San Antonio Hosts World Heritage Nomination Evaluator

Date: October 4, 2014
Contact: Susan Snow, 210-534-8833

October
2, 2014

For Immediate Release

Contact:Susan Snow [phone]

San Antonio Hosts World Heritage Nomination Evaluator

Last week, the advisory committee for the San Antonio Missions World Heritage nomination hosted an on-site evaluator from the International Committee on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) and the President of the US Chapter of ICOMOS Jan Anderson. ICOMOS is an international network of heritage professionals with wide ranging expertise in historic preservation and plays a major role in advising the World Heritage Committee.

In addition to the advisory committee, local experts participated to answer questions on the condition of the nominated properties, their settings, and how they are protected and managed.The evaluator toured all five missions as well as Rancho de las Cabras –the six locations of the serial nomination.

In accordance with ICOMOS policy, the evaluator was not publicly identified and did not state any conclusions, but will provide a summary of the visit with recommendations to ICOMOS.In addition to the on-site review, other experts will conduct desk reviews of the nomination.These reviews will inform the recommendation that ICOMOS provides to the World Heritage Committee as to whether or not the nominated sites meet the stringent selection criteria for inclusion on the World Heritage List. In May 2015, ICOMOS's recommendation on the San Antonio nomination will be issued.The World Heritage Committee ill meet in Bonn, Germany in June 2015 to consider the site and the ICOMOS recommendation and make a decision on the nomination.

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For more information, go to www.MissionsofSanAntonio.org.

San Antonio Missions World Heritage Advisory Committee consists of: Susan Snow, Coordinator (National Park Service); Mardi Arce, Superintendent, San Antonio Missions NHP; Father David Garcia, Director, Los Misiones, Archdiocese of San Antonio; Suzanne Scott, General Manager, San Antonio River Authority; Shanon Miller, Director, Office of Historic Preservation, City of San Antonio; Betty Bueche, Director, Facilities and Parks Department, Bexar County; Kaye Tucker, Program Manager, Texas General Land Office; Melinda Tomerlin, Director, The Alamo, Daughters of the Republic of Texas; Susan Chandoha, Executive Director, Los Compadres de San Antonio Missions NHP; Nancy Avellar, Past-President, San Antonio Conservation Society; and Suzanne Dixon, Senior Director, Regional Operations, National Parks Conservation Association.