Contributors
Course Team
International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property (ICCROM)
Rohit Jigyasu
Programme Manager, Sustainable Urban and Built Heritage Conservation, Disaster and Climate Risk Management and Post-Crisis Recovery.
Elena Incerti Medici
Senior Programmes Assistant, ICCROM
Ayman AlShweiki
Course Coordinator, International Training Course on Post-Crisis Recovery of Cultural Heritage
Elisa Ortiz
Programmes Assistant, ICCROM
Fondazione Santagata for the Economics of Culture
Alessio Re
Secretary General, Fondazione Santagata for the Economics of Culture
Sara Ingoglia
Communications & PR officer
Course Instructors
Rohit Jigyasu
Rohit Jigyasu is a conservation architect and risk management expert, currently serving as Programme Manager at ICCROM. He focuses on sustainable heritage conservation, disaster and climate risk management, and post-crisis recovery. Formerly the president of ICOMOS-India and ICORP, Rohit has collaborated with UNESCO, UNDRR, and the World Bank. He is also the lead author of UNESCO's "Managing Disaster Risks for World Heritage" manual and co-editor of Routledge's works on disaster risk management for cultural heritage.
Elena Isayev
A historian and archaeologist focusing on migration, hospitality, displacement and heritage, her works include Migration Mobility and Place in Ancient Italy (Cambridge 2017), Displacement and the Humanities, with Evan Jewell. She works with Campus in Camps and Decolonizing Architecture, as well as UNDRR/ICCROM on indigenous knowledge systems. Leading Imagining Futures through un/archived pasts (AHRC-UK), she is Professor of Ancient History and Place, at the University of Exeter.
Aparna Tandon
Aparna Tandon is a Senior Programme Leader at ICCROM, specializing in the conservation, disaster risk reduction and post-crisis recovery of cultural heritage. She leads ICCROM’s flagship capacity development programme, FAR-First Aid and Resilience for Cultural Heritage in Times of Crisis , focusing on disaster risk reduction, climate action, and Aparna is spearheading the development Sustaining Digital Heritage, a capacity development initiative . With extensive experience in training, research, and field application, she has led heritage protection efforts in countries such as Ukraine, Lebanon, Libya, Egypt, Sudan, Philippines, and Nepal. Aparna holds an MA in Art Conservation and has trained at Harvard and the Library of Congress through prestigious post-training fellowships.
Stefano Agnetti
Stefano Agnetti is a civil engineer with a PhD in civil engineering and innovative materials, specializing in composite materials and structural reinforcement technologies. As the Technical Manager at Kimia S.p.A., he leads the technical team and provides expert assistance in building restoration, focusing on structural recovery of masonry and reinforced concrete. With expertise in composite materials, glass, and wood structures, Stefano offers solutions, simplifies procedures, and provides technical support to clients. He graduated from the University of Perugia in 2010 and continues to contribute to the field through technical training and customer assistance.
Rand Eppich
Rand is an architectural conservator who uses documentation to execute projects. He holds a Ph.D. in the social and economic benefits of cultural heritage, a MBA from UCLA and Masters' and Bachelors Degrees in architecture with an emphasis on historic cities. He possesses experience in crafting management and conservation plans and has worked for ICCROM, UNESCO, the World Bank., UNDP, the World Monuments Fund, and the Getty Foundation.
Cristina Iamandi
Cristina Iamandi is a licensed Specialist Conservation Architect and Urban Planner with over 40 years of combined design, consultancy and academic experience. She has been working as a senior heritage consultant on projects worldwide, carrying out projects and activities for international organizations such as UNESCO, ICCROM, UNDP, World Bank, GIZ, and for different governments and NGOs, while teaching regularly in masters programmes from several prestigious universities. In the last years, her activities focused on providing training, advice and guidance for the recovery and reconstruction of cities affected by conflicts.
Sophie Abraham
Programme Specialist working in the Emergency Preparedness and Response (EPR) Unit of the Culture Sector at UNESCO. She is the manager of the Heritage Emergency Fund, a multi-donor fund established by UNESCO in 2015 to respond effectively to crises as a result of armed conflicts and disasters. She also acts as Focal Point for the Organization’s participation in Post-Disaster Needs Assessment (PDNA) for the Culture Sector, and regularly provides training on the PDNA to national and local authorities and institutions. Ms. Abraham is a graduate of King’s College London, University of London, where she obtained a Master of Science (MSc) in Risk Analysis and a Bachelor of Arts (Honors) in Development Studies. She has worked in the public, private, and international sectors in the field of risk management, which included the coordination of an international consultation process on the role of private sector partnerships in the UN Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030.
Maria Rita Acetoso
Maria Rita Acetoso is a Culture Specialist with more than 10 years of experience in the field of tangible heritage management and cultural cooperation, at both national and international level. She joined UNESCO in 2015, serving as Senior Project Manager in charge of coordinating the UNESCO's initiatives for the protection and management of cultural physical resources first in Afghanistan and then in Iraq, with a focus on their role as tools for social cohesion and sustainable development. Currently, she leads the UAE funded Project for the reconstruction of historical landmarks in the Old City of Mosul. Before joining UNESCO, she served as Culture Specialist in a number of cultural programs promoted by UN-Agencies, Governmental Institutions and Universities.
Zeynep Gül Ünal
Dr. Zeynep Gül Ünal is a renowned conservation architect specializing in the preservation of built heritage and disaster risk management, with a focus on protecting cultural heritage in conflict zones. She is a Professor at Yildiz Technical University, where she leads the Faculty of Architecture’s Restoration Department and serves as Director of the Research Center for Preservation of Historical Heritage. Dr. Ünal is a board member and former Vice President of ICOMOS, and currently serves as Vice President of ICOMOS ICORP’s International Scientific Committee on Risk Preparedness. Since 2021, she has coordinated the ICOMOS ICORP Crisis Monitoring and Response Mechanism.
Dr. Ünal is also the Project Coordinator and documentary director of "ICORP On The Road," a global initiative highlighting post-disaster cultural heritage recovery stories from countries such as Brazil, Nepal, Mali, and Turkey. In recognition of her contributions, Dr. Ünal received the prestigious World Monuments Fund Watch Award in 2023.
Elke Selter
Elke Selter is the Director of Programs at ALIPH, bringing extensive experience in heritage conservation. Her work centres on the intersection of cultural heritage, conflict resolution, transitional justice, and emergency response. With over 20 years of professional experience across various global contexts, Elke has worked with the UN system (UNESCO, UNDP and UNOPS) and holds a PhD in International politics with research focusing on heritage protection in armed conflicts.
Alessio Re
Alessio Re is an architect and expert in cultural heritage and economic development. He serves as Secretary General of the Santagata Foundation since 2018, having previously worked with Walter Santagata’s research team from 2008. Since 2013, he has taught as adjunct professor at the University of Turin and the University of Pisa, focusing on UNESCO programs, cultural project management, and tourism policies. Alessio is also a consultant at ITC-ILO, associate researcher at CNR-ICVBC, and member of various scientific committees. He has coordinated numerous international cultural projects, including the Master in Cultural Property Protection in Crisis Response. Alessio has consulted for UNESCO on projects in Italy, Serbia, Greece, Cambodia, and other countries, and contributed to management plans for UNESCO sites like Pompei, Monviso Reserve, and Appia Antica. He is also the editor of volumes on UNESCO site management and regularly participates in global conferences.
Giulia Avanza
Researcher at the Fondazione Santagata, where she is also responsible for the organisation’s international projects. She is PhD student in Heritage Science, holds a Master in Economics and Management for Arts and Culture and a Diploma in International Cooperation and Development. She is interested in the entanglement among cultural heritage, politics and society. Previous international experience in heritage management and safeguard include a year of fieldwork in Peru, and assignments in Cuba, in North Macedonia, in Turkey, and in Albania.