Within the framework of the project “Support to the reinforcement of the participative management structure of the Qhapaq Ñan, Andean Road System”, a workshop entitled “Heritage Impact Assessments International Workshop” took place in Santiago de Chile from 7 to 10 August 2017. This meeting organized by the National Center of World Heritage Sites of the National Subdivision of Heritage Management of the Directorate of Libraries, Archives and Museums, counted with the support of the UNESCO World Heritage Centre and the financial contribution of the UNESCO/Japan Funds in Trust for the Preservation of World Heritage.
The objective of the Workshop was to strength the abilities to undertake Heritage Impact Assessments of the technical secretaries of the six countries that integrates Qhapaq Ñan, Andean Road System, in order to ensure the conduction of such assessments to any significant development, which could adversely affect the property.
The activity counted with the participation of two international experts with recognized trajectory: Carolina Castellanos, Cultural Heritage Consultant, and Gamini Wijesuriya from ICCROM.
In this instance, the methodology of the ICOMOS Guidance on Heritage Impact Assessments for Cultural World Heritage properties was reviewed. According to this work, the Technical Secretaries of Qhapaq Ñan, concluded that this type of assessments should be carried out in a coordinated way, with the same criteria for the six countries, in order to ensure the maintenance of the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) for every single component of the property. It was clear that any alteration on any of its components and in any part of its territory may impact the OUV of the whole property. This make necessary the early known of projects or developments that could be impact the OUV of the Qhapaq Ñan, in order to evaluate the need for the elaboration of a Heritage Impact Assessment and to take the appropriate measures in order to ensure the protection of the property inscribed on the World Heritage List.
In this workshop participated local experts and technical secretaries of the six countries of Qhapaq Ñan: Argentina, Bolivia, Chili, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru. This is the third activity organized within the framework of the global project. The next activity will take place in Colombia in October 2017.
