2011 ICNT in Victoria, Canada

The 14^th International Conference of National Trusts brought together 300 delegates from 36 countries in Victoria, British Columbia, from 12-15 October 2011.

In her closing remarks, Catherine Leonard, Head of the INTO Secretariat, said “As we explored new strategies for heritage conservation in a changing world, we had the opportunity to share our experiences, to listen to committed voices and to feel that the things that concern us are basically the same.  We heard that the most important things are not necessarily the objects, stories or places that we look after, but people.   And we have explored a new paradigm of ‘looking after with people rather than for people’.”

The evolution of INTO as the focal point for the global National Trust movement progressed tremendously through this conference and the participation of so many Trusts from developing nations, generously supported by the Getty Foundation, played a large part in this success.

Delegates left Victoria energised and committed to begin applying what they had learned to their own circumstances, and looking forward to the next conference in Entebbe, Uganda, in October 2013.

Simon Molesworth, INTO Chairman wrote in the 2011 Annual Report: “The 14^th International Conference of National Trusts (ICNT) in Victoria, Canada, strengthened ties between the National Trusts of the world and enabled us to share experiences in increasing engagement and dealing with change – economic, political, social and technical, as well as environmental.    I was delighted that our concerns about sustainability and the effects of climate change on the world’s cultures were integrated into the ‘Victoria Declaration on Climate Change’, which I then had the honour of advocating at the UN talks in Durban, known as COP 17.

Currently comprising more than sixty member organisations from over fifty nations, the global voice of INTO represents over six million individual members and supporters, and an extended constituency of many tens of millions more people who demonstrate their support through visitation, expenditure, philanthropy and participation.

Geoffrey Read and Oliver Maurice, joined me in representing INTO at COP 17, where we increased our presence from previous years with a stand and side event raising awareness of the impacts of climate change on National Trusts and gaining wider backing of the Victoria Declaration.  We could not have achieved this without local support from the South African National Heritage Trust as well as the contribution of Luke Strachan, our youth volunteer.”

You can access the presentations and programme of the 14th ICNT on the National Trust for Canada website.