2024 ICTC Annual Meeting in Mombasa, Kenya

The International Cultural Tourism Committee of the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) held its 2024 Annual General Meeting on November 27, 2024 at Swahilipot Hub in Mombasa, Kenya, on the sidelines of the Africa24 Conference.

At the meeting reports were given by Bureau members including the President’s Report by Fergus Maclaren, Secretary General’s Report by Ivan Henares, Membership Report by Ananya Bhattacharya, Treasurer’s Report by Isabelle Quemener, Charter Report by Celia Martinez Yanez and Cecilie Smith-Christensen, Climate Change Report by Sofia Fonseca, and the Study Tours Report by Bartomeu Deya.

In the meeting, the leadership transition of the committee was also confirmed by a majority of Voting Members. Prior to the ICTC Bureau Elections in 2023, no one had expressed interest to stand for President and Secretary General. Our current position holders had agreed to stand for reelection with an agreement that our President Fergus Maclaren would only serve one more year, after which our current Secretary General Ivan Henares would take over for the remainder of the term until the next elections in Kuching, Malaysia in 2026, by which time, a new President and Secretary General would stand for election. These changes would take effect on December 13, 2024 after the International Charter Workshop in Granada, Spain.

Maclaren said "It's been an honour and a pleasure serving as the ICOMOS ICTC President over the past seven years. I'm fortunate to have met a great many good friends and colleagues from around the world along the way, who have made such a positive difference in my professional and personal lives. Asante Sana. Merci beaucoup. Thank you!"

Henares added, "We express our gratitude to Fergus Maclaren for his able leadership the past 7 years. It will be a challenge filling in his shoes. Having been in the Bureau for 10 years now, I consider myself a transition president when I take over in December as I hope a new president will be elected in 2026."