Moments from the 14^th Conference of the International Committee for the Conservation of Mosaics in 2022

In October 2022, Plovdiv hosted the 14th Conference of the International Committee for the Conservation of Mosaics (ICCM) titled “Conserving Mosaics in a Changing Environment. Challenges and Opportunities”. This conference, held every three years since 1977, is one of the most prestigious global events dedicated to the preservation and management of mosaics. Its goal is to showcase the best practices in the conservation of mosaics, their maintenance, preservation, and presentation, while fostering an international exchange of expertise.

Bulgaria and Eastern Europe hosted the event for the first time in 2022 under the patronage of the Bulgarian Ministry of Culture and in partnership with the Ancient Plovdiv Municipal Institute and the “Balkan Heritage” Foundation. It was organized by ICCM and Plovdiv Municipality and co-funded by the Bulgarian Fulbright Commission, the Getty Conservation Institute (USA) and the J. M. Kaplan Fund (USA). 200 specialists from more than 20 countries participated in the conference and visited the ancient mosaics in Plovdiv and Stara Zagora, as well as the impressive interior mosaics of the Buzludzha monument. A free open-access bilingual catalog titled “Ancient and Contemporary Mosaics of Plovdiv” was published on the eve of the conference.