FIRST CONFERENCE OF CARIBBEAN NATIONAL TRUSTS AND PRESERVATION SOCIETIES – MAY 7 – 12, 2014 (Meeting days 8, 9 and 10, Heritage Tour May 11)
There has been no gathering of Caribbean National Trusts and Preservation Societies since a small meeting organized by the now defunct Caribbean Conservation Association some 30 years ago. This conference will be hosted by the Barbados National Trust at the
iconic Savannah Hotel, with very special rates, on the Historic Garrison at Bridgetown, Barbados. The main goals of the conference are:
1. To share heritage, experiences, challenges and solutions between the twenty plus Caribbean countries in touch with the Caribbean Tourism Organization, who are assisting us, along with many partners. We have four UNESCO World Heritage sites within the English speaking CARICOM community countries alone, and others which merit UNESCO inscription. We hope through this conference to share country experiences, and thereby assist each other in our programmes, particularly in relation to UNESCO inscription. Day 1 of the conference will be largely devoted to Country presentations, with both success stories and challenges, such as the extraordinary “resurrection” of the Cabrits fortifications in Dominica by historian / anthropologist Dr. Lennox Honeychurch.
2. To sensitise our governments and our people of the region to the value of our heritage, both for historical, cultural and aesthetic reasons, and for the economic value of heritage enjoyment and tourism development. There will be intensive pre-conference, in-conference and post-conference publicity.
3. To connect with more “mature” Trusts and global networks, for mutual benefit. Both the International National Trust Organization and other Heritage Trusts will be taking part over the programme of four days, both sharing experience and technical expertise, and helping us to develop global partners and possible funding. Day 2 of the conference will include several addresses from leaders in the field by metropolitan collaborators.
4. To share solutions. For example the Trinidad and London partners on the Red House restoration in Port of Spain will be hosting a workshop on Day 3, which will be Solutions Day.
5. To share some of the historic sites in Barbados in a Heritage Tour on Day 4, successes and challenges. The location of the conference on the Garrison UNESCO site will provide opportunities for seeing this site during the meeting.
6. Finally, to create opportunities for Caribbean partnerships and networking in every way, in a field where expertise is often limited, and collaboration can be hugely helpful both in terms of sharing technical expertise and international fund raising. It is hoped that successful outcomes will lead to follow up conferences in future, with opportunities for sharing, fund-raising and income generation in addition to the achievement of other UNESCO World Heritage sites and to broader recognition of the importance of preserving our heritage.
