International Meeting on the Cultural Landscapes of Water

The Ministry of Culture of the Xunta de Galicia, with the support of ICOMOS and UNESCO, is organizing this autumn an international meeting on the cultural landscapes of water in the Ribeira Sacra (Galicia). Among its objectives it should be noted: Promote the recognition of the value and importance of water cultural landscapes, especially in fluvial areas and address the challenges of their conservation; identify initiatives related to the research, protection and promotion of water-related cultural heritage and its tangible and intangible aspects, and examine the relevance of traditional governance systems to ensure sustainable water management; identify case studies and good management practices, including safeguarding the intangible heritage associated with water; promote the role of UNESCO sites and programs in the preservation of water cultural landscapes and their hydraulic heritage, and support the launch and consolidation of the Initiative “Water and Heritage: Connecting the Past, the Present and the Future”. Josep Maria Mallarach, president of Silene, will participate on behalf of the IUCN Specialist Group on Cultural and Spiritual Values of Protected Areas, to discuss the challenges of conserving sacred river landscapes.

Place: Monastery of Santo Estevo de Rivas del Sil, Ourense, Galicia, Spain.

You may acces the programme here.

You may download the final Declaration below in Spanish and next in English> https://waterscapesribeirasacra.com/?lang=en