Friday, Roundtable 4: Next steps for Conservation in Latin America (Siguientes pasos para la Conservación en América Latina)

By Bianca Gonçalves, María López Teisaire, Guadalupe Verenise Cavero Manzanares

Chaired by Juan Carlos Rodriguez, this roundtable gathered leaders from across Latin America to discuss the future of conservation in the region. Panelists included:

Valentina Castillo Pinaud (Chile)

Yacy-Ara Froner (Brazil)

Fernando Marte (Argentina)

Adriana Páez (Colombia)

Key Takeaways from Each Hub:

Uruguay Hub:

One of the main challenges discussed was the lack of recognition of the conservation-restoration (CR) profession and the absence of a professional association in Uruguay. A relevant example was shared about a sustainability group in Valencia, which unites many individual professionals. Despite these challenges, some Uruguayan participants were able to attend the congress, signaling a growing engagement in the country.

Colombia Hub:

Adriana Páez, Co-Lead of the Colombian hub, emphasized the power of collaboration in advancing conservation efforts. "These days, we’ve seen what we can achieve when we join forces," she said, pointing out how they’ve been sharing knowledge and raising awareness in different communities. She highlighted that building bridges between countries is crucial to reducing inequalities and fostering regional collaboration. However, she stressed the need for more applied science and data to further the discussion and solutions.

Brazil Hub:

Yacy-Ara Froner framed the conservation efforts as inherently political, noting that the creation of hubs and providing free access to conservation education are political acts. She emphasized the need for stronger collaborative management in Latin America and spoke of the importance of spreading training across the region to gain professional recognition. She also raised concerns about the sustainability of conservation in the face of natural disasters, using recent floods in southern Brazil as an example. A video was presented showcasing the universities in Brazil that offer conservation programs.

Peru Hub:

Juan Carlos noted that there were two active hubs in Peru, emphasizing the importance of hubs even within the host country. Hubs engage more people from different regions of the country, particularly in a place like Peru, where not everyone can easily travel to Lima. Peru also has two graduate programs focused on conservation. 

Next Steps for Conservation in Latin America:

Juan Carlos posed a critical question to the panel: "What’s next for conservation in the region?"

He underscored the need for unity and collective action across Latin America. "It doesn’t matter if it’s Colombia, Brazil, or Argentina – we must stand together and follow the initiative. Together, we are stronger: 'Juntos somos más fuertes.'"

Valentina Castillo (Chile): She reflected on the collaborative work in Chile, describing it as both beautiful and important. Valentina emphasized the need for Latin American countries to unite as a region and strengthen collaborative networks, which could lead to more significant and impactful activities.

Yacy-Ara Froner (Brazil): She called for better communication and collaboration across the region, particularly in terms of understanding the number and quality of conservation courses in Latin America. Yacy-Ara proposed drafting a "Carta de Lima," a formal document to UNESCO, stressing the importance of conservation education in the region. She also encouraged the use of digital platforms to share experiences and respond to the climate crisis.

Fernando Marte (Argentina): Fernando highlighted the importance of maintaining long-term enthusiasm and questioned which systems are truly relevant for Latin America. He called for a more diverse and horizontal collaboration and encouraged younger generations to actively participate in congresses, rather than keeping their ideas confined to academia. His message was clear: "Step one is to get to know the country, to understand its context and needs."

In summary, the roundtable reflected a strong sense of regional solidarity and a collective desire to advance conservation efforts across Latin America through collaboration, education, and shared responsibility. The future of heritage conservation in the region will depend on fostering deeper connections between countries and building a stronger, more unified approach to addressing environmental conservation.

Some nice comments that concluded the talk:

BLOG AUTHORS AND BYLINES: 
Bianca Gonçalves is a Brazilian paintings conservator based in the Netherlands

Guadalupe Verenise Cavero Manzanares is a Peruvian System Engineering and BA Student of Conservation and Restoration of Works of Art.