Join us on 8 March 2024 for the online event #Women4Heritage: At the Helm of Culture-Based Climate Action
On the occasion of the International Women’s Day, Europa Nostra is pleased to reconvene our growing and dynamic #Women4Heritage network on 8 March 2024, 11:00-12:30 CET. The 2024 edition of the #Women4Heritage online gathering will emphasise the essential role of women leadership in culture-based climate action, with a particular focus on the Global Call to put Culture at the Heart of Climate Action which was initiated at the COP 28.
Gender inequality is also palpable in climate action, and the UN’s Climate Conference (COP) is no exception. Out of 28 presidents throughout COP history, a mere five have been women, and the representation of women among delegates stands at a modest 35-37%. The recently unveiled plans for COP 29 in Azerbaijan reflected this disparity, as the initially announced organising committee consisted entirely of men. In response to significant criticism, the committee has since added 12 women to its 40-member roster, which still falls short of achieving a balanced representation.
Despite the persistent lack of sufficient representation and due recognition, the commitment of women in the realm of climate action is noteworthy. This year, on 8 March, Europa Nostra invites women who are heritage leaders, practitioners, innovators, communicators and volunteers of all ages and from all countries to join our #Women4Heritage virtual event. Attendees will have the opportunity to hear firsthand from female leaders who played a decisive role in building momentum through the Global Call to Action for achieving a groundbreaking milestone at COP 28: the launch of the Group of Friends for Culture-based Climate Action. They are currently further mobilising public and civil society support for such action in Europe and globally ahead of COP 29 in Baku (Azerbaijan) and COP 30 in Bélem (Brazil).
Their testimonies will be followed by exchanges with heritage stakeholders from all over Europe and will encourage the participants to share their experiences, concerns and efforts in the quest for stronger gender parity in the framework of the protection, promotion and enhancement of cultural and natural heritage in Europe and beyond as a vector for more effective climate action.
This online gathering is free-of-charge but registration is compulsory. Due to limited capacity, we kindly ask you to register as soon as possible to secure your participation. You are welcome to extend this invitation to your colleagues. While today we shine a spotlight on women, our male colleagues are also more than welcome and encouraged to join as well!
Programme
Moderator: Carla Toffolo, Programme Manager of the European Heritage Hub
- Welcome & introductory remarks
- Testimonials (30 minutes)
HRH Princess Dana Firas of Jordan, President of ICOMOS-Jordan and Petra National Trust, and Climate Heritage Network Special Envoy
Alison Tickell, Founder of Julie’s Bicycle
Alexandra Mitsotakis, Co-Founder and President of the World Human Forum, and NEB High Level Roundtable member
Shiva Dustdar, Dean and Director of the European Investment Bank Institute - Open discussion (45 minutes)
- Wrap up & closing remarks
We hope to see many of you virtually on 8 March to celebrate and champion together the transformational power of our #Women4Heritage movement. In the meantime, we also invite you to join our dedicated LinkedIn group and already meet and exchange with this network of extraordinary women who make a difference for culture and cultural heritage and for our Planet!
Since its launch, Europa Nostra has hosted three #Women4Heritage online gatherings between 2021 and 2023. The #Women4Heritage network and related activities are part of Europa Nostra’s network project European Cultural Heritage Agora “Empowering Europe’s Civil Society for Heritage (2022-2024), which is supported by the Creative Europe programme of the European Union.
