ICOMOS Climate Action Working Group celebrates 18.04 with Climate Literacy Trainings Worldwide and in several languages

ICOMOS Climate Action Working Group (CAWG) celebrates International Day for Monuments and Sites together with several national committees and partner networks, through the ICOMOS Climate Literacy Trainings (CLT) campaign. As the day of monuments and sites is bringing visibility to the work undertaken to conserve and protect the world’s culturally significant “Living Heritage” – increasingly at risk from accelerating disasters and conflicts unfolding in complex, multi-hazard contexts, CAWG showcases via CLT campaign the need and power of united climate action.

ICOMOS CAWG is conducting CLTs for the CAWG network and, in cooperation with several partners and national committees worldwide, online and in several locations in Brazil, Australia, Argentina, the USA, New Zealand, France, Turkmenistan, Slovenia, and Turkey. Through CLTs, we demonstrate global solidarity and the importance of living heritage in climate action, and highlight the urgent need to empower heritage communities in the climate crisis, both within and beyond ICOMOS. The CAWG’s expertise enables the activation of new climate leaders and builds a global community of heritage custodians committed to climate action.

ICOMOS Climate Action Working Group starts celebrations of the Day for Monuments on 16.04, featuring two simultaneous Climate Literacy Training sessions starting at 14 CET. One is a CAWG QA training session on Zoom, with presenters from New Zealand, Arctic Norway, and Ireland; the second is co-organised by CAWG and ICOMOS Brazil, takes place in Brasilia and offers a full training course in Portuguese language. Climate Emergency is a global issue; CAWG contributes to the response by empowering Living Heritage Communities worldwide, in their homes and their languages. In 2026, ICOMOS CAWG CLTs are expected to have translations to several local and regional languages, including Arabic, Portuguese, French, Spanish, Russian, Uzbek, Turkmen, Slovenian, Turkish, Estonian, and indigenous Te Reo Māori.

ICOMOS CAWG holds on 16.04 14.00-16.00 CET and on 29.04 9.00-11.00 CET Climate Literacy online training QA and information sessions. Trainers: Will Megarry, Sarah Forgesson, Ave Paulus. These sessions are for those either planning to run climate literacy training (CLT) events in the future, or interested in finding more about CLT. They will introduce the CLT material, training resources and guides, present different options for delivery and provide a forum for discussion on specific challenges. Two sessions are offered for greater availability; however, participants only need to attend one. Please RSVP so we can record interest.

Join 29.04 Zoom session here https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82533532520

In April, CLTs are taking place in Australia and Brazil in cooperation with CAWG, ICOMOS Brazil, and ICOMOS Australia, with the support of Preserving Legacies and National Geographic, to empower Heritage Adapts! campaign launch. In Brazil, they are led by Bruno Andrade (Salvador) and Luana Campos (Brasília), and in Australia, in Adelaide and online by Flavia Kiperman – all of the trainers are ICOMOS CAWG active members.

More information on ICOMOS Climate Action Working Group activities and Climate Literacy Trainings ICOMOS CLIMATE ACTION WORKING GROUP WEBINAR 5.03 12-13 CEST – ICOMOS Climate Action Working Group

In the case of interest, please contact us!

Contact: Ave Paulus, Focal Point of ICOMOS CAWG, ave.paulus@icomos.org

Climate Literacy Training for Heritage course is a set of resources designed to provide foundational climate knowledge for those in the heritage sector. Informed by CAWG studies and experience, it is designed to increase heritage professionals’ confidence and ability to engage in climate actions. Climate Literacy Training material is developed by CAWG between 2023-2024 within the project Preserving Legacies. It focuses on foundational climate literacy, and explores three main areas: 1) Climate Science, Impacts and Carbon Footprints, 2) Understanding Sources of Carbon and Mitigation, and 3) From Climate Change to Climate Action for Heritage. This training builds on the ICOMOS “Futures of Our Pasts” (2019) report.

Climate change is the greatest threat facing humanity and its cultural heritage. The gravity of the situation was acknowledged at the 2020 ICOMOS General Assembly, which declared a Climate and Ecological Emergency. Climate change is the dominant cause of natural disasters worldwide and the underlying cause of several social conflicts. Adaptation options that were feasible and effective yesterday become constrained and less effective as global warming exceeds 1,5 degrees. Losses and damages will increase, and additional human and natural systems will reach adaptation limits. Only the solidarity of our joint international efforts can save our cultural and biological diversity!