Bam Earthquake Reconstruction Assessment: An Interdisciplinary Analytical Study on Risk Preparedness in Bam and its Cultural Landscape World Heritage Property in Danger

Cultural heritage plays a significant role in transmitting to next generations, information on quality of life and traditional values. Cultural heritage conservation in natural and man-made disasters, has therefore been emphasized as a global concern, over the last fifty years. There is evidence that the impacts of disaster damage on cultural heritage properties are severe. An obvious case is the destruction of Arg-e Bam, the largest adobe complex in the World in the 2003Earthquake. Although Bam Earthquake resulted in significant casualties and losses, it also provided opportunities for socioeconomic, physical and cultural development. Risk reduction activities in Bam will therefore be applicable to other historic regions in risk.This earthquake provided a suitable opportunity for restoration of the Qanat irrigation system. New opportunities were also created for tourism. Innovations in physical planning and other areas followed. This paper presents an assessment of risk reduction and preparedness programs in historical areas of Bam and its Cultural Landscape, a World Heritage Property in Danger some four years after the earthquake.