Help ICOMOS remain an open non-political cultural heritage forum

Faced with barring a young Syrian architect from our next General Assembly or returning a grant for the event, we are standing by our principles and returning the grant. Help us raise the 80 000 € !

In January 2017, ICOMOS was awarded a generous grant of 80 000 € by the Getty Foundation for our General Assembly taking place this December in Delhi. This international gathering is one of the most important in the heritage conservation field and under our policy of non-political involvement and non-discrimination, the meeting is open to all. 

Recently, the Getty Foundation suddenly informed ICOMOS that for unforeseen reasons related to compliance with U.S. sanctions regulations, and through no fault whatsoever of ICOMOS, it would have to revoke the grant because of the participation at the General Assembly of one of our members, a young Syrian architect, teaching part-time at a Syrian state-funded university.

The Getty gave ICOMOS the alternative to either bar him from attending the meeting or have the grant revoked.

ICOMOS has chosen to stand by its principles and return the grant funds to the Getty Foundation.

We are now relying on your financial support to help us raise the 80 000 € we must return to the Getty.

If each ICOMOS member or friend would give just 5 or 10 € we could raise this amount in a few days.

Go to https://www.chuffed.org/project/help-icomos-remain-open-and-non-political to donate today.*

We would be grateful if you share our appeal in your networks and social media!

*Chuffed.org, the crowdfunding platform we are using is a social enterprise and asks for an optional donation rather than charging a blanket platform fee as many other platforms do. While you have to pay the payment processing fees, which go to the payment provider, you can choose how much you give to Chuffed.org (in addition to your donation to ICOMOS). On the payment page, next to the line “To Chuffed.org (optional)” just click on the “edit” button to change the amount you wish to give to them. To give zero, just type in 0 into the 'Other' field.

Acknowledgements

Donations received before 1 December 2017 will be acknowledged in a special resolution of the General Assembly that will be distributed to all ICOMOS members and partners, including UNESCO. Donors of 100 € and above will in addition receive a personal certificate of appreciation signed by the President of ICOMOS.

If we go beyond our goal

If we fundraise beyond the 80 000 € mark – any surplus will be put into ICOMOS’ own Victoria Falls Fund – which we use to complement external grants and support attendance by members at our General Assemblies.

Banner photo credits:
Left to right - top to bottom
© IIP Photo Archive / Flickr
© Justin Blejer / Flickr
© Dalbera
© Binder.donedat / Flickr
© Anita Gouldt / Flickr