The forum will empower the community to be more involved in making decisions about the management, presentation, interpretation and conservation of the site and will help them become stewards of this World Heritage property.
Establishing a Community Heritage Forum is a key step within the Brú na Bóinne Management Plan, aligning with the forthcoming Strategy for World Heritage in Ireland. Aligned with UNESCO principles, this national strategy underscores the central role of communities in World Heritage endeavours.
Michael MacDonagh, Chief Archaeologist at the National Monuments Service explained: "The Brú na Bóinne Community Heritage Forum will be a place where people can share their opinions and ideas and hear updates on management plans, research proposals and protection measures.
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"On this the International Day for Monuments and Sites which celebrates World Heritage, we affirm our commitment to working with the community which is so closely connected with Brú na Bóinne, which was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List almost 30 years ago."
Newly appointed Brú na Bóinne Community Heritage Facilitator, Mona Rourke is currently holding a series of face-to-face sessions on World Heritage processes for interested members of the community and the first meeting of the forum is expected to be held in June. Mona Rourke said: "I am honoured to take up this new role at Brú na Bóinne and am really looking forward to meeting as many people as possible from the local communities. I will be establishing a Community Forum with an agenda that will fully reflect their ideas and priorities."
As well as working with the local communities, Mona will liaise with the National Monuments Service, the Office of Public Works, the National Parks and Wildlife Service and Meath and Louth County Councils.
Mona, a heritage professional, has extensive experience in researching, conserving and managing cultural heritage. Her passion lies in collaborating with communities to effectively oversee cultural heritage initiatives. Previously, she contributed to a project aimed at analysing strategies for the protection and management of Brú na Bóinne.
