates in the implementation of the Convention, along with IUCN ( the International Union for the Conservation of Nature), based at Gland (Switzerland), and ICCROM (the International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property), based in Rome (Italy). ICOMOS is the professional and scientific advisor to the Committee on all aspects of the cultural heritage.

ICOMOS is in particular responsible for the evaluation of all nominations of cultural and mixed properties against the basic criterion of “outstanding universal value,” and the other criteria as specified in the Convention.

ICOMOS' Mission

Its role: to preserve and enhance

ICOMOS, the International Council on Monuments and Sites, is a global non-governmental organization associated with UNESCO. Its mission is to promote the conservation, protection, use and enhancement of monuments, building complexes and sites. It participates in the development of doctrine, evolution and distribution of ideas, conducts advocacy. ICOMOS is the Advisory Body of the World Heritage Committee for the Implementation of the World Heritage Convention of UNESCO. As such, it reviews the nominations of cultural world heritage of humanity and ensures the conservation status of properties. Its creation in 1965 is the logical outcome of the first interviews as architects, historians and international experts have begun early in the twentieth century and that had materialized in the adoption of the Charter of Venice in 1964. In light of numerous studies, conferences, symposia and discussions led by its National Committees and International Scientific Committees, ICOMOS has gradually built through philosophical and doctrinal heritage internationally.

Its values: to unite around Heritage Cultural and social diversity, collegiality

From around the world, with diverse and complementary professional backgrounds, researchers, scientists, lawyers Heritage, economists, engineers, artisans, professionals, academics, private consultants, elected officials, state representatives, etc., Put their ideas and expertise together in a spirit of collegiality and respect for their cultural and religious differences.

Impartiality

As the NGOs, ICOMOS is one of the three Advisory Bodies of the World Heritage Convention. Institution to prepare its opinion, it uses a network of experts, chosen for their expertise and experience, who advise technology independently and in accordance with the ethical rules.

Exchanges between countries, North-South dialogue, solidarity

ICOMOS, like any organization related to UNESCO’s mission is the reconciliation of peoples and cultures. That’s why it created the Fund in 2003 Victoria Falls which facilitates the mobility of members from poor countries. In addition, during the great natural disasters, ICOMOS provides experts and specialists in the development of emergency measures for the preservation, conservation and restoration of heritage (Haiti, China, Iran, etc.). It is a founding member of the Blue Shield.

Transmission and youth involvement

ICOMOS’ mission is to raise heritage awareness. It participated in training activities, welcomes and involves young researchers and professionals around its issues and its actions. Raymond Lemaire International Fund awards scholarships to young hopefuls to complete their education or improve their experience.

Free Access to Information

Finally, ICOMOS supports open access, free and unrestricted, scientific publications, through the project “ICOMOS Open Archive: EPrints on Cultural Heritage”.

Source: www.icomos.org

History

From the emergence of the concept of World Heritage to the creation of ICOMOS

Until the end of the 19th century, architectural heritage had been a matter of national concern only et most of the laws regarding the protection of historic buildings in Europe date back to that period. Countless association existed in each country, but their scope never went beyond national borders. Cultural internationalism, as we know it today, was an outcome of the first World War, with the creation of the League of Nations, and most of all of the second World War, with the creation of the United Nations Organisation and the establishment of the UNESCO.

The Athens Conference (1931) on restoration of historic buildings was organised by the International Museums Office, and the Athens Charter, drafted by Le Corbusier at the fourth Assembly of the International congresses on Modern Architecture (1933) was published anonymously in Paris in 1941 both represent a major step in the evolution of ideas because they reflect a growing consciousness among specialists all over the world, and introduced for the first time in history the concept of international heritage.

The Venice Charter was born from the need to create an association of specialists of conservation and restoration independent of the already existing associations of museologists, ICOM.

In 1957, in Paris, the First Congress of Architects and Specialists of Historic Buildings recommended that the countries which still lack a central organisation for the protection of historic buildings provide for the establishment of such an authority and, in the name ofUNESCO, that all member states of UNESCO join the International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property (ICCROM) based in Rome.

The Second Congress of Architects and Specialists of Historic Buildings, in Venice in 1964, adopted 13 resolutions, the first one being the International Restoration Charter, better known as Venice Charter, and the second one, put forward by UNESCO, provided for the creation of the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS).

ICOMOS Bangladesh

ICOMOS Bangladesh was re-established in 2014 to promote and enhance professionalism in the conservation, management, planning and development of cultural heritage in Bangladesh. It helps its members connect to a worldwide network of more than 10,000 professionals involved in heritage protection and provides opportunities for interdisciplinary exchange between the members. ICOMOS Bangladesh members automatically become members of ICOMOS International and are eligible to join any of its International Scientific Committees.

Current Executive Committee (2020 - 2023)

President

Dr. SHARIF SHAMS IMON
PhD (HKU), MBA (DU), MSc (HKU), B.Arch (BUET)
Professional Member: ICOMOS, HKICON, MUPI, IAB, BIP, DOCOMOMO, HeritAP

Vice President

Ms. SHAHIDA PERVIN
MA (Archaeology)(JU), MA (Managing Archaeological Sites)(UCL)

General Secretary

Dr. KH. MAHFUZ-UD-DARAIN
PhD (UM), MSc (Civil)(UM)

Secretary (Membership)

Dr. A. T. M. MASOOD REZA
PhD (JU), M.Arch (BUET), B.Arch (KU)

Secretary (Events)

Dr. MOHAMMAD HABIB REZA
PhD (NTU), B.Arch (KU)

Treasurer

Mr. JOARDER HAFIZ ULLAH
M.Arch (BUET), B.Arch (KU)

Member

Ar. SAZZAD HOSSAIN
M.Arch (U-Sevilla), MA (P.Torino), PGT (LundU), B.Arch (KU)

Founding Executive Committee (2015-2019)

The following are the membrs of the founding Executive Committee of ICOMOS Bangladesh

President

Dr. SHARIF SHAMS IMON
PhD (HKU), MBA (DU), MSc (HKU), B.Arch (BUET)
Member ICOMOS, HKICON, MUPI, IAB, BIP, DOCOMOMO

Vice President

Ms. SHAHIDA PERVIN
MA (Archaeology)(JU), MA (Managing Archaeological Sites)(UCL)

General Secretary

Ar. SAZZAD HOSSAIN
M.Arch (U-Sevilla), MA (P.Torino), PGT (LundU), B.Arch (KU)

Secretary (Membership)

Dr. MIZANUR RASHID
PhD (NUS), M.Arch (CU-Leuven), B.Arch (BUET)

Secretary (Events)