Happy New Year 2026 🥂🎊
As we begin 2026, the International Scientific Committee on Shared Built Heritage (ISCSBH) warmly wishes all its members, colleagues, and partners a Happy New Year.
WG#01- ISCSBH Concept – Session 10 (S10) – ICOMOS GA2026
Within our research group, we have been deepening our understanding of shared built heritage by venturing beyond familiar boundaries — exploring India, Africa, Asia and Australia, and tracing the land and sea routes that once connected ports, peoples, societies, cultures, and religions across the globe. Through this journey, three concepts have emerged as central to our work: seriality, connectivity, and global narratives.
We believe this framework resonates strongly with the overarching theme of the Kuching meeting and with the spirit of AGA 2026: RESPECT, ACCEPT, ENHANCE, PARTNERSHIP. We see a compelling opportunity to broaden our inquiry further — integrating new perspectives and examining their profound implications for the way we understand, interpret, and steward shared heritage.
To this end, we are organising Session 10 (S10): Shared Built Heritage: Seriality, Connectivity and Global Narratives, and we warmly invite you to be part of this conversation.
For abstract submission follow the link
https://www.icomosga2026.org.my/abstract/list
We welcome abstract submissions from researchers, practitioners, and heritage professionals working across disciplines and geographies. The deadline for paper submissions has been extended to 7 May, and participation is open both in person in Kuching and online.
Together, through respect, acceptance, enhancement, and partnership, we can forge a richer and more inclusive understanding of our shared built world.
WG #03.1 - WEBINAR on SBH of the Nile Valley: Sudan and Egypt in Historical Continuity
Join Us!
This webinar offers a unique opportunity to engage with leading experts and explore the shared heritage of the Nile Valley through diverse perspectives.
We warmly welcome participants from around the world to join this open and enriching discussion.
Date: May 7th, 2026, Paris time 13:00 (ZOOM Webinar)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://zoom.us/j/99105471722?pwd=zxvYOCPyypkKoDXZPj8HIfYu1hN0Tf.1
Meeting ID: 991 0547 1722
Passcode: 218810
Participation is free and open to everyone. ICOMOS-ISCSBH Webinar Announcement
We are pleased to announce an insightful webinar designed for researchers, heritage professionals, students, and all those interested in cultural heritage, focusing on SHARED BUILT HERITAGE OF THE NILE VALLEY: SUDAN AND EGYPT IN HISTORICAL CONTINUITY.
While this theme emphasizes the rich and interconnected archaeological and architectural heritage of Egypt and Sudan, it also presents an opportunity to reflect on the broader role of cultural exchange, mutual influence, and heritage preservation across time and borders.
Event Details
• Date: Thursday 7 May, 2026
• Time: 13:00 (Paris time)
• Place: Online
• Participation: Free and open to everyone
• Introduction: Dr Maria Jose de Freitas
• Moderator: Prof. Akram Lilja
Key Themes & Speakers
Our panel brings together leading professionals specializing in archaeology,
Egyptology, and heritage studies of the Nile Valley:
• Dr. Ikhlas Abdlatief Ahmed
Ka Symbolism in Kush
• Mahmoud Ahmed Emam
Echoes of the Past: Intangible Heritage as Living History
• Professor Dr. Nashat Hassan Alzohary
Depicting the King as Osiris in the Meroitic Funerary Chapels
• Dr. Al Hassan Ahmed Mohammed El Hassan
Recent Excavations in the Temples’ Sector at Jebel Barkal
• Dr. Issam Nagy
In the Footsteps of Kushite Kings at Karnak
• Dr. Hend Elfiky
Rethinking Cultural Diffusion and Interaction in the Early Nile Valley: Towards Mutual
Formation
• Dr. Balsam Abdelhamied
One Icon... Two Visions: Depictions of the Virgin Mary and Cultural Interaction between
Sudan and Egypt
WG#03.2 - ICOMOS GA2023 – ISCSBH STUDY – TOUR
Prior to this year's ICOMOS General Assembly in Kuching, we are pleased to announce that we are planning a study tour of the shared built heritage of four Malaysian cities, including Melaka (Malacca), Georgetown, Penang and Kuala Lumpur, as well as a visit to Singapore. Please note that Melaka and Georgetown were inscribed jointly as 'Historic Cities on the Straits of Malacca' on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2008, in recognition of their rich shared built heritage influenced by Malay, Chinese, South Asian, Portuguese, Dutch and British cultures. Singapore and Kuala Lumpur also share most of these influences.
The study tour is planned to run from 3 or 4 to 14 October. Participants can then fly to Kuching in time for the pre-conference activities, which start on 16–17 October, before the official opening of the GA on 18 October.
The tour itinerary, including the route and details, will follow in mid-May. We look forward to hearing from you and getting together in due course.
Possible itinerary
Singapore, Pennang, Georgetown, Kuala Lumpur, Melaka, Kuala Lumpur, Kuching
ICOMOS AGA 2026: Kuching, Malaysia
The next Triennial General Assembly will be held in Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia, 17–24 October 2026, under the theme:
LIVING HERITAGE: RESPECT – ENHANCE – ACCEPT – PARTNERSHIP
For more information, click here
ISCSBH AGM 2025 – Annual General Assembly
The ISCSBH Annual General Meeting 2025, held on 30 December 2025, marked a key moment for reflection and planning. Members reviewed achievements from 2025, discussed challenges, and set priorities for 2026. This meeting also prepared our contributions for the upcoming ICOMOS Triennial General Assembly in Kuching, Malaysia, 2026.
WG01 – ISCSBH Concept: ICOMOS General Assembly 2025, Lumbini
The 2025 International ICOMOS General Assembly, held in Lumbini, birthplace of Buddha, marked a significant milestone for shared heritage. It highlighted the importance of collaboration across scientific committees and national chapters.
Lumbini, a UNESCO World Heritage Site (1997), includes the Maya Devi Temple, ancient monastic ruins, and the Ashokan Pillar. Its universal significance lies in historical, spiritual, and cultural values, aligning with the Symposium theme: “Perceptions of Heritage and Resilience.”
For more information, click here
60 Years of ICOMOS
The 2025 Assembly celebrated the 60th anniversary of ICOMOS with a roundtable and festive dinner on 14 October 2025. Presentations reviewed six decades of achievements, while leaders including Teresa Patrício, Toshiyuki Kono, and regional Vice Presidents reflected on challenges and future visions.
Seven resolutions were adopted, including amendments to the Ethical Principles, reinforcing respectful conduct, cultural diversity, non-discrimination, and professional responsibility.
WG03 – Academic Visits and Lectures: China, October 2025
Dr. Maria José de Freitas visited Beijing and Xi’an, engaging with students and young scholars in shared built heritage.
Highlights:
- Miyun Great Wall: Visits to Panlong Mountain, Gubeikou, Guanmen, and Jijiaying Forts, emphasizing digital interpretation and public engagement.
- Xi’an Sites: Lishan Garden, Terracotta Army, and Giant Wild Goose Pagoda showcased sustainable conservation and living heritage practices.
- Lectures and Workshops: Keynote speeches fostered dialogue, exploring challenges, opportunities, and multi-stakeholder collaboration in heritage management.
Working Groups – New Structure (2025)
As a result of the analysis carried out by our General Secretary, John Ward, and discussed at our last General Assembly on 6 December 2024, we have opted for a new articulation of our Working Groups in 2025:
- WG 01 – SBH Concept – Principles – Perspectives – Dissonant Architecture
- WG 02 – SBH at Risk – Preparedness – Response – Recovery – HIA
- WG 03 – SBH Study Tours – Webinars – Activities – ISC Connections
- WG 04 – SBH Communication – Newsletters – Website
- WG 05 – SBH Support – Secretariat – Members Directory – PUBLICOMUS
- WG 06 – SBH & Emerging Professionals
PUBLICOMUS – Share Your Work!
A new digital platform by ICOMOS, PUBLICOMUS is now available for sharing educational and scientific content produced by ISCSBH members.
Articles, webinars, and academic outputs are welcome.
For more information, click here
Join Us in Shaping the Future of Shared Heritage
With a growing network of dedicated professionals, we look forward to deepening our impact on shared built heritage worldwide. Let’s continue this journey together in 2025 and beyond!
What is SBH?
The ICOMOS International Scientific Committee on Shared Built Heritage (ISCSBH) was set up to promote greater protection and conservation of the shared heritage built over time by different cultures and civilisations with different social and religious backgrounds. For this purpose, the ISCSBH researches and fosters discussion on the understanding of ‘shared’ and on the management of historical built legacies resulting from multicultural encounters and mutual influences. The group is relatively young, having started in 1998 as the Scientific Committee on Shared Colonial Architecture and Town Planning, and changing its name in 2003 to reflect more open objectives.
In some cases, shared heritage is at the centre of identity narratives constructed by different communities and nations; in others, it is the source of tension, and is therefore neglected. The aim of the scientific group is therefore to understand how shared heritage is valued and promote its revitalization, rehabilitation, and conservation, encouraging the use of existing structures and of traditional building techniques as much as possible.
To this end, the ISCSBH organises meetings, debates, study visits, symposia, and conferences with the aim of disseminating the state of the art in various technical, scientific and academic fields, promoting the exchange of knowledge and, through thematic workshops, trying to instill a taste and curiosity for heritage conservation among young people and emerging graduates.
