The BAM Declaration and Recommendations (2004)

2016-04-23 Smile ORCP 0

The devastating earthquake of 26 December 2003 in the historic desert city of Bam, Islamic Republic of Iran, caused the tragic loss of many lives and the destruction of an overwhelming part of its cultural heritage. This natural disaster stirred a strong sense of solidarity in the international community for the people of Bam.

Preface: The BAM Declaration and Recommendations (2004) was adopted by  the Iranian Cultural Heritage Organization, Bam, I.R. of Iran, 17-20 April, 2004.

The devastating earthquake of 26 December 2003 in the historic desert city of Bam, Islamic Republic of Iran, caused the tragic loss of many lives and the destruction of an overwhelming part of its cultural heritage. This natural disaster stirred a strong sense of solidarity in the international community for the people of Bam. This wish to aid was also particularly strong amongst institutions and professionals in the conservation of cultural heritage. On the occasion of the International Day of Monuments and Sites (18 April), the Iranian Cultural Heritage Organization (ICHO), the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), and International Council of Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) organized an International Workshop for the Recovery of Bam’s Cultural Heritage between 17- 20 April 2004 in Bam. 38 international and 23 Iranian expert participants and representatives of local and national authorities, and 31 ICHO members, gathered from Canada, France, Germany, Iran, Italy, Japan, Peru, Spain, the United Kingdom and the United States of America, as well as representatives the Governments of France and Italy, International Centre for Earth Construction – Ecole d’Architecture de Grenoble – (CRATerre-EAG, France), the Getty Conservation Institute, World Monuments Fund, the International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and the Restoration of Cultural Property (ICCROM), ICOMOS, the World Bank, and UNESCO.

  • The workshop participants examined and reflected on the impact of the earthquake on Bam’s heritage, notably Arg-e Bam and its related properties, the architecture and heritage assets which characterize this unique city, strategically located on the fringe of the desert;
  • Drawing from lessons learnt from previous natural disasters which affected built heritage in urban settings, such as the 1995 Kobe earthquake in Japan, and various earthquakes in India, Morocco, Turkey, and countries in North and South America,
  • Recognizing the universal nature of the ancient but still used earthen architecture as a living tradition adapted to desert environments, such as in Bam,
  • Noting with concern that human and natural threats continue to endanger Bam’s heritage and realising the need for both urgent and long-term preventive considerations, which demand full co-ordination between all stakeholders,
  • Stressing the need to promote continued utilization of earth as a traditional building material for new constructions, thereby retaining and expanding the specialist skills and employment opportunities,
  • Emphasising the fact that wisdom, knowledge and correct engineering principles must combine to create the required conditions for safe building, and it is not necessarily the implementation of material such as adobe which contributes to the failure of structures,
  • Recognizing the heroic and successful efforts by the authorities and professionals of Iran, in particular, the Iranian Cultural Heritage Organization, to effectively respond to the postearthquake emergency needs of Bam’s cultural heritage,
  • Noting that the crisis-response experience for Bam’s cultural heritage could serve as a valuable and useful model at an international level after future disasters,
  • Calling upon all national and international partners and stakeholders to actively participate in the recovery process of Bam,
  • Recalling existing international conventions, recommendations, charters, and declarations favouring the integration of heritage conservation within the overall development process,

Adopted the following Declaration and Recommendations, for improved planning and conservation of Bam’s heritage as an integral part of the recovery process and sustainable development process after the cataclysm, and called upon the Iranian authorities, ICOMOS and UNESCO to mobilize further co-operation at both national and international level to ensure that adequate steps are taken in the short, mid and long term, to provide further guidelines for preventive measures applicable to buildings, living settlements, archaeological sites of earthen architecture and cultural landscapes in Iran and around the world, and to encourage cooperation in the fields of research, education and training in relevant disciplines.

Category
Declaration
Date

2004

Promulgation

The International Workshop on the Recovery of Bam’s Cultural Heritage, Bam, I.R. of Iran, 17-20 April.

Descriptions

  • The declaration stresses the need to promote continued utilization of earth as a traditional building material for new constructions, thereby retaining and expanding the specialist skills and employment opportunities, whatever previous natural disasters or after future disasters.
  • It mobilizes further co-operation at both national and international level to ensure that adequate steps are taken in the short, mid and long term, to provide further guidelines for preventive measures applicable to buildings, living settlements, archaeological sites of earthen architecture and cultural landscapes in Iran and around the world.

Source

http://www.international.icomos.org/xian2005/bam-declaration.pdf

Download

http://orcp.hustoj.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/bam-declaration.pdf

References

Intellectual Property

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