Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Established in 2017, CIPAR (Centre Interdiocésain du Patrimoine et des Arts Religieux) is a non–profit organisation founded by the four French–speaking dioceses of Wallonia to coordinate efforts in the conservation, protection, and promotion of parish churches. CIPAR also serves as the representative body for diocesan heritage services, acting as the primary contact point. In this capacity, the organisation functions as a centre of expertise and ensures the implementation of a cohesive heritage management policy for Catholic places of worship throughout the Walloon region. The primary audience targeted by the Centre includes church councils, clergy, and local authorities.The article highlights the coordination efforts in response to the devastating floods of summer 2021, which affected 31 parish churches. It outlines the key challenges in managing these buildings: the involvement of numerous stakeholders due to their public nature, inadequate prior preservation, initial communication hurdles, and difficulties in assessing the damage. Additionally, it proposes a unified methodology for swifter recovery, emphasising centralised information management and seamless collaboration between heritage organisations and local entities.
DOI: 10.4000/145t8
Author: Maura Moriaux
Institutions: University of Namur, UCLouvain
Language: English
Subfield: Archeology
Field: Arts and Humanities
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4411438017