Abu dhabi: The Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) has announced that applications are now open for LanD 2027, a training programme focused on documenting cultural landscapes as dynamic living systems. This international capacity-building initiative is the first of its kind in the region dedicated to the holistic documentation of cultural landscapes.
According to Emirates News Agency, LanD 2027 is being co-organised with the CHEDAR project alongside ICOMOS International Scientific Committees (ISCs), the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), and other international organisations in the field of heritage documentation. The programme is designed for 20 heritage professionals from the MENA region, who will participate in on-site training in Al Ain, Abu Dhabi, from 26th April to 5th May 2027. This will be preceded by a series of online Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) from January to April 2027.
The training aims to enhance participants' skills in documenting cultural landscapes using integrated, people-centred, and nature-culture approaches that merge traditional knowledge with advanced technologies. LanD 2027 addresses the complexities of cultural landscapes by considering both tangible and intangible elements that shape them. Hili Oasis will serve as a case study, demonstrating how holistic documentation supports informed conservation and sustainable heritage management.
The programme will be conducted by leading international experts in heritage documentation and is open to early to mid-career professionals from disciplines such as architecture, landscape architecture, urban planning, archaeology, heritage conservation, geography, GIS, environmental sciences, anthropology, ethnography, social sciences, and heritage management and policy. Applicants are required to have a bachelor's degree in a relevant field and three to five years of professional experience in heritage. Familiarity with heritage documentation methods is an advantage, and participants should be able to work in interdisciplinary and international teams with a working knowledge of English.
Applications will be accepted until 15th October, with more information on eligibility and the application form available online. Through LanD 2027, DCT Abu Dhabi aims to continue its mission of protecting, preserving, and promoting cultural heritage by investing in the development of expertise that will shape the future.