ICOM and ICOM Brazil will co-host a side event at COP30 in Belém, Brazil, focusing on the role of culture in climate action. The event is organized in partnership with ICOMOS, Preserving Legacies, the Climate Heritage Network (CHN), and other organizations. It aims to encourage dialogue between Brazilian and international participants, particularly from Latin America, about how cultural and knowledge systems can contribute to addressing climate change.
The meeting builds on the Brazilian Charter on Cultural Heritage and Climate Change. This document was developed by ICOMOS Brazil and ICOM Brazil and calls for integrating cultural heritage into climate policy. Discussions at the event will consider how to include cultural indicators in Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and National Adaptation Plans (NAPs). The creation of an international fund to protect heritage sites and collections threatened by climate change will also be discussed.
The event is scheduled for November 21, 2025, at the Museu das Amazônias in Belém, Pará, Brazil. It will be held in a hybrid format with both in-person and online participation options.
The morning session will consist of workshops focused on sustainability plans for museums, emphasizing sustainable development through museum actions. This part of the program is organized in collaboration with the Museum and Memorial System – SECULT Pará.
In the afternoon, opening remarks will be followed by two panel discussions:
The first panel will examine how museums contribute to mitigation, adaptation, and resilience regarding climate change. Topics include available data, existing gaps, and relevant case studies. Confirmed speakers are Diego Vaz Bevilaqua (ICOM Brazil) as moderator; Lucimara Letelier (ICOM Sustain); Ursula Vidal (State Department of Culture of Pará); Denilson Batista (Memory Point Cabana de Rompe Mato and Quilombo of Macapazinho); Helena Pinto Lima (Curator of Museu das Amazônias); Rachelle Kalee (ICOM Secretariat); William Gamboa Sierra (ICOM Secretariat); and Gunjan Nanda (We Make Tomorrow / Entertainment + Culture Pavilion).
The second panel will address challenges arising from the Brazilian Charter on Cultural Heritage and Climate Change. Topics include implementing the charter’s recommendations, including culture in national and international climate frameworks, funding mechanisms for at-risk heritage sites or collections, and reporting outcomes from COP30. Speakers are Diego Vaz Bevilaqua (ICOM Brasil) as moderator; Aline Vieira de Carvalho (ICOMOS Brasil); Mauro Garcia Santa Cruz (Climate Heritage Network – Latin America and the Caribbean); Ave Paulus (ICOMOS); and Irleuza Apiaka (Indigenous Association Apiaká IAKUNDA´Y).
Registration is required for both online participation in the event itself ("abre.ai/culturapatrimonioemudancasclimaticas") as well as for workshop sessions ("abre.ai/oficinasustentabilidadeicom").
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