ICOMOS-USA’s Ann Webster Smith Award for International Heritage Achievement honors an American individual, group of persons or institution, in the public or private sector, for extraordinary and sustained achievement in perpetuating Ann Webster Smith’s quest to make the United States a respected partner and trustworthy pillar to support the conservation of the cultural heritage in all parts of the world.
2015 Ann Webster Smith Award Laureates
ICOMOS-USA was honored to confer Ann Webster Smith Awards in 2015 on Professor Roy Eugene Graham and Dr. William J. Murtagh.
Roy Eugene Graham, FAIA
Professor Graham became actively involved with ICOMOS-USA early in his career, serving on the Board of Trustees of ICOMOS-USA for over 15 years, including a period as Secretary. He co-chaired the ICOMOS International committee on Interpretation and Presentation of Cultural Heritage Sites (ICIP) for a decade. He has frequently represented the United States at ICOMOS Triennial General Assemblies and rendered exemplary service. He served as president/rapporteur of the 1981 General Assembly in Rome and presented a paper at the 15th General Assembly in Xi’an, China (2005). He also represented the U.S. at both the 1987 Washington, DC General Assembly and the 11th General Assembly held in Sofia, Bulgaria in 1996.
William J. Murtagh, Ph.D.
A pioneer and outstanding leader in the field of historic preservation for more than 50 years, Dr. Murtagh has received both the Meritorious Service Award and the Distinguished Service Award from the Secretary of the Interior, and the Louise du Pont Crowninshield Award from the National Trust for Historic Preservation. He is a Benjamin Franklin Fellow of the Royal Society of the Arts in London, England.
Ann Webster Smith pictured here with Professor Roy Eugene Graham at the 6th ICOMOS General Assembly held in Rome, Italy in May, 1981. 34 years later, Graham would go on to receive the Award bearing Ann’s name.
Ann Webster Smith, F.US/ICOMOS
The name Ann Webster Smith graces one of the highest awards ICOMOS-USA bestows. The work and achievements of Ann Webster Smith as a champion in building a global culture of protection for the cultural heritage of the entire world were prolific and varied. For three decades Ms Smith was at the very core of the dreamers and doers who nurtured ICOMOS to its maturity, personifying a spirit of cooperation and teamwork. A true visionary never fearing change for the sake of improvement, Ann Webster Smith conceptualized, supported and enabled numerous cultural programs for international cooperation; influenced major decision-makers both in the United States and overseas towards the preservation ethic; steered private and public funds for the support of international preservation initiatives; and mentored dozens of young preservationists into their full professional capacity, gently leading them into key leadership positions.
Past Ann Webster Smith Laureates
2008 – Lisa Ackerman
2009 – Russell E. Train
2010 – The World Monuments Fund
2011 – The Getty Conservation Institute
2013 – The Honorable Patrick J. Leahy
2015 – William J. Murtagh, Ph.D.
2015 – Roy Eugene Graham, FAIA