The Aswan Declaration on Sustainable Conservation of UNESCO and Other Heritages Sites Through Proactive Geosciences

Abstract

AbstractCultural Heritage sites are considered the cornerstone for most of the nations’ civilizations. Consequently, UNESCO put the sustainable protection and preservation of cultural heritage sites on the top of its priorities in the 2030 agenda. Recognizing that UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and other heritage sites, are located in various geographical settings and their territories may be partly or entirely exposed to various natural hazards and extreme weather events, a proper proactive policy is mandatory. The international community represented by the participants of the symposium on “sustainable conservation of UNESCO and other heritages sites through proactive geosciences” has agreed to promote the preventive protection of cultural heritage against geohazards, by use an interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary approaches to conservation and protection of heritage sites, which shall bring together Arts, History, Sciences, Engineering, Traditions, Management and Socio-economy disciplines, among others, driven by the sustainability principles. Among earth sciences, engineering geology and geotechnical engineering, information communication and technology (ICT), remote sensing and imaging, structural engineering and health monitoring, and early warning systems, play an essential role in conservation and management of cultural properties. We have recommended to the international community to continue providing the needed support to build resilience of heritage sites, including through the optimization of ecosystems, aligned with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the Paris Agreement, and the New Urban Agenda.KeywordsUNESCOHeritage sitesGeohazardsProactive geosciencesSustainability