'Monuments and sites in their setting - Conserving cultural heritage in changing towns and landscapes'
Moveable objects such as collections or archives can be conserved in special institutions that provide them with appropriately controlled environments. This option does not exist for historic buildings, ancient cities, gardens, archaeological sites or larger ensembles like landscapes or heritage routes that ICOMOS was been created to focus on. In such places, settings often encompass dynamic social, economic and cultural communities that contribute to, or are part of, the value and significance of individual heritage places.
Increasing concerns over the impact of rapid development on our environment, is supporting the need to broaden attention from a narrow focus on individual sites or places to a more spatial approach which reflects, and works to engage with, wider cultural, social and economic forces.