The World Heritage Committee adopted “the Global Strategy” at its 18th session(1994), recognizing that some categories of heritage, such as properties in Europe, historic towns and religious buildings, and Christianity were over-represented in the World Heritage List, and encouraging to consider other categories such as industrial heritage, 20th century architecture, and cultural landscapes.
On the basis of such a background, ICOMOS, which is in charge of the evaluations of nominated cultural heritage sites, signed “Collaboration Agreement” with TICCIH (The International Committee for the Conservation of the Industrial Heritage), which is an international organization on research of industrial heritage, to request the cooperation in the evaluation of industrial heritage.
TICCIH defines “Industrial Heritage” in the Nizhny Tagil Charter for the Industrial Heritage (2003) as follow;
“Industrial heritage consists of the remains of industrial culture which are of historical, technological, social, architectural or scientific value. These remains consist of buildings and machinery, workshops, mills and factories, mines and sites for processing and refining, warehouses and stores, places where energy is generated, transmitted and used, transport and all its infrastructure, as well as places used for social activities related to industry such as housing, religious worship or education.” (Excerpt from the text on the website of TICCIH ).
TICCIH also defines its values as follows (Excerpt from the text on the website of TICCIH )
Ironbridge Gorge
The world’s first bridge constructed of iron
Derwent Valley Mills
Birthplace of the factory system, including the world’s first successful water-powered cotton spinning mill
Saltaire
Industrial village which reflect mid 19th century philanthropic paternalism
New Lanark
A model industrial community created by Utopian idealist Robert Owen.
Iwami Ginzan Silver Mine and its Cultural Landscape