YOCOCU 2012- Youth in Conservation of Cultural Heritage was held in Antwerpen City of Belgium on 18-20 June, 2012 co-organized by Italian Association of Conservation Scientists, Antwerpen University, La Sapienza University, ICCROM, Italian National Research Council, SMATCH, Italy High Institute of Restoration and Conservation, CNR-ITABC and other institutions.
To note, YOCOCU was created with the purpose to realize a network among young professionals and researchers, working in different fields of cultural heritage. Young students, researchers and professionals, all animated by common goals, meet to tell their own stories, to give their inputs to research and cultural growth in the different fields of Cultural Heritage: chemistry, physics, biology, restoration, archaeology, architecture.The conference reports are published in YOCOCU Magazine which is recognized on international level and reliable.
On 18 June the conference started in University of Antwerpen. The chairman of the Board of Directors of the University of Antwerpen, Prof. Ronni Blust opened the conference.

At the conference youth from Italy, Belgium, Azerbaijan, Spain, Portugal, Romania, Greece, Germany, Austria, Slovenia, USA, Turkey, India, Argentina, Mexico and other countries made reports at relevant sessions- stone, pigments, cultural heritage experiences, pottery, metal, glass, wall paintings, sculpture, etc. Discussions were held around the reports; shortcomings in restoration and conservation work, impacts of chemical procedures, archaeological excavations of various countries and international practice applied in architectural structure were covered therein. Professors of Universities of Catania, Rome, Antwerpen and Bologna, as well as ICCROM representative shared knowledge on their practices and researches for youth participants.
Along with staff of Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography of National Academy of Sciences of Azerbaijan (NASA) and NASA Institute of Radiation Problems, archaeologists and restorers of MIRAS Social Organization in Support of Studying of Cultural Heritage from Azerbaijan attended the conference. Chairman of MIRAS Social Organization, Dr. Fariz Khalilli, as well as Shola Bayramova and Emil Safarov reported on “Cultural Heritage in Azerbaijan via MIRAS Social Organization and Agsu Archaeological Expedition”. The posters “Restoration practice of faience and porcelain wares” by art-restorer, Jahangir Ahmadov and “Research and conservation of medieval metal wares” by metal restorer Vugar Guliyev from MIRAS staff were shown during the poster session of the conference.
Chairman of MIRAS, Dr. Fariz Khalilli spoke at special international round table and appreciated highly the YOCOCU activity. He stated the employee of Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Emil Safarov attended the event as well and initiative of the ministry on holding YOCOCU conference in Azerbaijan, in Baku.
On last day of the conference Andrea Macchia, chairman of YOCOCU Organization Committee and Simone Cagno, the organizer of YOCOCU 2012 declared Baku City’s nomination for YOCOCU 2014 conference. The member of Azerbaijani delegation, Shola Bayramova gave wide information on Baku to the participants.
The participants had visited Conservation Centre of Art Work-ARTESIS of University of Antwerpen within the scope of the conference. They were graphically informed on diagnostic, monitoring and conservation of metal, glass, photo, paper, painting, wood, cloth and new technologies.
The best qualified posters and reports of the conference were awarded.