Australia ICOMOS E-Mail News No. 340
For mail order transactions: Australia ICOMOS now accepts Visa and MasterCard

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An information service provided by the Australia ICOMOS Secretariat
Friday 20 June 2008
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1)  Australia ICOMOS Victorian Scholarship - Call for applications
2)  Heritage Tourism in Australia - A Guide for Historical Societies by Dianne Snowden now available online
3)  Report on the US ICOMOS International Symposium by Kristal Buckley
4)  Latest edition of Heritage At Risk 2006-2007 now available online
5)  Collaborative Projects Showcase - Call for participants in pilot project
6)  Link to Heritage South Australia's E-news
7)  Streetwise Asia Update - Tax Deductible Donations Sought Pre End Financial Year
8)  Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts: Media Release - Plan to Protect Antarctic Home of Australian Pioneer
9)  Report on 2008 ICOMOS Asia Pacific Regional Meeting by Peter Phillips
10) IMPORTANT NOTE for members paying their renewal by bank transfer

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1) Australia ICOMOS Victorian Scholarship - Call for applications
 
Value:  $5,000 exclusive of GST
 
The purpose of this scholarship, funded by Heritage Victoria and delivered through Australia ICOMOS, is to provide funding towards a recognised specialist heritage training course.
 
Applications close: Monday 21 July 2008.
 
Please see attached flyer for further information.

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2) Heritage Tourism in Australia - A Guide for Historical Societies by Dianne Snowden now available online
 
In May 2008 the Federation of Australian Historical Societies (FAHS) published its most recent guide for members of Australian historical societies. Unlike previous guides, this 'book' has been published exclusively on the web and is available to everyone free of charge.
 
It is Heritage Tourism in Australia: a guide for historical societies. It is available on the FAHS website http://www.history.org.au.
 
The FAHS commissioned Tasmanian author and genealogical researcher Dr Dianne Snowden to write the book. It was published with financial assistance from the New South Wales Heritage Council. (Department of Planning Heritage Branch, New South Wales, under its Heritage Incentives Program).
 
This publication reflects the growing interest in heritage tourism in Australia, and the vital role that the nearly 1000 local historical societies already play in facilitating access to local heritage, and will increasingly play in the future. Historical societies are major repositories of local knowledge and memory, and through their collections, museums and advice, do a great deal to make history and heritage available to both locals and visitors.
 
This guide is intended to assist them to work in partnerships with local authorities and tourist groups to develop local heritage in the promotion of tourism, and in the use of tourism to promote heritage.
 
This publication offers guidance and instruction on the following aspects:   
Where possible or appropriate, bibliographical sources are included.
 
http://www.history.org.au

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3) Report on the US ICOMOS International Symposium by Kristal Buckley
 
The US ICOMOS International Symposium -
US Participation in the Global Heritage Community
Washington DC, May 2008
 
Dear Australia ICOMOS Members & Friends,
 
I have recently returned from Washington and the 2008 US ICOMOS International Symposium. Many Australians have had the honour of making presentations at these meetings in past years and will remember their outstanding quality of organisation and international exchange.
 
This year, US ICOMOS made a conscious shift in its approach and held a meeting focused on strategic planning. This was to follow up the work of Panel #11 (US Participation in the Global Preservation Community) of the 2006 Preserve America Summit held in New Orleans under the patronage of the US First Lady, Mrs Laura Bush.
 
I believe that the Preserve America program offers a number of elements that could be usefully replicated here in Australia. This is a subject of discussion by Australia ICOMOS and the National Cultural Heritage Forum at the moment.
 
There is much more to the program than the Summit - but the Summit process in one element that seems very promising for Australia (see www.preserveamericasummit.org).
 
The process involved a wide range of stakeholder organisations and government officials, working in 11 Panels on key topic areas, a youth forum, associated programming by the History Channel, the 2006 Summit itself and a 'post-summit' follow up process.
 
Participants - selected for their knowledge and diversity - were expected to do some real work in the lead-up to the Summit.
 
The 11 Panels were:
1.   Building a Preservation Ethic & Public Appreciation for History
2.   Coordinating the Stewardship & Use of our Cultural Property
3.   Determining What's Important
4.   Protecting Places that Matter
5.   Improving the Preservation Program Infrastructure
6.   Dealing with the Unexpected
7.   Addressing Security
8.   Using Historic Properties as Economic Assets
9.   Involving All Cultures
10. Fostering Innovation
11. Participating in the Global Preservation Community
 
The US ICOMOS meeting this year aimed to follow-up the Summit's work and was based on the wise recognition of the opportunity presented by the prospect of a new Presidential administration in the US next year (regardless of anyone's political preferences or predictions).
 
The evening before the start of the meeting, there was a public event at the National Building Museum, featuring Mr Omar Sultan, Deputy Minister of Culture in Afghanistan. He spoke about the recent recovery of some very precious collections in a bank vault in Kabul - material which had been assumed to be missing for some decades. Some of this material is being exhibited by the National Gallery in Washington. We were privileged to view the exhibit and were evocatively introduced to it by Fred Hiebert of the National Geographic Society. This was a real highlight for all the participants.
 
The meeting began with some very useful case studies illustrating the possibilities of international cooperation from people from around the world - the USA, Sweden, Cyprus, Latin America, China, Indonesia - and our own Liz Vines from Adelaide, South Australia. I was honoured to present Liz's paper when important work for UNESCO in Asia prevented her from travelling to the USA. Her paper was about the learning gained from her work in various parts of Asia leading to her book Streetwise Asia and the establishment of the Streetwise Asia Fund. Her paper was very well received, as well as generating a lot of discussion and support for the Streetwise Asia Fund. (For more information on this project, or to purchase the book or donate to the Fund, please contact Liz Vines on liz@mcdougallvines.com.au ).
 
Part of the meeting was spent workshopping specific actions for US ICOMOS to progress the Preserve America Summit outcomes in the areas of community building, stewardship, leadership and capacity building.
 
Gustavo Araoz - Executive Director of US ICOMOS and ICOMOS International Vice-President - is now pulling together the outcomes of this work into a clear and strategic work plan - one that will be very informative for us in Australia to share and consider.
 
Washington is a very lovely and impressive city and it was a pleasure to visit, to meet with so many like-minded colleagues and to participate in the meeting. It is always refreshing to discover again how much we share in common with North American colleagues.
 
US ICOMOS does more than many national committees to support the participation of younger professionals in its work. There was an evening event for Young Professionals during the conference program, and while in Washington, we also had the chance to meet the 2008 group of US ICOMOS International Interns who were leaving the next day for their placements across the US and across the world - including Monique Galloway from Sydney. This is such a great program - a wonderful example of what ICOMOS can do to promote better understanding and high standards of conservation practice. We look forward to Monique's return to learn about her experience of working at the exciting site of the Presidio in San Francisco.
 
Congratulations and thanks to John Fowler, the President of US ICOMOS and his Board, Gustavo Araoz and Don Jones for the experience. We will look forward to the outcomes of this work, and also to the next US ICOMOS International Symposium with great interest. For more information, please feel free to contact me (kristal@bigpond.net.au) or go to the US ICOMOS website (www.icomos.org/usicomos/ ).
 
Kristal Buckley
ICOMOS International Vice-President
Melbourne, Australia

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4) Latest edition of Heritage At Risk 2006-2007 now available online
 
The latest edition of Heritage At Risk 2006-2007 is now available to download from http://www.international.icomos.org/risk/world_report/2006-2007/pdf/H@R_2006-2007_web.pdf .

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5) Collaborative Projects Showcase - call for participants in pilot project
 
The Collections Council is pleased to announce the launch of a test site for the Collaborative Projects Showcase and is calling for participants to contribute to the pilot phase of the Showcase.
 
We are particularly interested in hearing from projects developed in collaboration between different types of collecting organisations (e.g. a gallery and an historical society; a museum and a library; etc). For more information visit: http://www.collectionscouncil.com.au/showcase+of+collaborative+projects.aspx .
 
Please register your interest if you have a collaborative project you would like to promote or if you have any other comments or suggestions for the content of the Showcase by sending an email to projects@collectionscouncil.com.au.
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The Collections Council is aiming to complete preliminary testing of the Showcase by the end of July 2008.
 
Further information:
 
Collections Council of Australia Ltd
Claire McClelland
Tel: + 61 (3) 9689 9808
projects@collectionscouncil.com.au
www.collectionscouncil.com.au

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6) Link to Heritage South Australia's E-news
 
To view the June 2008 issue of Heritage South Australia's E-news, visit
http://www.environment.sa.gov.au/heritage/latest_e_news.html

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7) Streetwise Asia Update - Tax Deductible Donations Sought Pre End Financial Year
 
The Streetwise Asia Fund has now been in operation for more than a year. This is modest not for profit fund which aims to provide grass roots assistance to conservation projects in Asia, also providing educational and community benefits. The first project is now nearly completed.  Another key objective for the Fund is to provide opportunities for heritage professionals to travel in Asia and become involved in voluntary conservation work assisting with heritage projects. For the first project, Anthony Coupe, a South Australian ICOMOS member and his wife Felicity volunteered, and with their 12 year old son, travelled to Laos in October 2007.  Laos had been suggested by the UNESCO Bangkok Office as there were possible projects identified which required financial support. They travelled to Laos assessing four possible projects and then prepared a report which identified the Community Library and Learning Resource Centre within the Vat Phou Champasak World Heritage Area, an area which was World Heritage Listed in 2001. The building had been vacant for some time and was in a state of decay. Constructed in the 1930s, it is of a traditional French Colonial style and sits amongst traditional Lao style raised timber houses. The project had received some partial funding provided through the Lerici Foundation and there was a shortfall, with no available budget for re-roofing. As an initial project for the Streetwise Fund it was ideal - as the project management structure had already been established, and other works were underway. Photographs have just been received of the nearly completed project and Liz Vines is able to email interested parties copies of these.
 
The project funding allocation was A$13,000 which included assistance provided for a local architect from Laos to supervise the works.
 
We are now investigating other projects, but the fund requires topping up!! Established initially through the sale of the Streetwise Asia publication, many ICOMOS members have generously contributed to the fund, and this has been the main source of donations. The fund gains its tax effective status by operating under the umbrella of Australind Children's Fund, a South Australian Charity established to provide assistance for educational and health facilities in 3rd world countries focusing at present in Chennai, India and the Streetwise projects are very complementary.
 
Please contact Liz Vines on liz@mcdougallvines.com.au (or mob 0419 816 525), who will email you the donation details and any other details you may require.
 
Thank you again for your generosity - in anticipation!!!
 
PS Kristal Buckley, our International Vice President, presented a paper at the end of May on the Streetwise initiative at the forthcoming ICOMOS conference in Washington, which had as its theme "Developing a comprehensive approach to US participation in the global heritage community".

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8) Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts: Media Release - Plan to Protect Antarctic Home of Australian Pioneer
 
Environment and Heritage Minister, Peter Garrett today launched a comprehensive management plan to conserve and protect the place that Douglas Mawson called home.
 
The Mawson's Huts Historic Site Management Plan 2007-2012 sets out the direction of management of the site regarded as Australia's most significant historic presence in Antarctica.
 
"Mawson led the 1911-1914 Australasian Antarctic Expedition, arriving at Commonwealth Bay early in 1912 where he and his colleagues built a number of huts to house them and their scientific equipment," Mr Garrett said.
 
"Remarkably, the huts remain today although time and the elements have taken their toll."
 
"Conservation of the site is important because of Mawson's major contribution to the world of polar scientific research and exploration internationally.
 
"This management plan ensures proper care and conservation of the place Douglas Mawson called 'the home of the blizzard'," Mr Garrett said.
 
"In recent times, a number of expeditions by the Australian Antarctic Division and the Mawson's Huts Foundation, have carried out a range of critical conservation work," Mr Garrett said.
 
"It was Douglas Mawson's foresight and appreciation of the importance of Antarctic science that led to Australia's current endeavours there as he was a tireless lobbyist of governments to secure ongoing funding for that purpose," he said.
 
Mawson travelled to Antarctica on several occasions and his great achievement as an Antarctic leader and scientist were recognised with a knighthood from King George V.
 
"Sir Douglas Mawson is an Antarctic pioneer who rightly takes his place alongside other polar luminaries Roald Amundsen, Ernest Shackleton and Robert Scott," Mr Garrett said.
 
The site was included on the National Heritage List in 2005 for its outstanding historic significance, and on the Commonwealth Heritage List for its historic values in 2004. It had been registered on the Register of the National Estate since 1980.
 
The Mawson's Huts Historic Site Management Plan 2007-2012 is available at: www.mawsonshut.aq

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9) Report on 2008 ICOMOS Asia Pacific Regional Meeting by Peter Phillips
 
Last week I attended the highly successful Asia-Pacific Regional meeting in Hangzhou, China, as a guest of ICOMOS China. It was followed by the two-day Hangzhou Forum on the Conservation of World Heritage. Other Australians attending the meetings were International Vice-President Kristal Buckley, Sheridan Burke (who acted as rapporteur) and Robert Moore. We are most grateful to ICOMOS China and the Hangzhou Municipal Government for hosting the meeting and providing such a wonderful experience for all the delegates there.
 
The outcomes of the Regional meeting included the following conclusions:
  
The participants at the meeting offered their sympathy and warm support for the people of China and colleagues affected by the Wenchau earthquake of May 12 and noted:
  
Sheridan Burke's full report on the meeting will be available on our web site shortly.
 
Expression of interest: assistance with reconstruction of cultural heritage in China
 
In relation to the Diaolu villages damaged by the earthquake, Guo Zhan (International Vice-President from ICOMOS China) indicated to me at the Regional meeting that there could be scope for specialist architects and structural engineers from Australia to assist in the reconstruction of cultural heritage items. The details of the arrangement are not yet worked out, although I understand that some travel assistance may be provided by the Chinese government. At this stage, could I ask any of our members with appropriate expertise, who might be willing to go to China for a number of weeks at short notice, to send me an e-mail (peter@opp.net.au) indicating your interest, availability and expertise.
 
Peter Phillips
Australia ICOMOS President

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10) IMPORTANT NOTE for members paying their renewal by bank transfer
 
Dear Australia ICOMOS members,
 
Renewal notices were sent out a few weeks ago and many of you have chosen (or will choose) to pay by direct bank transfer.
 
Please note that it is imperative to include your name and membership number as a reference when transferring funds so that the payment can be correctly allocated to you.
 
A note to any member who made a bank transfer on June 10 or 11: please contact the Secretariat via email austicomos@deakin.edu.au, as there is one payment that cannot be identified.
 
Many thanks to all who are remitting early - Australia ICOMOS greatly appreciates this.
 
Georgia Meros
Secretariat Officer

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Disclaimer: Opinions expressed in the Australia ICOMOS Email News are not necessarily those of Australia ICOMOS Inc. or its Executive Committee. The text of Australia ICOMOS Email news is drawn from various sources including organizations other than Australia ICOMOS Inc. The Australia ICOMOS Email news serves solely as an information source and aims to present a wide range of opinions which may be of interest to readers. Articles submitted for inclusion may be edited.
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Australia ICOMOS Secretariat
Georgia Meros, Secretariat Officer
Cultural Heritage Centre for Asia and the Pacific
Deakin University
221 Burwood Highway
Burwood Victoria 3125
Telephone: (03) 9251 7131
Facsimile: (03) 9251 7158
Email: austicomos@deakin.edu.au
http://www.icomos.org/australia

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