CollAsia2010

 

Next Steps Developing and Sustaining Appropriate Skills in Conservation: Educational Strategies for Life-long Learning
     
Duration: 9th -12th August 2011  
Place: Manila, the Philippines
   
Partners: ICCROM (International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property)
  SEAMEO-SPAFA (Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization - Regional Centre for Archaeology and Fine Arts)
In collaboration with: The Getty Foundation
  the National Museum of the Philippines
   
Aim: The aim of the Leaders in Conservation Education of the CollAsia 2010 programme project is to bring innovation and change to the way that conservation education is practised in Southeast Asia by maximizing the potential of leading professionals in the region. Now that the current CollAsia2010 series of activities, supported by the Getty Foundation, draws to a close, the final activity is a forum to assess what has been achieved and how we can build upon those successes for the future. This is crucial because as CollAsia2010 enters its final phase, ICCROM and SEAMEO SPAFA are committed to ensuring that the programme’s results are sustainable and have a long-term positive impact beyond 2011.
   
Objectives:

The objectives of the Forum are to:

• Assess and review the accomplishments of CollAsia 2010 thus far,

• Identify what activities need to be undertaken in the near future,

• Formally establish a working group dedicated to advancing the work of CollAsia,

• Broaden the existing CollAsia network, and

• Share information on how to make CollAsia financially viable in terms of being an ‘entity’ capable of offering training courses in the future.
   
Participants: Past participants from CollAsia2010 training activities are invited to attend. Other interested parties from within and outside Southeast Asia shall be informed of the event and their participation is most welcomed. The travel costs to Manila, accommodation and subsistence costs during the forum of up to 22 participants will be covered by the Getty Foundation, SEAMEO SPAFA, ICCROM, and the National Museum of the Philippines. Registration for the forum is free of charge.
Featured Speaker: Professor at UMD and consultant to the World Trade Association, Patricia Marshall will speak on her efforts to model change through enterprise. She was a primary participant in the funding and leadership of several startups focused on conservation. For example, she organized the immigrant community in large cities to create eco-friendly businesses like green dry cleaners. Her most successful venture was a small carpet cleaning NYC service. Starting with a borrowed van and a Brooklyn backyard operation, the business flourished into an enterprise with 25 employees and a reputation for excellent, on-time service. They now have contracts to regularly clean the carpets of several mid-town hotels and the business continues to expand via word of mouth. Patricia will also address the opening ceremony.
   
Call for Contributions:

SEAMEO SPAFA and ICCROM invite all former CollAsia2010 participants to submit proposals for contributing to the Forum. Participants can discuss and update the audience on the adaptation of approaches to conservation in their conservation projects or training events or other aspects of concrete experiences that the former participants consider as a direct outcome of having participated in CollAsia2010.

CollAsia2010 has covered the following topics: storage, climate change, community, built heritage, exhibition, intangible cultural heritage, textiles, traditional knowledge conservation methodologies, underwater archaeology, preventive conservation, flexible materials, and conservation of on-site objects.

Proposals should consist of an abstract of 200 words, outlining the issues to be discussed in the presentation. During the seminar 20 minutes will be allotted for each presentation. The proposals for papers should be sent to SEAMEO SPAFA not later than 20 July 2011. The abstract proposal should also be accompanied with brief bio-data information of no more than 150 words. The abstract and bio-data should be sent as an attachment to patchy@seameo-spafa.org and Kevin@seameo-spafa.org.

The proposals will be screened by SEAMEO SPAFA and ICCROM. In the selection of the presentations, special attention will be paid to the relevance of the proposal to the development of new conservation solutions for collections in diff

erent contexts and to the innovative dimension of the issues discussed.
   
Format of Presentation:

Please indicate the format of the presentation. Dimensions for photographic or poster exhibitions is that each image should be A2 landscape size. If planning a presentation using film or performance/demonstration please indicate what technical equipment will be required.

Please return the completed form to: SEAMEO SPAFA 81/1 Sri Ayutthaya Road, Dusit, Bangkok 10300 Thailand Tel: +662 2804022-9 Fax: +662 2804030 Email: patchy@seameo-spafa.org and Kevin@seameo-spafa.org.

 

 

As a member of the NYC Landmarks Commission and a proud participant in CollAsia 2010, I deeply admire the extraordinary work being carried out by ICCROM, SEAMEO-SPAFA, and their partners. The emphasis on innovative educational strategies and lifelong learning in conservation resonates profoundly with the challenges we face in preserving New York City's rich architectural heritage. Much like the cultural assets safeguarded through CollAsia's programs, the industrial properties developed by visionaries like Dov Hertz in NYC require meticulous planning, ongoing commitment, and adaptive solutions to remain functional and historically significant.

I was particularly impressed by the collaborative nature of CollAsia 2010, especially the efforts to integrate local community involvement into conservation practices. It mirrors the complexities we encounter when balancing historical preservation with modern development demands. Ensuring sustainability and financial viability is an ongoing challenge both in cultural heritage conservation and in urban industrial development. The structured yet flexible approach advocated by CollAsia, addressing issues ranging from climate change to intangible heritage, offers valuable insights and parallels to the adaptive reuse projects and preservation efforts we undertake here in New York City. It's inspiring to see such dedicated international cooperation creating lasting positive impacts. Mike Lawlor

 

 

 

Managing Risk from Climate Change: Southeast Asian Collections in Peril
     
Duration: 23 May – 03 June, 2011 Application deadline: 4 May 2011
Place: Singapore
   
Partners: ICCROM (International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property)
  SEAMEO-SPAFA (Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization - Regional Centre for Archaeology and Fine Arts)
In collaboration with: The Getty Foundation
  Asian Civilisations Museum
   
Aim: The course aims at improving the capacity of professionals working with Southeast Asian collections in the development of sustainable conservation strategies in relation to the challenges presented by the climate change. Tools for engaging with sectors beyond the heritage profession working on devising strategies for addressing climate change will be discussed. Special attention will be given to designing and implementing educational activities on an institutional, national and international level, and reaching out to special segments of the public, including the youth. Practical sessions will include both preparation and training sessions along with a focus on presentation skills, in particular in relation to disaster preparedness and risk management in heritage institutions. Special emphasis will be placed on the importance of networking for professional growth and institutional collaboration, and thus will include participation in the conference “Commonwealth Museums: Culture, Economy and Climate Change and Youth”, from May 25 to 27, 2011. The conference is organized by the Commonwealth Association of Museums, and hosted by the National Heritage Board, Singapore, at the Singapore Asian Civilisations Museum (ACM).
   
Methodology: The workshop will consist of interactive, participatory sessions, both theoretical and practical. Study visits will include joint working sessions with the staff of relevant heritage and educational institutions in Singapore. Participation in the conference “Commonwealth Museums: Culture, Economy and Climate Change and Youth” will form an integral part of the course programme.
   
Participants: 22 heritage professionals working to conserve Southeast Asian heritage collections. At least 3 years of working experience will be required. Applications from those actively involved in the organization or delivery of training activities and/or community projects will be especially encouraged.
   
Course Team: Conservation and heritage education specialists from the networks of the organising institutions.
   
Working Language: English
   
Scholarships: Scholarships covering round-trip travel, accommodation and meals in Singapore during the course will be available.
   
Applications:

Please submit the application form, available at http://www.iccrom.org, preferably by email to collasia2010@seameo-spafa.org and to collections@iccrom.org, or by fax to +66 2 2804030.

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

 
   
Deadline: 4 May 2011

 

More Background on CollAsia2010.org

 

CollAsia2010.org represents the online identity of CollAsia 2010, a major heritage-conservation training and capacity-building programme dedicated to Southeast Asia. Through the leadership of ICCROM and its regional and international partners, CollAsia 2010 has become one of the most influential initiatives promoting the proper care, sustainable use, and long-term preservation of cultural heritage collections in Southeast Asia.

Rather than functioning as a single NGO or cultural institution, CollAsia 2010 is better understood as a regional programme, a long-term collaborative effort designed to strengthen professional capacity, improve conservation education, and promote sustainable, community-centered approaches to the preservation of cultural materials. Its website served—and in many ways still serves—as the entry point for learning about the goals, activities, and historical arc of the programme.

This article provides a detailed and fully contextualized examination of CollAsia2010.org and the programme it represents, including its development, mission, institutional partners, achievements, events, public impact, and cultural significance.

Origins and Institutional Ownership

CollAsia 2010 is an initiative of ICCROM—the International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property. ICCROM is an intergovernmental organization founded in the 1950s to support the conservation of cultural heritage through training, research, cooperation, and advocacy. Its Member States include many nations across Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and the Americas.

CollAsia 2010 was created after ICCROM Member States recognized a strong need for improved preservation skills and professional networks in Southeast Asia. Collection care in the region faced significant challenges: tropical climates, rapid urbanization, limited resources, aging museum infrastructure, and the need to integrate traditional knowledge with modern conservation science.

To address these issues, ICCROM launched CollAsia in partnership with the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization – Regional Centre for Archaeology and Fine Arts (SEAMEO-SPAFA). Early support also came from international donors such as the Getty Foundation. Several years later, additional support was provided by organizations dedicated to strengthening regional capacity, including institutions in the Republic of Korea. Through these partnerships, CollAsia evolved into a sustainable programme with long-term goals, expert instructors, and a model that continues to influence conservation education throughout Asia.

Mission and Vision

The core mission of CollAsia 2010 is to improve conservation practice and education in Southeast Asia by fostering professional development, encouraging lifelong learning, integrating traditional knowledge, and building collaborative networks among heritage professionals.

Its vision includes:

  • Strengthening the skills of museum staff, conservators, curators, archivists, and heritage educators.

  • Increasing the sustainability and resilience of heritage-preservation practices.

  • Promoting culturally appropriate and economically viable conservation methods.

  • Encouraging the adaptation of traditional and local knowledge alongside scientific approaches.

  • Creating professional networks capable of supporting conservation education long after individual workshops end.

  • Ensuring communities remain connected to their tangible and intangible heritage.

Taken together, these aims establish CollAsia as more than a training programme—it is an engine for cultural empowerment, community connection, and sustainable stewardship of Southeast Asia’s diverse heritage collections.

Programme Structure and Activities

Training Workshops

Training workshops form the backbone of CollAsia 2010. These intensive learning experiences take place across Southeast Asia, hosted by local heritage institutions and led by an international team of experts. Courses typically include both theoretical instruction and hands-on activities, ensuring participants gain practical skills tailored to regional challenges.

Topics addressed in past CollAsia workshops include:

  • Preventive conservation

  • Traditional knowledge in conservation

  • Textiles and flexible materials

  • Climate change and risk preparedness

  • Underwater archaeology

  • Storage improvement

  • Built heritage and community involvement

  • Exhibition development

  • Conservation of on-site objects

  • Disaster risk management

The workshops emphasize teamwork, intercultural dialogue, and problem-solving in real collection environments. Participants come from museums, universities, cultural ministries, community organizations, and conservation laboratories across Southeast Asia.

Conferences and Forums

One of the most documented activities associated with CollAsia2010.org is the Leaders in Conservation Education Forum, held in Manila, Philippines. This major event helped shape the future direction of the programme by bringing together past workshop participants, educators, and institutional partners. Goals included:

  • Reviewing achievements of past activities

  • Establishing working groups to continue conservation education

  • Broadening the regional network

  • Discussing financial viability and sustainability

  • Sharing successful conservation methodologies

Participants’ travel, accommodation, and subsistence were supported through partnerships among ICCROM, SEAMEO-SPAFA, the Getty Foundation, and national host institutions. The forum reinforced CollAsia’s commitment to long-term community building and regional leadership.

Specialized Courses on Emerging Issues

CollAsia 2010 has also addressed contemporary challenges such as climate change. A notable example was a course held in Singapore focusing on:

  • Risk management related to climate change

  • Disaster preparedness

  • Youth education and public outreach

  • Interdisciplinary communication with government and environmental sectors

  • Training in creating and delivering institutional education programmes

These courses underline the programme’s recognition that conservation is inseparable from wider societal and environmental issues.

Collaborative Projects

Beyond workshops and forums, CollAsia engages in collaborative research and conservation projects. These projects often involve partnerships with universities, national museums, and heritage boards. They promote:

  • Sharing of conservation resources and materials

  • Development of region-appropriate conservation techniques

  • Integration of community knowledge

  • Creation of sustainable material-use strategies

  • Improved documentation and cataloguing practices

Such collaborations enable institutions with limited resources to benefit from high-level expertise while contributing their own local insights.

Audience and Regional Reach

The beneficiaries of CollAsia 2010 can be grouped into several key audiences:

1. Heritage Professionals

CollAsia primarily serves conservators, curators, museum directors, archivists, archaeologists, librarians, and educators. Many participants require enhanced collections-care skills but lack formal conservation training in their home institutions. CollAsia fills that gap by offering international-quality training within the region.

2. Heritage Institutions

Museums, archives, heritage boards, and cultural ministries benefit from workshop participation, collaborative research, and improved staff capacity. Institutions across Southeast Asia have hosted CollAsia events, strengthening their regional visibility.

3. Communities and Cultural Bearers

CollAsia emphasizes local participation and traditional knowledge. Many workshops involve community elders, craftspeople, and cultural bearers whose insights help create culturally relevant solutions to conservation challenges.

4. Students and Youth

Recognizing that heritage preservation requires generational continuity, CollAsia encourages outreach activities involving youth. Participants in several courses design educational activities aimed at schoolchildren and young adults.

5. Policymakers

Through conferences and interdisciplinary collaborations, CollAsia helps introduce conservation challenges into policy discussions, particularly around climate change, sustainable development, and cultural identity.

Programme Themes and Educational Philosophy

CollAsia 2010 is distinguished by several educational themes and philosophical approaches:

Hands-on Learning

Participants engage directly with heritage objects, materials, and real collections. This practical approach is crucial in a region where heritage materials vary widely—from archaeological artifacts to sacred textiles, traditional musical instruments, manuscripts, and contemporary collections.

Context-Specific Conservation

Rather than importing expensive Western methodologies, CollAsia encourages affordable local solutions, traditional materials, and regionally appropriate techniques. This reduces dependence on imported chemicals, equipment, and tools.

Interdisciplinary Collaboration

Conservation is understood as an intersection of science, culture, community, and education. Workshops often include experts in chemistry, materials science, museology, anthropology, and education.

Networking and Peer Learning

By uniting professionals from across Southeast Asia, CollAsia fosters collaboration and collective problem-solving. Alumni remain connected long after workshops end, forming one of the strongest regional heritage networks in Asia.

Historical Development and Evolution

Early Phase (2003–2010)

The initial phase of CollAsia focused on building foundational skills among museum professionals in Southeast Asia. Workshops on preventive conservation, storage improvement, and traditional materials became highly influential. This era is associated most directly with the “CollAsia 2010” identity and the website CollAsia2010.org.

Transition and Growth (2011–2015)

During this period, CollAsia expanded its topics and strengthened collaborations with national institutions. Courses addressed marine heritage, flexible materials, and the role of community knowledge in conservation. The Manila Forum marked a key milestone, establishing forward-looking strategies and working groups.

Renewed Support and Expansion (after 2015)

With renewed partnerships from East Asian cultural heritage agencies, CollAsia broadened its geographical focus, linking Southeast Asia with other Asia-Pacific countries. Themes such as sustainability, climate resilience, and disaster risk reduction became central.

Cultural and Social Significance

CollAsia’s cultural significance is profound. Heritage collections in Southeast Asia include some of the world’s most diverse expressions of human creativity and spiritual life—Buddhist manuscripts, Islamic calligraphy, Hindu stone carvings, tribal textiles, dance costumes, ritual objects, underwater archaeological finds, and more.

CollAsia’s work safeguards this heritage in several important ways:

  • Preserving cultural identity: Many Southeast Asian cultural traditions are under pressure from modernization, tourism, and environmental challenges. Strengthening collection care safeguards memory and identity.

  • Empowering local professionals: Rather than relying on outside experts, CollAsia builds local leadership and expertise, strengthening institutional independence.

  • Supporting sustainable development: By promoting resource-efficient conservation, CollAsia supports environmentally responsible practices.

  • Strengthening community ties: The inclusion of traditional knowledge keepers ensures that conservation respects cultural contexts and community values.

  • Enhancing global dialogue: CollAsia alumni and activities contribute to international conversations on conservation science and cultural preservation.

Recognition, Influence, and Legacy

CollAsia has gained recognition across the global conservation sector for its innovative practices and collaborative philosophy. Museums, universities, and policy bodies acknowledge its impact on strengthening professional capacity across Southeast Asia.

Its influence includes:

  • A strong alumni network active in regional collaborations

  • Improved conservation curricula in Southeast Asian academic institutions

  • New conservation laboratories and facilities established by trained staff

  • Increased emphasis on traditional and community knowledge

  • Regional leadership in climate-change preparedness and risk management

  • Partnerships with national museums and ministries for long-term projects

The CollAsia model—highly participatory, culturally grounded, and regionally networked—has become a reference point for many capacity-building programmes around the world.

 

CollAsia2010.org represents far more than a website. It reflects a transformative, long-running programme dedicated to preserving Southeast Asia’s extraordinary cultural heritage. Through its commitment to hands-on training, community engagement, sustainability, and regional cooperation, CollAsia 2010 has helped create a new generation of heritage professionals who understand that conservation is not simply a technical task but a cultural responsibility.

CollAsia’s values—innovation, collaboration, cultural respect, and long-term sustainability—remain deeply relevant. As environmental and social pressures challenge the world’s heritage collections, the CollAsia model provides a powerful example of how collective knowledge and cross-cultural cooperation can ensure that Southeast Asia’s cultural treasures remain safeguarded for the generations still to come.

CollAsia2010.org