Waterscapes: Bridging the Past with the Future
On November 6, 7, and 8, 2023, Ribeira Sacra hosted the International Meeting "Waterscapes – Water Landscapes: Bridging the Past with the Future," organized by the Department of Culture, Education, Vocational Training, and Universities of the Xunta de Galicia (Regional Government of Galicia). The event featured the participation of representatives from UNESCO, ICOMOS, and IUCN, as well as experts from the academic field, managers of World Heritage sites, and members of various initiatives around the values of water.
Mario Crecente served as the moderator for Session 3, "Traditional Knowledge as the Basis for the Future," where reflections were made on river landscapes as spaces of cultural convergence. The session also focused on the need to highlight traditional knowledge associated with water management and the spiritual and symbolic meanings of water landscapes. Additionally, Mario Crecente coordinated the field visit to the territory on November 8.
As part of this meeting, the Ribeira Sacra Declaration was approved, encouraging the preservation, dissemination, and enhancement of cultural heritage linked to water. The declaration also urged the continued promotion of interdisciplinary dialogues, forums, and specific scientific contributions, as well as the expansion of current knowledge about water landscapes as sites that combine agricultural biodiversity, resilient ecosystems, and valuable cultural heritage.
