African Landscape Network

GA Young

IFLA Africa has been awarded with UNESCO Programme of Participation support for the AFRICAN LANDSCAPE NETWORK proposal to be completed by December 2021.

The African Landscape Network (Network) seeks to encourage the adoption of the African Landscape Convention by connecting a network of organisations, individuals and professionals working on landscape programmes, projects and issues in Africa. Furthermore, the Convention is a tool to be used by professionals, and academics to teach future leaders when working with landscapes of all scales.

The first step is to engage with professionals who will endeavour to apply its principles to their work and ensure its efficacy in doing so. IFLA Africa’s vision is that the principles and values contained in the Convention be applied and shared through a matrix of professionals, individuals, firms or organisations, i.e. landscape architects, engineers, geographers, conservationists, planners, urban designers, ecologists, etc. The Network will be the platform through which this matrix connects and shares work. The structure through which these connections will be made is an Online (web-based) Map, which will be the focus of this seed Project (the Project). The map will: indicate the location and details of the various professionals, individuals, firms and organisations; serve as a database of their work and; be a repository for best practise and case studies.

The core team for the project consists of two representatives from IFLA (International Federation for Landscape Architects) and two from ICOMOS-ISCCL (International Council on Monuments and sites- International committee on cultural landscapes- a joint ICOMOS-IFLA group) and we would like to extend a call for participation for your interest.

There are 9 seats available for the following member categories to serve on the team as an advisor in a series of workshops:
- IFLA Africa 3 seats available
- ICOMOS Africa- 3 seats available
- ICOMOS-IFLA ISCCL- 3 seats available
- 3 seats are reserved for the UNESCO representatives (governments) from supporting countries of the initiative.
- 4 seats occupied by the Core team.

The series of 9 workshops will be held throughout the year. Workshops may vary in time from 1- 4 hours for each workshop. Participants will be expected to participate in scientific dialogue during the meetings that will act as think tank sessions for this project. This will include reviewing material circulated before the meeting and commenting on material discussed after the workshop.

The following aspects will be covered in these workshops:

Refining the vision for the project; the defining of landscape programs to be included in network; development of criteria for eligible project and data capturing; input on the skeletal framework of the network; activating of data capturing for the sample countries set out for this project, as well as networking and awareness.

If you are interested in volunteering, please forward your CV to us with a short paragraph of motivation by no later than 7 February 2021.

Emails with your CVs or questions can be sent to aln@iflaworld.org.