Dates: 13 - 27 March 2011

Place: Brunei Darussalam

Partners

• ICCROM (International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property)
• SEAMEO-SPAFA (SEAMEO Regional Centre for Archaeology and Fine Arts)
• Brunei Museum Department

Background
One of the main aims of the CollAsia 2010 programme is to address the challenges facing conservation of collections of material culture within the wider context of the heritage sector and society at large. In past years the programme has addressed such current issues as the relationship of collections and heritage sites (in Angkor Wat, Cambodia), and collections of underwater heritage (in Manila, the Philippines). This proposed training activity seeks to explore the relationship and potential of conservation of collections in relation to intangible heritage.

Intangible heritage has been identified as a precious, but fragile form of cultural heritage. Under the leadership of UNESCO, nations across the world have engaged in providing special protection for diverse forms of intangible heritage. According to the definition of the UNESCO Convention on Intangible Heritage, this covers “oral traditions, performing arts, social practices, rituals, festive events, knowledge and practices concerning nature and the universe, and the knowledge and skills to produce traditional crafts”. All of these elements are an integral part of the cultural identities of Southeast Asian cultures, and have an intimate link to the essence and significance of the collections housed in museums, archives, libraries, and other institutions caring for material culture in the region.

The international course to take place in Brunei Darussalam will bring together professionals from cultural institutions in the region and beyond, to build shared conservation strategies and practices which will mutually enhance the professional capacity of those in charge of preserving these diverse components of cultural heritage. The course will also address the options available to forge joint approaches aimed at establishing sustainable practices for strengthening the role of cultural heritage as a resource for social cohesion, inter-cultural dialogue, and sustainable cultural tourism programmes.

The course will provide the participants with tools for assessing the material characteristic of the collections in their care, as well as for tracking the ways in which the material heritage is linked with the essence and identity of the manifestations of intangible heritage. The traditional knowledge systems relevant for creating and caring for the material aspects inherent to the intangible manifestations of cultural expression will be discussed, as well as the significance endowed to the material culture by the intangible heritage practices. The course will enhance the capacity of the participants to establish inter-sectoral collaborative practices between institutions in their countries to bring about robust strategies for integrated conservation of tangible and intangible heritage.

The specific focus of the CollAsia programme on “Leaders in Conservation Education” will incorporate in the course outline, elements of education and training skills, aimed at strengthening the capacity of participants to share their knowledge and ideas with colleagues in their institutions and countries.

Aim
The purpose of this course is to establish mechanisms for sharing knowledge, methods and approaches between the professionals caring for Southeast Asian heritage collections and intangible heritage. The course will offer opportunities to review, discuss, and compare living cultural practices and current conservation approaches to material culture. It will focus on the creation, use, and conservation of collections in relation to intangible cultural heritage.

Methodology
The course will consist of interactive, participatory sessions, both theoretical and practical. Study visits to heritage institutions and practitioners in Brunei Darussalam will include joint working sessions with the relevant staff, and working sessions with local community representatives. Selected results of the activity will be made available as resource materials for the wider Southeast Asian professional community through CollAsia’s website.

Teaching Team
Senior specialists are drawn from the networks of ICCROM and SPAFA and should have previous experience in CollAsia 2010 international courses.

Participants
Up to 22 professionals working in heritage institutions in Southeast Asia (directors, curators, conservators, conservation scientists, collections care staff), directly involved with the daily care and management of collections and/or preservation of intangible heritage. Participants will be from the following CollAsia-participating countries: Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste and Vietnam. At least 3 years of working experience will be required.

Working language: English.

Scholarship
Scholarships covering round trip travel, accommodation, and meals during the course will be available for the selected participants from Southeast Asia.

Application
Please use the CollAsia 2010 application form and submit it preferably by email to the following addresses:

Email: collasia2010 (at) seameo-spafa . org and collections (at) iccrom . org or by fax +66 2 2804030

CollAsia2010
SPAFA
81/1 Sri-Ayutthaya Road
Samsen, Dusit
Bangkok 10300 Thailand
Tel: +66 2 2804022-9

Application deadline: 21 February 2011  

CollAsia 2010 is supported by a generous grant from the Getty Foundation