'Declaration of Georgetown' recognises value of wooden buildings
Inventory, research seen as crucial
By Miranda La Rose
Stabroek News
February 10, 2003
The Thematic Expert Meeting on Wooden Urban Heritage in the Caribbean has adopted `The Declaration of Georgetown' in which the region's rich wooden urban heritage is recognised for its architectural, historical and cultural worth.
Recommendations coming out of the three-day meeting include five broad guidelines: world heritage process; protection and institutional framework; conservation and management; training and education; and networking and follow-up.
The meeting urged the countries in the region to recognise the need for extensive research into wood conservation, methodology and scientific inventory of the wooden urban heritage as an ensemble. Policymakers and stakeholders should ensure that ensembles and the wooden urban heritage are protected by legislation and included on the tentative list of state parties, and extended to existing world heritage sites and that incentives are provided for conservation and maintenance.
In summing up the recommendations, Project Manager of the World Heritage Centre, Ron van Oers noted that one of the objectives of the meeting was to lay the groundwork for improved representation of the heritage of the Caribbean region in UNESCO's World Heritage List. So far only one wooden urban property in Paramaribo, Suriname has received World Heritage recognition.
He noted that for a number of countries in the region the work for suitable world heritage sites has only begun including Georgetown. It was noted, however, that the majority of countries still lack the inventory work which is basic to the whole process.
He noted the fragility of many wooden buildings in the Caribbean, with some rapidly disappearing due to neglect, lack of resources and socio-economic changes.
Coming out of the meeting, the participants recommended that each country should take stock and map out its wooden urban heritage and select properties and sites that needed national protection and select those likely to meet world heritage criteria for inclusion in the national tentative list. It was recommended, too that further research needed to be done to deepen the knowledge of the different types of wooden urban heritage.
In terms of protection and institutional framework it was recommended that countries should share information on suitable legislation and review the institutional framework, if necessary.
On conservation and management, it was also recommended that countries should adopt/adapt management and risk preparedness guidelines for cultural properties as produced by UNESCO and related organisations. In addition, countries are encouraged to set aside forest reserves to provide resources for restoration of wooden properties.
It was further recommended that a regional training strategy be established to recruit the necessary human resources, including the renewal of craftsmanship. Countries should also run public information campaigns on the significance of wooden urban heritage in the Caribbean and have appropriate training modules for use by schools.
In terms of networking and follow-up it was also recommended that UNESCO co-operate with the Organisation of the wider Caribbean on Monuments and Sites (CARIMOS) for strengthening, networking and facilitating regular meetings of experts in wooden urban heritage.
Such meetings should serve to examine the implementation of the recommendations and chart the future including the preparation of an action plan for the next five to ten years.
