| LATAM (2008 - 2019) update
27 April. Since its launching in 2008, our Latin American and Caribbean colleagues have been hard at work structuring this new programme. We are pleased to update you with the progress made.
What is LATAM?
LATAM is a twelve-year programme that will strengthen the capacities of conservation professionals in Latin America and the Caribbean, improve communication and exchange in the region, and increase awareness on the need to protect its valuable heritage.
Why LATAM?
Latin America and the Caribbean contain a wealth of cultural expressions that span thousands of years. This significant portion of the world’s cultural heritage is a major resource for social cohesion and development in the region, but it requires sustainable use and conservation.
The last 50 years have witnessed unprecedented development of conservation structures and initiatives as well as the growth of a considerable body of conservation expertise and knowledge in various countries. The impact of this development, however, has been hindered by its scattered and isolated nature, with resources unevenly distributed across the region.
The LATAM Programme has been designed to create a better approach and dialogue, permitting a harmonization and integration of efforts in Latin America and the Caribbean. Working with professionals and institutions in the region, the Programme will create synergies and improve conservation of cultural heritage through:
- Joining experiences;
- Identifying common areas for action;
- Contributing tools for meaningful collaboration between conservation sectors;
- Developing mechanisms for an increase in professional mobility; and
- Developing mechanisms for increased self-sufficiency.
LATAM structure
The Programme will have a thematic structure to ensure smooth operation. LATAM’s working groups will be responsible for the coordination and implementation of those thematic activities, while an Executive Committee will ensure the overall coordination and management of the Programme. [Refer to structure and policy documents on the side]
Initial themes for LATAM
For the initial phase of the Programme (2008-2011) five working groups have been formed based on the themes below. The objective is for these groups, which are open to conservation professionals, to expand and include more countries and institutions.
- Training and education
- Fight against illicit traffic of cultural heritage
- Economic indicators for conservation
- Risk management
- Information and documentation
LATAM was designed following a programmatic model that started with the evaluation of needs in the region and was followed by the formulation of goals and objectives, which are expected to lead to sustainable results.
The guiding principle of this Programme is to establish a broad framework containing the individual activities of the working groups, and ensuring that the end result is larger than the sum of the parts.
As with other regional ICCROM programmes, the financial resources for LATAM will come from extra-budgetary sources. The implementation of LATAM will require the financial, human and technical support of all ICCROM Member States, and especially those in Latin America and the Caribbean. The activities described below can only be carried out if such support is obtained.
Activities in 2009
Training activity: in October 2009, the first LATAM course, Preventive conservation: reducing risks to cultural heritage was launched in Quito, Ecuador. This three-week course offered an integrated approach to preventive conservation from the risk management perspective for both movable and immovable heritage.
Translation of publications: to support risk management in the region, the Centro Nacional de Conservacion y Restauración, CNCR, Chile, and the Universidad Externado de Colombia, Colombia, facilitated the translation of the Canadian Conservation Institute’s (CCI):
Proposed activities for 2010-2011
The LATAM Programme has been designed by institutions and experts from the conservation community in Latin America and the Caribbean. The role of ICCROM is to create a collaborative platform and provide the related tools for intensifying and sustaining institutional collaboration across countries and cultural heritage sectors. The success of the Programme and its ability to develop activities will largely depend on the response and active participation of heritage institutions, in particular, those from the region.
More information on LATAM and the proposed activities for 2010-2011 can also be found on the LATAM brochure. [Refer to the brochures on the side]
updated on:
27 July, 2010 |
