In my view, in 100 years, all these antiquities will be gone because of climate change.
Climate change is already happening but remains underrepresented as a concern in the heritage sector across north and east Africa. This lack of discussion must be rectified, particularly in these regions where fluctuations in temperature, humidity, and precipitation can have devastating impacts on tangible and intangible heritage as well as regional economic viability and humanitarian issues.
In 2024 and 2025, thanks to support from the British Academy, the Egypt Exploration Society will work together with other British International Research Institutions to address this lack of discussion by creating a regional hub for heritage adaptation to climate change.
Working with colleagues at the Alexandria Research Center for Adaptation to Climate Change, Alexandria University (ARCA), the Climate Change and Heritage Adaptation project intends to advocate regional policy change in the heritage sector. To attain this overall objective, several specific objectives are to be addressed including:
- Raising awareness of climate change impact in the heritage sector and adaptation options
- Promoting research on climate change impact and potential adaptation in the heritage sector
- Providing briefs and guidelines for policy change in the heritage sector for adaptation to climate change.
Online conference
18-19 September 2024
The Climate Change and Heritage Adaptation project begins with an online conference held in partnership with ARCA. This two-day online conference invites projects working with or impacted by climate change in the broader North and East Africa region to share their experiences. Discussion sessions intended to open dialogue across geographical and political borders will help to share the lessons learned by working in these areas. Speakers need not have already implemented adaptive measures on their projects as this is intended as a starting point where we hope to raise more questions than answers.
Important dates
Abstract submission – 1st July 2024
Assessment outcome – 26th July 2024
Conference registration – 30th July 2024
Conference – 18th-19th September 2024
Organising Committee
Prof Mohamed Abdrabo (ARCA, Alexandria University)
Dr Corisande Fenwick (British Institute for Libyan & Northern African Studies and UCL)
Dr Kennedy Gitu (British Institute in East Africa)
Dr Carl Graves (The Egypt Exploration Society)
Dr Penelope Wilson (EES Delta Survey and Durham University)
Creative Climate Leadership Retreat
As part of this project, we are holding a Creative Climate Leadership Retreat from 22 to 30 September 2024 which will be held at Sekem, a Gulbenkian prize-winning eco-lodge just outside of Cairo, Egypt.This unique learning experience will be facilitated by Julie’s Bicycle, a pioneering not-for-profit, mobilising the arts and culture to take action on the climate, nature and justice crisis. They have worked in Egypt and the wider region previously, notably in partnership with the British Council. Their expert team will curate the Retreat based on the principles of their successful Creative Climate Leadership programme which offers training and transformation to empower artists and cultural professionals to take action on the climate and ecological crisis with impact, creativity, and resilience.
Representatives from the EES, BIEA, CBRL, Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (Egypt), Honor Frost Foundation, NCAM (Sudan), Petra National Trust (Jordan), The Amarna Project, and ARCA (Egypt) will attend the Retreat thanks to the support of the British Academy. A further two places have been sponsored by the Barakat Trust and will be attended by Megawra and the Egyptian Heritage Rescue Foundation. We would like to extend our thanks to the institutions attending and, especially, to our sponsors for making this possible.