Institutional capacity building for cultural built heritage in south east Europe
Conflict and war are not conducive to the preservation of cultural heritage. Not only are ancient sites destroyed and plundered but often records and inventories are too, making it difficult to know what has been lost. Professor Pickard, the University of Northumbria, has played a leading role in influencing the legal and institutional framework for rehabilitation of cultural heritage sites in countries such as Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo following the Balkan conflicts in the 1990s.
Through his work as a member of an expert group for the Council of Europe - an international organisation that promotes human rights - Professor Pickard’s research has been instrumental in shaping an institutional capacity building plan as part of a regional European programme in relation to cultural heritage.
Three research projects led by Pickard conducted detailed international surveys on legal, policy and heritage management issues. The results were disseminated to national authorities responsible for cultural heritage, environmental protection, sustainable development and spatial planning in the nine countries of South East Europe. This research has informed the approach of the Council of Europe in relation to the best practice advice and guidance that it has provided on the creation of new sustainable laws and policies. Further related research developed by Pickard on best practice mechanisms to obtain funding for heritage preservation and rehabilitation has supported this work.
Robert Palmer, Director of Culture and Cultural and Natural Heritage in the Council of Europe until 2012, has stated that the Pickard’s research constituted“…an important working basis for on-going and future projects in South-East Europe as well as in other priority regions of intervention for the Council of Europe”.
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