Call for Entries: 2020 UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation

Submissions are now being accepted for the 2020 UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation.

In the upcoming cycle, UNESCO introduces the “Special Recognition for Sustainable Development” and an updated set of Awards criteria to acknowledge more prominently the role and contribution of cultural heritage to sustainable development within the broader framework of Agenda 2030.

The UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation recognizes exemplary efforts by individuals and organizations to restore or conserve structures, places and properties of heritage value in the region. It encourages other property owners to undertake conservation projects within their communities, either independently or by seeking public-private partnerships.

Since 2000, the Awards have recognized 249 winners from 22 countries for their thorough understanding of the places, sound technical achievements, and significant social and policy impacts at the local, national and regional levels. By recognizing these practices, the Awards have contributed to meaningful achievements in changing the conversation about what constitutes cultural heritage, who has a stake in its stewardship, and how cultural heritage can contribute to the sustainable well-being of cities, societies and the environment.

In 2019, UNESCO celebrated the 20th anniversary of the Awards programme through a regional event involving the conservation community in the Asia-Pacific region, including past winners, Jury members, heritage practitioners, academics, local governments and stakeholders. The event reflected on the Awards programme’s 20 years of experience and provided an opportunity for the conservation community and wider public to envision the future together with a shared responsibility for cultural heritage conservation. It was agreed during this event the importance of addressing the future issues facing heritage and sustainability, particularly with connection to the Sustainable Development Goals and the New Urban Agenda.


Award Categories:

• Winners will be announced in November 2020 in the following levels of achievement: Award of Excellence, Award of Distinction, Award of Merit , Award for New Design in Heritage Contexts and Special Recognition for Sustainable Development.
• The Award of Excellence is the highest recognition presented to projects that display exceptional achievement in all criteria and has major catalytic impact at the national or regional level.  
• The Award of Distinction is given to projects that demonstrate outstanding achievement in all criteria and has a significant impact at the national or regional level, while ...
• Award of Merit recognizes projects that demonstrate superior achievement in all criteria.
• The Award for New Design in Heritage Contexts is given to newly built projects that demonstrate outstanding design that is well integrated into historic contexts. Submissions of completed new architecture and designs that enrich the existing heritage setting are encouraged. Building annexes, as well as new extensions, new buildings, new public spaces and new structures, such as bridges, are all eligible for consideration.
• The Special Recognition for Sustainable Development is being introduced in the 2020 Awards cycle to recognize projects that demonstrate noteworthy achievement in the Awards criteria and have a significant impact in contributing to sustainable development. Projects that are submitted to either the conservation or the New Design category of the Awards programme are eligible for receiving this recognition.

Eligibility Criteria:
Eligible projects must have been completed within the last 10 years. Houses, commercial and institutional buildings, historic towns and villages, archaeological sites and cultural landscapes, for example, are all suitable for entry. Projects must demonstrate private sector involvement, per the Awards regulations.

How to Apply:
Entries for the 2020 Awards programme are required to submit the entry form online before deadline. In addition, the project dossier with supporting documentations including a description of the project in the official format, and drawings and photographs in hard and soft copy formats should be posted to UNESCO Bangkok by mail, postmarked no later than 31 July 2020.

To Apply for the 2020 Awards and for relevant resources, please visit: http://bangkok.unesco.org/content/apply-awards

For more information on project submissions, please contact:
Culture Unit, UNESCO Bangkok
Tel: (66 2) 391-0577 Ext. 511 / Fax: (66 2) 391-0866
Email: heritageawards@unesco.org

Deadline:
The deadline for the receipt of materials is 31 July 2020.  

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