Moscow to Host the International Council on Cultural Heritage

The 8th International Council on Cultural Heritage will take place in Moscow from December 2 to 5. Participants will include representatives of the Moscow Government, international and Moscow‑based cultural heritage experts, members of the National Committee of ICOMOS (International Council on Monuments and Sites), and UNESCO. The event is organized with the support of the Department for External Economic and International Relations of Moscow and the Moscow Department of Cultural Heritage.

On December 3, as part of the Council, a conference titled “The Roundhouse: Architecture of the Past and the City of the Future” will be held at the Main House of the N.N. Demidov Estate. Participants will discuss a new chapter in the history of the Roundhouse of the Nikolaev Railway — a 19th‑century engineering architecture monument. Igor Tkach, Deputy Head of the Department for External Economic and International Relations of Moscow, will speak at the plenary session. He will explain how historic buildings are gaining new roles in the life of a metropolis and why preserving cultural heritage is key to Moscow’s sustainable development. Other speakers at the session include Alexander Alimov, Director of the Department for Multilateral Humanitarian Cooperation and Cultural Ties of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation; Leonid Kondrashev, First Deputy Head of the Moscow Department of Cultural Heritage — Chief Archaeologist of Moscow, President of ICOMOS Russia; Luka Gašević, Deputy Mayor of the City of Niš (Republic of Serbia); Süheybe Meryem Arslan, Director of the Cultural Heritage Preservation Department of the Fatih Municipality (Republic of Turkey); Abderrahmane Rahmani, Secretary General of the Algiers Wilaya (People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria); and Thabo Manetsi, Director General of the National Heritage Council, Chair of ICOMOS South Africa, and research fellow at the University of Pretoria (Republic of South Africa). In addition, the winners of a student project competition will be announced and an awards ceremony will take place. Young architects will present their ideas for reimagining the Roundhouse, showing what the new public space and surrounding area could become. Laureates will receive diplomas and commemorative awards. Conference participants will also have the opportunity to view the photo exhibitions “Pushkin and Moscow” and “Preserving Moscow’s Cultural Heritage.”

On December 4, Council participants will visit the fourth specialized exhibition “PROrestoration: Import Substitution in Restoration Materials and Technologies” at the Sytin Printing House. Russian manufacturers will present over 100 innovative solutions and technologies for the preservation of architectural monuments.

On December 5, international experts will hold meetings with students from leading higher and secondary specialized educational institutions in architecture and restoration — the Moscow Institute of Architecture (State Academy) (MARCHI), the Ilya Glazunov Russian Academy of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture, and the Yuri Luzhkov Moscow Metropolitan Governance University.

The experts will visit such outstanding cultural heritage sites as the Ostankino Estate — a unique wooden estate and 18th‑century theater with authentic interiors, original finishes, and furnishings. The experts will also see the Kauchuk Factory Club. Restoration of the building was completed in 2024. During the works, the architectural design of the facades and interiors was restored to its original construction period (1927‑1929). This famous constructivist monument has been adapted for modern use — it now houses the theater and concert hall of Sechenov University. Council participants will take a walk in Zaryadye Park — a modern park created by an international team of architects, engineers, landscape designers, and other experts. Additionally, they will tour the exhibition of the Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts.

The International Council on Cultural Heritage will allow for experience exchange with international specialists, discussion of current industry issues, showcasing of advanced developments, and presentation of the results Moscow has achieved in the field of restoration in recent years. This event format will promote international cooperation in the preservation of cultural heritage.