who we are

The Ename Center for Public Archaeology and Heritage Presentation is a leading international centre of knowledge and expertise for the interpretation of heritage. The centre lies at the basis of the ICOMOS Ename Charter for the Interpretation and Presentation of Cultural Heritage Sites. ICOMOS is the International Council on Monuments and Sites and is an advisory body of UNESCO. It provides the World Heritage Committee with evaluations of cultural and mixed properties proposed for inscription on the World Heritage List.

Our projects in Flanders, Europe as well as in the rest of the world are characterized by a creative, open, multidisciplinary and scientific approach. Our aim is to give heritage a dynamic role in the world we all live in, work in and dream in.

In Flanders, we can boast more than twenty years of experience. We have played a pioneering role in the use of multimedia and multidisciplinary approach in heritage presentation.

 

ICOMOS Ename Charter

The purpose of this charter is to define the basic principles of Interpretation and Presentation as essential components of heritage conservation efforts and as a means of enhancing public appreciation and understanding of cultural heritage sites.

CoE Faro Convention in practice: Ronse

The Council of Europe's Framework Convention on the Value of Cultural Heritage for Society (known as The Faro Convention of 2005) encourages reflection on the role of citizens in the processes of defining, deciding and managing the cultural heritage environment in which communities function and evolve. The heritage project that the Ename Center has set up in Ronse (Belgium) has been selected by the Council of Europe to illustrate how the general principles of the convention can by applied in practice. For more information see the Council of Europe's brochure.

Ronse Declaration on HUL in Practice

This declaration reflects on the UNESCO Recommendation on the Historic Urban Landscape and is the result of an international workshop on "Heritage in the 21st Century and the Future of the Historic Urban Landscape: Lessons from China and Europe" that took place in Ronse, Belgium, from 26 to 27 February 2013.

Battle of Lafelt 1747

The Ename Center is doing a valuation study of the battlefield of Lafelt 1747. The battle is also known as the Battle of Maastricht. This study is commissioned by  the Flemish Heritage Agency.

Peking University

International cooperation and exchange of expertise is a constant factor in the approach of the Ename Center. This also takes the form of internships or research visits. Until October 2013 Dr. Chengyu Zhang of the School of Archaeology and Museology of Peking University is working on a comparative study of heritage interpretation in China and Europe.

Cradles of European Culture

Ten institutions in eight countries launch a European network that focuses on a historical period that is emblematic of the formative decades of Europe: the Early Middle Ages, when the idea of ‘Europe’ was founded.