This year’s event focused on the theme “Emergency Response for Living Heritage in the Context of Conflicts and Disasters,” addressing the protection of cultural heritage in situations such as natural disasters, wars, and crises from multiple perspectives.

In the opening speech, Vice Dean of the Faculty of Architecture and Design Prof. Dr. Mustafa Tamer Ayvaz emphasized that protecting cultural heritage means not only preserving the past but also taking responsibility for the future, expressing satisfaction in hosting such an important event. Tuğba Acar Panayır, President of the TMMOB Chamber of Architects Denizli Branch, also delivered a speech within the program.

The panel session was moderated by Prof. Dr. Koray Özcan from the Faculty of Architecture and Design. The first presentation, titled “From Past to Present: 18 April International Day for Monuments and Sites,” was delivered by Dr. Saadet Mutlu Kaytan from the Department of Architecture, Pamukkale University Faculty of Architecture and Design. The presentation covered the historical development of the International Day for Monuments and Sites, the work of ICOMOS, and the importance of cultural heritage awareness in society.

Following this, Prof. Dr. Can Binan, retired faculty member of Yıldız Technical University Faculty of Architecture and a member of the ICOMOS Türkiye Board of Directors, delivered a talk titled “Memory After Destruction: Disasters, Wars and the Ethical Boundaries of Reconstruction in Architectural Heritage.” He evaluated the impact of reconstruction processes following wars and disasters on cultural heritage and highlighted the ethical dimensions of conservation approaches.