Are you a heritage professional passionate about tackling climate change? Join us in Amman for a 3-day Climate Literacy Training to explore how cultural heritage can drive climate action. The training takes place from 28.10 to 30.10 in Hamman, Jordan.
Organized by: Petra National Trust & ICOMOS Jordan, in collaboration with the ICOMOS Climate Action Working Group, Queen’s University, and EAMENA – Oxford University.
Open to heritage professionals eager to link climate science with cultural heritage. Please note: The training is self-funded (no scholarships or sponsorships).
ICOMOS CAWG is organising, in cooperation with Climate Heritage Network, UNITWIN Culture in Emergencies, Culture for the Planet, Entertainment+ Culture Pavilion Mondiacult, an official side event “Enhancing Trust and Synergies with Culture – Communities Combating Global Challenges”.The event takes place on 30 September from 14:30 to 15:30 in Barcelona Convention Centre. LinkMONDIACULT 2025 Official Side Events | UNESCO
This side event aims to explore how culture, heritage, and artistic expression can serve as powerful tools for resilience, adaptation, and community empowerment during times of crisis, including conflict, climate disasters, and digital transformation. It will foster dialogue across disciplines and generations to highlight the synergies between traditional knowledge systems, cultural practices, and sustainability frameworks. By spotlighting the role of trust and collaboration, the event seeks to deepen understanding of how culturally grounded approaches can inform adaptation pathways and shape more inclusive and just climate and crisis responses. Additionally, it will explore the importance of transformative indicators and cultural metrics in advancing sustainable development, informing policy, and valorising the contributions of the arts and culture sector in global resilience strategies.
Keynote speakers and panellists elaborate on the following themes: How can culture and heritage contribute to resilience in times of crisis? What role does traditional knowledge play in climate adaptation? How can we build trust and foster synergies across sectors? What indicators are needed to recognise and scale the impact of cultural and artistic responses to global challenges?
Agenda 30.09, 14.30-15.30
Opening remarks by Ana Filipa Vrdolijak, UNITWIN University of Technology Sydney
Panel 1. Highlight presentations Krista Pikkat, UNESCO Angela Martins, African Union Comission Andrew Potts, Climate Heritage Network, ICOMOS Jorge A. Sánchez Cordero Dávila, Mexican Center of Uniform Law (MCUL)
Panel 2. Discussion Mounir Bouchnaki, UNESCO (Former ADG) Giovanna Gray Nassralla, Culture for the Planet Isaac Eseet, Climate Heritage Network African Coordinator Ave Paulus, ICOMOS Climate Action Working Group Moderated by Samuel Rubin, Entertainment + Culture Pavilion
Closing remarks by Jenny Hay, Climate Heritage Network and Alicja Jagielska-Burduk, UNITWIN
Organiser on behalf of ICOMOS – Ave Paulus, ave.paulus@icomos.org
On the 19th Sept, members of the Climate Action Working Group will run a day’s climate literacy training with ICOMOS Ireland. Climate change literacy refers to an understanding of our impact on the climate and how we can effectively respond to it. It addresses a critical and time-sensitive need to equip those in the heritage sector to respond to the challenges posed by climate change meaningfully. The event will be held in the National Museum of Ireland, Collins Barracks.
This event is organized by the Institute for Sustainable Urban and Territorial Development of the City of La Plata Foundation, the Sustainable Heritage Forum, the Heritage and Climate Change Initiative, and the Climate Heritage Network. It is sponsored by ICOMOS Argentina, ICOMOS Brazil, ICOMOS Uruguay, ICOMOS Chile, the ICOMOS Climate Action Working Group (ICOMOS CAWG), ICOM Brazil, the Oswaldo Cruz House (COC FIOCRUZ), Preserving Legacies, Culture for the Planet, the Climate Heritage Network Youth Forum, YOUNGO Arts, Culture and Heritage Working Group, the Latin American Design Association (ALADI), the Association of Museum Directors of the Argentine Republic (ADIMRA), the Beato Angélico Museum of Contemporary Art (UCALP), and the Institute for Research in Architecture and Territory, Faculty of Architecture and Design, Catholic University of La Plata (INISAT FAD UCALP).
Presentations will be organized into the following thematic areas: Architecture and Urban Planning; Art and Music; Visual Design and Audiovisual Design; Education and Research; Cultural and Creative Industries; Museums, Archives, and Libraries; Landscaping and the Environment; Cultural and Natural Heritage; and Sustainable Cultural Tourism.
Professionals, professors, researchers, students, and young people from more than twenty countries will be participating virtually in the congress activities. The activities will be organised into different sessions in Spanish, Portuguese or English, depending on the language of the speakers.
ICOMOS CAWG Focal Point Ave Paulus holds a keynote speech at the “Climate and World Heritage: A Shared Journey” Forum in the Republic of Korea, to be held on September 12, 2025, as a part of the “2025 Suncheon World Heritage Festival.”
This annual festival, which highlights the value of Korea’s UNESCO World Heritage sites, will take place in Suncheon, home to Seonamsa Temple (Cultural Heritage) and the Suncheon Getbol (Natural Heritage). The World Heritage Festival is a leading cultural event designed to promote the historical and cultural value of Korea’s UNESCO World Heritage sites to both domestic and international audiences. The festival offers a unique opportunity to experience the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) and historical significance of World Heritage through innovative and engaging programs. Hosted by the Korea Heritage Service and organised by the Korea Heritage Agency, the festival annually selects host regions through a public competition. Each selected region presents a variety of programs—such as performances, hands-on experiences, exhibitions, and seminars—tailored to the unique characteristics of its heritage sites.
On Friday 12th of September, a summer school for students is organized and CAWG WG member Ann Bourges will present GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES ON CULTURAL HERITAGE AND CLIMATE ACTION and work with the student on the evaluation of the eco-conception of a conservation work
On Monday, 08th September 2025, a special day session on Climate change and risk assessment, where ICOMOS CAWG member Ann Bourges will be the keynote speaker on “GLOBAL PERSPECTIVES ON CULTURAL HERITAGE AND CLIMATE ACTION”
ICOMOS Climate Action Working Group organises two Africa Climate Summit regional side events together with Climate Heritage Network and International Federation of Library Associations: “Heritage in Climate Policy: Aligning NDCs with Culture-Based Adaptation” and “Mobilising Culture and Heritage for Climate Resilience: African Solutions from the Ground Up”. Among the speakers are ICOMOS Vice President in Africa Chilangwa Chaiwa, ICOMOS Ethiopia president Matiyas Fantaye, Mokolade Johnson, ICOMOS Nigeria
The events will be held on September 8, 2025, as follows:
The Brazilian Charter on Cultural Heritage and Climate Change (2024–2025) is an initiative of the ICOMOS-Brazil Climate Change and Heritage Committee in partnership with the Department of Articulation, Promotion and Education of IPHAN. Built through a dialogical and participatory process, it involved workshops across different biomes, an open public consultation phase, and the endorsement of more than 200 institutions. Using methodologies such as the “Risk Flower” from the Preserving Legacies program, the Charter consolidated three general recommendations: conducting local diagnostics; fostering interaction between traditional knowledge and science & technology; and establishing a financing fund to support these solutions. Recognizing cultural heritage as an essential dimension of climate justice, the Charter will be presented as Brazil’s contribution to the preparatory debates for COP30 (Belém, 2025)
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
UNFCCC Bonn Climate Change Conference Side Event : Cultural Heritage-Based Climate Solutions / 17 June 2025, Bonn, Germany
ICOMOS Climate Action Working Group (CAWG) Focal Point Ave Paulus coordinated together with , the and the Group of Friends of Culture-Based Climate Action the UNFCCC Bonn Conference side-event “Cultural Heritage-Based Climate Solutions”.
The ICOMOS CAWG was represented by Andrew Potts, former ICOMOS CAWG Focal Point and current Director of Community at Preserving Legacies, a project ICOMOS has helped bring to life.
Culture and cultural heritage have a strong chance of becoming part of climate policy at COP30 in Belém. One of the 30 key priorities for COP30 is the integration of culture, cultural heritage, and #ClimateAction. For the first time, an adaptation indicator under the UN’s Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA) is being proposed specifically for cultural heritage (Indicator 9G).
ICOMOS calls on all heritage practicioners to advocate for the importance of including cultural heritage in climate adaptation efforts at the state party level.
Sign the HACA (Heritage Adapts to Climate Alliance) position paper : https://buff.ly/FbGjeAX
, the 
and the Group of Friends of Culture-Based Climate Action the UNFCCC Bonn Conference side-event “Cultural Heritage-Based Climate Solutions”.