Sharjah hosts ree-day international conference LACONA X

Under the Patronage of H.H. Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, UAE Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, a three-day International Conference on Lasers in the Conservation of Artworks - LACONA, is being held by the ICCROM-ATHAR Regional Conservation Centre in Sharjah, in partnership with Bibliotheca Alexandrina, the Arabic Institute for Conservation of Historic & Artistic Works and Fayoum University, Egypt. The international event is taking place at the American University of Sharjah in June 10-12, 2014.

Hosted in Sharjah by ICCROM-ATHAR Regional Conservation Centre with its partners from the Government of Sharjah (Sharjah Museums Department, Department of Heritage, American University of Sharjah and University of Sharjah), LACONA is a rare opportunity for the introduction of laser-based technologies for documentation, analysis and conservation of artworks.

Now in its tenth version, LACONA was first held in 1995 (Crete, Greece) and subsequently, in 1997 (Liverpool, UK), 1999 (Florence, Italy), 2001 (Paris, France), 2003 (Osnabruck, Germany), 2005 (Vienna, Austria), 2007 (Madrid, Spain), 2009 (Sibiu, Romania) and 2011 (London, UK). Following the latest meeting of the Permanent Scientific Committee (PSC) of LACONA conference in London in September 2011, the Organising Committee agreed that this conference be held in Sharjah, UAE. This biennial conference brings together researchers, conservators and conservation scientists, companies, architects, decision-makers and experts in laser-based techniques for the conservation of cultural heritage to share their latest projects and experiences.

LACONA has welcomed more than 120 conservators and conservation professionals from museums, universities and scientific institutes worldwide. It will help transfer laser technologies for conservation to museums, libraries and universities in the Arab world.

The conference discusses topics related to conservation projects where laser-based methods have been used in some aspect of conservation, cleaning, documentation or analysis, laser-based methods for imaging, 3D documentation and modelling; as well as documentation and examination of objects and structures; and laser-based techniques for analysis and monitoring.

Guest speakers at the conference include Dr. Marco Leona, David H. Koch Scientist in Charge, Department of Scientific Research, Metropolitan Museum of Art, USA, Dr. Salvatore Siano, researcher for the Institute of Applied Physics, National Research Council, Florence, Italy, and Dr. Paraskevi Pouli, research scientist, IESL-FORTH, Photonics for Cultural Heritage group, Greece.

Co-chairing the conference was Dr. Zaki Aslan, Director of ICCROM-ATHAR Regional Conservation Centre, who said: It is a unique opportunity to introduce the latest conservation technologies that will be useful for the conservation and documentation of the rich cultural heritage in the region. It is the first time that this international event is held in this region . Furthermore, Dr. Abdelrazek El Naggar, Co-Chair of LACONA X Conference, said: It is an honour for LACONA to be hosted in the UAE, and in particular in Sharjah, being elected the Islamic Culture Capital this year. Sharjah with its cultural and academic institutions, such as the American University of Sharjah and University of Sharjah, has been a hub for the region in the various fields of cultural heritage .

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