DRAFT October 5 2012 Workshop Convener Raquel Peñalosa, AAPQ IFLA Delegate Acting Secretary Participants Vincent Asselin, AAPQ, Doug Backhouse, BCSLA, Andrea Bazler, OALA, Pierre Bouchard AAPQ, Linda Dicaire, OALA, Pawel Gradowsky, BCSLA, Jean Landry AAPQ, Joanne Moran, OALA, Liane McKenna BCSLA, Ernie Morello, APALA, Cecelia Paine, OALA, Serge Poitras, AAPQ and Denis Bryers, CLARB Opening Words and Agenda Raquel Penalosa welcomes all participants. Presents the Proposed Agenda and invites the participants to sign the attendance list. Raquel Penalosa thanks the CSLA and the Congress organizers for holding and IFLA Workshop - encouraging a closer comprehension and involvement by the members on the International issues of the profession. The IFLA Landscape Convention Initiative LCI can certainly help achieve this goal. The overall context is presented through two PPT presentations that were prepared by Martha Fajardo, member of the IFLA LCI Task Force. The "Feasibility of an International Landscape Convention (ILC)", introduces the overall context, and "The Latin American Landscape Charter LALI" is the final document presented at the WUF6 in Naples, Italy at the beginning of September. Objectifs of the Workshop INTRODUCTION TO THE IFLA LANDSCAPE CONVENTION INITIATIVE and THE LATIN AMERICA LANDSCAPE CHARTER INITIATIVE THE IFLA LANDSCAPE CONVENTION INITIATIVE LCI Since 2006 the International Federation of Landscape Architects (IFLA) has been promoting the idea of a Global Landscape Charter/Convention. In 2010, during the World Council in Suzhou, China, it was agreed to call upon UNESCO`s Director General to review the feasibility of a new standard setting instrument. On October 25 and 26 2010, following the Resolution by the 47th World Congress of IFLA in 2010 and its Proposal to further enhance the recognition and conservation of landscapes globally (ILC), the UNESCO Director- General organized a small international Expert Meeting on the feasibility of an International Landscape Convention at UNESCO Headquarters. - On the basis of the deliberations of the experts' meeting, the Director- General submitted to the Executive Board a preliminary study (revised draft document by K. Moore, ILC chair, on the desirability of adopting a new international standard-setting instrument on landscape, and 1
whether this matter should be or not included in the provisional agenda for the 36th session of the General Conference. - Although more than 30 countries spoke in favour of the convention, at the end, the Executive Board did not accept the proposal. Opposition was led by the USA, on political grounds, and France on technical reasons (concerns about the cost for UNESCO in the current climate of budget constraints, and overlapping with other tools like ELC, HUL, etc.) Campaign for an International Landscape Convention Working with the input from the October meeting a new proposal for an International Landscape Convention was presented at the UNESCO EXCO meeting in May 2011. Recognition was giving for an effective and influential campaign and to all involved. The International Landscape Convention in RIO+20 -June 2012 In regards to the holistic perspective of Landscape - the Ifla International Landscape Convention Committee submitted to the RIO+20 organizers, the Initiative Declaration to be discussed and considered at the International Level. Various activities and alliances were developed by the Committee members and the ABAP (Brazilian Association of Landscape Architects). THE LATIN AMERICA LANDSCAPE CHARTER INITIATIVE LALI The Latin America Landscape Charter Initiative is the result of the work of a diverse regional network of people, organizations, and institutions that participated in promoting and implementing the values and principles of National Landscape Charters. Ten Charters were presented at the Uruguay IFLA Regional Meeting in October 2011 and completed through 2012 : Argentina Landscape Charter_CAAP, Brazil Landscape Charter_ABAP, Costa Rica Landscape Charter_ASOPAICO, Colombia Landscape Charter_SAP, Mexico Landscape Charter_SAPM, Peru Landscape Charter_ PAIPERU, Venezuela Landscape Charter_SAPV, Bolivia Landscape Charter SAPEMA, Chilean Landscape Charter _ICHAP, Uruguay Landscape Charter_AUDAPD. A Committee appointed at the Uruguay meeting worked through the first part of 2012 to produce and submit an unifying document, the LALI presented at the September Unesco World Urban Forum 6 in Naples, Italy. The LALI Declaration will be signed by all parties at the Medellin IFLA Regional Conference next October 17 to 20 2012. The key elements of the LALI Initiative are: a bottom-up process promoting the Initiative from the local, to regional, to International Agencies in order to secure support, collaboration, and 2
international acceptance. a declaration of fundamental ethical principles to promote the recognition, evaluation, protection, planning and management of the landscape. the adoption of guidelines, conventions (laws, agreements) to recognize the diversity and values of the Latin American Landscapes. For the complete text, refer to the PDF document presented Next phases At Global level ILC: To set up an International network/ web page to diffuse and exchange on local, national/ regional and international support for Landscape. To add to the existing IFLA web site, links and information from around the world. To encourage the setting of Landscape Observatories through the Regions To identify and engage new partners to support the ILC strategic campaigns: The Africa Region will be submitting three Landscape Charters in 2012 New Zealand and Australia have submitted their National Landscape Charters. At Regional level - the LALI and the rest of the Americas Region To seek the engagement of the diverse regional network of people, organizations, and institutions to participate in promoting and implementing the National Landscape Charters and the ILC. To encourage the remaining members of the Region to contribute with their own National Charters. A CANADIAN LANDSCAPE CHARTER Strategy Canada is now invited to contribute to the ILC process and develop a Canadian Landscape Charter Initiative, CLCI. Does Canada see an interest in this process? If yes, what strategy to pursue? To follow the LALI model, proceeding on a province by province Charter approach, to then produce an unifying document? Or to develop a National Charter with the participation of representatives of all provinces? In Canada, Quebec is the only province to have developed a Landscape Charter. Can it be used as a model? Inspired by the European Landscape Charter (ELC), the Quebec Landscape Charter QLC, was developed in 2000 by the Quebec Landscape Council (a multidisciplinary organism) founded in 1996. A second document, the Landscape Guidelines was developed in 2002 to implement the Charter. Since then, two local municipalities have also implemented Landscape Charters. The Quebec Landscape Manual on Best Landscape Practices - by the "Estrie Landscapes Organism " was developed in 2009. Going beyond the environmental or the ecological perspective the book "talks " from the Landscape perspective instead. 3
Discussion on the CLC The CLCI Working Committee The discussion is open: A National Charter approach is discussed, and the QLC could be a starting point to advance towards a Canadian Charter. The challenge is to foresee a common vision for the immensity and diversity of the Canadian Landscape. General comments: The value of the Canadian Landscape Charter Initiative CLCI It is fundamental for the definition of what Landscape is; for the definition of the paradigm of Landscape; to set the frontier of what Landscape is. To help us define our role as Landscape Architects A Charter is a Common understanding of our values and thinking at a moment of time It is a tool. And the shared understanding helps protect the Landscape Charters are very helpful - you can use a charter to advance the recognition and protection of Landscape Specific comments: Yes, Canada needs to participate to this Global Initiative. The Quebec Landscape Charter should be the base Is there a need to involve other professionals and how? In Quebec it was brought up by the Planners and more than 15 professions, including Landscape Architects, were involved during a very long process. There is not only one definition of Landscape. Landscape is a cultural expression. And it is also important to understand that the Charter is about Landscape and not about Landscape Architecture as a profession. There is a need to inventory and compare the other existing Charters (the European, the LALI, the Quebec, the Australian, the New Zealand, etc.) The creation of a Working Group is supported by all, to elaborate the Charter, to rely the information and then go back to the table to built ownership. To resource it at the components. How do we resource it to the other professionals? The need to convey the information to others is important, organizing a Landscape Symposium, communicating through the web site, facebook, etc. The working Committee is constituted by the participants and Raquel Penalosa will act as the Chair. It is signified that eventually the committee will be open to have members from the associations not represented at the workshop. The committee will report to the CSLA Board of Directors. Vincent Asselin, AAPQ, Doug Backhouse, BCSLA, Andrea Bazler, OALA, Pierre Bouchard AAPQ, Linda Dicaire, OALA, Pawel Gradowsky, BCSLA, Jean Landry AAPQ, Joanne Moran, OALA, 4
Liane McKenna BCSLA, Ernie Morello, APALA, Cecelia Paine, OALA, Raquel Peñalosa, AAPQ, Chair Serge Poitras, AAPQ and Denis Bryers, CLARB Timetable: 2012 December : Board of Directors Meeting. To present a draft of the Initiative's Framework. 2013 February : Board of Directors Meeting. To submit a draft of the CLC 2013 April 10-12: IFLA 50 World Congress in New Zealand. To present the preliminary Canadian Landscape Charter. Commitments and Closing of the Workshop Summary: The Working Group is engaged to participate in this World Initiative and to developed the Canadian Landscape Charter Initiative. It is an IFLA Initiative and the CSLA is endorsing it as a National Level Initiative A National approach is retained to elaborate the Canadian Landscape Initiative. The Landscape perspective in the National Charter will be that of Landscape Architecture. The Quebec Landscape Charter will be used as the model to start the CLCI An analysis and a summary of the different Landscape Charters will be produce to sustain the elaboration of the CLCI. Commitments and action plan : To translate the Quebec Landscape Charter (Linda Dicaire) To transmit the related information regarding the existing Charters (Raquel Penalosa) To update the ILC Time Table after the Florence Meeting (RP) To compare the existing Charters (all - but to define how) To report on the CLCI advancement at the IFLA Medellin Regional Conference in October 17 (RP) 5