Chantier École MOSAIKON Participants Learn While Restoring Tipasa Mosaics
The Chantier École MOSAIKON, held 19 June–18 July at the archaeological site of Tipasa, Algeria, provided the opportunity for a one-month field school that benefited 12 conservators from Algeria and Lebanon. With support from the Algerian Directorate-General of Antiquities, participants received training to restore in-situ mosaics at the World Heritage site of Tipasa as well as detached mosaics from the storage units of the Cherchell museum.
The Tipasa field school took place as part of the MOSAIKON initiative and was the second field school carried out thanks to generous financial support from the Getty Foundation committed in November 2017.
Nara Course Guides Young Professionals through Basics of Archaeological Sites
The Investigation, Preservation and Management of Archaeological Sites course, held from 4 September to 4 October in Nara, Japan, benefits from a long-standing partnership between ICCROM and the Asia-Pacific Cultural Centre for UNESCO (ACCU Nara). Designed for young professionals, it offers knowledge and techniques in how to investigate, preserve and provide ongoing management for archaeological sites. Sixteen participants from seventeen countries (some participants had dual citizenship) learned principles and methodologies for cultural heritage protection and skills-based techniques for documentation and analysis, preservation and management of archaeological sites. They also discussed opportunities to build heritage protection networks in the region.
Japan’s Agency for Cultural Affairs, ACCU Nara, ICCROM and the National Research Institute for Cultural Properties in Tokyo and Nara jointly organized this course under the auspices of the Japan Consortium for International Cooperation in Cultural Heritage, Japanese National Commission for UNESCO, Nara Prefectural Government and Nara City Government.
CollAsia Course and Conference Highlight Challenges of Photographic and Archival Collections
Photographic and archival collections document the transformation of historical, artistic and identity-building values over time. Yet these huge collections are often fragile, vulnerable and difficult to manage. The CollAsia Conserving Photographic and Archival Collections course, held from 22 November to 13 December in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, addressed collections care practices for these items. Participants reviewed living cultural practices with current conservation principles, assessing the benefits and sustainability of local materials and techniques for conservation. Focusing on materials, techniques, conservation and use of diverse archival media, with a particular attention to photographs, the course improved scientific literacy, critical thinking and decisionmaking skills for a diverse group of participants.
Participants also benefited from conference held on 30 November titled “International Integration of Conservation: Opportunities and Challenges for Cultural Heritage Values.” Ho Chi Minh City University of Vietnam organized the conference in partnership with the Southern Institute of Social Sciences and Ho Chi Minh City Institute for Development Studies, under the patronage of ICCROM.
CollAsia course organizing partners included Ho Chi Minh City University of Culture and ICCROM. Generous support came from the Korean Cultural Heritage Administration (CHA).
