30 July. The new LATAM programme has been launched at a meeting held in Cartagena de Indias, Colombia from 14-17 July 2008. This twelve-year programme will focus on cultural heritage in Latin America and the Caribbean, with the aim of improving and strengthening capacities for conservation, enhancing communication and exchange and increasing awareness in the region.

Seventy conservation professionals from Latin America, the Caribbean and other countries were invited for a two-day pre-launch working meeting in order to define the programme structure and its management system, as well as to develop the five main themes selected as priorities for at least the first phase of the programme (2008 -11):

• education and training for the conservation of cultural heritage;
• illicit traffic of cultural heritage;
• definition of economic indicators for conservation activities;
• risk management for cultural heritage;
• cultural heritage conservation publications and their dissemination.

The third day of the meeting, 16 July, marked the launch of LATAM. The programme objectives and the results of the working groups were presented to over 200 participants.

At the end of the meeting, a visit to the Island of Tierra Bomba was organized by the Colombian authorities, allowing participants to continue informal discussions for LATAM in a rich cultural setting.

Working groups reports in brief

Education and training
This group considers education in a wide sense, including academic and professional training, research and awareness programmes and activities. The activities will reinforce the sustainable use of cultural heritage in the region through the creation and strengthening of existing educational programmes. It will also involve wider audiences and governments in the protection of heritage.

Expected results of the education and training component by 2011:

• a better knowledge of education and training programmes in the region;
• strengthened network of heritage training and research institutions;
• enhanced exchanges for educational programme in the region;
• integral training and education in heritage conservation promoted at different levels;
• a better integration of education and training institutions with associations of other professionals dealing with heritage, and with wider audiences.

Illicit traffic
The activities in this area will strengthen and promote efficient actions at the national and regional level for the prevention of and fight against the illicit traffic of cultural heritage. The activities will also raise awareness; strengthen legal and administrative systems for the recovery of heritage; develop mechanisms for the regulation of trade of cultural heritage; and strengthen cooperation at a regional level.

Expected results of the illicit traffic component by 2011:

• raised awareness on illicit traffic of cultural heritage;
• strengthened procedures for repatriation of heritage;
• increased knowledge and understanding of legislation and conventions;
• enhanced databases on stolen cultural heritage;
• national technical committees created and/or strengthened;
• specialized customs and police units created and/or strengthened.

Economic indicators
The activities in this area will promote, in a synergic and systematic manner, the design, application and validation of a series of economic indicators developed to measure conservation processes for cultural heritage. These are considered as one of the motors for local, national and regional sustainable development. Conservation processes are broadly understood to comprise management, technical conservation, and presentation and use of cultural heritage.

Economic indicators will be defined for cultural heritage through the development of standard methodologies which can be adapted to specific local requirements. A dissemination and training strategy will also be defined leading to an increase in the scope of use and adaptation of the indicators within institutions.

Expected results of the economic indicators component by 2011:

• conceptual and reference framework developed;
• economic indicators developed, including their application methodologies;
• training modules developed and tested;
• economic indicators applied and tested at pilot projects;
• increased awareness on economic indicators.

Risk management
The activities in this area will deal with the preservation of natural and cultural heritage through reducing the risks to which it is exposed. During the initial phase, the existing risks to heritage in Latin America and the Caribbean will be studied and; risk management training opportunities will be offered to conservation professionals. Activities will also raise the awareness of institutions and wider audiences for the need to incorporate risk management for cultural heritage into their larger risk planning; and promote an integrated vision of risk management for natural and cultural heritage through intersectorial cooperation.

Expected results of the risk management component by 2011:

• increased understanding of risks in Latin America and the Caribbean;
• LATAM risk map created;
• broadened understanding of existing experiences in risk management in the region, and in other countries as well;
• increased understanding of traditional technologies and approaches to risk management
• strengthened network of professionals and institutions dealing with risk management;
• applied methodology for movable and immovable heritage;
• increased awareness on the need for risk management for natural and cultural heritage.

Publications and dissemination of information
The activities in this area will support the actions of the other four groups, through securing the availability of literature and developing strategies for an efficient dissemination of information.

Expected results of the publications and dissemination of information component by 2011:

• increased number of publications, based on the requirements of the other four groups;
• development of a LATAM publication series, including volumes on master/management planning;
• development of a LATAM thematic reference library for small institutions, archives and museums;
• web pages in the region strengthened;
• networks set up for the dissemination of unpublished and out-of-print information in Spanish and Portuguese.

For further information contact: latam (at) iccrom . org

Member States represented: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Italy, Mexico, Netherlands, Paraguay, Peru, Spain, United States, Venezuela

updated on: 17 November, 2008