52 C O N T E X T 1 3 6 : S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 4 Vox pop Jukka Jokilehto retired from ICCROM (International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property) in 1998. He teaches post-graduate courses (taking place in Venice) at the University of Nova Gorica and is a visiting professor at the University of York. He acts as a consultant on the conservation of cultural heritage, for example to ICCROM, ICOMOS and UNESCO, and national ministries or academic institutions in China, Japan, India, Bhutan, Nepal, Iran, Oman, Yemen, Eritrea, Italy, Finland, Norway, Sweden and the Netherlands. He is consultant for the preparation of world heritage nomination of the city of Asmara in Eritrea, and is involved in the development of a capacity-building programme and strategy for Yemen. Who has been your greatest inspiration? It is not easy to give one name. I have been especially inspired by Paul Philippot, who invited me to work at ICCROM when he was elected director in 1971. Others who have inspired me are certainly Sir Bernard Melchior Feilden, also director of ICCROM, and Derek Linstrum, at the time director of conservation training at IAAS, University of York. I have also been inspired by many others, including Guglielmo De Angelis d’Ossat, former director general of Italy’s cultural heritage, Cesare Brandi, former director of the Italian Institute of Restoration and author of Theory of Restoration, as well as philosophers, such as Martin Heidegger, Henri Bergson and others. What has been your best idea? To come to Rome and attend the ICCROM’s international architectural conservation course in 1971, of which I was then assistant, and later director. It became the starting point for my new life. What would you like to have been if you had not become a conservationist? I would probably have continued as an architect and urban planner in Finland. I was, however, very interested in understanding the development of historic towns in their social-economic and cultural aspects, even before I came to ICCROM. I might have been doing something similar, even though perhaps through a different route. I was actively involved in music in Finland (playing the violin) and would probably have continued this actively as a hobby. Now I have limited my interests to listening to classical chamber music. How do you reply when at a party someone asks what you do? I would say that I am architect and city planner, and I am interested in the conservation and management of historic urban areas and cultural landscapes. What is the biggest frustration in your job? One frustration is the so-called ‘democracy’ in the decision-making process. It is probably related to too much information being available, and too little time and lack of interest to understand it. What would you like to be doing in five years’ time? In part, I would be happy to continue doing what I am doing now. Perhaps I would like rebalance my time so as to reserve more for reading and writing; perhaps even for doing watercolours. What is your favourite building? I have no favourite building, but I am certainly very keen to continue living in Rome. I like the historical stratigraphy and complexity of the place. I also like the creative skills of the architects and builders and artists so well represented here. Your favourite place? Rome. Your favourite book? I do not have one favourite book. Instead, I take every opportunity to visit book shops to see what they have. My current readings are mainly concentrated in philosophy, including religions and traditional belief systems. What do you do in your spare time? I have no spare time since I retired from ICCROM. On the other hand, all my time is my spare time.What do I do? If not travelling, writing or teaching, I listen to music and think about what I have been reading most recently, or what I should be doing in the next several days or weeks. Of which organisations are you a member? ICOMOS Academy; ICOMOS THEORY (International Committee on Doctrine); honorary member of Finnish National Committee of ICOMOS; honorary member of Italian National Committee of ICOMOS; president emeritus of ICOMOS International Training Committee; and honorary member of ARCo, Associazione per il Recupero del Costruito, Rome. Which one issue would you particularly like the IHBC to campaign on? I was very pleased to hear at the IHBC annual school in Scotland about the interest in campaigning for the historic and cultural built environment in all its aspects. I think it is a good idea to continue. A restored building in aYemeni village
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