Afghanistan, the Bagh-e Jehan Nama Palace Complex (ARCHIVE, April 2009)

Afghanistan, a programme for Culture and Development

The Bagh-e Jehan Nama Palace complex

 Funded by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs

The Bagh-e Jehan Nama palace, view from the garden

Originally build in 1890-1892 by Amir Abdur Rahman, the Bagh-e-Jahan nama (BJN) Palace has been restored and renovated in 1974-1976 by president Daoud Khan. The plan was to turn the palace into a museum. An earthquake in 1976, resulting in serious damages, prevented this idea from being implemented. In the following periods of conflict and civil war, a lot of damage and neglect was done to both the palace and the palace garden.

In discussions on the future role of museums, plans of the Government of Afghanistan to establish regional museums were take in hand by the stakeholders of the Bagh-e-Jahan nama Palace project. It focuses on the Bagh-e-Jahan nama Palace building and palace garden, on the southern outskirts of Kholm (or Tashqurghan) close to the highway connecting Kabul with Mazar-e-Sharif.
The contact with the Ministry of Information and Culture (MoIC) and the president of the Governors office is very important for the local commitment to the project. Via structural meetings, feedback and presentations on the project, MoIC, AFIR Architects and CIE have a very valuable and inclusive cooperation.

Visit of Mr Rasouli at the Bagh-e-Jahan nama palace. Mr Rasouli is director Archaeology at the Ministry of Information and Culture of Afghanistan.

Capacity building and (local) ownership are the priorities in the project, not only for the National Museum of Afghanistan in Kabul, but also for the regional museum in Kholm. During talks with the Director of Museums, Mr. Omara Khan Masoudi, it was agreed on the necessity of obtaining a collection of objects representing the history and culture of the northern plains and also to assist in training a local staff. The work done in the project by AFIR Architects and CIE with the local communities creates ownership for the museum, so the place really becomes their museum. The communities are involved in every step of the development of the palace.
 

Aims of the general BJN programme

-      Establish an (ethnographic) museum

-       Capacity building for the museum sector 

-       Building infrastructure for the museum sector

-       Extend the Afghan public awareness for the cultural heritage of Afghanistan

-       Stimulating local economy

Planned activities for BJN in 2009:

The activities planned for 2009 are a continuation of the work done in 2008. In 2009 three main activities are planned:

-      Structural work on the Bagh-e-Jahan nama palace

-      Interior work on the Bagh-e-Jahan nama palace

-      Work on the garden surrounding the Bagh-e-Jahan nama palace

Structural work on the Bagh-e-Jahan nama palace
At the start of the project the most dangerous areas that might collapse have been blocked and vulnerable components of the palace structure have been protected from harsh winter conditions in the north of Afghanistan.

 
The protection of the East tower of the palace

During the harsh winter months AFIR Architects has done research on the historic material of the Bagh-e-Jahan nama palace. This research came up with some very interesting material that is highly valued by the Ministry of Information and Culture of Afghanistan. The historic material that was found, and to that moment unknown to the Ministry and local communities, were historic photos of the palace and a black and white movie from 1972 that amongst other locations takes place in the palace. The rediscovered movie has even been shown a few times on local TV channels in the north of Afghanistan. 

The focus for 2009 will be on making the domes and the flat roof waterproof and structurally sound. This painstaking work will be crucial for the 2009 action plan as it will be the foundation of a safe and sound project. The structural work will include three necessary movement joints in the roof area that were unfortunately not provided for in the renovation of 1974-1976. These joints will make it possible for the building to better deal with earthquake forces.

 
Local craftsmen and the local Afghan team of AFIR Architects are working on the structural activities to lift up and improve the palace.

The project provides direct economical input for local craftsman. All the material needed for the construction work comes from the region surrounding Kholm. 
All the bricks needed for the structural work on the palace are specially baked for the project by local brick-makers. The bricks have special measurements that follow the size of the historical bricks used in the historical structure of the palace.

Interior work on the Bagh-e-Jahan nama palace

The cleaning, repair work of the interior is a continuation from the basic cleaning of 2008 in which thousands of kilograms of waste and non-original material were removed. Focussing on the West wing of the palace, working towards the central area, the main issues will be the woodwork of the frames, doors and windows and the plasterwork (both rough and fine) and improvement of floors and metal work.

 
Experienced carpenters from the region work with representatives from the Ministry of Information and Culture and the team of AFIR Architects to make tailor-fit frames for the historical palace.

The plaster is made with lime that is made in the BJN garden. The unquenched chalk from Balkh (west of Mazar-e-Sharif) is put in a reservoir that is filled with clean water. The lime immediately reacts intensely with the water and is left under water for twenty days. After this period, the lime is filtered and put back in the lime pit for another six weeks. Then finally it is ready to become a paste that will be mixed into the plaster material. Lime plasters are common in historic buildings, also in Afghanistan as cement is a relatively new development in the history of building materials.

The interior work on the palace will be in terms of investment the second largest for 2009 and the visual impact of this part will have a very positive impact on lifting the spirits for the project. The concept design proposals for the museum staff facilities will also be made in this phase.  Following the new facilities, training programmes by museum experts on collection management addressing the issues of conservation, registration and documentation, museum education, presentation and administration will be organised.

Work on the garden surrounding the Bagh-e Jahan nama palace

This activity takes place inside the garden and is the next step after the removal of four Russian tanks and a metal underground bunker in the South East corner of the garden in the fall of 2008. The existing concrete slabs inside the garden need to be removed and re-planting of fruit trees this year will follow the vision (landscape plan) for the garden.

In the summer it will also be able to finalize the work on the South and West walls of the palace garden in the Pakhsa system. To be sure that the raw material is mixed very well for these mud walls, cows are purchased. By walking through the mud, the cows ensure that the surplus of air is removed from the mud. Too much air in the mud might lead to big cracks in the walls in the future. This is the densification of the clay/mud (paksha) mixture. The intense instruction and supervise work of the Ministry of Information and Culture local office Balkh and AFIR Architects will continue to achieve high quality results.

Photography: Courtesy of AFIR Architects

Afghanistan, the Bagh-e Jehan Nama Palace Complex (ARCHIVE, October 2008)

Afghanistan, a programme for Culture and Developmen

The Bagh-e Jehan Nama Palace complex

 Funded by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Since 2006 the Centre for International Heritage Activities has been appointed by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs to identify, develop and coordinate a Program for Culture and Development in Afghanistan. The main objective of the program is to add to the preservation and reconstruction of the cultural heritage of Afghanistan in general by contributing to the re-establishment of the museum sector in Kabul and Khulm (former Tashqurghan). In cooperation with the Afghan stakeholders a program has been developed to achieve this. The program has as time frame of six years, from February 2006 till January 2012.

Objectives

Objectives for the ‘Afghanistan Program for Culture & Development’ are:

1. Renovation and refurbishing of the National Museum of Afghanistan in Kabul
    
2. Restoration of the Bagh-e Jehan Nama (BJN) Palace complex in Khulm (former Tashqurghan)
    
3. Capacity building for the Afghan museum sector
    
4. Building infrastructure for the museum sector
    
5. Creating a stimulating environment for the Afghan public
    
6. A feasibility study for the reconstruction of the historic bazaar of Khulm
    
7. Stimulating local economy

We are working with various (inter) national partners, a.o. Dr. Willem Vogelsang, Afghanistan expert at the Ethnographic Museum Leiden & University of Leiden. Our local partner in Afghanistan for all technological and logistic activities is AFIR Architects, Kabul.

Current activities

During the summer and autumn of 2008 are focussing on the Bagh-e Jehan Nama Palace Museum, the Palace garden and the renovation of the mud brick walls around the garden.

In May 2008 a Projectplan was defined for the autumn / winter of 2008. This action plan contains the following activities;

• Removal of waste and rubble inside the palace rooms
• Cleaning of the floors inside the palace building
• Removal of heavy metal military items (a.o. 4 Soviet tanks in the garden)
• Leveling of the palace surroundings
• Removal of ‘disturbing additions’ to the main building structure
• Restoration of the foundations of two boundary walls; South and East
• Restoration of the South and East boundary walls
• Restoration of the supporting columns of the South and East walls
• Stabilizing of the primary structure of the North gate
• Stabilizing the dangerous areas of the main building structure

Capacity building is of an absolute priority during this project. During meetings with the Director of Museums, Mr. Omara Khan Massoudi, and with the Deputy Minister of Information & Culture, Mr. Zia Afshar, the objectives for the development towards an ethnographic museum were prioritized.

The upcoming UNESCO Strategy Report, that was drafted by UNESCO Kabul and all Afghan stakeholders, will be leading during this project.

Ownership

To be able to identify the needs and demands of all parties related to the development of the Bagh-e Jehan Nama Palace complex, the Afghan Ministry of Information & Culture, in cooperation with AFIR Archtitects, have decided upon the organization of open workshops. During two meetings (in June and July 2008)  all stakeholders involved were invited to express and share visions and priorities. for  the palace complex and it’s use in the future.

Present at the open workshops were representatives from the Ministry of Information & Culture, the Royal Netherlands Embassy, UNESCO, ACC/UNOPS, Kabul University Dep. Of Agriculture, MM consultants, AREU, FCCS, CCAA, UNDP Gender specialists, the Italian Embassy and The Monument Fund. The Aga Khan Foundation for Culture contributed to the discussions on several other occasions.

In Khulm informative meetings were organized with representatives of the local community. Consulted were the Head of Police, the Head of the Shura, the National Security representative, the regional & local representatives of the Ministry of Information & Culture. On a more practical level  several master masons have been consulted for the right approach of the work.

Local site office

To be able to coordinate and work permanently on location, and to work closely together with the local community and the local craftsmen, the need for a local site office was expressed. Afghan site engineers, master masons, younger masons and laborers all should have a base here.

AFIR Architects has been able to negotiate the premises closest to the main Palace entrance and the site office was up and running in August of this year.

A team of master masons was invited to work on the renovation of the walls and the building.  Practical issues as a local team for the maintenance of the office, an internet connection, a financial system to deal with the weekly salaries were organized.

We are very proud that our team in Khulm was able to develop and build this site office in such a short period of time.

Work in progress

AFIR has performed a survey in 2007, during which the site and the buildings were measured. A photographical survey was carried out. In addition to this an experienced structural engineer, Mr. Najibullah Aoudjan, performed a first survey.

During the autumn and winter of 2008 three priorities were set and already in progress.

1.    Interstabilization of critical structural elements: the main gate in the North has been stabilized by the local representatives of the Ministry of Information & Culture. AFIR has blocked the entrances to the West stairs of the palace as chances of a collapsing roof (or parts of it) are realistic. Last winter the East tower, that was already for years in a miserable state, collapsed. These potentially dangerous and unstable components are addressed at the start of the project.

2.    Repair work on the South wall: the cleaning and repair work at the South wall was the first priority for the local master masons. The parts of the wall that are in a bad shape, the parts with serious foundation problems and the parts of the walls that have been replaced by non-historical or military elements are being removed and levelled.

The teams are working under the guidance of very experienced masters. For the mud walls cows are purchased to be sure that the raw material is mixed very well and that it does not contain too much air that might lead to big cracks in the future. This is called the densification of the clay/mud (paksha) mixture. 

3.    A huge ‘removal and cleaning exercise’: inside the garden and outside the palace. The remains of four tanks were removed, as well as a metal underground bunker in the garden. Other issues are the removal of rubble, quickly build military structures and other non-historical elements that will disturb in the new ambition level of the Palace.

An ethnographic museum

During the beginning of the seventies of the 20^th century the Bagh-e Jahan Nama Palace has been restored and renovated and plans were developed to turn the palace into a museum. An earthquake in 1976, resulting in serious damages, prevented this idea from being implemented. Combined with the plans for the reconstruction of the historic centre of Tashqurghan and its potential to become a major tourist attraction, the option of revitalizing the plan for establishing an ethnographic museum in the Bagh-e Jahan Nama Palace was reconsidered. This idea was further discussed with the Afghan stakeholders.

The location of the palace complex is close to where the highway from Kabul to Mazar-e Sharif enters the northern plains; a location which can’t be overlooked by anybody travelling in either direction.              

For many people passing, a stop at the Bagh-e Jahan Nama Palace complex would be attractive. Moreover, rearranging the palace garden would turn the park into an economic asset (fruit trees) as well as a highly attractive picnic ground for the local population and travellers.

The ethnographic museum, apart from covering the history and culture of the northern plains from Tashqurghan to Andkhui, would act as a site museum paying special attention to the historic urban centre of Tashqurghan as it existed into the nineteen eighties. A museum of this kind –with the adjacent garden- will add an extra tourist attraction to Khulm.

Apart from this, the Afghanistan Conservation Corps (funded by UNOPS) are currently supporting a farmer project for women in the garden. Local women are taking care of fruit trees an are growing vegetables. Their children have a little playground on the premisses. The project aims at stimulating ecenomic development for local women.

History and background

For many centuries Afghanistan was located on the old serais (along the Silk Road) between Europe and China and India. Many important cultural centres developed along the way.

During and after the 15^th Century Europe developed new sea routes to the east. The trade over land decreased and the cultural centres along the Silk Road became more isolated.

Tashqurghan was founded early in the 19^th century and grew to become the most important town in northern Afghanistan. A large variety of industrial products and commodities were transported by camel caravans: weapons, knives, metal thread, needles, glass, mirrors, porcelain, paper, tea, cotton and silk cloth. Most of these products were produced in the European part of Russia, some originated from Russian Turkistan. From India all kinds of locally manufactured and British industrial products went the other way: binoculars, razorblades, indigo, spices, ivory, coconuts and brocades. Afghanistan contributed to this trade with wool, raw silk, fruits, vegetable dyes and horses.

During the first decades of the twentieth century Tashqurghan gradually lost its position as the emporium of northern Afghanistan. Mazar-e Sharif and Kunduz, better positioned for crossing the Amu Darya river, took over and the caravan traffic stopped. Although Tashqurghan had lost it’s importance as a centre for international trade, local craftsmen and refugees from Soviet Central Asia, (most of them being craftsmen as well) reinforced the position of Tashqurghan as a centre for the production of all kinds of objects for daily use throughout the country.

In the 1960’s the asphalted road between Kabul and Mazar-e Sharif was completed. The 350 kilometres between the two cities could now be covered in 8-9 hours (instead of the previous two weeks travel). The number of foreign and domestic tourists visiting Tashqurghan increased considerably. Apart from larger numbers of individual visitors, organized tours started arriving. A large number of antiques shops were opened for the visitors.

During the 1970’s Tashqurghan was declared a ‘town of art-historical significance’ by UNESCO, while the Tim, the centre of the ancient bazaar, was declared a national monument by the Afghan government.

After the Soviet invasion the bazaar has been attacked on several occasions but in 1986 it was completely destroyed in reprisal attacks by the Red Army. 
 

Afghanistan, the Bagh-e Jehan Nama Palace Complex (ARCHIVE, September 2009)

Poster Presentations Brazil Heritage Day

Open images in a new window for more details.

Conclusions and Recommendations South Africa Heritage Day 2008 Zeist The Netherlands

Conclusions and Recommendations

Built Heritage:

Conclusions
There is a lack of maintenance of buildings that have been preserved and restored. In addition, there is a lack of area protection. Another problem is the exodus of people out of historical cores (e.g. the districts in Pretoria). Chances for the mutual built heritage are the exchange of expertise on both sides and through revitalization of parts of the cities that have become slums. There are tangible and economical benefits to gain. The Netherlands can offer South Africa: knowledge exchange in maintenance and preservation techniques, knowledge and expertise on area protection and integrated conservation and advance techniques of documenting.

Recommendation
There are possibilities and there is a need for knowledge exchange in maintenance and preservation techniques, expertise exchange on area protection and integrated conservation.

Archives:

Conclusions

Digitising the archives is very important to open up and save them. The Netherlands and South Africa should keep each other informed about the different digitising initiatives.

It is important to invest in Dutch language education in South Africa. Only in this way can local scientists study the South African archives. Language is an important tool to open up sources.
More attention should be given to the archives of the anti-apartheid movement; especially photo and audiovisual material in the Netherlands is interesting for South Africa. Other interesting archives are the missionary archives and archives of the Boer movement.

Recommendation
Archives need funding for digitizing, opening up and investigating different periods of South Africa besides the VOC period and the VOC archives.

Museums:

Conclusions
More information should be shared on museum projects. Digitization is a modern tool and is still in a learning process; the technology can be simplified: contents should be made visible to the people. Bring the museum into the street and try to attract young people and ‘their’ culture. Museum staff can still be more trained and enlarged. It is important to build up local know-how and work with local people.

There are two levels of cooperation between countries: by joining forces for digitizing at museum level and to make a platform to share mistakes, knowledge and share collections.

Recommendation
Digitizing is also an important subject in the museums today. More information about projects should be shared through this medium and a platform is necessary to share collections, information and knowledge.  The contents should be made visible to a broad public.

Mutuality of mutual heritage:

Conclusions
Mutual heritage is perhaps important for the development of Dutch international cultural policy and heritage, but for South Africa it is more important to focus on their own perspectives.
The Dutch policy also tends to create new heritage by influencing the development of mutual heritage projects.

Case study: there are several ideas for a (mutual) policy at Cape Castle in Cape Town: the celebration of diversity, curiosity and a willingness to learn from both ‘sides’ is important. There is a need to develop a potential platform for future research into the local public opinion in order to develop value-based policies. The ideal sustainable model of Cape Castle is as a tangible center for the celebration of both tangible and intangible heritage. 

Recommendation 
The Netherlands should not only develop a mutual heritage policy based on their own sentiments and judgments. What we think important for Dutch international cultural policy is often not shared with the partner country. South Africa focuses more on their own perspectives than on mutual cultural heritage. For Cape Castle in Cape Town it is stressed that the celebration of diversity, curiosity and willingness to learn from both sides is important.

Poster Presentations South Africa Heritage Day

Open image in a new window for more details.

South Africa Heritage Day - June 5th 2007 Zeist, The Netherlands

June 5th 2007: South Africa Heritage Day, Zeist, The Netherlands

On June 5th, 2008, the Center for International Heritage Activities organized the third CIE Heritage Day, which took place at the beautiful location of the RACM, (State Service for Archaeology, Cultural Landscape and Monuments) in Zeist. Former heritage days have taken place with Indonesia and Surinam as subjects.  This occasion was organized to bring the heritage field of South Africa together. The heritage day started in the Hernhutter church of the Evangelical Brother Community in Zeist, which has direct connections with Genadendal in South Africa.

The main objective of the day was, to learn which possibilities there are, by exchanging information and experiences, to obtain more cooperation with each other in this field. The morning was used for a general meeting during which attention was given to the projects by way of lectures and poster presentations.  Prof. Henry (Jatti) Bredekamp, President of ICOM, South Africa, gave a presentation on the cooperation of Mutual Cultural Heritage after February 2008. The Secretary of State, Mr. Timmermans, had visited South Africa in February of this year to intensify this cooperation. 

The other lectures were on important themes in the mutual heritage field of South Africa and the Netherlands:

• Job Roos (TU Delft) - The challenge of Genadendal.
• Trilce Navarrete (UvA) - Digitization of museum collections.
• Ena Jansen (UvA) - Afrikaans
• Robert Parthesius (CIE) - Capacity building in maritime archeology

After the lectures the CIE presented their Internet Based Platform. This platform was developed to give the network of project holders the chance to communicate, and exchange expertise and ideas about projects. This platform will be the central location where all information on heritage projects can be found and where communication can take place.

The afternoon was planned for workshops to discuss the cooperation and cohesion in built heritage projects, museum projects and projects related to archives, photos and books. The fourth group discussed the term ‘mutual’ in Mutual Cultural Heritage and the possibility to define common lieux de memoires. The participants in the workshops developed recommendations for the cultural policy makers on the subjects of cooperation between Dutch organisations and the cooperation with counterparts in South-Africa.

All the participants had the opportunity to send in information on and images of their heritage project. Eighteen organisations presented their heritage projects with South Africa on posters. These posters give an interesting insight in the Dutch cooperation with South Africa's heritage field today. With these posters they were able to generate attention for their project and get in contact with interested participants.

The heritage day was more than just a meeting, but a day, which will hopefully lead to more cooperation with each other and to keep each other up to date on each other’s projects.

Workshop Report South Africa Heritage Day - June 5th 2007 Zeist, The Netherlands

Workshop Report

CIE Heritage Day South Africa; more than a meeting

The morning program of the day was used for a general meeting where attention was given to several heritage projects by way of lectures and poster presentations.  Prof. Henry (Jatti) Bredekamp, President of ICOM South Africa, gave a presentation on the cooperation of Mutual Cultural Heritage after February 2008. The Secretary of State of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Frans Timmermans, had visited South Africa in February of this year to intensify this cooperation. The other lectures were on heritage themes in South Africa and those in cooperation with the Netherlands. Job Roos from the Technical University in Delft gave a lecture on the built heritage site Genadendal. The topic of digitizing museum collections in South Africa was explained by Trilce Navarrete of the University of Amsterdam. Ena Jansen, Professor of Afrikaans at the University of Amsterdam, discussed an important immaterial heritage subject, the language Afrikaans. Robert Parthesius, director of the CIE, closed the morning program with a lecture of capacity building in maritime archaeology. CIE has broad expertise on maritime archaeology and at the end of 2008, a three-year program for capacity building was signed in Pretoria. CIE will offer expertise and coordination in this program.

During the afternoon, workshops were given to discuss some themes in the heritage field. Built heritage, museums and archives, books, photos were selected for workshops from the inventory. Apart from these practical workshops, one group discussed the mutuality in ‘mutual’ cultural heritage. A workshop for Afrikaans was also initiated, but there were not enough participants for a discussion. From each workshop discussion, recommendations were phrased which are presented here.    

Workshop Built Heritage (chair: Jean-Paul Corten, RACM)
The participants in this workshop have very different professions. The chair of ICOMOS Shared Built Heritage was present, employees of the National Service for Archaeology, Cultural Landscape and Built Heritage, South Africa House, Urban Solutions, ArchiAfrika, Netherlands-South African Society and from South Africa, Irwin Langeveld of the Department Arts and Culture in Pretoria.
The topics that were discussed were focused on the relevance of the mutual heritage for today’s society. What kind of changes is there for mutual built heritage and what kind of threats are there to this heritage? What are the trends in topical issues? Do the South Africans want to keep the mutual built heritage?
For the discussion, it was important to have some understanding about the Monument Legislation in South Africa. The National Heritage Resources Act of 1999 replaced the old National Monuments Act of 1969. There are three different grades to be distinguished in this act: a national, regional and local level. The main protection there for monuments is the ‘sixty years’ mark.  Historical buildings automatically receive protection after sixty years of their resurrection. This means that most of the ‘Dutch’ architecture in South Africa is already protected legally. All local governments are in the process of implementing renewal of urban legislation. Political commitment is important on every level. Initiatives that are developed in the urban renewal planning are for example: public-private cooperation, renewals and permits.
So monuments older than sixty years gain some legal protection, but not everything older than sixty years is also automatically heritage. The legislation is a starting point, an important tool to protect buildings. It can be used to start the process of validation, research and inventory to declare a site as a heritage site.
During the workshop, the question how Dutch (mutual) heritage policy is related to South African policy was discussed. In 1996, a bilateral agreement was signed between South Africa and the Netherlands to cooperate in the fields of education, science, arts and culture, health, welfare and sport. In 2002, an agreement on common heritage was signed:Accommodate Cultural Diversity: The Challenge of Common Cultural Heritage. The policy is now six years old and could have some adjustments. In addition, the projects that have been carried out during the last six years should be evaluated and prioritized for a good continuity of knowledge and development.
Common or ‘mutual’ heritage though is a difficult term. Cape architecture is a footprint that symbolizes mutual heritage. However, ‘mutual heritage’ is a Dutch perception. From the South African point of view it is their heritage – South African heritage. By defining Cape architecture mutual, it is distinguished from indigenous heritage. Nevertheless, the South African public considers ‘mutual heritage’ to be their heritage and to be remembered and preserved where possible. Colonial history and indigenous culture are both part of the South African history and therefore embraced. The government’s point of view is to maintain and protect colonial heritage because it is a part of their identity and therefore chooses not to destroy it. It is part of a greater landscape of (black) heritage and balances the landscape out for the South African. Everything is thus included, but there are different levels of significance. This subdivision is made by the South African Heritage Resource Agency (SAHRA). The institute is funded by the government, but operates autonomous. The discussion on how to appoint heritage is very topical. This is, however, not only the case in South Africa, but is a worldwide discussion. How can the value of buildings be determined? Social, economical and historical values certainly play an important role in appointing heritage. Important aspects for achieving sustainable monument protection and restoration of projects, is to achieve political commitment of the local authority. The second is public awareness, they should be able to acknowledge the value of their monuments, and the last one is economic feasibility.
Financing is always a threat to the monuments. The government does not have the funds to pay for every restoration. One of the main issues about South African built heritage is now the maintenance of the buildings after renovation. People and finances are needed in order to maintain the historical buildings. Attention should also be given to good inventories of the built heritage. Docomomo is mentioned as a way to learn from the Netherlands. It is an international working group for the Documentation and Conservation of buildings, sites and neighborhoods of the modern movement. A valuation and inventory should also be made of modern heritage – the new architecture of the last sixty years is excluded from policy and legislation.

From the above discussion the following recommendations and conclusions for the built heritage workshop can be given:

There are certain threats for the built heritage:

1.     Poor law enforcement. 
2.     Lack of maintenance of the buildings, which have been preserved and restored.
3.     The limited options of the sixty-year mark. Modern heritage younger than sixty years is not protected.
4.     Modern heritage is not drawn up in an inventory.
5.     Lack of sufficient financing.
6.     Lack of area protection.
7.     Colonial heritage is made of sustainable material, but the indigenous buildings are in trouble of surviving the elements.
8.     The exodus of the people out of historical city cores. For example: the districts in Pretoria.

Chances for the future:

1.     The changes for mutual built heritage are the exchange of expertise on both sides.
2.     Heritage can be seen as a potential for development.
3.     Historical significance.
4.     Potential material benefits for the South African population.
5.     Through revitalization of the parts of the cities that have become slums and restoring buildings, there are tangible and economical benefits.

To offer to South Africa:

1.     Knowledge exchange in maintenance & preservation techniques.
2.     Knowledge and expertise on area protection & integrated conservation.
3.     Advance techniques of documenting (docomomo).
4.     How to organize and set-up priorities in built heritage and the recognition of it.

To learn from South Africa:

1.     Fresh view on global issues by professionals.
2.     Protection laws of archaeological sites. The ‘air’ above archaeological sites is protected.
3.     Buildings with oral history are protected.
4.     We can learn to be proud from the South Africans.

Workshop Archives, Books, and Photo’s (chair: Frits van Dulm, CIE)
The participants in this workshop have various professions. There was expertise on digitising archives, for example the Atlas of Mutual Heritage (www.theatlasofmutualheritage.nl). The Dutch Institute for Southern Africa is responsible for the access of archives and collections of the Apartheid Movement in the Netherlands. The Institute for Dutch History has a project to collect and open up archives and documentation about organisations and persons that played a role in mission work in South Africa between 1800-1960. From South Africa, there is an initiative to develop an institute for photo and film archives to be able to digitise these archives and develop research projects with this material. In short, the participants strive in their own archive expertise to digitise and to open up South African archives from different periods and materials.
The first topic discussed was the importance of the study of the history of all South African people through archival research. The archives contain important information about the roots of the South African society and give an insight in the role of South Africa as a cross point of the international ship traffic. The participants agree that the archives are an important source, with an emphasis on a source. Archives are not the only source for historical research. They are not an objective source of knowledge, most of the time they exist of documents written by the high-educated elite. In this case, the archives represent the ‘powerful part’ of society. However, it is difficult to work with this; there is much more information about the reality of the officials than the reality of the indigenous people. The objectivity and value of archives does not only apply to written sources. Moreover, most of the photography and films were made by order of the white elite. There are few archives with critical and individual reports from the indigenous people from before the eighteenth century. In Utrecht, there is an archive with personal reports of the missionaries. The friars were encouraged to remain in contact with their relatives at home. The letters contain interesting aspects of daily life in South Africa.
However, access to archives in South Africa is often difficult for historians, because governments regard the archives as a continuation of their own government.
Another discussion is the problem how to attract new and a younger audience towards the different kinds of archives. South African and Dutch youngsters are often unaware of South African history. The archives have to be presented in an active way to bring them under the attention of the new generation. In every period, the creation of a new basis has to be achieved for the maintenance of the archives. The participants, however, agree that it is impossible to save all the archives; selection is necessary. However, it remains difficult to make the right choices in what to save and what to destroy. Different archives can have different meanings in different periods.
There is still archive material in the Netherlands about for example the antiapartheid movement that is hardly available in South Africa. Certain literature was forbidden in South Africa and nowadays this knowledge is still only in the Netherlands. This has large consequences for the partition of knowledge. There are also big differences among the archive institutes in South Africa. Through non-cooperation and bad organisation, many institutes do not know about each other’s collection. Digitisation is therefore very important. For this digitising, it is important that South Africa and the Netherlands know what already has been digitized so this does not happen twice. What also should be digitized in the future are the archives of small villages. These local archives could have interesting material for example questions relating to the relation city-country. The older inhabitants often preserve these village archives, so it is very important to digitize these archives for research.

From the above discussion the following recommendations for the workshop archives, books and photo’s can be given:

1.     Archives are an important source, but certainly not the only one. It should be noted that most archives consist of selection criteria and written by a white elite.
2.     Except for the archives of the VOC, attention should be given to:

- Archives before 1652.
- Missionary archives that can give a different view of the history of South Africa.
- Archives of the antiapartheid movement; especially the photo and audiovisual material in the Netherlands are interesting for South Africa.
- Archives of the Boer movement that give interesting insights of a later period of South African history.
- Archives of scientific institutes like the Royal Tropical Institute, Meertens Institute and the Hortus Botanicus with some private archives of former scientists.
- Local archives

4.     It is important to invest in Dutch language education in South Africa. Only in this way can local scientists study the South African archives. Language is an important tool to open up sources.

Workshop museums (chair: Alex van Stipriaan, KIT)

In this workshop, a broad spectrum of people working in the museum field was represented. From South Africa, there was the representative of the Department of Arts and Culture present. Besides the commitment of South Africa in this discussion, there were representatives of the Tropenmuseum, Museum of Ethnology, Prince Claus Fund, Cultural Heritage Foundation, and Opera Design Amsterdam. The Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs was also represented, as was the cultural department of the Dutch Embassy in Pretoria.
The first topic that was discussed, was how South African heritage institutes can transform into institutes that reflect the ethnic composition of society, for example with regard to staff, collections and presentations. The chair stated that in 2004 a bilateral agreement was at the heart. Reflecting on yourself, what can you offer to this? When looking at your own staff and audience, how can the diversity of your society be reflected and how can you reach this goal?
In South Africa, during the last 10 years, there has been a shift from complete white staff to a more divers one. But it is not the number that is the problem but rather the interpretations of the events and the people. Without strategy and skills, there is no sustainability. Practical know-how from the Netherlands is needed for preserving and promoting the past. However, since 1994, there is no increase in the budget so it is difficult to reach this goal and sustain it.
There are institutions and museums, which do not have diversity of people in the staff, but the audience can be divers. By planning and setting up exhibitions, more divers people can be incorporated. The visions of other societies can be reflected through exhibitions and advice from divers people can be used in designing exhibitions. By translating ideas into multi-media, you can also reach a divers audience. Problems are often with cooperation: guest curators are not incorporated fully. Differences of opinion between designers and curators occur.
The next topic discussed by the participants was how their collections are a representation of society. At first, you have to know what you have in your own collection; start digitization to make visible what there is. Also cross bordering can bring in information without actual objects; even without objects, the role of the museum and designer is how to tell the ‘story’ of the society it represents. General museum education is also needed: how to look at objects; the link to the public should be more intense. For example the catalogue of the exhibition on Afghanistan was bi-lingual. Historical places should be included in exhibitions; they are an important reflection of the changes in society. In museums, changes should also be made to reflect the changes in the society. Projects started by local communities should be supported more. In South Africa, it is a slow process and a case-to-case question. More technical and financial support is needed otherwise it is not sustainable. There is still a transfer of skills; after fourteen years the vision of a united nation is still new. Following from this discussion the question was put forward how digitization projects can be of help to support the needed transformations. Digitizing should be seen as a tool to develop knowledge, preserve memories of tangible and intangible heritage. The concept is still new so misuse can be made. There is much use of material of intangible heritage without any copyright so there is a need for laws to protect this. Even inside museums, items have disappeared because the staff is underpaid. There is the issue of dissemination and education.
Digitization can be used to adapt to an exhibition for multi-media. It is a challenge to make museums interactive with their audiences and to democratize and dissimilate knowledge and culture. However, more youth education is needed. Bring the museum to the street and the street into the museum.
The last discussion was how Dutch and South African institutes can work together in the museum sector. There is much knowledge on both sides; by joining forces through digitization further steps can be taken. Several partnerships can be implemented on a museum-to-museum base and a colleague-to-colleague base. An international platform would be useful to bridge the existing gaps. The repatriation of objects should be discussed. It can be a difficult point, but it is important for our cultural relationship.

To conclude the following recommendations are made by the participants:

1.     Make new stories, new intangible collections, new perspectives, new concepts of aesthetics, and new interpretations by education policies, finding other target groups.
2.     Share more information on projects, use young people and their ‘culture’ (mobiles!) and technology.
3.     Staff should follow: Training at universities, staff should be enlarged.

Build up local know-how: work with local people.

Education of teachers: translate knowledge to the people.

4.     Digitization is a modern tool and is still in a learning process; the technology can be simplified: contents made visible to the people. Bring the museum into the street.
 

Workshop the Mutuality of Mutual Heritage (chair: Robert Parthesius, CIE)
The discussion was opened with the question to give a definition of mutual heritage. From South Africa the president of IZIKO (twelve museums in Cape Town) raised the issue of translating the Dutch term of ‘gemeenschappelijk erfgoed’ into English, and the need to clarify between mutual, shared and common heritage. He suggests that in South Africa, the use of the term common might be seen as negative; shared suggests the most equal or integrated contribution to the heritage by both sides and is the most appropriate synonym; mutual suggests synonymous but autonomous consideration of the heritage best translated aswederzijdse. He also suggested that in Afrikaans the word erfenis is preferable than the Dutch choice of the term erfgoed.

CIE drew attention to the fact that the Dutch policy of mutual heritage has created new heritage by influencing the development of mutual heritage projects, for example in Indonesia. Mutual heritage was perhaps significant for the development of Dutch policy and heritage, but for South Africa it is more important to focus on their own perspectives, stated the president of IZIKO. Heritage is a concept that is always being produced, public attention creates heritage and makes it visible in the national consciousness. Some suggested that not all Dutch heritage around the world is mutual heritage; there should be limits towards the mutuality. The question was put whether the concern for the heritage should not come from the land where it is located. There was no agreement on this point, but at least a mutual concern and collaboration are seen as very valuable.

The issue of mutuality was discussed through a specific case study of Cape Castle in Cape Town as the first Dutch settlement and a highly visible example of heritage. The participants were asked to choose whether this invoked a sense of pride or a sense of shame. There were two different opinions in the discussion. Those who felt pride called upon the Cape Castle as an example of Dutch glory days, of the celebration of export and trade, of awe and accomplishment, and of the durability of the structure as evidence of architectural achievement. For others, the Cape Castle tells a story of colonialism and world heritage. For those feeling shame, the story that comes to the front is apartheid. This is interesting because it is a negative connotation being applied from a divorced time period. In examining this anachronism further, the group suggested that the sense of shame is also tied to the entire colonial relationship, and that the true arrogance of euro centric thought is often a source of shame that develops even if there is not a direct historical connection. After this, the participants were asked to give a creative vision for how the Cape Castle might ideally be developed. The geographical location of Cape Town can be used in the center of the global trade histories between Europe and Asia. For this, a museum can be established in the Cape Castle. The Cape Castle is also still a highly functional place; it has continued to be used after the eighteenth century when the Dutch left. The choice of the South Africans to preserve the Cape Castle is itself evidence of its ongoing role as a product of heritage and contributor of identity. This should be realized by implementing effective and efficient management by the supervisor of the ‘Council of the Cape Castle, the 1993 Castle Management Repair Act and the joint private and public partnership for management. A last proposal was also made for Cape Castle to be developed as a center for the presentation of South African intangible heritage and so to combine these two elements of the cultural heritage.

Interesting is that the South African participant Sir Bredekamp, highlighted that Dutch history and mutual heritage is seen only as Cape issues whereas in contrast ‘British’ heritage is seen to be a South African issue.

The following recommendations can be given from this discussion:

1.     For the (mutual) policy at Cape Castle: the celebration of diversity, curiosity and a willingness to learn from both ‘sides’; the need to develop a potential platform for future research into the local public opinion in order to develop value-based policies; and an ideal sustainable model of Cape Castle as a tangible center for the celebration of both tangible and intangible heritage.
2.     There is a need to clarify between mutual, shared and common heritage.
3.     Mutual heritage is perhaps important for the development of Dutch international cultural policy and heritage, but for South Africa it is more important to focus on their own perspectives.
4.     The Dutch policy also tends to create new heritage by influencing the development of mutual heritage projects.

Extensive report morning programme Sri Lanka Heritage Day Netherlands

November 27th, 2008: CIE Heritage Day Sri Lanka - morning programme - extensive report

The Sri Lanka heritage day was held at the Rijksmuseum voor Volkenkunde in Leiden. Robert Parthesius started the day with a word of welcome to the participants and especially to the guest speaker Mr. Vidanapathirana, Project manager of the Netherlands- Sri Lanka Cultuiral Cooperation Programme and that it was an honour to have her Excellency the Ambassador Mrs. Grace A. Asirwatham, to give the opening speech.

Her Excellency, the Ambassador Mrs Grace A. Asirwatham, Opening
Her Excellency the Ambassador Mrs Grace A. Asirwatham first greeted all participants and continued to say that this was indeed a special day because it was 400 years ago when the Dutch were first introduced to Sri Lanka by way of the VOC and that was the beginning of the relations between the two countries.
The ambassador expressed her gratitude to the CIE for strengthening these relations by organising such a heritage day, as cultural activities remain important. Since the arrival of the British in SL, conservation of the past has been ongoing; thanks to the Netherlands, this has been continued, and SL is grateful that this past has not been left to ruins. The ambassador also said that it is fortunate that Sl  is one of the priority countries for the Netherlands. The Dutch government has done much, there is more to do, and through this platform, it is possible to see what has been achieved and what not. It is also a possibility to see how to further improve projects and relations between our countries. The workshops will analyse the details of the projects and how the cooperation is mutual. There are good topics to discuss with the result to produce a good document for the authorities for further cooperation between our countries. Thank you.

Robert Parthesius, Introduction
Robert Parthesius thanks the Ambassador and explains that the intention of the CIE is to use heritage as stepping-stones for cooperation. This is the 4^th heritage day which the CIE has organised and an important one because SL is on the top 3 of the priority list of mutual heritage. Our relations are like a long marriage with ups and downs. The projects started in the 80’s and 90’s with working together on maritime archaeology. SL takes their own discipline of heritage management as can be seen by the heritage of the Cultural triangle of the south, which is unique. An open mind is important and sentiments have to be dealt with. In 2003 there was already a heritage day at the AHM : the restoration of the Church and parts of Galle fort was enlightened upon and that in SL a heritage centre was established. The Dutch field realised that with many people working on the same level, there is a possibility to set up a permanent organisation concerning mutual heritage activities. It was a first step.

Mr. Vidanapathirana, Netherlands-Sri Lanka Cultural Cooperation Programme
The guest speaker was introduced. Mr. Vidanapathirana has come especially from Sri Lanka to give the keynote speech.
Two and a half years have passed since May 2006 when 5.6 million euro was the start of the heritage program. Now the work is almost completed. 95% of the funds have been used and 18 projects have already been realised. By 2009, this will be completed and this is on line with the program statements. In 1999, the mutual heritage joint policy statement was the starting point of which Robert P. was part of through the project of the MAU. By 2004, this was almost completed but the tsunami washed away much of the items. Now the Maritime Museum will be established and it is the intention to display the recovered objects.
One of the projects is to renovate the Dutch Commissioners house, which is in one of the eastern provinces. It is an example of the long ties between our two countries which have many cultural relationships, also connected to architecture. It is the intention to further strengthen these relationships. The ongoing programs in the southern area are the protection of tangible heritage. The objectives are to conserve and preserve the diversity of the area; to obtain employment for local people and to strengthen the cooperation.
A development program was formulated:

1. Renovation of the Dutch warehouse in Galle. In the past, the British made some improvements and after the local government used it for offices. The aim is to restore it to the original state as it was during the Dutch period. Now, the roof, the wooden floors, stairways, windows etc. have been renovated and the building will be further exploited to make it into Maritime Museum. Mrs Gosselink has been very helpful with advice and in the coming 4 months, it should be completed.
2. The Galle ramparts project. The fortification of Galle where 200 families live has a length of 200 km. Some parts have been destroyed by the tsunami and now some have been restored but other parts are more complicated and more funding is needed to complete the restoration.
3. Katuwana: the Dutch fortress has long been neglected. The site was full of government buildings, which now have been removed, and parts renovated. For example, the gateway has been returned to its original state, there is now an information centre, and the area is opened to the public.
4. Matara: the drawbridge was completely damaged and has now been restored with local carpenters. The buildings inside have been renovated but the museum could not be refurbished due to lack of funds.
5. Matara Church: this 3000 year old building was also affected by the tsunami but is now also nearly restored except for the roof which is a problem.
6. The houses inside Galle fort: of the 300, it was planned to renovate 60 and now 54 have been completed.
7. Urubokka dam: this was built by the Dutch to divert water to districts lacking water. The renovation has been completed.
8. Kataragama museum: this lies more to the east of the country and is an important gathering place for all religions. Here, it is intended that it should be a meeting place for mutual understanding for each other’s religion. Many old religious items have been collected and the museum was opened last month.
9. The 30,000 records in the national archive are very important as mutual heritage. It is intended to translate them into English and to publish them so they can be used by those teaching Cultural Heritage.
10. A database is being established for the registration of tangible and intangible heritage. Data will be collected from 3 regions and a cultural atlas will be produced.

The goal is also to strengthen mutual relations with the Netherlands, Great Britain, and Portugal.
The Master Plan will be completed by December 2009. The CCF custodians of the NE cultural triangle and the south triangle have been badly affected by the tsunami but now it has luckily improved.
Mr. V. expressed his sincere thanks to the Dutch government for their financial and technical support which ahs been arranged by the CIE. He thanks the CIE for organising this heritage day and many thanks to Harry Boerema, Roel de jong, Jan Wittesema, Martine Gosselink and Albert van Dijk and many others. Also, thanks to the Netherlands Embassy in Sri Lanka and to the Embassy of Sri Lanka here in the Netherlands for strengthening the mutual support of the two countries.

Robert Partesius thanks the guest speaker for his extensive explanation and adds that these projects are the result of the efforts of many people.

The next speaker was Lodewijk Wangenaar, curator of the Amsterdam Historical Museum and well-known in Sri Lanka.

Lodewijk Wagenaar, Museum Cooperation: capacity building and training

LW starts his talk by telling about a trip he made on an open field trip, filled with people and objects travelling on a bumpy road for 40 kms to visit the village of Tombo which is known for its pottery. The intention was to order pots from the pottery families for the museum in Colombo. He explained that museum objects are in fact dead objects and it is necessary to link them with the real life. Objects were once made by people and so directly connected to people and the best way to understand this is to return to the source of the object. The objects of today are identical to those of decades ago. It is necessary to revitalize the objects, to understand the social change of the local area. In that village the pottery workshops, the family, the countryside gave the picture.
LW also said that a new course at the university of Kalagna was open to people who already have jobs in the museum or archive world for a better understanding of the items of the past. However, the practical side is important: objects are part of the country and its history, even when they are from the Dutch period. It is interesting how people look back at their history and they should be trained to do this. His aim is to set up a full museum course of history and its presentation.
Most important is the making of an exhibition: how to write the texts, the PR organization, how to display, and use modern techniques to tell a story. The past 7 years of giving courses has only slowly influenced the museum presentation and administration in SL. It is important that experts come to SL to teach but then also to be paid as locals.
LW finishes with: “Work like locals, be paid like locals, and behave like locals.”

Harry Boerema, The city of Galle. A fortified stronghold in restoration
The last guest speaker was Harry Boerema whose first invitation to SL was in 1999 to give advise on the renovation of the drawbridge at Matara.
HB explains the layout of Galle, built on a peninsula and surrounded by reefs. Two bastions however, do not have reefs to protect them and have been heavily damaged. On the north side there are massive ramparts built for land attacks. The town plan is rectangular and has been declared a UNESCO world heritage site. The Dutch reformed church stands at the highest point and was restored in 2002-2004. The west wall has a window from 1830, the British period and was in a very bad state. There was no knowledge of stained glass in SL and a Dutch firm was asked to come to give a training course. During the renovation, the influences of the British period were respected and due to some existing panels, it was possible to reconstruct it. The restoration was carried out with local experts.
Next, HB explains the renovation of the Dutch warehouse and the problems. The roof dating from 1800’s has a large system with spans, which were put in about 1860. However, due to climate, rust occurs and the steel needed to be renovated. However, old steel needs to be belted as it was originally done but inside the renovation was done by welding.
The floor beams with reinforced concrete were put in at that time but again there are rust problems because of the contact of metal with lime.
The lack of gutters and rain pipes on the outside roof has drastically affected the plaster on the outside walls. The plaster has been renovated but there are still no gutters, which will again affect the plaster. Moreover, the restored plinth under the windows splashes up the rainwater, which will be hazardous in the future.
HB explains the renovation of the Akersloot Bastion, which has partly collapsed due to heavy seas, and 100 tons of material has been lost. The proposal is that an artificial wave barrier of stones be built in front of the bastion.
The star bastion has a large gap due to a previous collapse. After a thorough investigation by experts, it is the intention to level the rock base before building a massive wall to fill up the gap. This is problematic because explosives could cause further damage. Therefore, a chemical method has been suggested.
The Black fort dates from the Portuguese period, when coral was used. The Dutch used local stones from local quarries for building. There are several prison cells, which have collapsed and need restoration.
HB’s first job was at the fort at Matara to restore the drawbridge. First, a temporary bridge was built and in 2007, an exact replica was made, done to the smallest detail. The local master carpenter must be praised for such a good job!

Robert P. then explains in short the project of the Avondster.

Poster Presentations Sri Lanka Heritage Day

Recommendations and conclusions Sri Lanka Heritage Day The Netherlands

Recommendations and conclusions

Workshop 1: Academic Cooperation, Archaeology and History

The Workshop

Forms of education in Sri Lanka- language and scholarships
Alicia Schrikker is invited to tell something about the academic cooperation within Encompass, which is a follow- up of the TANAP project (Towards A New Age of Partnership). The purpose is to make an inventory of the ancient VOC- documents. The only problem is that unfortunately there are not many applications from Sri Lanka. There should be continuity of Dutch history and Asian history to Sri Lankan students.
From the Sri Lankan side it seems that there is more attention on the British period, and this is probably due to the language. The Encompass program includes however an intensive course in Dutch language and 17^th century Dutch for the study of ancient Dutch archives.
Translating Dutch archives into English would have a broader scope in research, but the idea of research is to study the original material.
It seems that there are a lot of scholarships on history, but it might be necessary to have scholarships in archaeology as well.
Gerda Theuns remarks that the facilities on South East Asia archaeology is decreasing at Leiden University.
Threats

• Slow payments by Sri Lankan authorities
• Poor amount of historical books translated in Dutch, English and Singha
• A lot of information about English Period, because of the language
• Lack of inventory of archives and books in libraries
• Lack of scholarships in Archaeology
• Embassies and universities could be more active than they are
• Lack of funding

To learn from Sri Lanka

• A programme of Dutch language and 17^th century Dutch is still needed
• Understand the whole history of Sri Lanka, integrate heritage, culture and tourism
• Do not only focus on the Dutch Period: The Dutch Period and artefacts are never as important to the Sri Lankans as the ancient history of the country

 Changes for the future

• Embassies and universities need to be more active
• Implement a 2 or 3 year-study of Dutch language, like Encompass
• Need for better education in the Dutch language and more documents, archives and historical books should be translated in Dutch, English and evenSingha.
• An inventory / database of the people involved in the Netherlands, and their functions.
• Need for a broader package of scholarships of heritage with art history, architecture, history and archaeology
• Make a list of needs and wants of the Sri Lankan population, with the CIE as intermediary
• Broaden the study: Sri Lanka should learn how to appreciate their cultural heritage, because it is part of their own culture.
• Conservation of monuments: involve locals to increase interest
• Integration of heritage, culture and tourism
• Funding by universities and other institutes
• Expertise to make inventory of archives, books and other documents
• Cooperation programme in the field of teacher and student exchange at universities and a library book programme between Dutch and Sri Lanka universities is suggested to fill up missing links. (NHTV and/ or NUFFIC)
• An inventory should be made about the several database projects in The Netherlands and experience of these projects should be shared in an expert meeting.

Workshop 2: Capacity Building in the built heritage sector

How to secure knowledge of the built heritage? What can we do from the Netherlands to improve the level and sustainability of training and capacity building?

• During the workshop, there were positive reactions on the relations between the Netherlands and Sri Lanka. 
• The unique aspect of Sri Lanka is that they are far ahead in development. Dual parentage is coming from Sri Lanka. Up till now, all projects were done on demand. 
• What is the counterpart doing? There are different kinds of capacity building: skills transfer in the field of conservation management; skills transfer and knowledge exchange about integrated conservation – historic infrastructure for a complete approach. 
• Some Dutch experts experienced high expertise from the counterpart. It was easy to exchange knowledge. It is important to have more projects in the follow-up to secure the knowledge and skills development that has exchanged. 
• It is important to start at the professional level by influencing and advising the decision makers and the professionals. 
• How do you restore and what kind of restoration values is used? In integrated conservation it is important to conserve new added historical values to buildings as well. In the Charter of Venice it is not allowed to remove historical additions and changes. This view needs to be discussed with the counterpart.

Workshop 3: How mutual is Mutual Cultural Heritage?
Ideas on mutual and dual heritage are an academic discussion. You need public awareness to get everybody involved. The legal responsibility is of the country itself. We can share the cultural and the moral responsibility.
The reason for the Sri Lankan government for the heritage program is to improve cultural tourism and gain more income in the area.

Report Workshops Sri Lanka Heritage Day The Netherlands

Report Workshop 1: Academic Cooperation, Archaeology and History

Participants

Bastiaan Korner (Moderator) - Art Gallery
Hanna Leijen (reporter) - CIE
Fleur Kaldenberg (reporter) - CIE

Alicia Schrikker - Encompass, Historical Programme Leiden
Barbara Consolini - AWAD, Netherlands Institute for Heritage
Nadeera Seneviratne - Student Encompass
Nandana Chutiwongs - Former curator National Museum of Ethnology
Mara de Groot - RACM
Menno Leenstra - CIE, freelance research
Sjoerd van der Linde - University of Leiden, development aid, archaeology heritage
management
Clara Brakel - Project North – Sumatra, archaeology
Sieny Engelsman - Historian
Albert van den Belt - Research VOC history
Alexandra van Dijk - CIE, archaeologist
Charles van Schelle - CIE, board
Rami Isaac - NHTV
Gerda Theuns - Art historian South and SE Asia (Abbia)
Christine van der Pijl- CIE

Topic
Academic knowledge is the fundament for many heritage projects. But in the executive phase it often plays a minor role while the connection between field and university strengthens both the practical input as well as the academic output. Therefore more attention should be paid to academic cooperation. It is a necessary ingredient for capacity building and in the future better academic cooperation is needed to succeed. What are the experiences with this cooperation and what can the Dutch Heritage field recommend to improve academic cooperation between Sri Lanka and The Netherlands and between field and university? During the workshop issues and questions should be discussed, such as: Who is related to Sri Lankan universities, research in or on Sri Lanka, and what are the challenges within academic cooperation and how to improve it according to the Netherlands. Or is there no improvement necessary?
After these questions and hopefully fruitful conclusions, attention should be paid to the future and its upcoming initiatives: What is a good starting point of cooperation, research, the preservation of archives, and how can we strengthen the relations to ensure capacity building. Regarding ownership we should discuss the concept dual parentage in terms of joint responsibility.

Related Projects:

• A Cultural Triangle in the South
• Avondster
• Dutch Colonialism, Migration and Cultural Heritage: East en West
• Dutch Period Museum
• Galle Harbour project
• Private House Conservation programme: “Purawara Pubuduwa
• TANAP: Towards a New Age of Partnership

The Workshop

Forms of education in Sri Lanka- language and scholarships
Alicia Schrikker is invited to tell something about the academic cooperation within Encompass, which is a follow- up of the TANAP project (Towards A New Age of Partnership). The purpose is to make an inventory of the ancient VOC- documents. The only problem is that unfortunately there are not many applications from Sri Lanka. There should be continuity of Dutch history and Asian history to Sri Lankan students.
From the Sri Lankan side it seems that there is more attention on the British period, and this is probably due to the language. The Encompass program includes however an intensive course in Dutch language and 17^th century Dutch for the study of ancient Dutch archives.
Translating Dutch archives into English would have a broader scope in research, but the idea of research is to study the original material.
It seems that there are a lot of scholarships on history, but it might be necessary to have scholarships in archaeology as well.
Gerda Theuns remarks that the facilities on South East Asia archaeology is decreasing at Leiden University.
Sjoerd van der Linde remarks that this is true, however more attention is given to the theory of capacity building and culture and development and the role of archaeology in this. 
According to Albert van den Belt and his experience through National Archives in Sri Lanka, it is very difficult to learn Dutch. It also takes a lot of time and money. Dutch is a very difficult language and the Sri Lankans do not have much time to study, because of the long travels they have to make. The best idea is to implement a study, which will take 2 or 3 years, by expanding the Encompass programme.

Database
Christine van der Pijl-Ketel noticed that there are gaps in Sri Lankan libraries, while Dutch universities try to get rid of some of their collections. Books are a very important tool for studying that must not be underestimated. A problem however in the study of the VOC-period is that many books on the subject are in Dutch.
Nandana Chutiwongs remarks that besides more literature exchange between professionals for lectures or workshops on Sri Lankan universities would be important.

Fundings – Where does Academic Cooperation start?
It seems that in Sri Lanka there is always a lack of funding. Cooperation always requires funding and in these times, universities are not willing to spend their small budget on cooperation.
Charles van Schelle finds that only small money is necessary. There is only budget needed for hotels and flights. Maybe universities of the Netherlands or the Embassy are willing to fund that to facilitate. If it is a good project, institutes are always willing to fund it.

Needs of Sri Lankan population
The biggest problem in cooperation with Sri Lanka seems that it takes a lot of time to receive the money from the Sri Lankan government. So if you want to make a change, a start should be made by Sri Lankan authorities.
According to Rami Isaac, we should start by making a list of needs and wants of the Sri Lankan population. CIE could intermediate between the needs of Dutch universities and universities abroad.
Sri Lanka should learn even more how to appreciate their cultural heritage, because it is part of their own culture. Nandana Chutiwongs points out that there already exist many types of cooperation between The Netherlands and Sri Lanka. It is important however, to understand all aspects of heritage. We should broaden the study, and focus not only on the Dutch Period but also on ancient history from India, the whole history of the country. There is a competition between the broad history of Sri Lanka and the Dutch Period history.
From the Dutch side we should not push too much towards the Dutch Period, but we need to combine a broader package of heritage with art history, architecture, history and archaeology. The Dutch Period and artefacts are never as important to the Sri Lankans as the ancient history of the country. However, interest in the Dutch Period is increasing now and we could use this a format to stir up other activities.

Menno Leenstra points out that there are also needs in the field of conservation. We need to think about how to make the monuments sustainable within the community. To get more interest, we should involve the locals.
Rami Isaac remarks that it is a very difficult but interesting question. For instance in Cambodia there is more money now for conservation and preservation of monuments. In Sri Lanka there should also be implemented a project for students in research in cooperation with the CIE. They could research management plans on how to create their own tourism. You have to look for a starting point to create sustainability. An integration of heritage, culture and tourism is very important for sustainability.
A lot of students do their thesis outside the Netherlands after BA. So maybe it is possible to start a strong cooperation between NHTV and the CIE.
Sjoerd van der Linde responded that as far as the academic approach goes, the development of an integrated university programme is an important step to take. However, the system in The Netherlands works in a way that only one university gets money for a graduating student. An integrated programme of different universities is held back by the financial system.
Gerda Theuns points out that a first important step is for the different departments at Leiden University that could work more closely together. She also finds that we need a Holland House in India, near Sri Lanka as some kind of platform. This will focus the intention and the possibility to reach all kinds of people.
The NUFFIC is setting something up now, so maybe a combination is possible.

Regardless of the discussion on academic cooperation with Sri Lanka the recommendation is made that an expert meeting will be organised for the different cultural and heritage organisations in The Netherlands that are developing a database on a specific subject. Gerda Theuns remarks that an inventory should be made about the several database projects and experience of these projects should be shared.

Report Workshop 2: Capacity Building in the built heritage sector

Participants

Frits van Dulm (moderator), CIE
Fleur Cools (reporter), CIE

Harry Boerema                  Conservation specialist
Deborah Stolk                    CER
Yppie Attema
Peter van Dun                   ICOMOS
Dick ter Steege                 Urban Solutions
Mr. Vidanapathirana           Project Manager Sri Lanka Netherlands Cultural Cooperation Roel de Jong                     Bureau Wassenaar: Dutch Warehouse advisor
Jan Wiertsema                  Research
Miranda Vos                      2002-2004 maritime archaeology
Klaas van Slooten            Foundation for development cooperation, SOSVelsen (Twinning:
Velsen, IJmuiden) 
Anouk Fienieg                    CIE: Masterplan for the South Sri Lanka.
Jeroen-Louis Martens          Bilateral relationship Netherlands Sri Lanka Ministry of Foreign
Affairs

Topic

Capacity building is the main goal for projects under the Dutch Cultural Fund. It guarantees the sustainability of projects by embedding them in the original knowledge structures. But is this theory also the experience in the projects that are carried out in Sri Lanka? What can we do from the Netherlands to improve the level and sustainability of training? Who is who?
After these questions and hopefully fruitfull conclusions, attention should be paid to the future and its upcoming initiatives: What is a good starting point of capacity building and bringing it to a higher level? And how can we strengthen the relations to ensure capacity building?
Regarding ownership we should discuss the concept dual parentage in terms of joint responsibility.

Related Projects:

• A Cultural Triangle in the South
• Urubokka Dam site
• Matara Fort
• Dutch Warehouse
• Dutch Reformed Church Matara
• Dutch Reformed Church Galle
• Ramparts of Galle Fort
• Katuwana
• Dutch Hospital
• Dutch Period Museum
• Galle Harbour Project
•  
• Kataragama Museum
• Private House Conservation programme: “Purawara Pubuduwa”
• TANAP: Towards a New Age of Partnership
• TAP: Technical Assistance Programme

The Workshop

The implication of Capacity Building- Ask or give?
Harry Boerema begins by saying that there are a lot of arguments in terms of advising in projects. He explains the example of the Dutch Warehouse, which was in a very bad shape. Not only did he give advices in terms of conservation, but also on how to make a meeting point of the place. But we do have a commitment. For instance, we need to know exactly how to deal with the restoration and development according to the Charter of Venice of 1984, which stand for the maintenance of history when restoring. However, there is a tendency to go back to the Dutch Period and erase the English Period. How can a new function in a building mean new aspects and adjustments for the new function and at the same time conserve the historical aspects? The argument of the Department of Archaeology is not to add any new elements to a building.
Dick ter Steege arguments that according to his own opinion capacity building means knowledge exchange and transfer to local people, also in the design and planning stage.

Jeroen-Louis Martens asks if all the plans/ projects are really “demanded driven”? Most projects should be demanded driven. Not just from the Dutch side. Did the Sri Lankan side ask or did you give? There is a renewed policy: ‘grenzeloze kunst’ There is one million euro to divide over eight priority countries. There is one million for the National Archive, ICN. The requirements are: awareness, education, capacity building. These are the natural elements of project development. It is important to preserve: it is part of their heritage and cultural identity. Then people will ask for renovation, restoration. Also, integrated planning is part of the requirements as well as new use of buildings. They are not dead stones.
Frits van Dulm explains the unique aspect of Sri Lanka, which is that they are far ahead in development. Dual parentage is coming from Sri Lanka. Up till now all projects were done on demanding.
Anouk Fienieg also answers that it was a request for assistance. There were clear demands for projects. The first request was from Sri Lanka and then advice from the Netherlands followed. What to do with the advice? They have the ownership. It is not clear what kind of balance this is. According to Dick ter Steege we should not only give advice, but also add value. We should be more aware of what the deliberations are, more involving the people. Add something, a quality that you can recognize as an addition to a building. Historical additions to a building should be part of the development and the restoration.
Anouk Fienieg highlights that capacity building in Sri Lanka is different from other priority countries. Not only requiring specific expertise from the network. This is a higher level of capacity building. How can we secure this kind of capacity building
According to Jan Wiertsema we should talk to the engineers of Sri Lanka. There is a good relation and we can export the materials. The Sri Lankan people have been trained by a Dutch firm in order to maintain the skills that have been transferred.

Status of Awareness- Objects
Mr. Vidanapathirana starts explaining that awareness has been created for a long time. For instance, with the renovations of the private houses of Galle, they tried to modernise the houses. Now there are 300 houses to be conserved like the old houses. There is a big demand of that type of conservation. Starting point is re-using historical objects. At present there are no government buildings around the fort, covering the site of the fort. The structure has been replaced in order to clear the view, so you can see the place from the outside. The budget from the government is small, but before there was no budget at all for maintenance. Budgets are now raised locally by tourist money and the maintenance is not just depending on government.
The Galle Heritage Foundation is a semi-governmental organisation, which tries to create awareness.
Peter van Dun arguments that the elements of political commitment and public awareness were already there. Elements that play an important role in integrated conservation are: improving living standards, re-using old and new buildings.
They do not see it as their own heritage, but as colonial. It is interesting at local sites to use the strength of locals. Conservation and preservation is not about individual monuments but about improving local conditions.
It is important to form own ideas on historical heritage. How do we interpret and transfer ideas.

Cooperation with architects
Frits van Dulm says that Sri Lanka has excellent architects. Mr. Vidanapathirana reacts that archaeology and architecture are indeed popular subjects in the school system and at universities.
Yppie Attema describes that the Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies organised  a symposium in the nineties in Rotterdam for architects and town planners from Sri Lanka and the Netherlands. The Sri Lankan participants came with their own material.
But Peter van Dun finds that tourism is not the idea of restoring, what they want is good living conditions. The level of students in architecture is high. But how to plan and re-use old architecture? Conservation and preservation needs to have a social and economical impact. You have to look at the economical feasibility. You need to keep funding if you are only doing maintenance.
Monuments can raise money as well as be a tourist attraction, also by renting it out. By making monuments profitable through for example social housing and not transform them into museums.
Dick ter Steege finds that you should be wondering what your target group is, what kind of capacity building? You need hands on skills. There are different kinds of capacity building:

•        Transfer skills
•        Transfer skills in the field of management
•        Educational level

You have to make choices, priorities because of the amount of money.

Goals of Hertage programme- Tourism: Sustainability, mix of living, influx of investment
Mr. Vidanapathirana explains that the goals of the heritage programme for the Sri Lankan government are to improve cultural tourism and gain more income for the area.
Harry Boerema implies that the economic aspects of for example the Church restoration are not from entrance money, but they generate income by putting a box by the entrance. A large amount of money is generated is this way.
According to Jeroen-Louis Martens decision makers in tourism should be invited in order to show the best way to earn money.
We can find a good example in the Triangle, where a lot has been done with tourism.
Dick ter Steege mentions that, even though tourism is going down partly because of the civil war and the consular advise against all travel to the north or east of Sri Lanka, we are not only depending on the tourist aspect, we should wonder what it can generate economically. You should look at local economical development to make monuments self-supporting. Re-using the buildings for tourism is not just the only way. The buildings we see today are there because it is still functioning.

Workshop 3: How mutual is Mutual Cultural Heritage?

Dual parentage - equality
Anouk Fienieg explains that you can only apply the term dual parentage, when there is equality.
The legal responsibility is of the country itself. The cultural and the moral responsibility we can share. But is it interesting for them to preserve and what to preserve?
Harry  Boerema mentions that Sri Lanka chooses themselves in these matters. In Sri Lanka they talk about the Dutch Period, not Dutch history.
The English are preserving monuments in the Commonwealth and this is more development aid based. But the English have less feelings of guilt in comparison to the Dutch because of our slavery history once we were a colonial nation. Sri Lanka was never a Dutch colony.

In Indonesia, when the minister mentioned mutual heritage, it was an academic and political statement, before that it was called colonial heritage, overseas heritage to get money. It had an academic background.
Yppie Attema follows that the importance of the past is an academic discussion. The political and moral responsibility of dual parentage is awareness of mutual heritage.
Jean-Paul Corten arguments that the main issue is influencing decision makers on a political level by officials on the spot.