The ICOMOS International Conservation Center-Xi’an
The ICOMOS International Conservation Center-Xi’an (IICC-X) is an international research, training and cooperation center, established as an initiative of ICOMOS China. Its purpose is to support international and regional cooperation for the conservation of monuments, sites and their settings in Asia and the Pacific.
IICC-X is located in the picturesque Historic and Cultural Park of Small Wild Goose Pagoda in Xi’an, Shaanxi Province. It is officially founded on October 20th, 2006,following the adoption of Xi’ an Declaration: on Conservation of the Settings of Heritage Structures, Sites and Areas, which waspresented on the 15th General Assembly of the International Council on Monuments and Sites(ICOMOS) held in Xi’ an in October, 2005.
The officials from ICOMOS, UNESCO,related Chinese ministries and governmentsin the provincial and municipal level as wellas the celebrities in entertainment and sportswitnessed the moment of founding IICC-X in Xi ’ an and observing the unveiling ceremonies of IICC-X and the Monument to Xi’ an Declaration, which was to celebratethe one year anniversary of its publicity, together with more than 20,000 citizens at the magnificent Hanyuan Hall of TangDynasty Daming Palace on October 20th,2006.
Before the two ceremonies, Prof. Dr. MichaelPetzet, the then President of ICOMOS,delivered a warm speech, “Thanks China,thanks Shaanxi Province, thanks Xi’ an city.Standing at this ext remely impor tantarchaeological site of the Hanyuan Hall ofTang Dynasty Daming Palace, I strongly feelagain the profound Chinese culture and theChinese people’ s enthusiasm towards theconservation of the world’ s cultural heritage.The Xi’ an Declaration, adopted by more than 1000 delegates from 86 countries andregions at the 15th ICOMOS GeneralAssembly, like other charters adopted by this organization, will also have significant influence around the world. The establishment of IICC in Xi’ an is the result of efforts by the governments and the people of Shaanxi Province and Xi’ an City. Having IICC-X set up in Xi’ an is the best initiative. And ICOMOS shares the same spirit with the Olympic movement, that is, to bring together a diversity of cultures and peoples for the benefit of humanity.”
Then, Prof. Dr. Michael Petzet, President of ICOMOS then, Arliss, Director of the UN Depar tment of Organizat ion of Major Activities, Kristal Buckley, Vice-President of ICOMOS, Yuan Chunqing, Vice-Chairman of Shaanxi Provincial Party Committee and Governor of Shaanxi Province, Shan Jixiang, Director in General of State Administration of Cultural Heritage, and Sun Qingyun, Member of the Standing Committee of Shaanxi Provincial Party Committee , Secretary in General of Xi’ an Municipal Party Committee and Director of the Standing Committee of Xi’ an Municipal People’ s Congress, jointly unveiled IICC-X. And Chen Baogen, Mayor of Xi ’ an, Guo Zhan, Vi ce-Pres ident of ICOMOS, Dinu Bumbaru, Secretary in General of ICOMOS, and Du Xiaofan, representative of UNESCO Beijing, joined hands to unveil the Monument to Xi’ an Declaration.
