International Conference • Venice (Italy)

13 November 2011 Sala delle Colonne - Ca’ Giustinian San Marco 1364/a14-15 November 2011 Aula Magna - Venice International University Island of San Servolo

Scientific Programme

The International Conference, “The Future of Venice and its Lagoon in the Context

of Global Change”, will pave the way for discussions and debates related to the

scientific, environmental, cultural and socio-economic challenges faced by Venice

and its Lagoon World Heritage site. The Conference will focus on evaluating the

current situation of Venice and its Lagoon and contribute to a shared vision for its

future.

Such a vision is intended to help guide sound decision-making and further enable

sustainable management of coastal and lagoon urban systems worldwide facing

global changes. The Conference conclusions will inspire other World Heritage sites

and cities, in particular those in the South-East European and the Mediterranean

regions, to use the experiences of Venice as a model for facing their own challenges

streaming from global change phenomena.

UNESCO acts as neutral broker and presents a platform for the debate regarding the

future of Venice. Venice and the Italian Government have asked UNESCO to support

them defining the vision, strategy and management plan for Venice and its Lagoon

and to prepare a follow-up report to the one already elaborated in 1969 after the

devastating acqua alta in 1966.

This Conference concludes a series of events organized on this topic in cooperation

with Venetian authorities and institutions, including a series of stakeholder workshops

developing the basis for the management plan of the heritage site and four

preparatory workshops that reflect the main themes of discussion for the conference:

From Global to Regional: Local Sea Level Rise Scenarios - Focus on the Mediterranean

Sea and the Adriatic Sea (22-23 November 2010)

The Ecological Implications of Climate Change on the Venice Lagoon (26-27 May 2011)

Culture and Development: from Restoration to Revitalization? (20-21 June 2011)

Impact of Global Change to Socioeconomic Development (4-5 October 2011)

Scientific board & Organization of the Conference

Antonio ARMELLINI

Counselor for International Affairs, Municipality of Venice

J. Cristophe BOUVIER

Director and Regional Representative for Europe, UNEP - United Nations

Environment Programme

Carlo CARRARO

Rector, Ca’ Foscari University, Venice

Paolo CESCON

President, CORILA - Research Lagoon Consortium, Venice

Renata CODELLO

Superintendent for Architectural Heritage and Landscape of Venice and Lagoon

Ignazio MUSU

President, VIU TEN Center - Venice International University Thematic Environmental

Networks Center; Professor of Economics and Environmental Economics,

Ca’ Foscari University, Venice

Antonio PARUZZOLO

Councilor for Productive Activities, Municipality of Venice

Walter SANTAGATA

Professor of Cultural Economy, Faculty of Political Sciences, University of Turin

Tom SPENCER

Reader in Coastal Ecology and Geomorphology, Department of Geography,

University of Cambridge

Fabio TRINCARDI

Director, ISMAR-CNR - Institute of Marine Sciences of the National

Research Council

Jan VAN DER BORG

Associated Professor of Economics of Tourism, Ca’ Foscari University, Venice

Support for the Conference is given by:

Francesco BANDARIN UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Culture

Gretchen KALONJI UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Natural Sciences

Conference Organizers:

UNESCO Venice Office in cooperation with the Municipality of Venice, with the

further support of Venice International University, COSES and Ca’ Foscari University

Objectives of the Conference

The urban ecosystem of Venice and its Lagoon is among

the most studied urban and environmental systems in

the world. However, many experts recognize that there is

still a need to make the available knowledge more

accessible to stakeholders and to the public in general,

as well as to be more easily applied in the decision-

making processes.

Acting as neutral broker and facilitator, UNESCO Venice

Office has mobilized expertise in the interdisciplinary fields

of science and culture. The Conference’s main aims are:

- Raising awareness on the cultural, socio-economic and

environmental impacts of global change on Venice and its

Lagoon and other urban eco-systems;

- Providing local authorities with sound scientific knowledge,

information and tools for the sustainable management of

Venice and its Lagoon;

- Contributing to the elaboration of holistic and

interdisciplinary approaches for the development of urban

eco-systems affected by global change phenomena;

- Creating better visibility of Venice and its Lagoon, as well

as other World Heritages sites and Biosphere Reserves, as

possible models for sustainable development worldwide;

- Identifying prospective scenarios for the future(s) of

Venice and recommendations for its cultural, social and

economic development..

Patronage

In collaboration with

RAI Sede Regionale per il Veneto

PatronageMinistry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of the Environment and

Territory and Sea, Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities, Veneto Region, Province of Venice

In collaboration with Venice International University (VIU)

With the financial support of

the Italian Government

© European Space Agency - An image of Venice, Italy, from Space captured by CNES’s Spot-4 satellite.

in 1969 the “Venice Report”, reflecting the current situation

of the city and its Lagoon. In 1973, UNESCO opened an

office in Venice, which over the years has become a

center for intellectual debate and remains an emblem of

the city’s international significance. Since then, we have

been working diligently through a number of projects with

our partners to safeguard the city and its lagoon. This

conference is a continuation of our ongoing efforts and

represents a culmination of the preparatory work that

has been undertaken with local stakeholders to lay the

foundation for a sustainable future for Venice and its

Lagoon.

To the best of our knowledge, this conference is the first

attempt to address the future of Venice and its Lagoon

in such a holistic, interdisciplinary way. Therefore I am

pleased to personally welcome you to this important

event that will help form a basis for the sounvaking and

management of the Venice and its Lagoon World Heritage

Site.

Engelbert Ruoss

Director of UNESCO Venice Office

I wish to thank the Venice Municipality for the co-

organization of this conference, which also enjoys the

patronage and support of the Italian Ministry of Foreign

Affairs, the Ministry of the Environment and Territory and

Sea, the Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities, the

Veneto Region, and the Province of Venice.

The increasingly fragile social and human fabric of Venice

requires our urgent attention. We need precisely this

kind of informed debate between experts, researchers,

practitioners, civil society and decision-makers to

strengthen our overall efforts. Together, we can lay the

foundations for a more sustainable future for Venice and

its Lagoon.

Irina Bokova

Director-General of UNESCO

UNESCO has worked for more than forty years to preserve these for the good of

the local community and for the benefit of future generations across the world

–- starting with the launch of our International Campaign for the Safeguarding of

Venice after the floods of November 1966.

Today, the City of Venice and its lagoon are jewels in the crown of UNESCO’s World

Heritage Convention. But they are facing tremendous challenges -- from the impacts

of climate change and sea-level rise, from the pressures of mass-tourism and the

dramatic decline of resident population, from the rise of urban maintenance costs

and the contraction of public funding.

This is the backdrop for this international conference organized by UNESCO on the

future of Venice and its lagoon in the context of global change. This is also the

context for UNESCO’s support to the Venice Municipality in preparing a management

plan of the site with all relevant actors. We must place the safeguarding and

sustainable development of the City and its lagoon within a broad process of

reflection on the city’s future, encompassing cultural dimensions, the natural

sciences, as well as social and economic issues.

Venice is unique, but it mirrors many issues that can be found in other historic

cities. I have no doubt the conclusions of this conference will be relevant for other

locations in the world, especially in the Mediterranean region.

The unique history and position of this city and its lagoon is a prime example of the

ceaseless dialogue between man and nature, society and biosphere. Captured in

this delicate and vulnerable position between land and water, sea and stone, Venice

and its Lagoon are greatly affected by the global changes that are straining the

use of our natural resources and endangering the longevity of our shared cultural

heritage and our ability to maintain our present livelihoods. The World Heritage

site is rapidly approaching its tipping point – but what comes next will be directly

determined by the actions taken (or not taken) in the immediate future.

Venice has the potential to serve as an example of sustainability, continuously

adapting to the stimuli around it and reinterpreting itself to tackle the new

challenges that will arise. It has the potential to not only survive the various global

changes that are affecting it, but to capitalize on and leverage its unique resources

to thrive in the midst of these phenomena and potentially become a model for other

similar sites the world over.

The purpose of the International Conference The Future of Venice and its Lagoon in

the Context of Global Change is to offer a neutral platform to explore how Venice

is and could be coping with the challenges facing the world today; to share new

ideas and approaches that may offer possible solutions for the future of Venice and

its Lagoon; and to help develop a series of recommendations for its socio-cultural,

economic and environmental sustainability.

UNESCO has long been committed to the future of Venice - after the devastating

floods in 1966 UNESCO coordinated the restoration of key monuments and published

Foreword by

Irina BokovaDirector-General of UNESCO

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Welcome from

Engelbert RuossDirector of UNESCO Venice Office

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Venice enjoys an exceptional historical and living heritage

Venice is a melting pot of culture and nature

Sunday, 13 November 2011

Monday, 14 November 2011

Aula Magna, Venice International University

San Servolo Island

(Registration required)

09:00 - 10:00 Registration of participants10:00 - 13:00 WELCOMING ADDRESSES

Irina BOKOVA UNESCO Director-General Renato BRUNETTA Minister for Public Administration and Innovation, Italy Raffaele SPERANZON Councilor for Culture, Province of VeniceGiovanni PUGLISI President, Italian National Commission for UNESCOIlan CHET Deputy Secretary-General, Secretariat of the Union for the Mediterranean Giorgio ORSONI Mayor of Venice

11:00 - 13:00 KEY NOTE PRESENTATIONS Charles LANDRY Founder of Comedia, Urbanist and International Authority on Creativity and the Future of Cities Re-imagining Venice as a Global Role Model: Between Chaos and Continuity Frédéric PIERRET Executive Director, UNWTO - UN World Tourism Organization Tourism and Culture: a Challenging Relationship Robert FRANCE Associated Professor of Watershed Management, NSAC/Dalhousie University, Author of “Veniceland Atlantis” Veniceland Atlantis: A Bleak Future or a Regenerative Landscape Design Success Story? Development Process of the Management Plan for the World Heritage Site of Venice and its Lagoon Giorgio DE VETTOR - Katia BASILI Municipality of Venice

13:00 - 14:00 Lunch break(buffet lunch is foreseen for registered participants)

14:00 - 16:00 INTERNATIONAL PANEL DISCUSSION: CHALLENGES OF GLOBAL CHANGES IN A LOCAL CONTEXT ChairFrancesco BANDARIN UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Culture International Panel Remy PRUD’HOMME Professor Emeritus of Urban Economics, Université Paris XII Possible Solutions for the Economic Challenges of Venice Eric WOLANSKI Professor, Australian Institute for Marine Sciences and James Cook University Recovering Lagoon Ecosytems from the Impacts of Climate Change Bénédicte SELFSLAGH Secretary General, ICOMOS - International Council on Monuments and SitesOpportunities and Limitations for the Revitalization of World Heritage Michael DONOVAN Urban Specialist and Lead Author of the OECD Metropolitan Review of Venice Key Findings from the OECD Metropolitan Review of Venice Jonathan TOURTELLOT Geotourism Editor, National Geographic Traveler The Tourism Challenge

09:00 - 10:00 KEY NOTE PRESENTATIONS TO THE PARALLEL SESSIONS Chair Engelbert RUOSS Director, UNESCO Venice Office Key Note Speakers Pier VELLINGA Professor in Climate Change, Centre for Water and Climate, Wageningen University Climate Change and Sea Level Rise, Implications for Venice and its Lagoon Adriana VIGNERI Professor of Public Law and Former Undersecretary of Home Affairs The Governance of a Complex Area: Venice and its Lagoon Gail Dexter LORD Co-President, Lord Cultural Resources Enabling the Revitalization of Historic Cities

10:00 - 11:00 RESULTS OF UNESCO PREPARATORY WORKSHOPS AND THETYS CONFERENCE Georg UMGIESSER Senior Scientist, ISMAR-CNR - Institute of Marine Sciences of the National Research Council, Venice (Sea Level Rise Scenarios)DAVIDE TAGLIAPIETRA Researcher, ISMAR-CNR (Climate Change)Jan VAN DER BORG Professor of Economics of Tourism, Ca’ Foscari University, Venice (Culture and Development)Bruno BERNARDI President, COSES - Consortium for Research and Educational Training, Venice (Socio-Economic Development) THETIS Venice Conference - Improving the Capacity to Assess and to Adapt to Climate Change in Urban Coastal Regions, 12-15 September 2001

11:00 - 11:30 Coffee Break

11:30 - 18:00 THREE PARALLEL SESSIONSAbstracts of submitted papers are available at: www.unesco.org/venice/thefutureofvenice (Lunch Break 13:00-14:00, Coffee Break 16:00-16.30)

SESSION 1 Responses of the urban ecosystem to the challenges of climate change

A.

Chair Tom SPENCER Reader in Coastal Ecology and Geomorphology, Department of Geography, University of Cambridge Introductory Overview of Recent Environmental Research

Rapporteurs Philippe PYPAERT Programme Specialist, UNESCO Venice OfficeGeorg UMGIESSER Senior Scientist, ISMAR -CNR Venice Ivan VALIELA Senior Research Scientist, The Ecosystems Center, Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, USA Chronic and acute sea level changes in the Northern Adriatic Sea and Venice Lagoon Stefan RAHMSTORF Senior Scientist, Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact ResearchGlobal Sea-level Rise: Past and Future

Marco CORDELLA, Franco CROSATO ISPRA - Institute for Environmental Protection and Research, Venice2010, A Memorable Year: The Exceptional Growth of the Mean Sea Level Rise in Venice and the Northern Adriatic Sea (submitted paper)

Georg UMGIESSER (1), L. ZAMPATO (2), M. BAJO (1) and P. CANESTRELLI (2) (1) ISMAR-CNR - Institute of Marine Sciences of the National Research Council, Venice (2) ICPSM - Tidal Forecasting and Early Warning Centre, Venice Municipality Storm Surge Modelling in Venice: Two Years of Operational Results (submitted pape)

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© S. Blaze - Rialto Bridge

© Radomil - Saint Mark’s square

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Impact of Climate Change on the lagoon ecosystem and hydrodynamics Ivan VALIELA Senior Research Scientist, The Ecosystems Center, Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, USAPerspectives on Ecology and Management of Venice Lagoon and its Watershed: Challenges by Long-term Changes in Land-sea Couplings and Climate Robert MCINNES, Scientific and Technical Review Panel Expert, Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, RM Wetlands & Environment LtdUrbanisation, Wetlands and the Ramsar Convention Silvia TORRESAN (1,2), Antonio MARCOMINI (2,3), Andrea CRITTO (2,3), Jonathan RIZZI (1,2), Alex ZABEO (1,2), Valentina GALLINA (2) and Silvio GIOVE (4) (1) CVR - Venice Research Consortium (2) CMCC - Euro-Mediterranean Centre for Climate Change, Impacts on Soil and Coast Division c/o Venice Research Consortium (3) Department of Environmental Sciences, University Ca’ Foscari, Venice (4) Department of Applied Mathematics, University Ca’ Foscari, Venice Assessing the Impacts of Global Climate Change on Coastal and Lagoon Systems: the Case Study of the North Adriatic Sea (submitted paper) Luigi D’ALPAOS Professor, Department of Hydraulic Engineering, University of Padua Erosion Processes in the Venice Lagoon and Possible Countermeasures Consequences of climate change: impacts and the ecosystem response for urban development Giampietro MAJERLE Vice-President, Venice Water Authority How to Manage Human Impact on the Lagoon Ecosystem Stefania MUNARETTO IVM - Institute for Environmental Studies, VU University Amsterdam and Judith E. M. KLOSTERMANN Alterra - Wageningen University A Comparative Case Study of the Venice Lagoon and the Dutch Wadden Sea (submitted paper) Panel discussion ModeratorGünter KŐCK Project Leader, Austrian Academy of Sciences and UNESCO Venice Office Scientific Council Member Pierpaolo CAMPOSTRINI Director, CORILA - Research Lagoon Consortium, VeniceFabio TRINCARDI Director, ISMAR-CNR - Institute of Marine Sciences of the National Research CouncilPier VELLINGA Professor in Climate Change, Wageningen University, Centre for Water and Climate Eric WOLANSKI Professor, Australian Institute of Marine Science and James Cook University

et al.

SESSION 2 Impact of global change on socio-economic development

A.

Chair Michael DONOVAN Urban Specialist and Lead Author of the OECD Metropolitan Review of Venice Rapporteurs Mario SCALET Head of Science Unit, UNESCO Venice OfficeBruno BERNARDI President, COSES - Consortium for Research and Educational Training, Venice Transformation process to a future green city Shpresa HALIMI Research Assistant Professor, Institute for Sustainable Solutions, Portland State UniversityManage Global Change Trends

Ignazio MUSU Professor of Economics and Environmental Economics, Ca’ Foscari University, VeniceEconomic Paradigms and Challenges for Urban Sustainable Development: the Venice Case

Pier Carlo SANDEI Programme Officer, UNEP- United Nations Environment Programme, Regional Office for Europe - Vienna OfficeGreen Economy Opportunities for Venice and its Lagoon

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Andrea RINALDO Professor, Department of Hydraulic Engineering, University of Padua Impact of the Lagoon Hydrology on the Lagoon Economy

Bottlenecks for economic growth of coastal cities Tiedo VELLINGA Director, Environmental Monitoring Maasvlakte 2, Port of Rotterdam AuthorityPort of Rotterdam Development and Climate Change Adaptation Francesco SBETTI Urbanist, INU - National Institute for Urban Planning and University of Ferrara Venice and its Development: Socio-economic Characteristics and Limitations Dominic STANDISH University of Iowa, Consortium of UniversitiesA Social Understanding of Venice’s Problems and Development (submitted paper) Andrea RAZZINI Managing Director, VERITAS SpA, Venice Local Public Utilities and the city of Venice Social and economic opportunities in Venice Michele VIANELLO Director General, VEGA - Science & Technology Park, VeniceVEGA 2030: Innovation Strategy Changes Venice Paolo MOTTA (CIVVIH - International Committee on Historic Towns and Villlages), Andrea SILIPO (Europrogetti & Finanza), Davide VIGANO’ (Arcotecnica Group) and Paolo VIOLA (ARTEVA), Returning to Venice’s Identity (submitted paper) Nicola TOLLIN Research and Knowledge Transfer Fellow, Bradford Centre for Sustainable Environment, University of BradfordMarghera: Scenarios for a Green Development (submitted paper) Panel discussion ModeratorAntonio PARUZZOLO Councilor for Productive Activities, Municipality of Venice Lidia FERSUOCH President, Venice Section Italia Nostra Remy PRUD’HOMME Professor Emeritus of Urban Economics, Université Paris XIIJonathan TOURTELLOT Geotourism Editor, National Geographic Traveller

et al.

SESSION 3 Culture and Development: from Restoration to Revitalization?

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Chair Anna SOMERS COCKS Chairman, The Venice in Peril Fund Rapporteurs Anthony KRAUSE Head of Culture Unit, UNESCO Venice OfficeFabio CARRERA Worcester Polytechnic InstituteJan VAN DER BORG Associated Professor of Economics of Tourism, Ca’ Foscari University, Venice

Quality of experience and sustainable tourism: The future enjoyment of Venetian cultural heritage

Jan VAN DER BORG Professor of Economics of Tourism, Ca’ Foscari University, VeniceTourism Management Systems and their Possible Applications in Venice Sara LEVI SACERDOTTI Project Manager, SiTI – Istituto Superiore sui Sistemi Territoriali per l’Innovazione, Turin Visitor Management: Best Practices and New Possible Scenarios

Fabio CARRERA Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Emanuele DAL CARO TooTs srl, Angelo MARZOLLO University of Udine Embracing the Tourism Monoculture to Forge a New Economy in Venice (submitted paper) Pier Luigi SACCO Dean, Faculty of Arts, Markets and Heritage, IULM University, MilanVenice as a Creative City: An Alternative Development Strategy

© Tango7174 - Panorama from the top of the San Giorgio Maggiore Basilica’s campanile

09:30 - 11:00 SESSION ON LAGOON AND COASTAL CITIES WORLDWIDE Chair Brian SMITH Secretary-General, Heritage Europe Speakers Harjit ANAND Co-President, EuroIndia Centre and Chairman Glownet Knowledge ServicesEffects of Tsunami on the Andaman Nicobar Islands & Coastal Orissa: Model for Environmental Sustainability Abdalah MOKSSIT Director, National Meteorological Research Centre of Morocco, Direction de la Météorologie Nationale The Effects of Global Change Phenomena on Moroccan Coastal Cities Siro POLO PADOLECCHIA DA PONTE President, Euro-China and Marco Polo Society The Creative City Experience in Hangzhou West Lake China Karin WESTERINK Head Monuments Department, Office of Monuments and Archaeology, Municipality of Amsterdam Amsterdam Waterproof: Strategies for a Sustainable Heritage City

11:00 - 11:30 Coffee Break

11:30 - 13:00 PANEL DISCUSSION ON UNESCO DESIGNATED SITES IN SOUTH EAST EUROPE AND THE MEDITERRANEAN ModeratorErnst ITEN Former Swiss National Commission for UNESCO and UNESCO Venice Office Scientific Council Member Branislav MIČUNOVIC Minister of Culture, MontenegroSuzana TURKU Deputy Minister of Tourism, Culture, Youth and Sports, Albania Andro VLAHUŠIĆ Mayor of the city of Dubrovnik, CroatiaRepresentative from the General Directorate of Cultural Assets and Museums, Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Turkey

13:00 - 14:30 Lunch Break

14:30 - 15:30 PRESENTATION OF REPORTS ON THE PARALLEL SESSIONS AND DISCUSSION Rapporteurs and chairs present the reports of parallel sessions

15:30 – 16:30 PANEL DISCUSSION WITH REPRESENTATIVES OF VENETIAN AUTHORITIES AND INSTITUTIONS ModeratorAntonio ARMELLINI Councilor for International Affairs, Municipality of Venice

16:30 – 17:30 CLOSING SESSION General conclusions of the conference Giorgio ORSONI Mayor of Venice Press conference

Tuesday, 15 November 2011

Aula Magna, Venice International University

San Servolo Island

(Registration required)

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Cultural Heritage Management Giorgio GIANIGHIAN Professor, IUAV University, VeniceWater Levels and the Urban Fabric of Venice – Types and Causes of Degradation (submitted paper) Gianmatteo CAPUTO Curia Patriarcale di Venezia Re-utilization of Church Property Claudio MENICHELLI Chief Architect Coordinator, Superintendency for Architectural Heritage and Landscape of Venice and LagoonProtection and Enhancement of Cultural Heritage and Landscape Creating a vibrant cultural city Isabella CAMPAGNOL Curator, Historical Collection and Projects, Rubelli S.p.A. Between Tradition and Innovation: the Rubelli Historical Collection and Archives as Source of Inspiration and creativity Antonio RIGON General Manager, Polymnia Venezia, Auxiliary Agency of the Fondazione di VeneziaFondazione di Venezia: an Instrument for the Development of the Venetian Area Massimo ONGARO Responsible for the organization of Dance, Music and Theatre, Biennale di Venezia The Future of Cultural Diversity in the Venice Biennale Panel discussion Moderator Marino FOLIN President Venezia 2000 Umberto MARCELLO DEL MAJNO President, Association of International Private Committees for the Safeguarding of Venice Walter SANTAGATA Faculty of Political Sciences, University of Turin

et al.

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© Tiseb - Pax Tibi Marce Evangelista Meus

© Tiseb - San Giorgio Maggiore

Biography

Harjit S. ANAND

Isabella CAMPAGNOL

Luigi D’ALPAOS

Michael DONOVAN

Robert FRANCE

Shpresa HALIMI

Charles LANDRY

Sara LEVI SACERDOTTI

Gail Dexter LORD

Robert MCINNES

Claudio MENICHELLI

Abdalah MOKSSIT

Ignazio MUSU

Frédéric PIERRET

Siro POLO PADOLECCHIA DA PONTE

Remy PRUD’HOMME

Stefan RAHMSTORF

Andrea RAZZINI

Antonio RIGON

Pier Luigi SACCO

Pier Carlo SANDEI

Francesco SBETTI

Bénédicte SELFSLAGH

Brian SMITH

Anna SOMERS COCKS

Tom SPENCER

Jonathan TOURTELLOT

Ivan VALIELA

Jan VAN DER BORG

Pier VELLINGA

Tiedo VELLINGA

Michele VIANELLO

Adriana VIGNERI

Karin WESTERINK

Eric WOLANSKI

Responses of the urban ecosystem to the challenges of climate change

One of the key impacts of climate change identified for Venice and its Lagoon, as well as for the Adriatic

Sea at large, is a dramatic increase of the sea level within the current century. In order to avoid potential

disasters caused by “high water”, the Italian authorities have authorized the construction of an underwater

barrier system, referred to as the MOSE Project. This system should help Venice and its Lagoon avoid extreme

flooding and high waters as soon as 2014. The continued existence of Venice and the preservation of its cultural

heritage are highly connected to the aqua alta flooding phenomenon; however, other natural hazards as well

as this artificial barrier will result in considerable changes within the Lagoon eco-system, all of which are

highly unpredictable. Furthermore, the impact of the industrial and agricultural activities, as well as hydrological

changes in the surrounding area increases the uncertainty of the future quality of the Lagoon’s ecosystem.

A better understanding of the vulnerability of Lagoon, based on the climate change scenarios at local level

as well as the ecosystem response to global change mechanisms, could help to better define the limits and

opportunities of the development of Venice and of the proposed plan for a Regional City. The knowledge of

these interactions within an urban Lagoon eco-system will enhance the chances for a series of coastal cities

worldwide to be better prepared for natural hazards and a changed environment.

Impact of global change on socio-economic development

The socio-economic development of Venice has recently reached a critical level, requiring strategic decisions be

soon taken in order to avoid the slow deterioration of the city’s cultural heritage and society. The development

and changes in the city’s population, transportation, industry, trade, services, tourism, agriculture, and fisheries

in the Lagoon, as well as in the surrounding area, are all densely interlinked – balancing these aspects is

essential for preserving the quality of life for residents and for protecting the environment. Facing global

change mechanisms means the socio-economic system must adapt within this highly vulnerable and complex

ecosystem context. The Port of Venice, the Marghera industrial site, the Vega Science Park and the Arsenale are

“mega” enterprises within the context of a planned ”city region” concept, which could easily overload the current

carrying capacities of the cultural and natural heritage of Venice and the Lagoon. Science is called upon to shed

light onto how to best manage and adapt to these global change trends, and to provide a source of guidance for

the local decision-making processes necessary for safeguarding Venice and its Lagoon.

Culture and development: from restoration to revitalization?

Culture plays a vital role in harnessing creativity for economic and social development. Cultural innovation

also contributes to a city’s social fabric, and helps to strengthen a sense of shared identity. While addressing

transversal global issues (tourism, governance, cultural and social transformations), this session would like

to shed some light on the possible future(s) of the City of Venice, in particular concerning the restoration

and re-utilization of its cultural heritage (how to better impact economic, social and human development),

the enhancement of sustainable and quality tourism (how to maximize the positive impact of tourism and

minimize its counter-effects in a historic city), the safeguarding of a living heritage (how to sustain the viability

of intangible cultural heritage) and the making of a creative city (building a dynamic and innovative cultural

sector). Important urban rehabilitation projects offer today a new opportunity to re-think the main social and

cultural purposes of historical preservation, from a point of view of the city’s future development. Meanwhile,

the current demographic trends and social transformations, combined with the unique resources of Venice as

a potential hub for cultural innovation, pose an unprecedented challenge for the emergence of a new “creative

city”. Leveraging on its cultural added values, can Venice gain and maintain a competitive edge in the global

arena?

Session 1

Session 2

Session 3

© M. Silvestri - High waters

© The Sign Painter - Island of Sant’Erasmo, Venetian Lagoon

© Speakers’ photographs

© Aqualta 2060, JDS Architects - Venice

Robert L. France is an Associate Professor of Watershed Management in the Department of

Environmental Sciences at NSAC/Dalhousie University. He is also the editor of the CRC Press

series Integrative Studies in Water Management and Land Development and has published

over 200 journal articles and authored/edited 15 books on various aspects of water mana-

gement, landscape architecture, land-use planning, and environmental theory, including Lan-

dscape Restoration Design for Recreation and Ecotourism (2011), Restorative Redevelopment

of Devastated Ecocultural Landscapes (2010), as well as two books about Venice, where he

lived and taught for 3 summers : Veniceland Atlantis: The Bleak Future of the World’s Favorite

City (2011) and Handbook of Regenerative Landscape Design (2008). He is also involved in

many international planning projects, including most recently work in Abu Dhabi and Taiwan.

Robert France has just been appointed to the 12-member Water Partner Advisory Committee

for the Canadian Federation Water Stewardship Council.

Shpresa Halimi is an Assistant Research Professor and a Fellow of the Institute for Sustainable

Solutions at Portland State University in Portland, Oregon, USA. She holds degrees from

University of Tirana, Indiana University and Portland State University. Her research interests

include multilevel environmental governance; community based environmental management

and environmental, economic and social sustainability. Halimi has a broad based experience

in program management, teaching, research, training and consulting, working with

institutions of higher education, government organizations, NGOs and community groups in

the USA, South East Europe and South East Asia. Over the last two years she has studied

the impact of the global change on environmental, economic and social development of Hoi

Anh, Vietnam – a coastal city and UNESCO World Heritage Site facing challenges similar to

those of Venice, Italy. She has worked with government officials, UN agencies and community

groups to develop whole-system solutions for the city of Hoi Anh as it embarks upon a new

initiative of becoming the first eco-city in Vietnam.

Charles Landry developed the concept of the ‘creative city’. Its central idea is how cities

in transformation can think, plan and act with more imagination in order to address the

dramatic changes happening around them. Working closely with decision makers and local

leaders and acting as a critical friend, Landry helps cities, such as Venice, transform their

thinking so that they reassess their potential and can plan their future with greater purpose

and originality. He assesses the interplay and the impacts of deeper global trends and

attempts to ground these in practical initiatives. He is an authority on creativity and its uses

and how city futures are shaped by paying attention to the culture of a place. His highly

acclaimed book The Art of City Making focuses on how cities can be more creative for the

world, so that the energies of individuals and companies can be brought into alignment with

their global responsibilities.

Sara Levi Sacerdotti graduated in Political Sciences in Turin and holds a Master in Public

Policy Analysis. For five years she has been working as a project manager for SiTI – Istituto

Superiore sui Sistemi Territorali per l’Innovazione, a non-profit association set up in 2002 by

the Politecnico di Torino and the Compagnia di San Paolo to carry out research and training

oriented towards innovation and socio-economic growth. In this function she was responsible

for the ‘Visitor Management’ project (2007-2010), within the Piemonte Region Tourism

Strategic Plan 2006-2009. ‘Visitor management’ combines three components of tourism

policies: Accessibility, Hospitality and Information. The project consisted in an integrated

analysis research with evaluation. Through the analysis of tourist expectations, evaluating

impacts and venue management, ‘visitor management’ addresses administration policies and

processes to provide a high quality visitor’s experience, to protect the environment and to

maintain adequate profitability.

Isabella Campagnol is an art historian who has worked for several museums and cultural

institutions cataloguing and studying their textile collections. She has taught Dress and

Textile history at the universities of Udine and Padua. Currently, she holds the position of

Curator of the Rubelli historical collection and archives while continuing to lecture and to

publish essays on textile and dress history in Italy and abroad.

Robert McInnes is an independent Chartered Environmentalist with 20 years experience

in wetland-related environmental reseach, consultancy and conservation. He possesses

specialized knowledge of wetland ecosystems and in particular understanding the wider

ecosystem services provided to human society by wetlands. Rob is currently Task Lead on

Urban Wetlands and an active member of the Wetland Restoration for the Ramsar Scientific

and Technical Review Panel (STRP). Recent work undertaken includes wetland-related

projects on behalf of Ramsar, UNDP and UN-HABITAT in Kenya, South Africa, Russia, Japan

and the USA. He is currently developing a strategy for UN-HABITAT on urban biodiversity,

ecosystem services and wetlands-based adaptation in cities. Venice, with the pressures of

urbanisation and climate change, and a contiguous internationally important Wetland site,

represents a microcosm of broader environmental issues which the Ramsar Convention is

seeking to address through the development of guidance and best practice case studies.

Luigi D’Alpaos is civil engineer and full professor of Hydrodynamics at the University of

Padua. He is an expert in the mathematical modeling of shallow water flows and his

research activity has been mainly focused on the hydraulics of fluvial and tidal systems.

In particular, he has brought important scientific contributions in the fields of tidal

hydrodynamics and morphodynamics, with particular reference to the problems concerning

the Lagoon of Venice.

Michael G. Donovan, Ph.D., served as the coordinator and lead author of the OECD

(Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development) Metropolitan Review of

Venice. He has co-authored seven other Metropolitan Review studies (Cape Town, Chicago,

Chihuahua, Copenhagen, Guangdong, Johannesburg, Toronto), Cities and Climate Change,

and national urban policy reviews of South Korea and Brazil. His work with OECD countries

is complemented by over 15 years of experience in developing countries, particularly in

the fields of housing, human rights, and land reform. Donovan has held visiting researcher

positions in Brazil, Colombia, Ghana and Vietnam and his work has been translated into

eight languages. Currently he is an Advisor at the Office of Policy at the United States

Agency for International Development (USAID) in Washington, D.C. He holds a Ph.D. from the

Department of City and Regional Planning at the University of California, Berkeley, a Master

of City Planning (MCP) from M.I.T., and a BA in economics from the University of Notre Dame.

Gail Dexter Lord is Co-President of Lord Cultural Resources Planning and Management Inc.,

which she co-founded in 1981 with her husband Barry Lord. With a network of offices in

Toronto, New York, Paris, Beijing, Cairo, Beirut and Mumbai, Lord Cultural Resources has

grown to become the largest cultural planning firm in the world having completed over

1,850 cultural planning and management projects in 48 countries and on 6 continents. With

over 30 years of experience in the arts and cultural sector, Dexter Lord brings exceptional

vision and knowledge to each of the projects she leads. She is committed to assisting

institutions, communities, and their leaders worldwide develop their cultural resources.

Currently she serves on the Creative Capital Commission for the City of Toronto. She has

been instrumental in developing museum planning, having co-authored with Barry Lord five

museum planning manuals that have been published in English, Spanish, Russian, Chinese

and Georgian. Their latest book, Artists, Patrons, and the Public: Why Culture Changes (2010)

focuses on the dynamism of culture in the world today.

Harjit S. Anand is currently Co-President of the EuroIndia Centre and Chairman of Glownet

Knowledge Services Plc. As former Secretary to the Indian Ministry of Housing & Urban

Poverty Alleviation, he has managed India’s National Urban Housing & Habitat Policy. He

was also leader of a interdisciplinary team for the implementation of the Jawaharlal Nehru

National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM), a programme for urban renewal with a strong

emphasis on environmental sustainability. He has been member of the International Labor

Organization (ILO) team for assessing the damage caused by the tsunami in the coastal

regions of Orissa and assisting in relief operations. Anand has developed the Environmentally

Sustainability City Index (ESCI) that constitutes the basis for Environmental Sustainable City

Awards (ESCA) instituted by the EuroIndia Centre. The first ESCA Award has been presented

in October 2011 at the 5th EuroIndia Summit on “Smart, Sustainable and Innovative Cities” at

Leuven, Belgium. Anand is deeply involved in environmental issues faced by regions subject

to land immersion caused by sea level rise.

Isabella CAMPAGNOL

Harjit S. ANAND

Charles LANDRY Sara LEVI SACERDOTTILuigi D’ALPAOS

Michael DONOVAN Gail Dexter LORD Robert MCINNESRobert FRANCE

Shpresa HALIMISpeakers Speakers

Andrea RAZZINIStefan RAHMSTORF

Siro POLO PADOLECCHIA DA PONTE

Siro Polo Padolecchia da Ponte is Former Member of the Italian Diplomatic Service with

Ambassador rank. He has also served as UN Assistant Secretary General and Special Envoy

in China, South-East Asia and other countries at risk. Currently he is President of the Euro-

China Group, sponsored by the United Nations and the European Union.

Ignazio Musu is Full Professor of Economics and Environmental Economics at the Ca’ Foscari

University, Venice. He is also President of the TEN (Thematic Environmental Networks) Centre

at the Venice International University. He has been visiting Professor of Macroeconomics at

the Deakin University, Melbourne, Australia and of Environmental Resource Economics at the

John Hopkins University, Bologna Center. His former positions include: Dean of the Venice

International University (1999-2005); Vice-President of the Italian Economic Association

(1998-2001); Member of the Academic Senate (1993-1999) and Dean of the Department

of Economics (1980-1986) at the Ca’ Foscari University, Venice; and Vice-President of the

European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists (1990-1993). Musu is

a member of the Advisory Board of the Ca’ Foscari University, a member of the Italian

Academies Accademia dei Lincei and Istituto per le Scienze, Lettere ed Arti , as well as a

member of the Advisory Board of the Bank of Italy.

Frédéric Pierret is currently Executive Director at the World Tourism Organization, a

UN Agency dedicated to tourism based in Madrid, Spain. Before joining UNWTO, he

was the Director of Tourism in the French Tourism Administration, where he oversaw

projects including: development of cultural tourism products; creating new standards for

accommodation, tourism municipalities and tourism air transportation; developing, promoting

and implementing a new system of quality standards in tourism services; reforming

legislation on town planning of mountain tourism resorts. In parallel to this position,

Pierret was also Chairman of the UNWTO Working Group on Risk Assessment and Crisis

Management. From 2007 to 2009, he worked as a UNWTO consultant for the preparation

of an assessment system for tourism destinations and, in parallel, designed new electronic

tools for destination promotion. Between 1984 and 2004 he served at the French Interior

Ministry in various General Secretary posts, including work in the South of France to improve

tourism development and management of culture sites and town planning.

After studying physics at the Universities of Ulm and Konstanz and physical oceanography at the University of Wales (Bangor), Stefan Rahmstorf obtained a PhD in oceanography at the Victoria University of Wellington, Australia. Subsequently he worked as a scientist at the New Zealand Oceanographic Institute, at the Institute of Marine Science in Kiel, and since 1996 at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, where his work focuses on the role of ocean currents in climate change. In 1999, Rahmstorf was awarded the $ 1 million Centennial Fellowship Award of the US-based James S. McDonnell foundation. Since 2000 he has been a Professor of Physics of the Oceans at the Potsdam University. Rahmstorf is a member of the Academia Europaea and of the German Advisory Council on Global Change (WBGU). He is also one of the lead authors of the 4th Assessment Report of the IPCC. In 2007 he became an Honorary Fellow of the University of Wales and in 2010 a Fellow of the American Geophysical Union. He has published over 60 scientific papers and co-authored three books, among which are Our Threatened Oceans (2009, with K. Richardson) and The Climate Crisis (2010, with David Teacher).

Andrea Razzini graduated in Law and holds since October 2005 the position of General

Manager and Managing Director of the environmental multi-utilities company Veritas S.p.A.

(formerly Vesta S.p.A.), controlled by the Municipality of Venice and the 40 municipalities

belonging to the optimum territorial fields of reference. From 2003 to 2004 he worked

for Venezia Terminal Passeggeri S.p.A., first as Managing Director and subsequently as

General Manager, when he participated in the elaboration of the national project of the Rete

Autostrade Mediterranee S.p.A. From 1996 to 2004 he was Secretary General of the Venice

Port Authority ensuring the complete achievement of the objectives prescribed by the legal

reformation.

Frédéric PIERRET

Ignazio MUSU

Pier Luigi Sacco is Professor of Cultural Economics and Dean of the Faculty of Arts, Markets,

and Heritage at the IULM University of Milan. He teaches also Creative Industries at the

University of Italian Switzerland (USI), Lugano. Sacco holds a PhD in economics from the

European University Institute. He writes for Il Sole 24 Ore, Saturno and Flash Art. He is

Director of the Siena 2019 ECOC - European Capitals of Culture bid, President of the Cultural

Observatory of the Marche Region, as well as Research Associate at the Semeion Research

Center, Rome. Sacco is author of more than one hundred papers on international journals

and is editor of books with the major scientific publishers on topics of economic theory,

game theory, cultural economics and cultural industries. He has extensively written on

culture-based development models for Venice and its lagoon.

Pier Luigi SACCO

Antonio Rigon is an economist and holds a Master Degree in Quantitative Evaluation Methods

from the George Washington University, Washington D.C. As current General Manager of

Polymnia Venezia srl and former Head of the planning and control department of the

Fondazione di Venezia, he participated in many research projects and is author and co-author

of several scientific publications. His professional activities are related to the quantitative

analysis of economic systems. As General Manager of Polymnia Venezia, Rigon is involved in

the development of M9, a revitalization project of the Venetian mainland aiming at creating

a cultural pole in the heart of Mestre. M9 seeks to re-establish and sustain an important part

of the identity of Venice, the one belonging to the 20th Century, by preserving and promoting

the most recent historical heritage of the city. Rigon is also in charge of the requalification

project of Palazzo dei Tre Oci, a historical palace of high cultural value situated on the

Giudecca island.

Antonio RIGON

Claudio Menichelli is an architect graduated from the IUAV University, Venice. Since 1980

he has been working for the Superintendency for Architectural Heritage and Landscape of

Venice and Lagoon, where he currently holds the position of Chief Architect Coordinator.

Among his many assignments he is responsible for the San Marco area and the Arsenale,

and has planned and directed numerous restoration projects at the Arsenale, San Marco

Basilica, Ducal Palace, Palazzo Grimani, Maddalena, San Giacono dell’Orio, San Fantin, San

Zan Degolà and Palazzo Pisani, among many others. From 1997 to 2009, in parallel to his

function as staff of the Superintendency, he lectured architectural restoration techniques

as well as restoration and conservation of historic building materials at the IUAV University.

Claudio MENICHELLI

Abdalah Mokssit is Civil Engineer graduated from the Ecole Nationale de Météorologie. Since

1997 he is Director of the National Meteorological Research Centre of Marocco under the

Direction de la Météorologie Nationale.

Currently he is the third Vice-President of the WMO - World Meteorological Organization. He

is Chairman of SACOM, Scientific Council of the ACMAD - African Centre of Meteorological

Application for Development (Council composed of 7 specialists in fields related to

disciplines of Meteorology and Climatology, as agriculture, water resource management,

health, economy). He is also Member of the Management Group of the Commission on

Atmospheric Sciences of the WMO - World Meteorological Organization.

Mokssit served as the Vice-President of the 2009 General Assembly of ALADIN Consortium

(comprising 14 European countries); he was Board Member and Vice-Chairman of the Group

1 of the IPCC - Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change in 2008; and in 2006 Chairman

of Action Group Open Forecasting and Climate Services Commission of Climatology of the

WMO.

Abdalah MOKSSIT

Remy PRUD’HOMME

Remy Prud’homme is an economist who has been teaching urban economics at the

University of Paris 12 and at MIT – Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He has also

worked at the OECD – Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development as Deputy

Director of the Environment Directorate; for the World Bank, as a frequent consultant; and for

UNESCO and its World Heritage Center. He spent his sabbatical year in Venice, Italy, and has

worked on topics relating to Venice for OECD, the Municipality of Venice, and the Consorzio

Venezia Nuova.

Speakers Speakers

Anna Somers Cocks (Mrs Umberto Allemandi) was educated at Oxford University and

Courtauld Institute, London University. From 1973 to 1987 she was Assistant Keeper at the

Victoria and Albert Museum. In 1987 she became Editor of Apollo Magazine and in 1990 she

founded The Art Newspaper for the Umberto Allemandi Publishing e Ltd. and was its Editor-

in-Chief until 2003, when she joined the board of the parent company, Umberto Allemandi

e C. as Group Editorial Director. Recently she became Executive Director of the Allemandi

publishing house. Since 1999 she has been Chairman of The Venice in Peril Fund, the British

charity for the safeguarding of Venice. She is Governor of the Courtauld Institute, a Trustee

of the Gilbert Collection and of the Cass Sculpture Foundation, as well as a member of the

Council of the Sotheby’s Institute. In 2004 she was made Commendatore of the Ordine della

Stella della Solidarietà Italiana, by the President of Italy. In 2006 she was the winner of the

Arts and Media - European Woman of Achievements Awards. In 2011 she received the title

“Officer of the British Empire” and was given an award for her advocacy by the International

Institute for Conservation (IIC).

Tom Spencer is a Reader in Coastal Ecology and Geomorphology at the University of

Cambridge and Director of the Cambridge Coastal Research Unit. He is author (with H.A.

Viles) of Coastal Problems: Geomorphology, Ecology and Society at the Coast and (with

O. Slaymaker) Physical Geography and Global Environmental Change. Research interests

include i) hydrodynamics, sedimentation and ecosystem function in tidal wetlands; ii) global

environmental change in coastal environments; and iii) scientifically-informed inputs to

shoreline management. In 2004 he was awarded the Royal Geographical Society of London’s

Murchison Award ‘in recognition of a body of publications on coastal geomorphology’. He has

been involved in the ‘Venice problem’ for over 10 years, in a range of projects and international

collaborations. In 2005 he edited (with C.A. Fletcher) Flooding and Environmental Challenges

for Venice and its Lagoon: State of Knowledge (Cambridge University Press).

Jonathan Tourtellot specializes in sustainable tourism and destination stewardship and

originated the concept of geotourism. He founded National Geographic’s Center for

Sustainable Destinations (CSD), where he instituted the Geotourism MapGuide Program,

notable for inviting the participation of destination residents, thus raising awareness of

distinctive local assets. He is primary author of the Geotourism Charter, a set of principles

adopted by various world destinations from Norway and Guatemala, to Portugal’s Douro

Valley and the city of Montreal. He helped the US Travel Association develop the 2002

study Geotourism: The New Trend in Travel, a landmark survey of American traveler behavior

and attitudes about issues of sustainability. He initiated and supervises the Destination

Stewardship surveys reported annually in the National Geographic Traveler magazine. A self-

taught geographer, Tourtellot has addressed numerous national and international groups,

including UNESCO, UNWTO and the World Travel and Tourism Council.

Ivan Valiela is a marine ecologist. He has published many papers on a wide range of subjects,

and dealt extensively with the diverse ecological and biogeochemical dimensions of the

couplings between land and coastal ecosystems, focusing on basic processes as well as

applied issues of the coastal zone in temperate and tropical latitudes. Coastal waters, lagoons,

salt marshes, and mangrove forests have been principal environments in his publications.

Valiela has taught courses in several countries, served on American and international boards,

and published books on marine ecological processes, global coastal change, and on the doing

of science. Valiela is Senior Research Scientist at The Ecosystems Center, Marine Biological

Laboratory in Woods Hole, Massachusetts, USA.

Jan van der Borg is a Professor in Applied Economics, with specializations in Cultural

Economics, Tourism Economics and Regional Economics, at the Ca’ Foscari University of

Venice and Senior Lecturer at the University of Rotterdam. Currently he is President of

the Master course in tourism of the University of Venice, Scientific Director of the MSc

in the Management of the European Metropolitan Region, and member of the Scientific

Committee of the Advanced School on Climate Change of the University of Venice. He has

directed and directs numerous academic and applied studies regarding tourism economics

for both the University of Rotterdam and Venice. Most of his more than 80 publications

concern the economic aspects of tourism in general, with special attention to cultural

tourism development and to the impact of tourism projects at a local and regional scale.

He is member of the Board of the EURopean Institute for Comparative Urban Research

(EURICUR), University of Rotterdam and has been a consultant for various public and

private (international) institutions. From 2001 to 2005 he was President of the Board of

Administration of Venice Cards SpA, the municipal company created to manage tourism

flows in the City of Venice.

Pier Vellinga is professor in Environmental Sciences and Climate Change at Wageningen

University Research and at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. Originally he specialized in Coastal

Engineering, contributing to the Deltaplan of the Netherlands. In 1987 he became an advisor

on Climate Change to the Dutch Environment Minister. In the same period he helped to shape

international climate policies and was one of the initiators and first bureau members of the

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. In 1991 he joined the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

as Professor in Environmental Sciences and as Director of the Institute for Environmental

Studies. Since 2007 he also holds a position at Wageningen University Research to lead

the National Climate Change Research programme: ‘Knowledge for Climate’. Pier Vellinga

is a board member of several research institutes and environmental organizations in the

Netherlands and abroad.

Tom SPENCER

Anna SOMERS COCKS Pier VELLINGAJan VAN DER BORG

Ivan VALIELAJonathan TOURTELLOT

Pier Carlo SANDEI

Pier Carlo Sandei is Programme Officer at the Vienna Office of the United Nations Environment

Programme. Prior to joining UNEP, he worked as barrister in Venice in environmental law,

and was an assistant to the professor of international trade law and European law at the

University of Padua. From April 2003 to July 2007, he also coordinated research projects at the

European Academy of Bolzano, in the Coordination Unit Alpine Convention-IMA (International

Mountain Agreements). In this framework he acted as a consultant for the Italian delegation

at the standing committee of Alpine Convention, to the Carpathian Convention, and to the

Mountain Partnership. Sandei was also a local manager for the ASIA Link Project “CLIMA” of

the Padua University and he has published essays on international environmental cooperation

for mountain areas for Italian scientific journals and publishers. Sandei graduated in Law

at the University of Padua and holds a Master in Environmental Policy & Law from the Ca’

Foscari University, Venice.

Francesco SBETTI

Francesco Sbetti is an urbanist, graduated from the IUAV University of Venice and is Professor

at the Faculty of Architecture of the University of Ferrara. He is a member of the INU -

National Institute for Urban Planning and since 2005 he is Director of the INU - Urbanistica

Informazioni periodical. He has taken part in the development of Urban Planning Projects

and Integrated Programmes of various cities and recently coordinated the local study team

of the OECD (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development) Territorial Review

of Venice.

Bénédicte SELFSLAGH

Bénédicte Selfslagh is Secretary General of the International Council on Monuments and

Sites (ICOMOS), the international non-governmental organization that acts as an advisory

body to the World Heritage Committee for cultural properties. She graduated as a civil

engineer and architect from the University of Leuven, Belgium, and is an alumna of the

Raymond Lemaire International Centre for Conservation (Leuven). She worked for the

European Commission (Brussels) where she was in charge of policy matters for monuments,

sites, museums and archives, and the drafting of Raphael, the first cultural programme of

the European Union after the adoption of the Maastricht Treaty. Before joining the board

of ICOMOS, she represented the Heritage Department of the Walloon Region (Belgium) at

UNESCO, the Council of Europe and the European Union. She was Rapporteur of the World

Heritage Committee and Chair of the Steering Committee for the Cultural Heritage (CDPAT)

of the Council of Europe.

Brian SMITH

Brian Smith was appointed Secretary General of the European Association of Historic Towns

and Regions (now called Heritage Europe) by the Council of Europe in October 1999. Heritage

Europe promotes the interests of historic towns through international cooperation, sharing

experience, good practice and promoting the sustainable management of historic towns.

Smith has 18 years experience as a Chief Officer/ Director in local government. He has spoken

widely on the importance of municipalities investing in their heritage as a catalyst for the

regeneration of their towns and cities and has led the production of policy guidance on, for

example: ‘Investing in Heritage - a Guide to Successful Urban Regeneration’; ‘Sustainable

Cultural Tourism in Historic Towns and Cities’; ‘The Untapped Potential of Cultural Heritage

- a catalyst for sustainable urban development and an internationally competitive Europe’.

Speakers Speakers

Tiedo Vellinga obtained his degree in Civil Engineering (coastal engineering) in 1979 at the

Delft University of Technology. Since then he has been working for the Port of Rotterdam in

the field of infrastructure and water management. His main present positions and activities

are: Professor Ports & Waterways, Civil Engineering and Geo-Sciences, Delft University of

Technology; Director Environmental Monitoring Maasvlakte 2, Rotterdam Port Authority;

Project Manager Environmental Ship Index, a project within the World Ports Climate Initiative;

Member of the PIANC Environmental Committee and Chairman of the PIANC Green Ports

Working Group. His specific fields of expertise are port environmental management and

sediment management, having written numerous publications and is an active participant in

international networks related to these fields.

Tiedo VELLINGA

Michele Vianello is Director-General of the VEGA (VEnice GAteway) Science and Technology

Park, Venice. In this function he fosters ICT innovation favoring technological growth in Venice

and the Veneto region, by implementing advanced management models in Enterprise 2.0.

He has alos been the promoter of the Venice Municipality broadband cabling infrastructure

and is the author of the portal “Cittadinanza Digitale” – a free WIFI connection for citizens,

and the “//Venice >connected” innovative service for tourists. He was awarded the Festival

delle città Imprese - Premio Adecco 2011, the La città dei cittadini - Cineca award 2010, the

Travel Friendly City - Trip Advisor 2009, and the I diritti dei cittadini in rete - Forum PA 2009.

Michele VIANELLO

Lawyer and professor of Public Law, Adriana Vigneri has taught Public Law and Cultural

Goods Law at the University Ca’ Foscari of Venice and Urban Development Law at the IUAV

University, Venice. She was member of the Local Administration Control Committee of

the Veneto Region since its establishment, legal advisor to the Municipality of Venice and

advisor to the Regional Council for its lawmaking branch. Since 1992, during three terms,

she was a member of the Chamber of Deputies legislative body and from 1996 to 2001

the Undersecretary of Home Affairs (later of Public Administration). At the moment she is

board member of the Master program on Governance of Sustainable Development at Padua

University and a board member of the Master program on Public Administration at the Ca’

Foscari University. She is member of the scientific committee of the Astrid Foundation for

studies on democratic institutional reform and innovation within public administration. Vigneri

is author of various publications and her subjects for research include: reorganization of local

institutions, particularly regarding metropolitan areas; financial federalism; and public utilities.

Adriana VIGNERI

Karin Westerink is Head of the Monuments Department of the Office of Monuments and

Archaeology of the Municipality of Amsterdam. She is also Chairman of the Federation

of Municipalities, a Dutch knowledge network of 56 municipalities with a large number of

historic buildings and sites. Since the strategic goal of the water-city Amsterdam is to obtain

a sustainable, livable and beautiful city, her assignment lies in the alignment of the policy

of historic buildings and sites, with sustainability governance and special planning. Her

working experience lies within the field of cultural heritage and knowledge management, a

focus also applicable to the World Heritage Site of Venice. She holds an MA in History and a

specialization in Business Administration.

Karin WESTERINK

Eric Wolanski, FTSE, FIE Aust, is a coastal oceanographer and ecohydrologist and a Professor

at the Australian Institute for Marine Sciences and James Cook University. His research

interests include the interaction between physical and biological processes determining

the ecosystem health in riverine, estuarine and waters. The ecohydrology models that have

resulted have been applied to assess the human impact on the Great Barrier Reef, Darwin

Harbour, lagoons of Micronesia, the Guadiana Estuary and Tanzania savannah ecosystems.

Wolanski has written more than 330 scientific papers and seven books. He is a fellow of

the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering, and l’Académie Royale

des Sciences d’Outre-Mer. He was awarded an Australian Centenary medal for services in

estuarine and coastal oceanography, a Doctorate Honoris Causa from the Catholic University

of Louvain, and a Queensland Information Technology and Telecommunication award for

excellence. He is the chief editor of Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science, Wetlands Ecology

and Management, and the Treatise on Estuarine and Coastal Science. He is a member of the

scientific and policy committees of IGBP’s LOICZ and EMECS.

Eric WOLANSKI

Venice International University

Monday & Tuesday 14-15 November 2011: Aula Magna-Venice International University Island of San Servolo 30100 Venice - Italy

© Venice International University - Entrance

Ca’ Giustinian

Sunday 13 November 2011:Ca’ Giustinian - Sala delle Colonne San Marco 1364/a - Venice (Italy)

© Mrecic Arg - Palazzo Ca’ Giustinian/ Biennale Arte 2011

Speakers

Partnering with Unesco

Thank you very much for your interest and support for our initiatives.

We look forward to working alongside you in the near future.

© UNESCO/F. Brugman - Haiti

of the primary engines for long-lasting economic growth

and development. This cooperation may take the form

of financial or in-kind resources. All resources channeled

through UNESCO will be destined to reinforce our activities

in the region, and in particular, those that directly contribute

to the education and awareness-raising for the prevention

of and reduction of risks stemming from natural disasters

in the region.

UNESCO is relying increasingly on voluntary contributions

for its programmatic and budgetary obligations and will

gladly accept donations from governments, individuals and

corporations. To make a direct financial contribution to

UNESCO Venice Office and our work, please use the bank

details given below:

UNESCO account in Euros:

UNESCO NC No. 30003-03301-00037291909-97

Societe General Bank

Paris Saint Michel

10 rue Themard

75005 Paris, France

SWIFT code: SOGEFRPPAFS

IBAN: FR7630003033010003729190997

For: VNI Education and Awareness-raising for the Prevention

of Natural Disasters

UNESCO Venice Office is committed to deepening the scientific knowledge about

the world’s cultural heritage and fragile ecosystems in lagoons and coastal zones,

such as Venice and its Lagoon, particularly in the light of the new environmental

and social changes currently taking place on a global scale. The rising sea-level, the

changing climate, the non-sustainable use of land and natural resources, the loss of

traditional production methods and other socio-economic factors such as increasing

tourist flows, have a direct and serious impact on these delicately-balanced lagoon

ecosystems.

The International Conference, The Future of Venice and its Lagoon in the Context

of Global Change, and the UNESCO Concert at the Gran Teatro La Fenice, Music to

Soothe a Savage Planet, are offered as a forum and catalyst to share information and

raise awareness on the above issues, not only as they affect Venice, but also other

similar sites around South East Europe and the Mediterranean.

But our work doesn’t stop here. And we need partners.

UNESCO Venice Office wishes to foster active partnerships with local and

international organizations and companies in these areas of grave importance at this

time and age. Heads of State Offices, chief executives within the business community,

civil society leaders and members of the private sector are urged to take concrete

actions to help in this noble cause and to come forward generously to work with

UNESCO in partnership. Donor partnerships with numerous entities are already in

place but there is still much more work to be done and many opportunities to grow.

UNESCO wishes to reach out all those present and not present to share knowledge,

identify opportunities and develop cooperation within the private sector, as it is one

Special thanks

UNESCO Venice Office would like to express its gratitude to our special partners and sponsors who

generously contributed to the successful organization of the International Conference, The Future of

Venice and its Lagoon in the Context of Global Change, and the UNESCO Concert at the Gran Teatro La

Fenice, Music to Soothe a Savage Planet. In particular, we would like to thank Hotel Bonvecchiati, Hotel

Monaco & Grand Canal, Hotel Concordia, Luna Hotel Baglioni, Hotel Metropoli as well as Acqua Minerale

San Benedetto S.p.A., Consorzio Stabile Valori S.c.a r.l. and I Bibanesi - Da Re Spa.

We are also especially grateful to the professional formation institutes ENDO-FAB Mestre Istituto Berna

and DIEFFE Scuola Ristorazione Spinea for their enthusiastic commitment in the organization and

provision of refreshment services for the International Conference. Specific recognition for precious

support is also due to the Venice University Master in Cultura del Cibo e del Vino.

Website: www.unesco.org/venice/thefutureofvenice

Phone: +39 041 2601511

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© Alfredschaffer - Grand Canal