Beyond World Heritage
The Broader Role of ICOMOS Lebanon
While ICOMOS is widely known for its advisory role on World Heritage, national committees like ICOMOS Lebanon carry a much wider mandate, from legal advocacy and public education to grassroots collaboration and scientific research.
According to ICOMOS Lebanon’s founding statutes (Article 3), the organization’s objectives extend well beyond World Heritage Site nominations. The committee is mandated to preserve, protect, manage, and rehabilitate monuments, architectural buildings, complexes, and sites, along with their surroundings, and to cooperate at both national and international levels.
The Twelve Pillars of Action
Derived from the ICOMOS Lebanon Statutes, these mandated roles define the full scope of a national committee's responsibilities.| Pillar | Description | Pillar | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| ICOMOS Engagement | Contributing to the activities of the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) | Heritage Conservation and Management | Preserving, protecting, managing, using, and rehabilitating monuments, architectural buildings, complexes, and sites, as well as their surroundings |
| Documentation and Heritage Identification | Contributing at both the national and international levels to the establishment and development of documentation centers concerned with the study, classification, and inventory of heritage buildings, monuments, and sites, and highlighting them, including those that can be registered on the World Heritage List | International Cooperation | Cooperating with UNESCO, particularly with the World Heritage Centre and the International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property (ICCROM) in Rome, as well as other relevant international, regional, and national organizations and institutions that contribute to achieving the Association’s objectives |
| Institutional Collaboration | Collaborating with official bodies, administrations, associations, and civil society organizations concerned with heritage buildings, monuments, and cultural sites, through the exchange of expertise among them | Capacity Building and Training | Establishing training programs and organizing training courses locally and internationally, as well as seminars and conferences related to heritage sites, monuments, and cultural buildings |
| Awareness and Outreach | Launching awareness campaigns related to the protection, preservation, and rehabilitation of archaeological sites and historical buildings | Research and Studies | Contributing to the preparation of studies related to cultural heritage, both tangible and intangible |
| Policy and Legal Frameworks | Reviewing laws and regulations related to heritage in Lebanon, monitoring their implementation, and proposing amendments to ensure their effective application | Academic and Professional Engagement | Communicating with universities, schools, professionals, specialists, organizations, and both public and private associations concerned with heritage issues |
| Publications and Knowledge Dissemination | Publishing and disseminating all studies and research related to the Association’s objectives, and coordinating with others to carry out any activity consistent with its objectives | Consultancy and Expertise | Conducting studies related to heritage |
Governance & Structure
How ICOMOS Lebanon organizes itself to deliver on its broad mandate, as defined in its Statutes and By-Laws.
General Assembly
- Composed of Individual Members, Institutional, Affiliate, and Honorary Members
- Elects the Administrative Board by secret ballot
- Approves budgets, financial statements, and amends statutes
Administrative Board
- Seven elected members consisting of a President, Vice President, Secretary General, Treasurer, Accountant.
- At least two specialists in archaeology and restoration
- Establishes annual work programs and implements agreed objectives
Specialized Committees
- Specialized committees established by the Board to prepare studies and implement projects
- Each has a Chairperson and Rapporteur; open to all active members
- Subcommittees may be created for specific tasks with limited duration
Specialized Committees & Working Groups
How international expertise flows between ICOMOS global bodies and national committees like ICOMOS Lebanon.
International Scientific Committees (ISCs)
- ISCs are global expert bodies within ICOMOS, not national entities.
- They are composed of individual members from different countries, usually nominated or supported by national committees.
- They cannot be replicated or established at the national level as official branches.
- National committees contribute by:
- encouraging members to join ISCs
- supporting expert participation
- collaborating with ISCs on research and activities
Key point:
ISCs operate internationally only. participation is individual, not institutional at national level.
The creation of an International Scientific Committee (ISC) requires approval at the international level of ICOMOS – typically through the Advisory Committee and the General Assembly – and is based on demonstrated global relevance, international membership, and scientific need; it is therefore not a decision that can be made by a national committee alone.
National Working Groups (ICOMOS Lebanon)
- National committees/working groups can be aligned with ISC topics (e.g. cultural landscapes, risk preparedness, Legal, Administrative, and Financial Issues).
- These groups are:
- internal to the national committee
- flexible and project-based
- not official ISCs or branches
- Their role is to:
- structure national expertise
- contribute to international discussions
- facilitate engagement of members with ISCs
Key point:
Working groups are the legitimate national-level equivalent, but remain informal in ICOMOS governance terms.
To sum up, ICOMOS Lebanon hosts thematic working groups aligned with ICOMOS International Scientific Committees, contributing to their work and facilitating the participation of Lebanese experts in international scientific exchange.
Interested in contributing?
Start or join a working group with ICOMOS Lebanon.
