Conclusions from 7th OWHC International
Symposium
Rhodes,
Greece - September 23-26, 2003
Mayors' Congress
Attention was placed on the need for further cooperation of the member-cities of the organization in a series of issues for an improved and more effective safeguarding of cultural heritage and it was decided that the following axes should be promoted:
- Exchange / mutual education programs at all levels
- Support to local networks
- Promoting the participation of citizens
- Promoting the use of new technologies (e.g. GIS)
- Promoting cooperation between developed and developing countries with the member-cities
- Investigating funding mechanisms
- Promoting measures of preparedness against natural dangers in the member-cities
- Improving the mechanisms of awareness in terms of opportunities offered by European or other international programs
- Utilizing the special knowledge of the members over the entire Organization
- Acknowledging the significance of local society as a starting point for education, training and transfer of know-how.
New programs and technologies
In the context of the scientific part of the 7th symposium, discussions were held on specialized issues pertaining to the restoration and protection of monuments from natural wear, due to the local climate conditions. Such cases mentioned are Venice and its extreme humidity, and wear caused by the crystallization of salts in the historic cities of the Mediterranean. New technologies were presented for the reproduction of materials compatible with the authentic materials, in the direction of protecting archaeological sites and historic buildings over the course of time, as well as dealing with erosion of the stones of monuments.
One such research program is BIOBRUSH, backed by European Community funding and with the participation, on the part of Greece, of the Faculty of Mining Engineering and Metallurgy and Materials Technology of the National Technical University of Athens.
The key advantage evolving from the resultant technique is the use of a completely mild treating process, which respects the details of the monument, and the avoidance of dangerous chemical substances that burden the environment and the user, substances that are widely used in conventional preservation processes.
Program for the Mediterranean
Representatives of the Ministry of Culture also presented the program "Cooperation for the salvage, preservation, restoration and enhancement of the Classical, Hellenistic and Roman monuments of the member-countries of the Mediterranean Forum", which falls into the context of the socio-cultural section of the Mediterranean Forum and is implemented under the initiative and support of the Ministry of Culture of Greece.
The main ambition is the promotion and protection of the common cultural heritage of the Mediterranean countries, which is being endangered by natural or human factors, through the development of joint action. The main vehicle for the achievement of this goal is, among others, the formation of a databank in three languages (Greek, English, French) accessible via the Internet, aiming on the one hand at the exchange of know-how and experience and the training of specialized staff, and cooperation for the elaboration of joint programs and the allocation of resources for implementation on the other.
One of the speeches that stirred the audience was that of Ms. Tesi Sali, Associate Professor of Museology at the Ionian University, with the topic: Virtual Reality in outdoor archaeological Museums as a parameter for the preservation of historical memory". As it was stressed, it no longer suffices to view cultural heritage as an object of admiration of our ancestors' works; instead it must lend itself as a historical process and naturally as a form of education which can offer answers to contemporary questions.
Technology among other things enables the transformation of the static nature of museum images into a dynamic challenge. Modern technology enables all visitors to project their own perceptions, according to the background formed by their own personality and level of awareness.
Nowadays it is possible, never omitting to exercise the necessary degree of wariness, to resort to technology in order to acquire a reasonable substitute of lost reality in monuments that were lost or altered in time. In this way preservation of historical memory is achieved in a multi-faceted manner: the integrity and authenticity of the natural substance of the monuments is not damaged in any way and the historicalness of the ruins remains intact, while historical knowledge is transfused swiftly and accurately.
Youth Forum
In the context of the 7th symposium a separate Forum was held involving Youth from the historic cities of the world, who discussed and formulated their own proposals and protection programs for the "vulnerable" historic cities. The Forum took place with the participation of pupils and students from 21 historic cities, who presented action plans and interventions in the town planning of the protected sections and districts of historic cities, actions for sensitization, as well as traditional techniques for restoration - maintenance through voluntary work.
The upcoming 8th international symposium of the Organization of World Heritage Cities will be held in the city Cuzco of Peru, which contended for and won the organization at the Rhodes symposium.
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Text Source: www.ovpm.org
Pictures: SRESM