Symposium 2023

Affirming Cultural Identity: World Heritage in the 21st Century

ICOMOS-USA, World Heritage USA, and partners explored and celebrated the cultural identities that make up our shared heritage in San Antonio, Texas, 1-3 November 2023.

Our Symposium and Conference featured two themes: 1) the World Heritage nomination process and leveraging World Heritage Sites for economic and social prosperity, and 2) Indigenous and Transboundary cultural traditions and partnerships. Our time in San Antonio included tours of the World Heritage Site Missions and their neighborhoods along with extended discussions of Indigenous heritage, monuments of oppression, the International Underground Railroad, tourism, and the opportunities associated with World Heritage Sites. We concluded our time in San Antonio with the 2023 Gala Celebration of World Heritage, a festive dinner fundraiser at the El Camino de San Antonio Missions Center. Thank you to all who supported and joined us for this exciting 3-day event. Enjoy some images of the event here.

Agenda

Downloadable PDF of the agenda and event locations

Wednesday, 1 November 2023

• Arrive in San Antonio by late afternoon
• 6 pm Opening Reception at the Alamo, hosted and sponsored by the Alamo Trust on the grounds of the Alamo with Living History actors providing historic stories for attendees

Thursday, 2 November 2023

Symposium sessions will take place at the University of Texas San Antonio’s downtown campus (501 W César E Chávez Blvd, San Antonio, TX 78207)

• 8 am – 12 pm: Symposium
• Complete listings of Day One sessions including speaker lists and short biographies are here 
  • Plenary Session with Keynote Speaker Dr. Nelly Robles García
    • Dr. Nelly Robles García is a Mexican (Oaxaca) native archaeologist, who is the former director of the Monte Albán World Heritage Site and National Coordinator for Archaeology at the National Institute of Anthropology and History (Mexico). Currently she is the director of the Archaeological Project Monumental Complex of Aztompa and the Conservation Project of Monte Albán.
  • Concurrent Sessions (Choose one)
    • World Heritage and U.S. Cities
      • There are 25 World Heritage sites in the United States, all but a handful are located in urban settings. World Heritage sites in metropolitan areas pose challenges and opportunities. This session will discuss the hurdles faced by some key sites, as well as the opportunity for leveraging World Heritage sites for economic and social prosperity.
    • Collaboration with U.S. and Mexico ICOMOS
      • Participants in this collaborative workshop will discuss: 1) Future binational transborder World Heritage Site nominations; 2) A joint recovery campaign for areas impacted by the U.S. border wall; 3) An analysis of social justice protests and monuments removal; 4) The Underground Railroad Network to Freedom stories of freedom; 5) Engaging traditionally-associated tribes with co-stewardship; and 6) Co-stewardship with native tribes.
• 2 – 5 pm: Tours
  • Dia de los Muertos/Historic La Villita, 2 – 3:30 pm (Free).  Historic La Villita Village is one of San Antonio’s oldest neighborhoods. Located steps from the Alamo, this village was settled by people associated with Mission San Antonio de Valero and likely dates to prior to 1722s. Today, after restoration championed by the San Antonio Conservation Society, the village continues to serve San Antonio as a destination for cultural events and heritage tourism. This walking tour, guided by Vincent Michael of the San Antonio Conservation Society, will provide you with the history of the village and its role in San Antonio’s cultural life. As you tour, you’ll be able to view the Dia de los Muertos celebration exhibit which spans the historic village and learn about the findings from recent archaeological digs.

• • San Antonio Missions World Heritage Site Tour, 2 – 5 pm ($60). Bus tour to the four (4) missions within the San Antonio Missions National Historical Park including the mission grounds and interiors of the four active churches. Participants will learn the complex interwoven story of the San Antonio Missions from the National Park Service, Missions Descendants, the San Antonio Archdiocese, and a masonry conservator. Note: this admission fee covers the travel to and from the tour. The San Antonio Missions National Historical Park is a fee free park and can be visited independently of this tour for no cost.

Friday, 3 November 2023

• 8 am – 12 pm: Symposium
• Complete listings of Day Two sessions including speaker lists and short biographies are here
  • Plenary Session with Keynote Speaker Cequyna Moore, Director of the World Heritage USA Monuments Relocation, Removal and Reinterpretation Toolkit Program
  • Concurrent Sessions (Choose one)Concurrent Sessions (Choose one)
    • Recognizing the Indigenous Cultural Values in Natural Area World Heritage Sites
      • Twelve of 24 U.S. World Heritage Sites are natural areas for which World Heritage inscription does not recognize Indigenous cultural values. This panel will discuss engagements between NPS staff and culturally-affiliated Indigenous tribes whose heritage lies within these World Heritage Site national parks. We will also address opportunities for co-stewardship, engaging tribal members to interpret their heritage for park visitors, treaty obligations and required consultations.
    • Understanding and Utilizing the World Heritage Nomination Criteria and Process
      • This workshop will discuss the complexities of the world heritage site nomination process, including dossier preparation, upstream review, and submission to the World Heritage Committee. In addition, panelists will discuss the tasks and challenges that emerge after inscription as a World Heritage Site. Panelists will include recently inscribed sites like the Ohio Ceremonial Earthworks, and others with pending nominations like the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge and the Civil Rights Movement sites serial nomination, as well as a more mature inscribed site such as the San Antonio Missions World Heritage Site.
• 2 – 5 pm: Tours
  • Alamo Tour, 2 – 3:30 pm (free) An archaeological and conservation tour of the Alamo. Everyone has head the story of the Alamo, this tour incorporates that story through the perspective of recent archeological findings and the meticulous work to conserve the over 300 year old structure.

• • Taco Tour 1 – 4:30 pm ($75) San Antonio leveraged its UNESCO World Heritage Status to achieve recognition as a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy. Guided by San Antonio’s First Lady and the City of San Antonio’s World Heritage Office staff, this tour will take you to three local restaurants.Arrive hungry and be prepared to taste some of San Antonio’s best tacos! Learn about a legacy business, the original puffy taco and how local chefs are keeping it authentic, while adapting to today’s culinary trends. San Antonio’s gastronomy is a celebration of our food and culture, and is the result of how we sustain, share and blend it with new influences. We are true to our roots, yet open to innovation! Please note: if you are a vegetarian, have any dietary restrictions or food allergies, please reach out to worldheritage@sanantonio.gov prior to October 16th so that we can determine if we can make accommodations.
  • San Antonio Missions World Heritage Site Tour, 2 – 5 pm ($60). Bus tour to the four (4) missions within the San Antonio Missions National Historical Park including the mission grounds and interiors of the four active churches. Participants will learn the complex interwoven story of the San Antonio Missions from the National Park Service, Missions Descendants, the San Antonio Archdiocese, and a masonry conservator. Note: this admission fee covers the travel to and from the tour. The San Antonio Missions National Historical Park is a fee free park and can be visited independently of this tour for no cost.

• 6 pm:  Gala Celebration of World Heritage at the El Camino de San Antonio Missions Center

A separate listing of tours and events can be found here.

Registration is Now Closed

Discounted Member pricing for the entire event, including the Celebration, was available for $500. Non-member pricing for the entire event was $670.

Sponsors

We are grateful to the following sponsors for their generous support of our organization and events in San Antonio: