Cultural Routes make up the connective web of the world’s heritage. They are key elements in tying regions and continents together. In recognition of their importance, the ICOMOS 2008 General Assembly in Quebec City, adopted the International Committee on Cultural Routes (CIIC) Charter on Cultural Routes. CIIC works with other International Scientific ICOMOS Committees to identify and document heritage sites that fall within the multidisciplinary context of cultural routes. CIIC currently has expert members in sixteen countries and aspiring professionals in ten additional countries.

Since the adoption of the CIIC Charter, there have been continued discussions to clarify the relationship between cultural routes and historic roads. Numerous intersections of ideas and terminology have been identified, and in the process historic roads have emerged as a new concept of cultural heritage. This September 2022, the CIIC will hold its Scientific Meeting in the city of Santa Fe, New Mexico-USA. The featured theme will be Historic Roads in the Context of Cultural Routes.

The city of Santa Fe is an ideal location to explore relationships between cultural routes and historic roads. Indigenous people established routes throughout the region, and later Spanish colonists established Santa Fe as a terminal point of the Camino Real de Tierra Adentro, a cultural route tying the colonial capital of Mexico City to its northern frontier in New Mexico. The Old Spanish Trail, the Santa Fe Trail, and Route 66 also converge in Santa Fe, which was designated an UNESCO Creative City in 2005.

Today heritage involves the idea of movement and transmission of knowledge to new generations. The symposium organizers invite ICOMOS Professionals and Emerging Professionals from around the world to better understand the meaning and importance of cultural routes and historic roads and to identify new voices associated with this research topic, both in-person and virtually. The following themes outline the intended content of the meeting where colleagues will have an opportunity to share their research.

• Understanding Historic Roads - Definitions/typologies, documentation, significance, integrity, treatment, interpretation
• Social Relevance of Cultural Routes - Climate change, justice/equity/relevancy/diversity, social media, youth engagement, social values
• Cultural Routes and their Relationship with Cultural Landscapes - Concepts, geographic and other inter-relationships of the two heritage categories

The deadline for submission of abstracts is Friday May 6, 2022. The authors of the selected presentations will receive a notification by Friday, May 27, 2022 by email (ciicicomos.org@gmail.com) indicating if their abstracts will be accepted as papers. Papers selected for presentation will be published in a digital format.

Click here for more information.