The session,
Space Technologies and Safeguarding Cultural Heritage on Land, Underwater and in Our Skies, will explore the use of space technologies to identify and safeguard cultural heritage on Earth with the use of satellite technologies while considering the need to temper these technologies to protect our night skies. The principal objective of the session is to impress upon the United Nations General Assembly the increasing interdependence between space technologies and cultural heritage, as well as the interoperability of the scientific, technological, cultural, legal and policy objectives and expertise of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO, Paris), the United Nations Office for Outer Space (UNOOSA, Vienna) and their respective treaty regimes.
As in many disciplines, with advancing technologies comes benefits, as well as consequences. The on-Earth applications of satellite technologies has allowed us to identify and safeguard archeological sites, endeavor to protect them from the effects of climate change, curb their pillaging and halt the illegal trafficking of their illicitly obtained cultural properties. Please join us as we discuss the benefits of satellite technologies in the field of cultural heritage identification and protection.
Our discussion, however, will be counterbalanced with the consequences of these space technologies to our night skies, which have been a critical cultural and scientific element to our lives and civilizations throughout millenia and in all parts of the world. With increased satellites orbiting Earth for a multitude of reasons, our night skies are becoming alarmingly polluted. Our pristine view of the stars, planets and our universe is threatened causing detrimental effects to cultural practices, astronomy and a plurality of other areas. Our panelists will discuss the technical, legal and policy initiatives, current and prospective, surrounding this topic at the community and international level.
Lastly, as a fascinating segway into what lies ahead and beyond, our session will share with the General Assembly the emerging area of art and cultural heritage beyond Earth. Our panelists will discuss the growing body of tangible and intangible cultural heritage existing beyond Earth whether it be in our orbit, in modular systems, on the Moon and other celestial bodies, or traveling in interstellar space. Space technologies have broadened our access to understanding our cultural heritage on Earth. It is opportune, however, that we consider also the access and implications that these technologies will continue to give humankind to develop life and express culture beyond our home planet.
- Agenda and List of Speakers
- Moderator: Dr. Marlène M. Losier (Losier González, PLLC)
- Panel #1: " The Role of Satellites in Identifying and Safeguarding Cultural Heritage Sites on Earth"
- Time: 9:00 - 10:30 am EDT (New York)
- Dr. Alicja Jagielska-Burduk (University of Opole)
- Dr. Michael Potter (Geeks Without Frontiers)
- Dr. Sarah Parcak (University of Alabama at Birmingham)
- Dr. Constantinos Cartalis (National and Kapodistrian University of Athens)
- Professor Tullio Scovazzi (Milano-Bicocca University School of Law)
- Panel #2: "Balancing the Use of Satellites with Preserving Our Dark and Quiet Skies"
- Time: 10:30 - 11:15 am EDT (New York)
- Dr. Andrzej J. Jakubowski (Polish Academy of Sciences)
- Dr. Domingos Barbosa (Instituto de Telecomunicações)
- Dr. Andrew Williams (European Southern Observatory)
- Panel #3: "Art & Cultural Heritage Beyond Earth"
- Time:11:15 am - 12:00 pm EDT (New York)
- Dr. Bernard Foing (EuroMoonMars)
- Professor Nahum Romero Zamora (Kosmica Institute)
- Professor Michelle Hanlon (For All Moonkind)
