ICOMOS (International Council on Monuments and Sites) is a global non-governmental organisation associated with UNESCO. It is founded in 1964 in Warsaw and has its headquarters in Paris. ICOMOS works for the conservation and protection of cultural heritage places. It is the only global non-government organisation of this kind, which is dedicated to promoting the application of theory, methodology, and scientific techniques to the conservation of the architectural and archaeological heritage. Its work is based on the principles enshrined in the 1964 International Charter on the Conservation and Restoration of Monuments and Sites (the Venice Charter).
Its mission is to promote the conservation, protection, use and enhancement of monuments, building complexes and sites. It participates in the development of doctrine, evolution and distribution of ideas, conducts advocacy. ICOMOS is the Advisory Body of the World Heritage Committee for the Implementation of the World Heritage Convention of UNESCO. As such, it reviews the nominations of cultural world heritage of humanity and ensures the conservation status of properties. In light of numerous studies, conferences, symposia and discussions led by its National Committees and International Scientific Committees, ICOMOS has gradually built through philosophical and doctrinal heritage internationally.
ICOMOS is a network of experts that benefits from the interdisciplinary exchange of its members, among which are architects, historians, archaeologists, art historians, geographers, anthropologists, engineers and town planners.
The members of ICOMOS contribute to improving the preservation of heritage, the standards and the techniques for each type of cultural heritage property: buildings, historic cities, cultural landscapes and archaeological sites
ICOMOS Turkey National Committee was established in 1974 and operates within the framework of international practices and ICOMOS Turkey National Committee Regulation.
ICOMOS Turkey undertakes the following duties;
· Works for writing and acceptance of international recommendations to be implemented in the examination, conservation, restoration and evaluation of monuments and sites.
· Collaborates at national and international level for the establishment and improvement of documentation centres on monuments and sites, and provide these documents for the use of ICOMOS members and relevant experts and institutions.
· Cooperates at national and international level in the preparation of lists, inventories, plans, topographical maps, photographs and photogrammetry archives of monuments and sites.
· Examines and disseminates the most up-to-date technical information on the conservation, restoration and evaluation of monuments and sites.
· Establishes permanent or temporary research commissions and expert committees in order to fulfil the above listed duties, and collaborates with the existing and future commissions and committees established within or outside of the committee.
· Cooperates with International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property under UNESCO, of which the headquarters is in Rome, and ICOM, and other national and international institutions and sustain this cooperation.
· Makes publications on monuments and sites, support and protect these publications.
· Works to train personnel in this field, supports in terms of technical materials.
· ICOMOS Turkey is a non-governmental organisation and so operates on voluntary basis. All arrangements on all activities are carried out by the Executive Committee elected for 3 years and members take part in various projects and activities on the same basis.
How to Become a Member of ICOMOS Turkey?
ICOMOS Turkey membership applications are evaluated at the National Committee meeting held in the final months of each year. Membership applications can be submitted throughout the year. Applications are completed by sending the complete documents listed below to icomosturkiye@gmail.com. The deadline for new membership applications for ICOMOS Turkey for 2026 is November 1, 2026. Applications submitted after this date will be evaluated in the following calendar year.
Required documents for application:
-Letter of Intent
-CV
-At least two Letters of Reference (Letters of Reference must be obtained from ICOMOS Turkey members).
