The conservation of monuments and historic sites is one of the most challenging problems facing modern civilization. It involves a number of factors belonging to different fields (cultural, humanistic, social, technical, economical, administrative), intertwining in inextricable patterns. The possibility of finding in practice an acceptable equilibrium is linked to the development of a shared culture. The ISSMGE Technical Committee TC301 and the Italian Geotechnical Society (AGI) are organising the 2nd International Symposium on Geotechnical Engineering for the Preservation of Monuments and Historic Sites, which will be held in Napoli on May 2013. Its aim is that of comparing experiences, presenting important achievements and new ideas, establishing fruitful links.