Integrating traditional knowledge systems & concern for cultural & natural heritage into risk management strategies

Proceedings from the special session for the International Disaster Reduction Conference (IDRC), Davos, Switzerland, 31 August 2006 organized by the International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property (ICCROM) and the World Heritage Centre

This document presents the proceedings of the special session which had two main themes in the context of the ICCROM/World Heritage Centre partnership, to promote the integration of the traditional knowledge systems into risk management strategies, and to integrate concerns for cultural heritage into broader national and regional risk management plans. Inputs included remarks on traditional knowledge from the Moken community of the Surin Islands, Phang-nga Province, Thailand and experiences from the Gujarat and Kashmir Earthquakes.

The IDRC 2006 provided a unique opportunity for deliberation and awareness-raising on both themes, not just with the heritage professionals, but with the delegates coming from many other sectors of the disaster reduction community. More than 1,000 participants from all over the world attended the conference.