Under the patronage of His Highness Dr Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi, Member of the Supreme Council and Ruler of Sharjah, the third ATHAR workshop on Conservation Professional Education and Practice hosted by Sharjah Museums Department (SMD) at Sharjah Archaeology Museum concluded proposing a set of actions including the formation of a regional association of experts.
The three-day workshop titled “ATHARnet: Education and Practice” was aimed at bridging the gaps between conservation theories and practice in the Arab region, developing a clear definition of the topic and recognising the needs for training in conservation.
The workshop urged to establish an effective regional professional association to be supported by a network of existing heritage conservation and management programmes at various universities in the region. This entity will help address professional requirements and profiles that take into consideration the practical and educational needs in conservation and heritage in the Arab States. It will also work to set up national professional regulatory bodies for conservators and related specialists.
The workshop also called for Sharjah to undertake a series of surveys addressing the nature and scope of existing training programmes, and market analysis on professions required by the authorities responsible for the protection of cultural heritage in the Arab Countries. A sub-committee was formed of five institutional members to initiate the collection of data.
A follow-up workshop will be held in November bringing together various stakeholders including academic and training institutions. This workshop is aimed at establishing a regional body of professional conservators and specialists; and improving dialogue between heritage education and conservation practice. The workshop will devise means by which decision-makers are involved, especially through the Arab League Educational, Cultural and Scientific Organisation (ALECSO), in establishing processes for the recognition of the conservation professions.
The workshop decided to consolidate the work of the network and expanding it to include the participation of all educational and training institutions (including artisan training), with the help of the Association of Arab Universities and through conferences planned by member institutions in the near future. Among other proposed initiatives are pilot projects that enhance collaboration between the members and integration of heritage conservation as part of the academic curricula.
The results of the ATHAR network will be presented to official regional organisations including the Ministry of Culture and Ministry of Higher Education in the framework of the Arab League, to ensure high quality of conservation work in the region.
The participants emphasized that the Arab region must provide continuous training and education in all fields of conservation, and also seek to enhance the work of professional institutions and frameworks to foster professional talent. This workshop underscored how thorough collaborative effort, professionals in cultural heritage conservation can bring forth recommendations to make a positive difference through the ATHAR network.
The workshop was implemented by the International Centre for the Study of Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property (ICCROM) as part of the framework of its ATHAR Programme in partnership with the Government of Sharjah, H.H. the Ruler’s Office, Sharjah Department of Information and Culture, American University of Sharjah, the University of Sharjah, and Sharjah Museums Department.
The workshop included presentations, discussions, brainstorming sessions and group exercises. Participants from 13 Arab countries including Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Palestine, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates and Yemen, attended in addition to representatives from international and regional organizations - the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO); ALECSO, the Association of Arab Universities, and the European Confederation of Conservator-Restorers' Organisations (ECCO).
