PREAMBLE [Full report SEE]

The Olinda Report is the outcome of the regional conference on "Historic Urban Landscapes in the Americas", which was held from 12 to 14 November 2007 in Olinda, Brazil, hosted by the Brazilian Ministry of Culture's Institute for National Artistic and Historical Heritage (IPHAN), the Municipality of Olinda, the UNESCO Brasilia Office and the World Heritage Centre with its partners, and was attended by more than 70 experts and professionals from 20 countries.
This meeting continued the regional consultations on the subject of Historic Urban Landscapes (HUL) and the 2005 Vienna Memorandum as a basis and work-in-progress to improve existing tools for the preservation of historic cities and their urban and natural landscapes. It followed previous regional meetings held in Jerusalem (June 2006) and Saint Petersburg (January 2007).

The rich natural landscapes and seascapes of the Americas have been predictors of the settlement patterns and ways of life. It is a continent which has indigenous, urban and historic traditions, currently constituted of young nations. All participants expressed concern for the rapid urbanization, distribution of income and lack of equity that threaten the social, cultural and economic fabric in the Americas.
The participants welcomed the deepening of definitions of cities, landscapes and urban spaces. They recognized that preservation and conservation of historic cities, towns and villages is a sustainable process and should address current issues of climate change, pollution, ecosystem degradation, resource scarcity and transportation challenges as drivers of urban issues.

NOTE: The event was co-hosted in Olinda by the Nobrega Foundation