![EXTENDED [Apply Now] Training Workshop on Heritage Impact Assessment in Southeast Asian Context: Principles, Methodology and Mitigation Measures (Deadline: 19 Jan 2024)](themes/370/userfiles/images/2024/1/9/source/chbj4jhloglv4ez.png)
Background and Rational
At present Southeast Asian countries have carried on a number of infrastructure construction projects in order to support industrialization, tourism and economic development. The projects include the construction of a high-speed rail network connecting major cities in and across countries particularly when ASEAN Community was established and officially operated in 2015, to address industrial estate development and urban expansion. These projects were done within heritage sites or around their precincts. On the one hand the projects are considered essential as they are expected to provide a well-being or better quality of life for the people who live there or of the whole nation. However, the projects may also intervene or cause negative impacts to heritage sites not only during the construction period but post-construction in the long term. Notably it will be even worse if some impacts make irreversible changes or damages to the heritage sites. Furthermore, the confrontation between heritage conservation and these kinds of projects has always happened and led to social conflicts. As a result, the heritage impact assessment or HIA conceptualized from environmental impact assessment known as EIA was developed to provide a methodology that is credible, scientific, systematic and acceptable among stakeholders, to analyse and assess the impact of the soon-to-be-built projects to the value of the heritage. Through HIA the consultation among stakeholders to agree on the implementation of the projects and mitigation measures in various stages of the projects will be included.
It is noted that unlike in Europe, HIA did not exist in the preparation process when applying for construction license or even widely recognized in most Southeast Asian countries. Somehow HIA is a small part within environmental impact assessment which has not been given serious attention by officials involved, thus becoming a weakness/watershed of conservation because the heritage can be legally devalued or damaged. As such, in order to introduce and support the implementation of HIA in the heritage legislation framework of the countries in Southeast Asia, the training workshop on heritage impact assessment for relevant professionals is needed.
The impact assessment of construction/development projects to heritage sites in Southeast Asia has been raised by the World Heritage Committee since HIA does not clearly exist in the legal system of Southeast Asian countries but exists in other parts of the world. For instance, due to the development of national logistic and transportation system of Thailand, one of the high-speed train stations will be built in Ayutthaya Province, not far from Ayutthaya City Island which is statutorily protected by Thai law and houses the Historic City of Ayutthaya, a World Heritage property. The Thai National Committee on the World Heritage Convention has requested the Department of Rail Transport to submit a Study of Heritage Impact Assessment of the high-speed railway and station at Ayutthaya to get permission for construction. It should be noted that this request is a result of negotiation to avoid disputes among stakeholders. In addition, for tourism facilities development of the Borobudur Temple Compounds, the World Heritage Committee has requested the authority to develop a Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) to show its conservation effort. However, in terms of heritage management and conservation, HIA can be adopted or adapted to protect national and local heritage from the impacts or adverse changes caused by any project implementation. In order to conduct HIA, it is necessary to understand conservation principles, heritage laws adopted in each country, proper mitigation measures, value and significance of the affected heritage sites as well as all information of the project This training workshop will provide the knowledge and understanding in HIA, case studies from various resource persons and hands-on experience through a selected site in Bangkok or other cities that need to develop HIA.
Objectives
1、Provide knowledge in developing and promote heritage impact assessment including principles, methodology and mitigation measures.
2、Raise awareness on the necessity of heritage impact assessment when large-scale projects are to be conducted.
3、Increase the recognition of community participation as one of the important parts of heritage impact assessment.
4、Promote and support heritage impact assessment to be included in heritage legislation framework in Southeast Asia.
Application deadline
Applications should reach SEAMEO SPAFA by 19 January 2024 to ensure inclusion in our selection process.
Only successful applicants will be notified no later than 15 March 2024.
For more information, please refer to https://www.seameo-spafa.org/hia/#1701583791243-3a48afae-8e41