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Salzburg Declaration on the Conservation and Preservation of Cultural Heritage*

31 October 2009, Salzburg, Austria

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 February 2011

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Extract

On the occasion of the Salzburg Global Seminar session on Connecting to the World's Collections: Making the Case for the Conservation and Preservation of our Cultural Heritage, 60 cultural heritage leaders from the preservation sector representing 30-two nations around the world shared experiences to address the sustainability of cultural heritage.

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Type
Documents
Information
International Journal of Cultural Property , Volume 17 , Issue 4 , November 2010, pp. 609 - 611
Copyright
Copyright © International Cultural Property Society 2010

On the occasion of the Salzburg Global Seminar session on Connecting to the World's Collections: Making the Case for the Conservation and Preservation of our Cultural Heritage, 60 cultural heritage leaders from the preservation sector representing 30-two nations around the world shared experiences to address the sustainability of cultural heritage. The Assembly:

Recognizes that our global cultural heritage strengthens identities, well-being, and respect for other cultures and societies,

Affirms that cultural heritage is a powerful tool to engage communities positively and, as such, is a driving force for human development and creativity,

Reaffirms that an appreciation of diverse cultural heritage and its continuity for future generations promote mutual understanding between people, communities, and nations,

Acknowledges that although we have made tremendous gains in the cultural heritage sector in education, facilities, new technologies, and partnerships, our global cultural heritage is threatened by continuing deterioration and loss resulting from a shortage of trained conservation practitioners, natural and man-made emergencies and environmental risks, including climate change, and limited investment, and

Recommends that governments, nongovernmental organizations, the cultural heritage sector, communities, and other stakeholders work together to:

  • • Integrate conservation projects with other sectors to provide a lever for social and economic development,

  • • Commit to increased community engagement and raise public awareness regarding at-risk cultural heritage,

  • • Strengthen the investment in research, networking, educational opportunities, and the exchange of knowledge and resources globally, and

  • • Promote responsible stewardship and advance sustainable national/regional conservation policies and strategies, including risk management.

The deliberations at the Salzburg Global Seminar for the Conservation and Preservation of Cultural Heritage have established a new collaborative platform to more effectively preserve the world's cultural heritage and address global challenges now and in the future.

The Assembly thanks the Salzburg Global Seminar and the Institute of Museum and Library Services in Washington, D.C. for initiating, organizing, hosting, and supporting the conference cochaired by Vinod Daniel (Australian Museum) and Debra Hess Norris (University of Delaware, USA)

WORKING GROUP RECOMMENDATIONS

Five working groups held multiple sessions interspersed among the more formal plenary presentations and discussions; each working group presented recommendations for action summarized below.

1. Emergency Preparedness

The executive management team of cultural organizations must be motivated to lead the entire staff in emergency planning, including guards, building maintenance staff librarians, curators, conservators, and public relations representatives. Networks must be established with local responders such as fire departments and emergency services and with regional, national, and international institutions and web sites for assistance, advice, and information. Each organization should carry out regular drills.

2. Raising Awareness and Support

Government agencies and other policymakers should be approached and made aware of the need for financial support for heritage protection and preservation. An international alliance should be formed to develop a global advocacy campaign to raise awareness of the need for protection of cultural heritage for children, teachers, and families. Corporations, foundations, and patrons should be informed and inspired to provide significant resources for the preservation of cultural heritage. Each cultural organization should commit to public outreach and advocacy initiatives.

3. New Preservation Approaches

Research is needed to address the threat to cultural heritage induced by environmental changes; the impact must be defined, and models to reduce environmental impact should be developed, tested, and validated. New solutions should be sought regarding products and treatments for cultural heritage, including longevity of contemporary materials, procedures for storage, evaluation of current treatment materials and technologies, and the development of new materials and approaches. Improved techniques should be developed for museum security, telemonitoring of archaeological sites and cultural landscapes, and digitalization of library collections. Environmental guidelines for museum collections and loans should be reexamined.

4. Education and Training

New educational models should be developed to train skilled conservation specialists in both developed and developing countries. Conservation specialists must also be trained in leadership, advocacy, and collaboration with communities. Global internships should be supported. Both short-term and long-term courses are needed. A central web site should be developed for sharing models of conservation education. A process for ongoing translation of current and new conservation education materials should be established and funded. Social networking technologies can be used to share images, video, and documents freely.

5. Assessment and Planning

A culture of planning needs to be promoted across all the heritage sectors, operating in the context of a set of ethical, technical, and operational principles. Each planning phase should articulate its purpose and tangible outcomes. Monitoring, review processes, and performance indicators are key components of the planning cycle. Participation of all stakeholders in the assessment and planning process will foster a shared responsibility to ensure sustained conservation and management of cultural property.

References

* See also the report of the Salzburg seminar by Joyce Hill Stoner on pages 653–654 of this issue.