Vat Phou, Lao PDR: March 9-22, 2008

	Participants from Thailand, Myanmar, and Cambodia discuss the damage to a stone wall at Vat Phou. Photo: Jeff Cody.

Many archaeological sites in Southeast Asia face severe challenges with respect to conservation and management. Some of these derive from human factors, such as proliferating tourism and expanding human settlements near the sites. Other challenges arise from the nature of the construction materials used at many sites (e.g., sandstone, brick, and wood) and environmental conditions that affect the sites ongoing protection (e.g., high humidity). There is an urgent need to better understand and to cope effectively with the intensifying impacts of these challenges, which are currently being met by many local, national and international organizations.

In March 2008, the GCI collaborated with the Department of Museums and Archaeology of the Lao PDR's Ministry of Information and Culture, SEAMEO-SPAFA (Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organisation; Regional Centre for Archaeology and Fine Arts, in Bangkok, Thailand), and the Lerici Foundation (Italy), to design and operate a two-week workshop at the World Heritage site of Vat Phou, near Champasak, Lao PDR. The workshop had the following objectives:

• to stress that conservation is an integrative, interdisciplinary, and indispensable act in caring for heritage sites;
• to reinforce the importance of international standards and charters as guides for conservation decision making and practice;
• to strengthen already existing regional networks of heritage professionals;
• to provide a methodological approach related to various components of site identification, analysis, intervention, presentation, and management;
• to introduce methods and uses of risk assessments and site documentation; and
• to emphasize the importance of integrating and using development plans relevant to historic sites.

The Vat Phou workshop arose from a needs assessment regarding built heritage conservation education in the Southeast Asia region, conducted by GCI Education between 2004 and 2006. The purpose of the assessment was to identify and prioritize the range of built heritage conservation education and training needs and to develop a strategic regional response, in the form of training workshops, convening gatherings of professionals, and developing didactic materials, among other things. The idea was to build upon existing structures and to strengthen existing networks of training opportunities.

Practitioners in built heritage conservation in the region confront myriad conservation challenges. The spectrum of concerns for Southeast Asian conservation professionals ranges from basic introductions to conservation theory and principles; conservation science and material analysis; risk assessment; site management including planning for long term maintenance, presentation, visitor management and development; material conservation; and policy and decision making that integrates the opinions and needs of the surrounding communities of a site. The Vat Phou workshop was viewed as a first step in a multi-year regional strategy to help build institutional and individual capacity in built heritage conservation practice.

	A group of workshop participants conduct a condition assessment of fallen statues at the site of Vat Phou. Photo: Jeff Cody.

The workshop partners selected twenty-five mid-career professionals to attend the workshop, five from each of five countries bordering the Mekong River: Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Myanmar, and the Lao PDR. Each participant was selected on the basis of having a strong potential for exerting a positive impact about heritage conservation in their home country, of being in a position to utilize and disseminate the information gleaned from the workshop, and of demonstrating sufficient proficiency in English (the language used for instruction) to benefit from what the workshop offered.

To support the workshop's objectives, instructors utilized the cultural landscape of Vat Phou as a practical field case study to illustrate common issues encountered throughout the region. In addition to formal lectures in classroom settings, instructors also employed problem-based learning exercises (based upon individual and group efforts) which reflected the realities that participants face in their individual countries. Small discussion groups were created to allow participants from different countries to work and learn together, both in the classroom and at the site.

Evaluations conducted both during and after the workshop suggest that the participants not only learned about new approaches related to risk assessment and conservation, but also felt encouraged to continue to seek advice from new colleagues they had met during the workshop.

The GCI is now exploring ways in which it can build upon this successful initial activity so that other kinds of collaborative, educational activities can assist conservation colleagues to confront the significant regional challenges related to built heritage conservation.