MEDIA ADVISORY: Fine Arts Department and UNESCO celebrate the first group of trained Thai conservation masons

What? Press conference on the completion of the collaborative project and certificate-awarding ceremony for conservation masons

When? Saturday 9th September 2017, 13.00-15.00

Where? Ayutthaya 1 Conference Room, Krungsri River Hotel, Phra Nakorn Si Ayutthaya Province

Who? Media, trained conservation masons, executives of governmental and private agencies and UNESCO

The Fine Arts Department, Ministry of Culture, and UNESCO Bangkok, with support from the Crown Property Bureau, cordially invite you to attend a press marking the completion of the project, “Reviving Thai Traditional Building Craftsmanship for the Conservation of World Heritage Sites”, and the ceremony to award certificates for the graduates of the Pilot Training for Conservation Masons, on Saturday 9 September 2017, 13.00-15.00 hours, at Krungsri River Hotel, Phra Nakorn Si Ayutthaya province. Anandha Chuchoti, Director-General of the Fine Arts Department,  will chair the event, and be joined by representatives from UNESCO and the Crown Property Bureau as well as national experts in monument conservation.

For more information or to request high-resolution photos from the project or to film field classroom sessions between 5 to 7 September, please contact Mrs. Montakarn Kittipaisalsilp, UNESCO Bangkok, by phone: 080-996-8822 or email: m.suvanatap@unesco.org

About the Project

The two-year project, “Reviving Thai Traditional Building Craftsmanship for the Conservation of World Heritage Sites”, started in 2016 with the objective of developing  training curricula to strengthen the knowledge and skills for those working in monument conservation. The project will benefit three target groups: professionals (engineers, architects, archaeologists, scientists, art historians, etc.); building craftspeople or masons; and conservation project supervisors and foremen.

The project started with an in-depth study on the career paths of brick masons, their professional attitudes, limitations and opportunities for advancement, as well as scientific research on conservation materials for monuments, in particular historic lime and bricks. Moreover, an international symposium was organized for national and international experts to discuss and raise awareness on global heritage conservation principles.

With this baseline knowledge, the Fine Arts Department and UNESCO established a team of conservation experts to identify contents and draft curricula for the three target groups. The draft curricula have been tested and evaluated at a Workshop for the Development of Monument Conservation Curriculum for Conservation Practitioners (May 2017) and a Pilot Training for Conservation Masons (August-September 2017).

The Workshop for the Development of Monument Conservation Curriculum for Conservation Practitioners was attended by 85 executives, stakeholders and professionals from diverse disciplines related to national heritage conservation. The participants came from the Fine Arts Department, as well as the private sector, temples, communities and universities. Lectures and field exercises were carried out and evaluated in order to improve the existing draft curriculum for professionals.

The Pilot Training for Conservation Masons began with an initial phase held between 7 to 12 August and will conclude from 4 to 9 September 2017. Some 104 participants are attending the training, including brick masons, foremen and specialised technicians. The pilot training will contribute to the finalization of the curricula for masons and foremen.

With the project’s completion in sight, the Fine Arts Department and UNESCO remain committed to working together to support the professional development of conservation professionals –a commitment that will both benefit Thai people economically and increase national capacity in heritage protection over the long term.

Press conference venue:

Krungsri River Hotel
27/2 Moo 11 Rojchana Rd., Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya
Tel: 035 244 333

โรงแรมกรุงศรีริเวอร์
27/2 หมู่ 11 ถนนโรจนะ พระนครศรีอยุธยา
โทร 035 244 333