Today is International Day for Monuments and Sites

April 18th is a major celebration for ICOMOS and each year the state representatives of Australia ICOMOS organise a number of activities around Australia so that you can celebrate the diversity of the world’s cultural heritage with colleagues, and along with ICOMOS members the world over. It is important to note that this day is not (and never was) called ‘world heritage day’!

Australia ICOMOS welcomes other conservation-minded organisations celebrating this day by organising their own heritage activities: however, we ask that you use the correct title to promote the day. This day is about more than ‘world’ heritage sites – it seeks to raise public awareness of the full diversity of cultural heritage places and landscapes whether they be of international, national or local significance.

In response to a proposal by ICOMOS, 18 April was endorsed as The International Day for Monuments and Sites by UNESCO in 1983. This special day offers an opportunity to raise public awareness concerning the diversity of the world’s heritage and the efforts that are required to protect and conserve it, as well as to draw attention to its vulnerability. Through its Scientific Council, ICOMOS develops a triennial plan for the themes for the International Day for Monuments and Sites. Australia ICOMOS joins with our colleagues around the world to celebrate and promote this theme by holding activities, conferences, colloquia or other events to raise awareness among the public, the owners of heritage places, or the public authorities by linking a global theme to local or national realities.

For further information on the Day, previous themes, support material and the calendar of activities around the world go to the International Day for Monuments and Sites page of the ICOMOS International website.