What is the significance of this year’s International Day for Monuments and Sites? What is the theme?

Rich historical monuments are representations of the rich past of the nation as well as technical wonders. The world’s riches are big old buildings and historic landmarks. The historic concrete buildings and scenic locations draw attention to the monuments’ cultural significance and important place in the lives of their compatriots. Every year on April 18, we celebrate World Legacy Day, also known as International Day for Monuments and Sites (IDMS), an effort to raise awareness of the value of and protect our cultural legacy. Each year, a unique subject is selected to elevate and personalize the observance. Looking Through the Lens of the Venice Charter: Disasters and Conflicts is the subject for the 2024 International Day of Monuments and Sites.

What is the focal point of the 2024 World Heritage Day theme?
The Venice Charter, a collection of rules for the conservation and restoration of monuments and sites, is celebrating its 60th anniversary in 2024, and this year’s World Heritage Day commemoration will center upon it. It was given some thought in 1964.

Although May 31 marks the 60th anniversary of the Venice Charter, the year’s theme emphasizes the importance of the rules for the preservation of historical structures. The Venice Charter, which was created two decades after World War II, promised unrestricted expansion and enhanced economic progress. Article 4 of the Venice Charter addresses the upkeep and preservation of the historical monuments on a “permanent basis,” while Article 3 of the charter states that “the intention in conserving and restoring monuments is to safeguard them no less as works of art than as historical evidence.”

Who choose World Heritage Day’s theme?
The International Council on Monuments and Sites, or ICOMOS, chooses and decides on the topic for World Heritage Day. ICOMOS is a worldwide non-governmental organization that works with UNESCO to promote the preservation, improvement, use, and protection of historical sites, buildings, and monuments.

The celebration of the day offers forums for ICOMOS members and professionals working in the heritage field to convene and deliberate on a range of topics, such as the effects of the Venice Charter on conservation practices worldwide, the development of conservation practices since the Venice Charter, and how best to tackle the problems posed by natural disasters, conflicts, and climate emergencies.