Keynote Speaker

He currently serves as Advisor for Cultural Heritage at the Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi, where he contributes to strategic initiatives related to heritage policy, historic environments, institutional development, professional education, international cooperation, and integrated management of cultural heritage.

Previously, Dr. Aslan spent two decades with ICCROM, where he led programmes for the Arab region and served as the founding Director of the ICCROM Regional Centre in Sharjah.

Throughout his career, he has worked closely with governments, international organisations, academic institutions, and local communities, focusing on community-centred conservation, traditional knowledge, cultural diversity, sustainable development, and long-term stewardship.

Title: From Restoration to Resilience: Respect as a Foundation for Living Heritage

What does it mean to respect heritage in a time of accelerating environmental, social and cultural change?

This keynote proposes a progression from restoration to recovery, resilience and ultimately regeneration, arguing that respect must be the foundation of this shift.

He has extensive experience in Government policy formulation, strategy development and management in the heritage and tourism sectors, domestically and internationally.

Previously, he held senior management positions at the South African Heritage Resources Agency (SAHRA) and the National Heritage Council of South Africa.

He holds a PhD Degree in African Studies (heritage resources management) from the University of Cape Town, South Africa.

He continues to serve as an expert panellist at UNESCO, IUCN, ICCROM and ICOMOS International. His works are published on various platforms in academia and Government journals.

Previously, he worked at the Faculty of Architecture and Built Environment at Delft University of Technology, was a fellow of the Leibniz Association and the University of Queensland.

Tino studied media technology in Leipzig and art history and communication science in Berlin, Barcelona and Tokyo.

He has been awarded grants from, among others, the Leibniz Association, the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the University of Queensland, and the Dutch Research Council.