18 April 2014 - Heritage of Commemoration
Theme for 18 April 2014: "Heritage of Commemoration"
We wish all ICOMOS members and friends a very instructive and rewarding International Day for Monuments and Sites.
Visit the 2014 Events page - ICOMOS Committees and other organisers from over 40 countries have sent us information on their activities, and the number keeps on growing.
If your Committee or organisation did not plan an event this year - make sure you do so in 2015!
The theme
Monuments and sites, including those more complex and diversified forms of heritage places such as living landscapes, are tangible carriers of the memory of a part of the human experience. Thus, through their authenticity and integrity, they contribute, in their way, to the commemoration and transmission of values which include history.
The theme provides an opportunity to present those constructions that have been intentionally created with the purpose of commemorating an event, a person, an idea, etc. This choice of theme is partly inspired by the centennial in 2014 of the beginning of the Great War of 1914-1918.
The heritage of commemoration takes a variety of forms: engraved inscriptions, mausoleums of exceptional architecture or works of monumental sculpture, more modest elements reflecting vernacular traditions or dedicated landscapes such as cemeteries or memorial gardens. This heritage also includes elements that were given a commemorative value; for example, ruins or industrial vestiges accompanied by dedication plaques, or public squares whose toponymy commemorates a historical event or individual.
Read more about the theme in English – French
Photo : Paul Arps / Flickr - French Military Cemetary Sain Charles de Potyze (Ieper, België 2014)