In January 2004, the ‘Universidad Politécnica de Madrid’ (UPM) and UNESCO signed an Agreement for the creation of a UNESCO-CHAIR of Mining and Industrial Heritage, within the UNITWIN/UNESCO Chairs Program (CUIEP).
In March 2004, the UPM and ICOMOS Spain (now CNE), established a convention, which agreed to the creation of an ICOMOS Chair of Cultural Historical Heritage, based at the ‘Escuela Técnico Superior de Minas y Energía’ (ETSIME) in Madrid.
For their common objective, both chairs have been integrated to form the UNESCO – ICOMOS Chair (Spain) of Mining, Industrial and Historical Heritage (hereinafter CUIEP), combining both fields.
In June, the presentation of the Chair took place at ETSIME under the presidency of the Rector of the UPM, and with the assistance of the Secretary-General of the National Commission of UNESCO, the Director of ETSIME and the President of ICOMOS SPAIN. Among the attendees was the Director General of Fine Arts representing the Ministry of Culture, along with other personalities and representatives of professional organizations in the sector.
The International Council of Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) is a scientific organization, an advisor to UNESCO in the field of cultural heritage and is composed of specialists from different disciplines.
The UNESCO-ICOMOS Chair (Spain) aims to provide an interdisciplinary, critical, reflective, open, and rigorous space for the study, research and debate on the main issues and problems affecting the preservation of historical heritage.
The UNESCO-ICOMOS Chair (Spain) is held by Prof. José María García de Miguel, professor at UPM and Vice-President of ICOMOS Spain.
For the proper functioning of the UNESCO – ICOMOS Spain Chair, an Advisory Council was established. It consists of personalities and representatives of relevant institutions within the field of cultural heritage. An Executive Board was also established to ensure the fulfilment of the objectives set out in the constitution documents, through the establishment of programs and activities, collaboration, and the monitoring of their implementation.
Its objectives include:
- Promote actions and programs, to enhance the general principle of UNESCO, being dialogue between civilizations and cultures based on the common historical heritage (New Delhi Declaration 2003).
- Establish centers of excellence for specialized studies and advanced research, with the support of the international community.
- Create and strengthen networks of cooperation between institutions dedicated to the conservation and research of heritage, especially with other UNESCO Chairs for similar purposes, in collaboration with UNESCO and ICOMOS.
- Give new impetus and global insight into cooperation agreements, and other forms of partnership between institutions, dealing with cultural heritage, in industrialized and developing countries.
- Promote, guide and support actions dedicated to balancing conservation with tourism at historical and industrial heritage sites and the service of the communities that support it, especially in relation to Hispanic mining heritage.
The activities to be developed will focus on:
- Training of technicians specialized in conservation.
- Actions aimed at extending the significance of cultural historical heritage to society at large, especially to new generations, through coordination with institutions related to mass education and media.
- Discussion and communication about the day to day prospective of cultural heritage, especially as it relates to the mining industry. This aspect includes the publication of books, studies and articles in journals, the convening and organization of seminars, workshops, conferences and meetings, and the dissemination through telecommunications of the studies that are carried out, etc.
- Advice, direction, and co-operation on studies proposed by Spanish or international entities, mainly in Europe or America, related to the previously mentioned section on objectives.