Why the Moon: Heritage, Ownership, and the Future of Exploration (ASL)

Room: Grand Lobby, 1st Floor

As humanity prepares for a new era of lunar exploration, how do we define, protect, and share the Moon’s cultural and historical significance? Join World Monuments Fund (WMF) Vice President of Programs Jonathan S. Bell to consider international efforts to advocate for the recognition and preservation of lunar heritage. From Apollo landing sites to future missions to outer space, Jonathan will discuss the precedent set by heritage protections on Earth, the challenges of international cooperation in protecting the physical history of man's contact with the Moon, and what the next Space Age means for our shared celestial past and future. In recognition of the importance of lunar heritage, WMF has included the Moon on the 2025 World Monuments Watch, the organization's biennial, nomination-based cultural heritage advocacy program.

Dr. Jonathan S. Bell, PhD is Vice President of Programs at World Monuments Fund, where he oversees the organization’s entire portfolio of cultural heritage projects around the globe and contributes broadly to the field of preservation through professional engagement. Over the course of his career, Dr. Bell has worked with the Getty Conservation Institute on World Heritage Sites in China and Egypt, evaluated cultural site management from Kazakhstan to Colombia, and overseen strategic planning for largescale flood infrastructure with the County of Los Angeles. He serves on multiple international professional scientific committees and sits on editorial boards for two academic journals. He holds a B.A. from Harvard University, a D.E.A from the Sorbonne in France, an M.Sc. in Historic Preservation from Columbia University and a Ph.D. in Urban Planning from UCLA.