ICOMOS National Committees

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Adresses of all ICOMOS National Committees

Introduction

National Committees are organisations that are created at the national level in the countries which are members of UNESCO. They bring together individual and institutional members and offer them a framework for discussion and an exchange of information. ICOMOS currently has over 110 National Committees. Each National Committee adopts its own rules of procedure and elaborates its own program according to the goals and aims of ICOMOS. Each Committee implements the programs proposed by the Advisory and Executive Committees of ICOMOS.

ICOMOS national committees provide a forum where individuals and representatives of institutions concerned with the conservation, protection, rehabilitation and enhancement of the architectural heritage can meet to exchange information and views on principles and practices in the field. The national committee represents the interests of its members, both nationally and internationally. National committees can undertake specific activities on their own initiatives or at the request of their Governments. National committees are a channel through which individual specialists in each country take part in ICOMOS' international activities including, for example, specific missions entrusted to ICOMOS by UNESCO.

Through the annual meetings of the ICOMOS Advisory Committee, national committees can exert a decisive influence on the programme priorities of ICOMOS. National committees can also volunteer to take responsibility (in close co-operation with the ICOMOS International Secretariat in Paris) for some part of ICOMOS' international programme which is of particular concern to their country. The National Committees implement, locally, the proposed programs of the Executive Committee.

Organisation of a National Committee

Each national committee must agree to accept the Statutes of ICOMOS. Its own Statutes should conform with national requirements and practices, as well as with the ICOMOS Statutes.

Presidents of ICOMOS national committees are elected or appointed from among their members. The Chairperson is responsible for calling at least one meeting of the national committee each year. Other officers elected by the Committee may assist the President. Committees are urged to have a Secretary or a Secretary-Treasurer. Unless the president requests otherwise, all communications from the ICOMOS Secretariat are addressed to him. Presidents of national committees are automatically members of the ICOMOS Advisory Committee and are expected to attend and to take part in its annual meeting (or to send a member of their national committee in their place).

National committee Statutes must be submitted to the ICOMOS Executive Committee for its ratification.

How to establish a National Committee?

If a National Committee does not exist in your country and you want to create one, you can contact the ICOMOS International Secretariat to obtain information.

ICOMOS national committees may be established in any country which is a member state of UNESCO. ICOMOS national committees must have at least five individual members. The establishment of a new ICOMOS national committee is subject to the approval of the ICOMOS Executive Committee at its next meeting (the Executive Committee meets at least once a year).

A suggested model for drafting of ICOMOS national committee statutes is available at the International Secretariat.

ICOMOS International Secretariat
49-51, rue de la Fédération
75015 PARIS
Tel: +33 1 45 67 67 70
Fax: +33 1 45 66 06 22
E-mail: secretariat@icomos.org