2022 Symposium

US/ICOMOS 2022 International Symposium and Conference / World Heritage Site Managers’ Forum

US/ICOMOS 2022 Virtual International Symposium and Conference: “World Heritage at 50: A Symposium on the Past, Present and Future of the World Heritage Convention”

(20-21 October, 1-5 pm EDT each day)

and

U.S. World Heritage Site Managers’ Forum: “Leveraging World Heritage to Protect and Promote World Heritage”

(20 October, 8:30 – 12 pm EDT; 21 October, 8:30 – 1 pm EDT)

Symposium Agenda

Thursday, October 20 – Day One of the Symposium

Day One Part 1: The Past

1:00-1:15 Welcome – including statement of mission and policy, Douglas C. Comer, PhD, President, US/ICOMOS

1:15-1:20 Introduction of Keynote Speaker, T. Destry Jarvis

1:20-1:50 Keynote Address, William K. Reilly, former staff to Russell Train at the Council for Environmental Quality (CEQ) and former Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

William K. Reilly has enjoyed careers in public service, non-governmental organizations, and private sector finance. He has served four U.S. Presidents: Presidents Nixon, George H.W. Bush, Clinton and Obama. As a senior staff member at the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ), Reilly worked very closely with CEQ chair Russell Train on his remarks and on the Council’s reports. Train helped advance the World Heritage Trust concept, secured President Nixon’s support in the 1971 annual report, and led the U.S. delegation to the 1972 United Nations’ Stockholm Conference on the Environment, which endorsed the World Heritage Trust.

1:50-2:00 Q&A

2:00-2:30 How Does it Feel to be First, 50 Years later. Kayci Cook, NPS Superintendent of Mesa Verde NP/World Heritage Site and John Cook, NPS retired Regional Director and Associate Director

2:30-3:00 International Perspective on the Origins of the World Heritage Convention, Dr. Mechtild Rössler, Immediate Former Director of the UNESCO World Heritage Centre and the Heritage Division

3:00-3:15 BREAK

Day One Part 2: The Present

3:15-5:00 Panel Presentation/Discussion of U.S. World Heritage Program

What are the Management Expectations for Inscribed World Heritage Sites pursuant to the Convention, Doug Comer

What the World Heritage Convention added to protection of World Heritage Sites in USA – Yellowstone, Taos, Glacier, Everglades, Tom Cassidy

How does NPS inventory and monitoring benefit U.S. World Heritage Sites and how can NPS share these practices and other technical assistance with World Heritage Sites in other nations? Ray Sauvajot, NPS Associate Director for Natural Resources and Science

Friday, October 21 – Day Two of the Symposium

Day Two Part 1: The Present (Continued)

1:00-1:10 Welcome & Introduction, Douglas C. Comer, PhD, President, US/ICOMOS

1:10-1:45 Keynote, Charles “Chuck” Sams III, Director, National Park Service: “Indigenous Peoples – Integral to World Heritage”

A former longtime administrator of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation in Oregon, Chuck Sams is the first Native American to lead the National Park Service and the 19th permanent director in the park service’s 105-year history. Sams has worked in state and tribal government jobs and in the nonprofit natural resource and conservation management field for more than 25 years. He’s also a former adjunct professor at Georgetown University and Whitman College.

1:45-2:00 Q&A

2:00-3:00 Threats to World Heritage Site Protection in the U.S. and around the World

Federal Consistency on Yellowstone/Grand Canyon Bureau of Land Management (BLM) & U.S. Forestry Service (USFS) land, John Adornato, National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) Vice President
Chaco – Oil & Gas development on leased BLM lands, Ernie Atencio, NPCA Southwest Regional Director
San Juan
International Perspective – the Mediterranean Coastline, Leslie Friedman, Project Specialist, Getty Conservation Institute
International Perspective – Mexico, Dr. Nelly Robles García, National Coordinator of Archaeology for the Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia de Mexico

3:00–3:15 BREAK

Day Two Part 2: The Future

3:15-4:15 Future Directions for World Heritage in the U.S.

A Presidential Executive Order for U.S. World Heritage Sites and/or Amend the National Historic Preservation Act to add a World Heritage Section, John Fowler
Engage Tribes in co-management of World Heritage Sites, with Parks Canada as model, Christophe Rivet, President, ICOMOS Canada
Pay dues & expand scope of U.S. engagement with World Heritage Committee, including international World Heritage Site manager training, World Heritage Site technical support teams, etc.

4:15-4:55 Future Directions for World Heritage Abroad

How soft diplomacy can support World Heritage actions in other countries – Bilateral exchanges, export of technical expertise, upstreaming, etc., Stephen Morris, NPS Chief of Office of International Affairs
Expanding International Exchange Program and other training opportunities internationally to assure the next generation of World Heritage Sites staff and leaders, Christine Jacobs, NPS Superintendent of San Antonio Mission World Heritage Site.
Science to support World Heritage Sites – CESUs go international, Dr. Gary Machlis, Clemson University Professor of Environmental Sustainability

4:55-5:00 Closing, Douglas C. Comer, PhD, President, US/ICOMOS