Experts to prepare PPP strategies for ASEM culture ministers' meeting

SINGAPORE, July 6 (Bernama) -- Twenty-five civil society and government experts will gather in Yogyakarta, Indonesia from July 12 to 14 to prepare recommendations for the ASEM Culture Ministers’ meeting on “Managing Heritage Cities for a Sustainable Future” in September. They will focus on public-private partnerships as a key strategy for maximising resources in managing tangible and intangible cultural heritage found in cities and urban landscapes. Given that governments are struggling in the current economic crisis to muster enough funding to care for historic structures, public-private partnerships present an efficient way not only to preserve but to economically and culturally revitalise heritage cities. Dr Gamini Wijesuriya, Sites Unit project manager of the International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property (ICCROM), and one of the invited experts, said: “In many countries, conservation and management of heritage have been considered the exclusive domain of the public sector. Borrowing of public-private partnership models known as ‘PPP from other sectors came to the fore as part of a drive to attract much-needed cash for conservation of heritage. "One of the questions we need to raise is how these models are applicable to heritage. Some aspects – sharing costs, responsibilities and risks, boosting efficiency, development and long-term commitment – so inherent to profit-led PPP, if appropriately adapted can deliver important benefits to the heritage sector.” The experts meeting is organised by the Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF) and the Centre for Heritage Conservation, Department of Architecture and Planning at the Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Gadjah Mada in Yogyakarta. Titled “Managing Heritage Cities in Asia and Europe: The Role of Public-Private Partnerships”, the meeting will highlight successful case studies and best practises from Asia and Europe. A public forum to be held alongside the meeting on July 12 will invite students and faculty members from Universitas Gadjah Mada as well as local non-governmental organisations and governmental agencies for an open session with the international experts. -- BERNAMA