Marc Jacobs
“Presents, All the Way Down…and Up”
Prof. dr. Marc Jacobs (1963) is currently full professor in heritage studies in the Faculty of Design Sciences, at the University of Antwerp, where he also serves as vice-dean for education. Since 2014 he is a holder of the UNESCO chair in critical heritage studies and the safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel, also in Belgium. He specializes in intangible cultural heritage and safeguarding - museums - archives - cultural brokerage - cultural policy - food studies - interdisciplinary research He was a member of the Flemish UNESCO commission (2008-2016). He participated since 2001 as representative of Belgium in drafting the 2003 convention. He works in the accredited organisation FARO and systematically follows ICH-related meetings. He is strongly involved in putting (intangible) heritage policy into practice. He advises many communities, NGOs, cities and other stakeholders in many countries about safeguarding ICH and the 2003 convention. He publishes intensively about the 21st-century heritage paradigm and the 2003 convention. He focusses on (inter)national ICH-policy assessment, case-studies of safeguarding projects and programs, on the role of facilitation and cultural brokerage, on project management and on the importance of reflexivity and ethics.