The event kicked off with an insightful preliminary activity: members of the CoHeRe team and early career researchers took a guided tour of the Romano-Germanic Museum in Cologne. The rich historical visit featured Roman remnants, including ancient amphoras discovered during railway construction, historic tombstones, and reassembled glassware, offering a perfect prelude to the main event.
Throughout the workshop, participants heard from various experts in heritage and climate adaptation. Key sessions addressed critical regional challenges, such as the threats facing southern African rock art, the management of climate change impacts on heritage sites in Namibia, and the distinct challenges currently being researched by CoHeRe in Benin.
The workshop also highlighted the next generation of academics. Early career researchers presented their ongoing work on developing impactful articles regarding heritage management amid climate change. Additionally, students of Prof. Anne Haour joined the proceedings, conducting interviews with these emerging researchers to explore their career paths and current projects. The event concluded with a networking evening held at die wohngemeinschaft.
This workshop was part of the CLARE Programme, a flagship research initiative on climate adaptation and resilience. Primarily funded by UK Aid through the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and co-funded by Canada's International Development Research Centre (IDRC), CLARE aims to bridge the gap between science and action by championing Southern leadership for socially inclusive and sustainable climate resilience.