ICOMOS Action Plan:

Cultural Heritage and Localizing the UN

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

July 2017


ICOMOS Action Plan:

Cultural Heritage and Localizing the UN
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Final Version (21 July 2017)

Based on Consultations on Drafts of March-July 2017

Prepared by Ege Yıldırım, ICOMOS Focal Point for the SDGs with contributions from
Sofia Avgerinou-Kolonias, ICOMOS Sustainable Development Task Force Chair;
Deirdre McDermott, Demet Binan, Dinu Bumbaru, Gaia Jungeblodt, Ishanlosen Odiaua, Jeff Soule, Nurdan Kuban, Patricia
O’Donnell, Sue Millar, Tamer Gök, Yonca Erkan, Yüksel Dinçer, Zeynep Uzun and all other meeting participants;
And ICOMOS members who submitted comments (Andrew Potts, Christophe Rivet for ICOMOS Canada, Colm Murray,
Erica Avrami, Helen Wilson & Rachel Jackson for Australia NSCES, Michael Turner, Paolo Motta, Sheridan Burke, Teresa
Colletta)

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Table of Contents
Introduction ............................................................................................................................................................................ 4
Our Vision for Sustainable Development............................................................................................................................... 5
Our Mission for the SDGs ..................................................................................................................................................... 5
Principles ............................................................................................................................................................................... 5
Action Area 1: General Advocacy and Organizing ................................................................................................................ 6
1.1: Confirm institutional identity/ positioning .................................................................................................................... 6
1.2: Prepare for engagement with critical thematic UN agendas and their reporting processes ...................................... 6
1.3: Organize internally within ICOMOS for research/ content development and advocacy action .................................. 6
1.4: Develop network of external partners leading the SDG process or with whom missions overlap ............................. 8
1.5: Fundraising ................................................................................................................................................................ 8
Action Area 2: Localizing the Means of Implementation ....................................................................................................... 9
2.1: Build visibility and awareness at national and local level ........................................................................................... 9
2.2: Liaise and partner with national and local stakeholders with a role in implementation .............................................. 9
2.3: Create portfolio of case studies ............................................................................................................................... 10
2.4: Fundraising .............................................................................................................................................................. 10
Action Area 3: Monitoring Implementation .......................................................................................................................... 11
3.1: Refine Indicator 11.4.1 ............................................................................................................................................. 11
3.2: Develop additional and ‘shadow’ indicators for Target 11.4 .................................................................................... 11
3.3: Apply indicators for reporting and review ................................................................................................................. 11
3.4: Fundraising .............................................................................................................................................................. 11
Appendix 1: Background of the UN Agenda 2030 and the SDGs ........................................................................ 12
Appendix 2: Stakeholders and Partners ............................................................................................................... 14
ICOMOS .............................................................................................................................................................................. 14
External Partners ................................................................................................................................................................. 14
Target 11.4 Partners ....................................................................................................................................................... 14
Urbanism and Sustainability Partners ............................................................................................................................. 14
Culture Goal 2015/2030 Partners ................................................................................................................................... 14
Other External Stakeholders (Non-exhaustive list) ......................................................................................................... 14
Appendix 3: Selected Resources on Heritage and Sustainable Development ..................................................... 16
UN Texts ............................................................................................................................................................................. 16
UNGA, Habitat, UNSD .................................................................................................................................................... 16
UNESCO......................................................................................................................................................................... 16
Climate, Disaster, Finance, Tourism ............................................................................................................................... 16
ICOMOS Resources/ Co-Publications................................................................................................................................. 16
Other Resources ................................................................................................................................................................. 17

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Introduction
As a global non-governmental organization associated with UNESCO and working to promote the conservation,
protection, use and enhancement of cultural heritage sites through the creation and distribution of knowledge,
ideas and doctrines and through advocacy, ICOMOS has focused in the past several years on achieving
representation of heritage in the major global policy papers regarding sustainable development. A major
expression of this pursuit, the ICOMOS Concept Note titled ‘Cultural Heritage, the UN Sustainable
Development Goals [SDGs], and the New Urban Agenda’ argues for “the positive integration of culture and
cultural heritage into urban development plans and policies as a way to enhance sustainability of urban
areas through heritage, in the context of Agenda 2030/ SDGs.”

Now that the new global policy papers are adopted, and a certain set of goals, targets and commitments await
being fulfilled, focus has shifted to ‘implementation’. For this end, the ICOMOS Action Plan for ‘Cultural
Heritage and Localizing the SDGs’ has been drafted as a guiding roadmap for ICOMOS members, as well as
other culture and heritage advocates, to follow toward achieving implementation of the Sustainable
Development Agenda at the national and particularly the sub-national (regional and urban) levels. Mandated by
the ICOMOS Board to be prepared by the ICOMOS Focal Point for the SDGs, in collaboration with the ICOMOS
Sustainable Development Task Force (TF or TFSD), and based on discussions taking place at the Istanbul
Coordination Meeting on the SDGs held on February 4-5, 2017, the Action Plan sets forth our vision, mission
and main principles, as well as a ‘toolkit’ or ‘menu’ of actions that can be taken by committees and
individuals under the three Action Areas of General Advocacy and Organizing, Localizing the Means of
Implementation and Monitoring Implementation. The ICOMOS Board, SDG Focal Point and SD Task Force
strongly encourage all colleagues to embrace this roadmap and take as many actions as possible within their
capacity, to achieve widespread mobilization of cultural heritage advocacy in sustainable development policy,
planning and practice.

More info:
Website: http://www.icomos.org/en/what-we-do/involvement-in-international-conventions/un-sustainable-development-goals-2
Twitter: ICOMOS_Agenda2030 (@icomosSDG2030), https://twitter.com/icomosSDG2030, #SDG11.4, #CulturalHeritage
ICOMOS Focal Point for the Sustainable Development Goals: Ege Yildirim, [email protected]
ICOMOS Sustainable Development Task Force Chair: Sofia Avgerinou-Kolonias, [email protected]

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Our Vision for Sustainable Development
‘The recognition, mainstreaming and effective contribution of cultural heritage as a driver and
enabler of sustainable development in the process of implementing the United Nations Agenda 2030
and Sustainable Development Goals.’

Our Mission for the SDGs

‘To achieve a coordinated and effective process of advocacy for the localization and monitoring
of the UN Sustainable Development Goals and UN-Habitat’s New Urban Agenda, from the
perspective of cultural heritage, focusing on Target 11.4 to “strengthen efforts to protect and
safeguard the world’s cultural and natural heritage to make our cities inclusive, safe, resilient
and sustainable”, within the framework of the ICOMOS mandate and through collaboration with
strategic partners’.

Principles
Building on the ICOMOS values of ‘Cultural and social diversity, collegiality’, ‘Impartiality’, ‘Exchanges between
countries, North-South dialogue, solidarity’, ‘Transmission and youth involvement’ and ‘Free Access to
Information’, the following principles are set forth as having strategic importance to achieve effective advocacy
of cultural heritage within sustainable development policy and practice:

1. ICOMOS visibility: Ensuring clear expression of ICOMOS identity, role and mission in the Agenda
2030 process
2. ICOMOS unique contribution: Focusing on activities where ICOMOS role brings unique added value
to the larger process
3. Consistency across ICOMOS: Ensuring a coordinated and consistent approach across the ICOMOS
network, through a concise corporate strategy statement and well-informed International Scientific
Committees (ISCs), National Committees (NCs) and National Scientific Committees (NSCs)
4. Inclusiveness across ICOMOS: Ensuring the highest level of participation and mobilization of
individual members and committees across global regions and age groups, and that actions are carried
out in an inclusive and participatory manner, to maximize consensus and content contribution
5. Effective language: Using simple and jargon-free language for communicating ICOMOS messages to
stakeholders (e.g. ordinary citizens, policy-makers, professionals not specializing in heritage, etc.)
6. Concrete action and outputs: Focusing on action-oriented policy advocacy and concrete outputs,
ensuring that knowledge production supports and directly translates into these actions
7. Universality of heritage and partnerships: Focusing on aspects of heritage that have universality and
transversality across the sustainable development themes (i.e. taking image beyond monuments and
protected areas to socio-economic aspects/ integrated conservation, focusing on incorporation of
heritage values into territorial development and planning policies) and on partnerships with local
government, civil society organizations and non-heritage stakeholders based on common interests
8. Sensitivity to regional and local diversity: Adapting the Goals to the regional and local contexts,
making ‘localizing’ graspable by active interaction with localities at the level of the citizen and local
decision-making
9. Culture- nature connection: Embracing the notion that cultural and natural heritage are inherently
linked and reflecting it in all relevant ICOMOS activities, using the concept of ‘landscape’ as the lynchpin
and prioritizing partnerships accordingly.
10. Culture and sustainability: Continuing active support of advocacy efforts for increased recognition of
‘culture’ as a stand-alone heading and fourth pillar/ dimension of the sustainability narrative, Agenda 21
for Culture and the ‘Culture2030Goal’

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Action Area 1: General Advocacy and Organizing

Apply general strategies and tools for advocacy to organize and mobilize internally across ICOMOS
and externally toward mainstreaming cultural heritage within sustainable development.

1.1: Confirm institutional identity/ positioning

(Responsible: ICOMOS FP/TFC/Secretariat)
• Develop a basic corporate statement, including description of ICOMOS’s role, existing activities that align
with the SDGs and strategy of contributing to the SDGs
• Develop ICOMOS web presence related to the SDGs (social media, website) including the Target 11.4 Logo
and resources/ toolkits
• Prepare publicity material explaining ICOMOS mission and role in the SDGs (media statement,
presentation(s), brochure(s), including the Target 11.4 logo) for dissemination to internal (ISCs/ NCs) and
external stakeholders

1.2: Prepare for engagement with critical thematic UN agendas and their reporting processes
(Responsible: ICOMOS FP/TFC/Secretariat/ ISCs/ NCs)
• SDGs Thematic Review 2018 (Selected Goals for 2018 include SDG11) (UNGA High-Level Political Forum
(HLPF)
• New Urban Agenda, Quito (UN-Habitat, WUC, UCLG, UNESCO Urban Network for Culture) (CIVVIH)
• Climate Change/ Paris (UNFCCC) (ISCES+CC)
• Disaster Risk Reduction, Sendai (UNCDRR) (ICORP)
• Financing for Development, Addis Ababa (UN-ESA-FfD) (ISCEC)
• 2017 UN Year of Sustainable Tourism (WTO) (ICTC)
• 2018 European Cultural Heritage Year (EC)
• UNESCO Policy Document on the Integration of SDGs into the World Heritage Convention (Reporting 2017)
1
• HUL (reporting to the World Heritage Committee 2018, to the UNESCO General Conference 2019)
2
• UNGA Resolution on Culture and Development (Contribute via ICOMOS-IUCN-UCLG common position/
commitment paper and ICOMOS individual activity report due June/July 2017 to UNESCO for their
Reporting to UNGA September/October 2017)
• UNESCO’s Six Culture Conventions (UNESCO)

1.3: Organize internally within ICOMOS for research/ content development and advocacy action
(Responsible: ICOMOS FP/TFC/Secretariat/ Scientific Council/ ISCs/NCs/NSCs)
• Organize and mobilize the ICOMOS Task Force on Sustainable Development
o Confirm membership of the TF, identifying representatives from ISCs, NCs and individual experts
o Work with TF members, creating working groups if necessary (e.g. for Indicators), to document
existing capacities, facilitate cross-ISC collaboration on the SDG themes and coordinate the
activities amongst ISCs and NCs through their representatives.
o Prepare reporting structure for SDGs to be included in annual reporting of NCs
o Mobilize selected NCs to pursue national SDG localization in their countries
o Designate a Young Professional (YP) representative in each NC
• Coordinate existing ICOMOS initiatives and collaborations with IUCN, ICCROM, UNESO WHC (e.g.
World Heritage and Sustainable Development- From Policy to Action, Connecting Practice, World
Heritage Leadership Program, Our Common Dignity: Rights-Based Approaches)
• Disseminate publicity material on ICOMOS and the SDGs to ICOMOS membership (including ICOMOS
Concept Note, SDG Action Plan and critical UN agenda documents), through mailing, website, etc.

1
Recommendation on the Historic Urban Landscape
2
United Nations General Assembly
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• Develop strategies, draft and publish policy/ position papers related to their subject and linkages with
relevant Goals and Targets, in coordination with the TF, with priority themes as below (ISCs):

THEME SDG ISC

Climate Change 13 (13.1, 13.2) ISCES+CC (lead), CAR, IPHC,
ISCCL-IFLA
Cultural Tourism 8 (8.9), 12 (12b), 14 (14.1, ICTC
14.7), 15
Culture and Nature 15 (biodiversity), 16 ISCCL-IFLA, ISCES+CC, W&H*
Disasters 11 (11.4, 11.5, 11.9), 13 (13.1, ICORP, ICLAFI, ISCCL-IFLA
13.2)
Economic Growth, Job Creation 8 (all targets), 12 (12b) ISCEC (lead), ICLAFI, ICTC,
and Consumption & Production ISCCL-IFLA
Education 4 CIF, ICICH
Energy 7 (7.3), 10, 11 ISCES+CC, ISCARSAH
Human Settlements • 11 (11.4- heritage [focus], CIVVIH (lead), CIAV, CIIC, CIVVIH,
§ Urban settlements 11.1- housing, 11.2- ICORP, ISC20C, ISCCL-IFLA,
(metropolises, intermediary transport, 11.3- ISCSBH, Theophilos, ICICH
cities, small settlements) urbanization/planning, 11.5-
§ Landscapes (cultural disasters, 11.6-
landscapes, rural/ agricultural environmental impact of
landscapes) cities, 11.7- green/public
§ Parks spaces, 11.a- urban-rural
links, 11.b- resilience/
disaster risk management,
11.c- least developed
countries)
• 1, 2, 6, 8, 12, 15
Inclusive and Peaceful Societies 5, 10, 16, 17 RBA Working group, ICICH,
§ Participation and ISCSBH + All ISCs (transversal)
Partnership
§ Rights-Based Approaches
Water 6, 14 ISCES+CC, ICUCH, W&H *
*: New ISC on Water in formation

• Organize ICOMOS activities for the 2017 ICOMOS Scientific Program on Cultural Tourism & Sustainable
Development (April 18 theme) that feature linkages with the SDGs
th
• Develop SDG aspect of Scientific Program for 2018 Year of Sustainability to be adopted in 19 GA in Delhi,
focusing on the key concepts below as identified in the Bangalore meeting and IUCN consultation and on
significant research gaps for implementing SDG11.4
o Relationship of culture and nature (linking nature and culture in urban environments; uniting
landscape approaches such as cultural, agricultural, historic urban landscape, connections between
urban and rural)
o Intangible heritage and local knowledge; cultural diversity
o Education and capacity building
o Governance and rights
o Integration of heritage in urban planning tools and discourses
th
• Issue a resolution on SDGs to be adopted in the 19 ICOMOS Triennial General Assembly (GA) and
Scientific Symposium on Heritage and Democracy in Delhi, India (Dec. 2017)
th
• Hold ‘Nature Culture Journey’ event in the 19 GA in Delhi 2017
• Hold a training side event on SDG Localization for NCs in the 19th GA in Delhi 2017
• Organize an ICOMOS event (e.g. multi-ISC meeting, symposium) in New York City to coincide with the
th
period of UNGA Review in July 2018, to be approved in the 19 GA in Delhi 2017
• Review and update the Action Plan in the 20th ICOMOS Annual General Assembly, AdCom and Scientific
Symposium (Fall 2018, Venue TBC)

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1.4: Develop network of external partners leading the SDG process or with whom missions overlap
(Responsible: ICOMOS FP/TFC/Secretariat)
• Gain ECOSOC accreditation and develop relations
• Develop a multi-NGO platform (UCLG, IUCN, ICCROM) for localizing Target 11.4 (also see Jeju Summit
below)
• Sign and implement Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with selected partners (UCLG, OWHC, Europa
Nostra)
3 4 5 6
• Develop relations and collaborations with UNSD , UNSC , UIS and IAEG exploring participation in their
regular meetings, by sharing corporate statements/ publicity material and key scientific content and offering
collaboration for SDG11 monitoring, on conjunction with Action Area 3
• Contribute to the UNESCO Urban Network on Culture ‘Knowledge Platform’ resource portal
7
• Develop relations and collaborations with UN-Habitat, WUC and ISOCARP , by sharing corporate
statements/ publicity material and key scientific content and offering collaboration for SDG11 localization
• Gain IAEG-SDG accreditation and develop relations, exploring participation in their regular meetings
• Develop relations and collaborations with universities, research institutions and their interested departments
• Ensure presence and meaningful contribution of ICOMOS in specific UN/international conferences, through
accreditation, participating ICOMOS members and side events
o Apr.5, 2017, New York City, USA: UNGA ECOSOC’s Partnership Forum (with ICOMOS USA)*
nd
o May 10-13, 2017, Jeju, S. Korea: UCLG’s 2 Culture Summit (with ICOMOS Korea)*
st
o Jul. 2-12, 2017, Krakow, Poland: 41 Session of the World Heritage Committee (with ICOMOS
Poland)*
o Sep. 15-17, 2017, Guizhou, China: UNESCO’s Conference on 'Small Settlements, Culture and
Development'
o Oct. 31/Nov. 3, 2017, Gyeongju, S.Korea: OWHC’s World Congress of World Heritage Cities (with
ICOMOS Korea, CIVVIH)
o Nov. 6-17, 2017, Bonn, Germany: UNFCCC’s COP23 (with ICOMOS Germany, ISCES+CC);
o 2018: UNESCO’s International Conference on ‘Metropolises’
8
o Feb. 2018: WUC’s WUF in Kuala Lumpur (with ICOMOS Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore,
Philippines, Japan, Australia)
o Mar. 18-23, 2018, Brasilia, Brazil: World Water Forum (with ICOMOS Netherlands)
o July 2018, New York City, USA: UNGA High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) Thematic Review of
Selected SDGs (inc. Goal 11)
o July 2018, New York City, USA: UNGA HLPF Review of NUA
* These items were successfully executed during the review process of this Action Plan.

1.5: Fundraising
(Responsible: ICOMOS FP/TFC/Secretariat)
• Seek sponsorship agreements and submit grant applications to support specific actions

3
UN Statistics Division
4
UN Statistical Commission, which oversees the work of UNSD
5
UNESCO Institute for Statistics
6
Inter-Agency Expert Group on the SDGs
7
International Society of City and Regional Planners
8
World Urban Forum
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Action Area 2: Localizing the Means of Implementation

Provide guidance, support and leadership to stakeholders at national and sub-national (regional and
local) level and across governance sectors (public, private, civil society/ community, experts) to
localize the SDGs in terms of mainstreaming heritage in sustainable development, encouraging their
adoption of heritage-related policies, strategies and tools.

2.1: Build visibility and awareness at national and local level

(Responsible: ISCs/ NSCs/ NCs)
• Prepare customized publicity/ guidance material explaining ICOMOS mission and role in the SDGs (media
statement, presentation(s), brochure(s), including the Target 11.4 logo) for use on specific platforms and
national contexts, based on standard ICOMOS material developed by the FP and TF but customized to geo-
cultural contexts
• Develop ISC and NC web presence related to the SDGs (social media, website), including the Target 11.4
Logo and resources/ toolkits
• Build relations with national and local media and use them to disseminate publicity/ guidance material
• Conduct outreach to allied professions and professional organizations/ conferences (e.g. architects,
planners, landscape architects, engineers, etc.) and bureaucrats (e.g. directors/ managers and staff of
public bodies/ departments), with using publicity/ guidance material/ practice notes/ publications on heritage
and sustainability for them to implement
• Conduct outreach to communities, youth and civil society organizations to provide training and education on
heritage and the SDGs, using publicity/ guidance material
• Identify public figures from outside ICOMOS who can be spokespersons for heritage and the SDGs
• Brand various activities ISCs/ NCs are involved in with the logo of SDGs and Target 11.4

2.2: Liaise and partner with national and local stakeholders with a role in implementation
(Responsible: ISCs/NCs/NSCs)
• Identify the State Party Focal Point for the SDGs
o Identify public sector networks used for disseminating SDG messages
o Identify interested/ associated departments/ ministries (e.g. Culture, Tourism, Urbanism, Planning,
Agriculture, Energy, Environment, Communications, Youth, Sport, Education, Foreign Affairs etc.)
and map their structure/ chain of command for dissemination/ linkages
• Locate and analyze the national report/ statement made to Habitat III, publish analysis
• Collect information from different national parties on existing SDG policy agendas, plans, programs and
projects, find out about capacity, gap analyses and report, taking into account the deadline for national
reporting on SDGs of April 18, 2017
• Identify suitable stakeholders at the national and sub-national level and develop relations with them
o Conduct outreach to local governments and municipal leaders in the territory of each NC and liaise
with them for awareness-raising and possible collaborations related to heritage and the SDGs
o Secure agreement by selected/ possible national, regional and local governments to focus on
implementing 11.4 and reporting on it at the HLPF in 2018 in partnership with ICOMOS
o Pursue active involvement in public committees where heritage professionals can have positive
influence and submit comments to government initiatives such as regulations and territorial
(regional/ city) plans
o Develop projects at local level around priority themes of Scientific Program for 2018 Year of
Sustainability, in partnership with stakeholders
o Offer/ provide technical guidance/ support to stakeholders (particularly local governments) in
engaging with the World Heritage context, including upstream processes, Tentative Listing and
cultural tourism
o Offer/ provide technical guidance/ support to stakeholders (particularly local governments) for
integrated and sustainable urban planning strategies and tools, tailored to local context/ realities, in
particular for using the Historic Urban Landscape (HUL) tools, heritage impact assessment and
community engagement
o Explore existing projects to join
• Organize April 18 Monuments and Sites Day activities for Cultural Tourism in collaboration with local
stakeholders and making reference to the SDGs
• Conduct benchmarking activities
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o Conduct studies of benchmarking for heritage in selected countries/ regions/ cities
o Offer/ provide assistance to local government and other stakeholders in benchmarking for heritage
• City localization plans
o Offer/ provide assistance to local/ regional governments in heritage issues in their localization plans

2.3: Create portfolio of case studies

(Responsible: ICOMOS FP/TF/Secretariat/ISCs/NCs/NSCs)
• Identify particular countries, regions and cities to showcase good practice case studies in integration of
heritage conservation with sustainable development
o Explore linkages/ contribution to case studies collected in the UNESCO ‘Culture: Urban Future’
9
report and work of the OWHC, WHITRAP
o Focus on examples of good governance by municipal leaders and organizations
o Conduct surveys and discussions of what cities are doing
• Develop consistent and standardized methods of compiling case studies, in collaboration with stakeholders
(in particular SDG 11.4 Partners, UNESCO, IUCN, UCLG)
o Develop online, interactive/ crowd-sourced and inter-connected platforms for compiling and
showcasing good practice case studies at national and local levels

2.4: Fundraising
(Responsible: ICOMOS FP/TF/Secretariat/ISCs/NCs/NSCs)
• Seek sponsorship agreements and submit grant applications to support specific actions
o Identify international programmes (UN, World Bank, EU, other regional, private, etc.)
o Identify national and local programmes
• Engage in projects with public-private-academia partnerships/ match-funding

World Heritage Institute of Training and Research for the Asia and the Pacific Region
9

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Action Area 3: Monitoring Implementation
Contribute to the development and application of monitoring methods for Target 11.4 in collaboration
with UIS and other agencies, linking local activities of stakeholders with the SDG monitoring process.

3.1: Refine Indicator 11.4.1

(Responsible: ISCEC supported by ICOMOS FP/TFC- Working Group TBC/ Secretariat)
• Contribute to the development of the methodology for Indicator 11.4.1 defined by the UN (expenditure per
capita on heritage)10, in collaboration with UIS and other agencies, keeping in mind the deadline given by
UIS for methodology development of Indicator 11.4.1 (end of 2017)
o Prepare ICOMOS position paper on problems with Indicator 11.4.1 and possible solutions
o Use the opportunity of the multi-NGO platform mentioned under Action Area 1 expected to be
developed in the UCLG Summit in Jeju and beyond
o Disseminate position paper in the media and to above-mentioned stakeholders

3.2: Develop additional and ‘shadow’ indicators for Target 11.4

(Responsible: ISCEC supported by ICOMOS FP/TFC- Working Group TBC/ Secretariat, NCs)
• Prepare ICOMOS position paper on possible new official indicators, as well as ‘shadow’ indicators, taking
into account the UNESCO “Culture for Development Indicators”/ CDIS (Diversity of Cultural Expressions),
o Focus on the topics below (including proposals on indicator name, data source, methodology):
§ Number of registered heritage sites (inc. sites in danger and sites newly registered)
§ Capacity building activities (education and training)
§ Effective participation and inclusion of NGO’s
§ Employment (inc. type of job, share of heritage in GDP)
§ Positive effect of heritage on ecological balance, social equity and economic vitality in cities
and regions
o Explore the geo-cultural contexts of indicators around the world, accessing the local expertise and
knowledge of NCs
o Explore methods to develop integrated rather than segregated indicators to strengthen
understanding of the sustainability of projects
o Explore qualitative versus quantitative data collection options
o
Liaise and discuss with UIS, UNESCO Urban Network on Culture, UNESCO/CDIS, ‘Observatoire de
la Culture et des Communications du Québec’, national statistical institutions and other
stakeholders to develop ideas
• Disseminate position paper to various platforms including the media and above-mentioned stakeholders

3.3: Apply indicators for reporting and review

(Responsible: ISCEC/ ICOMOS FP/ TFC- Working Group TBC/ Secretariat/ ISCs/ NCs)
• Using the portfolio of case studies and online platform mentioned above under Action Area 2 and the
feedback of ISCs and NCs engaged in localization projects, collect and compile data and prepare studies/
reports based on this data
• Submit the studies/ reports prepared to stakeholders involved in the reporting to the UN’s first thematic
review of the SDGs in 2018 by the HLPF (national governments, UNESCO and other international agencies)
• Disseminate/ publish the studies/ reports for policy advocacy purposes

3.4: Fundraising
(Responsible: ISCEC/ ICOMOS FP/ TFC- Working Group TBC/ Secretariat)

• Seek sponsorship agreements and submit grant applications to support specific actions
• Engage in projects with public-private-academia partnerships/ match-funding

10
Indicator 11.4.1: Total expenditure (type of heritage (cultural, natural, mixed, World Heritage Centre designation), level of
government (national, regional, and local/municipal), type of expenditure (operating expenditure/investment) and type of
private funding (donations in kind, private non-profit sector, sponsorship and private) per capita spent on the preservation,
protection and conservation of all cultural and natural heritage, by type.

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Appendix 1: Background of the UN Agenda 2030 and the SDGs

UN Agenda 2030
In September 2015, the UN adopted the milestone document titled “Transforming Our World: the 2030 Agenda
11
for Sustainable Development” , which replaced the 8 Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) pursued during
2000-15, with 17 new Sustainable Development Goals (the ‘#GlobalGoals’) for the period of 2015-30.

New Urban Agenda

Among the SDGs, Goal 11 (the ‘Urban Goal’) to “make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient
and sustainable”, is where ICOMOS has been focusing advocacy efforts during the past few years. Goal 11 has
been the direct remit of the UN Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), which has just convened its third
summit on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development (Habitat III) in Quito, Ecuador (October 17-20, 2016)
and adopted the New Urban Agenda (NUA), a framework laying out how cities should be planned and managed
12
to best promote sustainable urbanization.

Key sections of the NUA on culture and cultural heritage can be listed as Sections 10, 38, 45, 60, 97, 124 and
125.

Cultural and Natural Heritage

The thematic scope of the 17 SDGs is elaborated in 169 ‘sub-goals’ or ‘targets’, ICOMOS’s involvement with the
SDGs materializing through Target 11.4 (the ‘Heritage Target’) to “protect and safeguard the world’s cultural and
natural heritage”. However, there are numerous other relevant goals and targets that have overlaps and
inherent connections with Target 11.4, which must be pursued as well.

Highlights of the role heritage within Agenda 2030:

• Cultural heritage as enabler of social cohesion and inclusion (e.g. shared identity; pride in and attachment to
place; integration of migrants, new residents and existing ones; historic public spaces; mixed uses).
• Cultural heritage and creativity as a driver for equity and inclusive economic development in the urban
economy (e.g. heritage places as incubators of creativity, “cultural capital,” intangible heritage, sustainable
tourism).
• Cultural heritage and historic quarters of cities can improve livability, resilience and sustainability of both
older and new urban areas (e.g. walkability and compactness, adaptive re-use of existing built fabric,
embodiment of traditional knowledge, proven models of resilience for new urban settlements).

Other UN Agendas
Beside UN-Habitat and the theme of ‘Cities’, the post-2015 Sustainable Development Agenda is also supported
by the fundamental work streams on ‘Disaster Management’, through the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk
Reduction 2015-30 adopted in March 2015, and on ‘Climate Change’, through the UN Framework Convention
on Climate Change (UNFCC) and the Conference of Parties to it, meeting in Paris in December 2015 (COP21)
and in Marrakech in November 2016 (COP22).

Cross-Cutting Frameworks
A key point that needs to be clarified at this point is the convergence of the ‘cultural’ and ‘natural’ heritage
under Target 11.4, as well as under the most current theory, principles and best practice of heritage
professionals. As ‘a non-governmental international organization dedicated to the conservation of the world's
monuments and sites’ and as the Advisory Body to UNESCO on cultural sites of the World Heritage List,
ICOMOS carries the ‘banner’ of cultural heritage; however, through the concepts of ‘landscape’ developed in the
last decades in particular (namely cultural landscapes and historic urban landscapes), the need to address
cultural and natural heritage as inseparable parts of a greater whole has become well-recognized. This
highlights the importance of collaborating with the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the
sister Advisory Body to UNESCO on natural sites of the World Heritage List, among other potentially relevant
partners. A viable protocol of collaboration agreed between ICOMOS and IUCN will need to be worked out to
avoid counterproductive duplication or gaps in approach to Target 11.4 and related heritage advocacy.

11
https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/post2015/transformingourworld
12
http://unhabitat.org/new-urban-agenda-adopted-at-habitat-iii/
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A second point related to convergence of mandates and partners is the Agenda 21 for Culture, coordinated by
the United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG)- Committee on Culture, which has been advocating for
‘Culture’ at large to be recognized as a stand-alone heading with a role in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable
Development. The UCLG is the second key partner that ICOMOS needs to continue collaborating with for the
SDGs in the upcoming period.

The activities defined above under the three ‘components’ have focused on ICOMOS’s own identity and inherent
mission (focusing on cultural heritage, but encompassing the natural heritage insofar as it is linked with cultural
heritage), but may be further developed depending on collaborative steps taken with IUCN and UCLG.

Two other existing initiatives to note for their close relevance to the ICOMOS involvement with the Sustainable
Development Agenda, both planned for the year 2018, are the ICOMOS Scientific Program/ Symposium on
Sustainability and the European Cultural Heritage Year.

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Appendix 2: Stakeholders and Partners

A list of internal and external actors that operate as/ can become stakeholders and partners in advocating the
implementation of the heritage target in the sustainable development process has been proposed as below:

ICOMOS
- Governing Bodies (President and Board)
- Advisory Committee (ISC and NC Chairs) and Scientific Council (Triennial Scientific Program, Annual
Themes)
- International Secretariat (Director-General, Director and Team)
- SDG Focal Point (+ Local Secretariat/ Assistants)
- Task Force on Sustainable Development
o TF Chair
o Membership (ISCs/ NCs/ Individual Experts)
o Working Groups
- WUC Focal Point
- Specialized Working Groups (Rights-Based Approaches, World Heritage, etc.)
- International Scientific Committees (and National Scientific Committees where applicable)
- National Committees

External Partners
Target 11.4 Partners
o UN Education Science and Culture Organization (UNESCO) (UN Agency with heritage mandate)
§ UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS)
§ UNESCO Culture Sector
o International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) (UN Advisory Body/ ‘Culture and Nature’)
o United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG)- Committee on Culture (‘Agenda 21 for Culture’)
o International Centre for Conservation and Restoration of Monuments (ICCROM) (UN Advisory
Body)

Urbanism and Sustainability Partners

o UN-Habitat and World Urban Campaign (WUC)
o General Assembly of Partners (GAP)
o International Society of City and Regional Planners (ISOCARP)
o European Commission (EC)- Unit for Sustainable Management of Natural Resources
o ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability (International Council for Local Environmental
Initiatives)

Culture Goal 2015/2030 Partners

o Arterial Network
o Culture Action Europe
o International Music Council
o International Federation of Library Associations (IFLA [2])
o International Federation of Arts Councils and Culture Agencies (IFACCA)
o International Federation of Coalitions for Cultural Diversity (IFCCD)

Other External Stakeholders (Non-exhaustive list)

o International level- UN
§ UN General Assembly (UNGA), UN-Habitat, UNESCO, UN Institute for Statistics (UIS)-
Inter-Agency and Expert Group on the SDGs (IAEG-SDGs), UN Development Programme
(UNDP), UNFCC, UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR), UN Economic and

14



Social Council (ECOSOC), Friends of Culture and Development, Blue Shield Network,
UNESCO Network of Creative Cities, UNESCO Category 2 Centres
o International level- Other
§ IGOs: Council of Europe (CoE), European Commission, Organization of World Heritage
Cities (OWHC)- Regional Offices, ALECSO, World Bank
§ NGOs: World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA), International Federation of
Landscape Architects (IFLA [1]), International Council on Museums (ICOM), European
Commission- Unit for Sustainable Management of Natural Resources, Europa Nostra,
World Monuments Fund (WMF), Global Heritage Fund (GHF), World Business Council on
Sustainability (WBCS), European Heritage Alliance 3.3 etc.
o National level
§ Government: Ministries of relevant mandates and other central government agencies,
§ UNESCO National Commissions
§ NGOs/ Private: NGOs active nationally in countries, professional chambers (architects,
engineers, planners, art historians, archaeologists, economists, etc), unions of
chambers of industry and commerce, cultural institutions networks, National Blue Shield
Committees
o Sub-national level (regional and local)
§ Government: Associations/ unions of municipalities, regional governments, local
governments
§ NGOs/ Private: NGOs active at sub-national levels, professional chambers, citizens
organisations, chambers of commerce and industry
o Research institutions/ networks (national and international)
§ Global Observatory for the Historic Urban Landscape (GO-HUL)
§ UNESCO Chairs on relevant themes
§ Universities with departments/ centres active on relevant themes
§ Horizon 2020 (European Research Council)
§ Young Researchers Network
§ Cheriscape Project Partnership
o Private philantropic organizations

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Appendix 3: Selected Resources on Heritage and Sustainable
Development

UN Texts

UNGA, Habitat, UNSD
1. The SDGs (“Transforming Our World: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”):
https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/post2015/transformingourworld
2. New Urban Agenda (Habitat III outcome document: Quito Declaration on Sustainable Cities and Human
Settlements for All): http://unhabitat.org/new-urban-agenda-adopted-at-habitat-iii/
3. SDG Goal 11 Monitoring Framework (UN-Habitat, 2016): http://unhabitat.org/sdg-goal-11-monitoring-
framework/
4. Work Plans for Tier III Indicators (UN Statistics Division, 11 November 2016):
http://unstats.un.org/sdgs/files/meetings/iaeg-sdgs-meeting-
04/Tier%20III%20Work%20Plans%2011.11.2016.pdf
5. Tier Classification for SDG Indicator 11.4.1 (UIS, 2016): http://unstats.un.org/sdgs/files/meetings/iaeg-sdgs-
meeting-03/3rd-IAEG-SDGs-presentation-UNESCO--11.4.1.pdf
UNESCO
6. UNESCO Framework for Cultural Statistics (2009):
http://www.uis.unesco.org/culture/Documents/framework-cultural-statistics-culture-2009-en.pdf
7. Culture Urban Future Report (2016): http://www.unesco.org/new/en/culture/themes/culture-and-
development/culture-for-sustainable-urban-development/
8. Hangzhou Declaration (2013): Placing Culture at the Heart of Sustainable Development Policies
9. World Heritage and Sustainable Development: http://whc.unesco.org/en/sustainabledevelopment/
10. Policy for the Integration of a Sustainable Development Perspective into the Processes of the World
Heritage Convention: http://whc.unesco.org/document/139146
11. Recommendation on the Historic Urban Landscape (HUL) (2011): http://whc.unesco.org/en/activities/638
Climate, Disaster, Finance, Tourism
12. UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC 1992):
https://unfccc.int/resource/docs/convkp/conveng.pdf
13. Paris Agreement (Climate Change) (UNFCCC 2015): http://unfccc.int/paris_agreement/items/9485.php
14. Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 (ISDRR):
http://www.unisdr.org/we/inform/publications/43291
15. Recommendations of the International Expert Meeting on Cultural Heritage and Disaster Resilient
Communities, Tokyo (UNESCO, ICCROM, ICORP, ICOM & Japanese Institutions 2015): http://ch-
drm.nich.go.jp/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/CH-DRC_Recommendations_with-PL.pdf
16. Addis Ababa Action Agenda for Financing for Development (UNGA 2015):
http://www.undocs.org/A/RES/69/313
17. Tourism and the Sustainable Development Goals (UNWTO 2015): http://icr.unwto.org/publication/tourism-
and-sustainable-development-goals

ICOMOS Resources/ Co-Publications

18. ICOMOS Concept Note (Cultural Heritage, the UN Sustainable Development Goals, and the New Urban
Agenda (2016): http://www.usicomos.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Final-Concept-Note.pdf
19. CIVVIH Resolution on Post-2015 Concept Note on SDGs:
http://civvih.icomos.org/sites/default/files/CIVVIHSyros%20%20Resolution%20on%20Post-
2015%20Concept%20Note%20on%20SDGs.pdf
20. Statement on the Adoption of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (ICOMOS 2015):
http://www.icomos.org/en/what-we-do/focus/un-sustainable-development-goals/4372-statement-by-icomos-
on-the-adoption-of-the-un-sustainable-development-goals
21. World Heritage and Sustainable development - From Policy to Action (ICOMOS, IUCN, ICCROM, BfN 2015)

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22. Florence Declaration: Heritage and Landscape as Human Values (ICOMOS 2014):
https://www.icomos.org/images/DOCUMENTS/Secretariat/2015/GA_2014_results/GA2014_Symposium_Flo
renceDeclaration_EN_final_20150318.pdf
23. Paris Declaration: Heritage as a Driver of Development (2011):
https://www.icomos.org/Paris2011/GA2011_Declaration_de_Paris_EN_20120109.pdf
24. Valetta Principles for the Safeguarding &Management of Historic Cities, Towns & Urban Areas (CIVVIH
2010):
http://civvih.icomos.org/sites/default/files/Valletta%20Principles%20Book%20in%205%20languages.pdf
25. Rights-Based Approaches and Sustainable Development: Challenges and Opportunities (ICOMOS):
http://www.icomos.org/en/what-we-do/focus/un-sustainable-development-goals/7675-rights-based-
approaches-in-the-sustainable-development-policy-challenges-and-opportunities

Other Resources

26. Agenda 21 for Culture (UCLG Committee for Culture): http://www.agenda21culture.net/
27. Bogota Commitment and Action Agenda (United Cities and Local Governments 2016):
http://www.cittametropolitanaroma.gov.it/attachments/article/777/The%20Bogot+%C3%AD%20Commitment
%20and%20Action%20Agenda.pdf
28. IUCN Global Policy on Sustainable Development: https://www.iucn.org/theme/global-policy/our-
work/sustainable-development
29. The City We Need 2.0 (World Urban Campaign): http://unhabitat.org/wp-
content/uploads/2016/03/The%20City%20We%20Need%20TCWN%202.0.pdf
30. Cultural Heritage Counts for Europe (Europa Nostra 2016):
http://blogs.encatc.org/culturalheritagecountsforeurope/outcomes/
31. Roadmap for Localizing the SDGs: Implementation and Monitoring at Sub-national Level (Global Task Force
of Local and Regional Governments, UN-Habitat & UNDP, 2016): http://effectivecooperation.org/wp-
content/uploads/2016/11/BROCHURE-LOCALIZING-SDGS-WEB.pdf
32. Getting Cultural Heritage to Work for Europe: Report of the Horizon 2020 Expert Group on Cultural Heritage
(European Commission 2015): http://www.ehhf.eu/news/report-horizon-2020-expert-group-cultural-heritage

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