The moderator will lead a discussion on the 40-year evolution of lender cultural heritage standard, drawing on the panelists perspectives and his experience in implementing ADB's ESS8.
Our session traces the evolution of cultural heritage safeguards in international development, from the World Bank’s first standalone cultural heritage safeguard policy in 1986 to the Asian Development Bank's Environmental and Social Standard 8 (ESS8) on Cultural Heritage today. Over these 40 years, multilateral development banks and private sector development finance institutions have adopted and refined policies that reflect advances in good international practice for heritage assessment and management. These policies also reflect growing recognition of cultural heritage’s contribution to community resilience and development. This evolution falls within the living memory and professional experience of our panelists, and of many in our audience. The panel was chosen to represent the range of participants in the multidisciplinary processes of impact assessment and heritage management: lenders, borrowers, traditional communities, heritage professionals, and the university curricula and on-the-job training programs that prepare the specialists involved. This history and the experience of these participants will inform the next generation of cultural heritage safeguards. Younger practitioners and traditional communities increasingly engaged in heritage management will help to lead this process. Now more than ever, the heritage users will benefit from an actively evolving and internationally validated process. Audience thoughts, comments, and questions on this importance of heritage safeguarding will be welcomed after our panelist’s brief presentations.
Leodegario is a Senior Social Safeguards Officer in the Asian Development Bank’s Office of Safeguards, with more than 30 years experience supporting development projects across Asia and the Pacific.