 |
 |
News The Scientific Committee Meeting (03/01/05) |
 |
In the OWHC Newsletter, Fall/winter 2004 - 2005 Nº 25, you can find information about the World Symposium of the OWHC:
The Scientific Committee for the OWHC 8 th Symposium was convened by the Getty Conservation Institute in Lima, Peru, during the month of October. Its task was to identify speakers, rapporteurs and facilitators for the Symposium. The selection was quite challenging because the Committee received a large nomber of very high quality proposal from the consultations it had made prior to the meeting.
The 8 th Symposium is conceived as a special event where participants will enrich themselves throught discussions. Ev ery participant will have the opportunity to discuss issues, concerns and ideas with colleagues from all over the world.
THE APPROACH
During the opening session of the Scientific Committee meeting, Elizabeth Kuon Arce, Chief Executive Officer of the 8 th Symposium, said: "... In the 8 th Symposium we hope to establish whether or not the measures taken to date in our World Heritage Cities lie within the bounds of respect, justice, equality, liberty and dignity for all humanity".
The organizers believe that discussions are the best way to answer this question. Indeed, the OWHC is the only international platform where politicians and practitioners meet to discuss issues of mutual concern for World heritage Cities. All participants should have a real opportunity to talk to each other and to express their points of view about specific topics related to the conference themes.
Therefore, the Symposium has been structured to favor a rich encounter and exchange between participants as opposed to a traditional lecture-type conference. The participans should leave Cusco with "lines of thought" or "lines of action" generated by discussions related to the conference theme and subthemes.
HOW WILL THIS WORK?
First, a Keynote Speaker will set the scene during a plenary session. The, for each of the sub-themes, participants will be invited to split into three groups on the basis of OWHC official working languages. In each room, the participants will be seated in groups of 10 at roun tables. A guest speaker will introduce the sub-theme and then a mayor from a World Heritage City and a heritage professional will each present a case study. The participants will be invited to discuss the issues raised by them and to write down "lines of thought" on this subject. All of these will be given to a rapporteur who will prepare a synthesis.
The same process will be followed for the next two sub-themes and the rapporteurs will share the results of these discussions during a plenary session.
Considering that many participants would also like to share more detailed information about their city or their accomplishment in certain areas, the city of Cusco has organized a poster session during which selected posters will be exhibited.
The OWHC, the City of Cusco and the GCI have pooled their resources to organize what promises to be a lively and rich symposium where everyone will have an opportunity to participate actively.
François Le Blanc
Head, Field Projects
Getty Conservation Institute
