6th Annual Conference on Heritage Management Education and Practice

Centre for Heritage Management, Ahmedabad University, in collaboration with Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA), is pleased to announce the 2025 edition of its Annual Conference on Heritage Management Education and Practice, focusing on Climate Change, Ecology, and Heritage Sustainability. This interdisciplinary conference invites academicians, students, researchers, and practitioners to explore the complex interactions between climate change, environmental changes, and cultural heritage.

Climate change is drastically altering the physical environment and intangible cultural heritage, including traditional knowledge systems, social practices, and community identities. Extreme weather events, sea-level rise, and habitat loss are displacing communities, leading to migration, loss of cultural identity, and food insecurity.

The impacts of climate change on cultural heritage extend beyond physical damage to historical sites, affecting traditional practices and eroding the social fabric of communities. As ecosystems change, indigenous ways of life face unprecedented challenges, disrupting intergenerational transmission of knowledge. While traditional ecological knowledge offers invaluable strategies for resilience, these methods alone are no longer sufficient due to the scale and unpredictability of contemporary environmental crises. Thus, integrating traditional knowledge with scientific advancements is essential for comprehensive climate adaptation strategies.

It is also critical to re-evaluate conventional solutions such as heritage tourism, community resettlement, and alternative livelihoods, as these often have unintended negative consequences, including the commodification of heritage and increased environmental strain. Furthermore, heritage sustainability efforts can sometimes conflict with ecological sustainability. This necessitates a more holistic cultural landscape approach to address climate challenges effectively, moving beyond isolated interventions by integrating cultural, environmental, and social dimensions. UNESCO’s initiatives, including the Policy Document on Climate Action for World Heritage and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), stress the dual role of heritage as both vulnerable to climate change and a resource for resilience. Recent global efforts emphasise safeguarding heritage sites while leveraging traditional knowledge for sustainability.

If you have questions, you can write to us at: heritage.conference@ahduni.edu.in

Call for Abstracts

Full paper submission is optional. Registered participants who wish to get their full paper published in the June 2026 issue of the Journal of Heritage Management can submit it by December 31, 2025 (subject to the Journal’s separate peer review process).

Submit your abstract in 300-500 words by August 15, 2025.

Submit your Abstracts

If you have questions, you can write to us at: heritage.conference@ahduni.edu.in

Registration Fees

	Early Bird and Presenters (October 5, 2025)	Regular Registration (October 20, 2025)	Late registration (November 5, 2025)
Academic/Professionals (India and South Asia)	INR 5000	INR 10000	INR 15000
Students (India and South Asia)	INR 3000	INR 5000	INR 10000
Academic/Professionals (all other countries)	USD 100	USD 200	USD 300

Note: The registration fee includes all conference sessions, lunches, tea/coffee and opening and closing receptions

If you have questions, you can write to us at: heritage.conference@ahduni.edu.in

Download Conference Schedule

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I present my paper in an online format?
Yes, online presentations are permitted only for international presenters; this provision does not apply to those based within the Country.

Will my accommodation, travel and meals be included in the registration fee for the conference?
The registration fee would not include your travel, accommodation expenses. The university will provide a list of nearby places for accommodations. As for the meals, the conference registration fee includes lunch and tea/coffee with snacks for the three days of the conference, but not dinner. The fee will also include the conference kit (including pen-diary, conference abstract booklet, leaflet of Centre for Heritage Management, postcards, etc.) and free access to all the lectures.

Would the hosting institution provide any assistance for the visa application process?
Unfortunately, the university hosting the conference would not provide any assistance in the visa application process. The attendee is requested to apply for a tourist visa.

Will the papers presented in the conference published in post-conference proceedings?
All the abstracts of the papers will be published in a conference booklet, but the full papers won’t be published. However, we have a biannual Journal of Heritage Management in partnership with Sage Publications where you can submit your papers for publication. Publication in this journal will be subjected to a separate peer review process. You can read more about the journal in this link.

Call for Participation

The conference aims to foster cross-disciplinary dialogue and collaborative action in cross-cutting areas of inquiry, like the following, but not limited to:

Climate Change and the Vulnerability of Heritage Sites (Archaeological sites, Natural and Cultural Heritage)
Climate Change and Its Influence on Social Fabric and Traditional Creative Industries
Bridging Traditional Ecological Knowledge and Modern Science for Climate Solutions
Role of Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) in Climate Change Adaptations.
Oracles, Shamans, Climate Change and Embodied Ecologies
Mythologies and Environment Consciousness
Community-Driven Strategies for Climate Resilience
Leveraging AI and other Emerging Technologies for Heritage Management and Climate Action.
Integrated Management of Natural and Cultural Heritage for Climate Adaptation

We invite scholars, heritage professionals, policymakers, writers, activists, and community representatives to share research, case studies, works of fiction, and innovative solutions for integrating heritage conservation with climate resilience.

If you have questions, you can write to us at: heritage.conference@ahduni.edu.in

Important Dates

Abstract Submission Deadline	Friday, August 15, 2025
Abstracts Acceptance Notification	Saturday, August 30, 2025
Last date for Authors/Speakers/Early bird registrations	Tuesday, September 30, 2025
Last Date of Participants Registration (Regular)	Monday, October 20, 2025
Late Registrations	Wednesday, November 5, 2025
Conference Dates	Friday-Sunday, November 14-16, 2025