Conversation with Communities:
Heritage and Climate Change

OurWorldHeritage (OWH) brings together communities to exchange information on activities and strategies to mitigate impacts of climate change at heritage sites. Our speakers in this Programme will introduce their community-led initiatives to address alarming climate threats. A second event in September 2023 will convene the same communities for updates and evidence of strengthening the network among themselves.

Conversations with Communities is a new series of webinars in which we invite community representatives to tell stories about practical challenges they encounter in conserving their heritage.

Programme

Erhunmwun ne aya kie owa prayer

Elder Ehi Ighile, Obarisiuwa
President, Benin City Heritage Center (Nigeria)

Welcome

Tokie Laotan-Brown
Founder of Merging Ecologies Studio (Nigeria)

Stories

Iya, Benin City Moats Traditional Climate Action and Disaster Reduction Techniques

Elder Ehi Ighile, Obarisiuwa
President, Benin City Heritage Center (Nigeria)

Harrison Ezeimwenghian Uwangue
Secretary, Benin City Heritage Center (Nigeria)

Ibo’s Climate Emergency Challenges: Resilience and Adaptation 

Eugidio Gobo
Co-Founder and Vice-President, ASMOG (Mozambique)

High Coast/Kvarken Archipelago – an uplifting World Heritage Site, but for how long?

Patrik Bylund
World Heritage Coordinator High Coast, County Administrative Board of Västernorrland (Sweden)

Malin Henriksson
World Heritage Coordinator Kvarken Archipelago, Metsähallitus Parks & Wildlife (Finland)

Discussion and Q&A

Moderated by Scott Heron
Professor, James Cook University (Australia)

Closing Remarks 

Christina Cameron
Professor Emeritus, Université de Montréal (Canada)

Speakers

Elder Ehi Ighile, Obarisiuwa
President, Benin City Heritage Center (Nigeria) 

Chief Ehi Ighile, President of the Benin Cultural Heritage Center (BCHC) is a retired senior military officer. Former Chief Engineer of Nigeria’s Presidential Jet to two former Presidents of Nigeria. He played a major role in the establishment of the Federal Road Safety Corp (FRSC). He currently works to uplift the Benin People of Nigeria and preserve Benin’s cultural heritage. He holds the title Obarisiuwa of Benin Kingdom, in Nigeria at the Palace of the Oba of Benin.

Harrison Ezeimwenghian Uwangue
Secretary, Benin City Heritage Center (Nigeria)

Harrison Ezeimwenghian Uwangue is a Geographer, Poet, Civil and Environmental Rights Activist, Humanitarian and host of the Benin Cultural Heritage Center’s Socio-Cultural Television Programme titled “Edo Okpa ima khin” in the State owned television station- Edo Broadcasting Service. He is involved in the promotion and preservation works of heritage sites and buildings for a decade. He is the current secretary of the Benin Cultural Heritage Center (BCHC).

Eugidio Gobo
Management Oriented Monitoring System Association (ASMOG, Mozambique) 

Eugidio Gobo is an Oceanographer, civic and environmental activist and member of the Let’s Do It Moçambique. He plays a major role in the Management Oriented Monitoring System Association (ASMOG), a community-based organization in Ibo island, Mozambique, promoting and raising awareness among local communities and authorities to work together to adopt best practices for the preservation of natural heritage and critical biodiversity and habitats. He is currently Vice-President and project coordinator at ASMOG.

Patrik Bylund
World Heritage Coordinator High Coast, County Administrative Board of Västernorrland (Sweden)

Patrik Bylund is the World Heritage Coordinator and Site Manager for the High Coast, which is the Swedish part of the transnational World Heritage Site High Coast/Kvarken Archipelago. He started at the County Administrative Board of Västernorrland in 2012 and has held the position as Site Manager since 2017. Before that he worked as a nature interpreter in the High Coast and in several visitor centres in the Swedish mountains. In his spare time he enjoys picking mushrooms and fishing.

Malin Henriksson
World Heritage Coordinator Kvarken Archipelago, Metsähallitus Parks & Wildlife Finland (Finland)

Malin Henriksson is the World Heritage Coordinator and Site Manager for the Kvarken Archipelago, which is the Finnish part of the transnational World Heritage Site High Coast/Kvarken Archipelago. She started working with Kvarken Archipelago in 2018 and has held the position as Site Manager since 2019. Malin is also involved in cooperation among World Heritage Sites in Finland and the Nordic countries. She has previously worked with green area structure and biodiversity in an urban context. In his spare time she enjoys exploring the archipelago by kayak.

Moderators and Commentator

Christina Cameron
Professor Emeritus, Université de Montréal (Canada)

Christina Cameron held the Canada Research Chair in Built Heritage at the University of Montreal from 2005 to 2019 where she directed a research program on heritage conservation. She previously served as a heritage executive with Parks Canada for more than thirty-five years. She has worked with the World Heritage Convention since 1987, chairing the Committee in 1990 and 2008.  

Scott Heron
Professor, James Cook University (Australia)

Scott Heron is an Associate Professor in Physics at James Cook University whose research involves linking physical processes with the biological and/or chemical characteristics of the ocean environment, in the context of the people who rely upon the goods and services it provides. Scott's work as developer and practitioner of the Climate Vulnerability Index (CVI) examines climate impacts upon natural/cultural heritage, including World Heritage, other protected areas, and areas of significance for First Nations peoples.

Tokie Laotan-Brown
Founder, Merging Ecologies Studio (Nigeria)

Dr Tokie Laotan-Brown, Heritage Architect at Merging Ecologies. Board Member, Our World Heritage. Scientific Member- Scientific Committee, Graduate Programme in Cultural Heritage Studies at the University of Nova Goricia, Slovenia. Co-Founder, Foundation for the Preservation of Cultural Heritage in Nigeria. Expert Voting Member, International Scientific Committee on Cultural Landscapes (ISCCL) and Member-Nigeria NC, International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS-IFLA).