Australia International Council on Monuments and Sites Conference - (Un)Loved Modern
ICOMOS (International Council on Monuments and Sites) is a non-government professional organisation with members in over 100 countries. The Australian Committee formed a national group that meets once a year for the Annual Australia ICOMOS Conference. The conference attracted 225 professionals from across twelve countries. The keynote speakers and attendees included Gustavo Araoz, President of ICOMOS; Maristella Casciato, Chair of DOCOMOMO International; and Louise Cox, President of the International Union of Architects.
The name of the 2009 Conference (Un)loved Modern dictated the theme of the Conference, which was a focus on Australia's buildings, statues and monuments that are uniquely designed or innovative in their architectural concept but have not been identified by the public as iconic or heritage. The aim of the 2009 (Un)Loved Modern Conference was to stimulate discussion around the challenges of conserving buildings from the second half of the twentieth century.
The program involved a mix of plenary and concurrent sessions, technical field tours and social functions. It featured an evening lecture at the Sydney Opera House that was a conversation between key players in the heritage nomination and listing progress and an address by the Minister for the Department of Planning.
The social program included a dinner at the Star Room at Darling Harbour. Guests were entertained by a live auction hosted by Australia ICOMOS to raise additional funding to support the "Streetwise Asia" conservation project in the Philippines. The Conference concluded with a farewell and surprise finale for delegates to attend the Glen Murcett exhibition and drinks at the Museum of Sydney.
A highlight of the Conference were the technical field sessions which involved tours throughout Sydney exploring the suburban landscapes, CBD buildings and a dedicated Art Deco tour.
Post Conference tours included Rose Seidler House and war sites around Sydney. The format of the technical field sessions and tours were a new aspect to the Conference and received great feedback from delegates.
The 2009 Conference achieved the highest attendance at an Australia ICOMOS Conference. This year's level of sponsorship was also an exceptional result given the financial constraints introduced by the organisation to limit the fall out from the global financial crisis.
"The 2009 (Un)Loved Modern Conference was a great success. The Organising Committee could not have achieved this without the professional skills, experience and commitment of Conexion Event Management supporting us. They ensured that all necessary details were covered and arranged. Conexion helped us achieve a record number of attendees at an Australian ICOMOS Conference, and together we accomplished an outstanding result with sponsorship. One of my highlights during the conference was watching it run so smoothly and seamlessly. A big thank you to the Conexion Team."
David West, Organising
Committee Treasure
Conexion Event Management Pty Limited
Level 3, 89-97 Jones Street
Ultimo NSW 2007
PO Box 601
Pyrmont NSW 2009
Tel: (+61 2) 9518 7722
Fax: (+61 2) 9518 7222
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