The International Symposium on “Revisiting Kathmandu: Safeguarding Living Urban Heritage”was hold from 25 to 29 November 2013, organized by UNESCO Office in Kathmandu, Department of Archaeology, Government of Nepal, ICOMOS/ICORP and ICOMOS Nepal, supported by WHITRAP and ICOMOS Japan.More than 140 participants from 22 countries gathered in Kathmandu Valley and had fruitful discussion on four interwoven themes: authenticity, management, community involvement and disaster risk management.Dr. Ping Kong, representing WHITRAP, delivered the keynote speech on Historic Urban Landscape approach in the management session.

Thefour sessions of the symposium were organized at four World Heritage properties in cooperation with local authorities, to enable participants to carry out in-depth discussionwith local professionals during site visits. The symposium was successfully concluded in the Hanuman Dhoka Durbar Complex. It was a very rich and inspirational experience. The Kathmandu Statement as the outcome of the symposium, which captures the discussions of the above four themes, is drafted and currently circulated among participants for revision. This regional exchange stressed common challenges of living urban heritagein Asia contexts and called upon collaborative efforts in developing appropriate strategies and approaches towards sustainable development and conservation of living urban heritage.

Patan Durbar Square, the opening and the first session of the “Revisiting Kathmandu” Symposium

Site Visiting

Discussion