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.
Inspired by 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 began with an online conference. The two-day online conference invited projects working with or impacted by climate change in the broader North and East Africa region to share their experiences. Discussion sessions opened dialogue across geopolitical and social boundaires to help share the lessons learned by working in these areas. The diversity in projects, speakers, and communities represented at the conference reflected a similar variety of challeneges faced by tangible and intangible heritage across the region. HRH Princess Dana Firas (Jordan) called for global partnership moving forward in facing those challenges while John Darlington (World Monuments Fund) noted the skills of heritage specialists in interpreting long-term visions of change. The conference ended on a message of hope - that heritage demonstrates the adaptability and resilience of people and the environment in facing up to the changing climate. A full report will follow, but you can still read the schedule and abstracts below.
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
A Creative Climate Leadership Retreat was held from 22 to 30 September 2024 at SEKEM, a Gulbenkian prize-winning eco-lodge just outside of Cairo, Egypt.This unique learning experience was 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 curated 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 (Egypt), and the Bibliotheca Alexandrina (Egypt) attended the Retreat thanks to the support of the British Academy. A further two places were sponsored by the Barakat Trust for 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.
Thank you to our supporters
