In memoriam: Salvador Diaz-Berrio Fernández

Dear friends and colleagues,

It is with deep sorrow that we inform you of the passing of our beloved and respected Salvador Diaz-Berrio Fernández, a member of ICOMOS since 1970.

Spanish by birth and Mexican by choice, he arrived in Mexico at the age of 18 to find work in a publishing firm owned by his family. He studied architecture at the National School of Architecture (ENA) of the UNAM. He soon fell in love with Mexico’s cultural heritage, and met historians and professors who would influence his youth. He travelled to Spain, France and Italy for his post-graduate and doctoral studies.

Upon returning to Mexico, he became a professor in various universities, including the Faculty of Architecture of the UNAM, the University of Guanajuato and the Autonomous Metropolitan University. He founded the post-graduate course in Restoration at the Paul Coremans Center UNESCO-OAS and was chair of the Theory of Restoration at the National School of Conservation, Restoration and Museology, "Manuel del Castillo Negrete" of the National Institute of Anthropology and History.

Since the enactment of the Federal Law on Archaeological, Artistic and Historical Monuments and Zones in 1972, he promoted the study of "Zones of Monuments" across the country. Finally, since Mexico's accession in 1984 to the 1972 UNESCO Convention, he promoted the inscription of some 20 heritage sites on the World Heritage List, including cities, archaeological sites and monasteries of the 16th century.

He was one of the first teachers on the Theory of Restoration in Mexico, the author of countless books and articles, a UNESCO expert and ICCROM delegate.

We will remember him as an incorruptible defender of the cultural heritage of Mexico.

ICOMOS extends its sincere condolences to his family and to all his colleagues and friends.