The American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works (AIC) and the
Canadian Association for Conservation (CAC-ACCR) will hold a joint conference in Montreal, Canada, May 13-17, 2016
Fifty years after the Arno River breached its banks, AIC and CAC-ACCR will commemorate the remarkable response by the cultural community to the damage inflicted on Florence’s treasures by hosting a meeting with the theme Emergency! Preparing for Disasters and Confronting the Unexpected in Conservation.
In recognition of the tremendous efforts of those who contributed their time and expertise to assist in recovery efforts, AIC will present all living North American responders, including Mud Angels, conservators, conservation scientists, and scholars, with Certificates of Appreciation during a Closing Ceremony on Tuesday, May 17. Please encourage any responders you know to contact AIC as soon as possible. Even if they are unable to travel to Montreal, we would like to include them in a roll call at the Ceremony and send them a Certificate of Appreciation.
To show our gratitude to as many responders as possible, AIC will offer complimentary 2016 Annual Meeting registrations for all participants in the Ceremony. Please help us spread the word! We would like to be able to honor as many responders as possible. If you are or know of a Mud Angel, conservator, conservation scientist, or scholar, who was involved in emergency response following the Florence Flood, please contact Ruth Seyler at [log in to unmask]. We will follow up on contact information and handle registration for those who can attend the meeting. In addition, if you have images of your recovery efforts after the Florence flood, please contact Ruth Seyler. We would like to show as many images during the May 17th event as time and technology allow.
We hope that our colleagues will, once again, respond to a call on behalf of heritage preservation. On May 17, they will have an opportunity to briefly share a memory and allow AIC to honor their work.
With thanks,
Peggy Holben Ellis
AIC Program Chair