Symposium Waddenacademie

Symposium on the History, Landscape and Cultural Heritage of the Wadden Sea Region

The Waddenacademie, the Nordfriisk Instituut (Bredstedt) and the Fisheries and Maritime Museum/Centre for Maritime and Business History (Esbjerg) are organizing a symposium on the History, Landscape and Cultural Heritage of the Wadden Sea Region, 1-3 December 2016, at the “Schloss vor Husum”, Husum, Germany.

The Wadden Sea Region – the area of the embanked coastal marshes, the islands and the Wadden Sea of Denmark, Germany and the Netherlands – retains an exceptional common history in all its aspects, archaeologically, economically, socially, and culturally. Though it has never constituted a political unity, it shares a coastal landscape and cultural heritage which is worldwide outstanding. Its settlement history of more than 2000 years is unrivalled and still mirrored in the landscape. The approaches to water management and associated societal organisation developed in this region during the last millennium have set world standards. The Wadden Sea is inscribed on the World Heritage List for its outstanding universal value since 2009. A history and heritage of unparalleled importance. “Waddenland” is an entirely appropriate term for conveying the uniqueness of this region.

The objectives of the Symposium are threefold:

• to take stock of the research in this field with a view to promote further inter-disciplinary and trans-boundary research;
• to contribute to further the integration of the cultural and natural landscape heritage in terms of research and management;
• to contribute to further developing public awareness and relevant common policy and management approaches.

During the three days of the symposium you can follow lectures by leading scientists from Denmark, Germany and the Netherlands, join an excursion and have plenty of opportunity for networking. More information can be found on the waddenacademie website.