- Start date: 3 October 2018
- End date: 6 October 2018
- Location: Kotor, Montenegro
- Number of Participants: 27
- Nationalities: 6
Executive Summary
This workshop responded to a request from the State Party of Montenegro to build capacity in heritage practitioners in the region, with regards to heritage impact assessment (HIA). The workshop was organized within the framework of the UNESCO World Heritage International Assistance Fund, with the financial support from the UNESCO Regional Bureau for Science and Culture in Europe.
The workshop aimed to bring together a group of national and regional practitioners to consider real examples of development proposals within property and buffer zones and provide them with training on the methodology to ensure IA guidelines then in development were relevant to practitioners in the field and addressed their needs.
The workshop was hosted by the National Commission of Montenegro for UNESCO with International Assistance funding from the World Heritage Centre and capacity building support from ICCROM. The World Heritage site of the Natural and Culturo-Historical Region of Kotor was used as a case study, with participants presenting a summary HIA at the end of the week. The results demonstrated the participants’ understanding of the methodology and a broader view of how an HIA approach might help find solutions that promote benefits for both heritage and society.
This workshop was held at a time when several HIAs had already been commissioned for the Natural and Culturo-Historical Region of Kotor, and a new assessment requested. Participants from Kotor could begin applying their knowledge immediately to the issues at hand, utilising HIA approaches to influence change management within the World Heritage property and its setting, and supporting genuine sustainable development.