The 19th triennial General Assembly and Scientific Symposium of the International Council of Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) will be hosted by ICOMOS India and held in Delhi from 11 to 15 December 2017. The theme of the Scientific Symposium is "Heritage and Democracy". The ICOMOS Scientific Symposium 2017 explores the possibilities for cultural heritage in a world of multiple stakeholders, recognising the challenges of cultural diversity, and resulting contestations amidst local and/or global communities. A call for abstracts of papers to be presented and sessions to be held during the Scientific Symposium has recently been launched. Organisers seek contributions that respond to the need to identify sustainable means to work towards equity, ensuring intellectual and physical access to heritage monuments and sites, and acknowledging and building upon intangible associations with such places, empowering them to protect and interpret the future of our past in times of war and peace; with the increasing support of digital technology. Sub-themes include the following:

• Integrating Heritage and Sustainable Urban Development by Engaging Diverse Communities for Heritage Management
• The Role of Cultural Heritage in Building Peace and Reconciliation
• Protecting and Interpreting Cultural Heritage in the Age of Digital Empowerment
• Culture-Nature Journey, Exploring the Complexities of Human Relationships with Natural and Cultural Places

The call for papers is only open for submissions covering the first three sub-themes, whereas submissions under the call for session proposals should address the fourth sub-theme. The latter should be held in the context of the ongoing collaboration between ICOMOS and the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The call for papers is open until 1 April, whereas the call for session proposals accepts submissions until 30 April. For additional information about the themes and sub-themes of the ICOMOS General Assembly and Scientific Symposium 2017, please visit http://icomosga2017.org/themes-and-subthemes/ Details about the call for papers can be found at http://icomosga2017.org/call-for-papers/ Details about the call for session proposals can be found at http://icomosga2017.org/call-for-proposals/