The 2010 General Assembly of the Japan Consortium for International Cooperation in Cultural Heritage and a lecture on “Heritage in Europe- a Non-governmental Perspective.” was convened
The 2010 General Assembly of the Consortium and a lecture was convened on March 11 (Fri.), 2011. A report on Consortium projects in 2010 and projects planned for the following year were reported at the General Assembly meeting. The lecture that followed was given by John Sell, Executive Vice-president of Europa Nostra. Europa Nostra is an NGO that is active in safeguarding European cultural heritage. Mr. Sell started by explaining the conditions that gave rise to the various cultures in Europe such as multiple languages and complex political systems. Mr. Sell also explained current conventions and administrative policies to safeguard cultural heritage. Mr. Sell then described the activities of Europa Nostra, such as its campaigns to preserve cultural heritage that is at-risk, such as Italy’s l’Aquila that was damaged by an earthquake, and its presenting of Europa Nostra Awards to recognize outstanding conservation efforts. For many years, Europa Nostra has encouraged coordination and cooperation with regard to safeguarding cultural heritage, and the organization’s experiences have provided a valuable reference for discussions of the nature of the future activities of the Japan Consortium for International Cooperation in Cultural Heritage.