This year the ICOMOS National Committee of Serbia decided to mark the International Day for Monuments and Sites on April 22, because of the Orthodox Easter (17-20 April) which was celebrated as a National Holiday in Serbia.
The President of the National Committee of ICOMOS Serbia, Mr. Marko Omčikus, and the participants of the round table, during the greeting speech
Following the chosen theme of Heritage and Science, the round table was organized focusing on the contribution of science and technology to the conservation of cultural heritage. Introductory lessons were kept by Ph.D. Suzana Polić Radovanović, Scientific Research Associate from center for study and research of heritage, Goša Institute, Ph.D. Slavica Ristić, Scientific Adviser from center for study and research of heritage, Goša Institute, and Mr. Dragan Stanojević, MA, restorer from the Institute for the Protection of Cultural Monuments of Serbia. The moderator was Mr. Aleksa Jelikić, R&D chemist from the Institute for the Protection of Cultural Monuments of Serbia.
The main topics were the roles of natural and technical sciences and technological responses in the conservation field. Development of optoelectronics and computer technology opened the wide application of non-destructive methods in the study of cultural heritage - among the most important classified interferometric techniques and thermogarphy. The case study Monastery of Sopoćani Wall Paintings Research Program presented the use of the modern scientific and documentation methods in the preservation of the medieval heritage in Serbia.
In the discussion that followed, participants as well as the audience addressed a lot of questions related to the role of science in conservation, but primary to the issues of interdisciplinarity and the levels of decision making.
The meeting was estimated as a positive one and it was covered by the daily newspapers. Due to the great interest of the audience, the representatives of the Goša Institute announced further presentation of their work and cooperation with the institutions for the preservation of cultural heritage.
