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PUBLIC LAUNCH OF MYANMAR PROJECT HELD IN MANDALAY

On February 14, representatives from Myanmar's Ministry of Culture, World Monuments Fund, and the U.S. Embassy gathered to celebrate the start of conservation work on Shwe Nan-Daw Monastery in Mandalay. The monastery was built out of teak in the nineteenth century and is the only building of the former royal palace of King Mindon (r. 1853-78) that survived the bombing of Mandalay during the Second World War. It was moved to its current location and turned into a monastery by Mindon's son, King Thibaw (r. 1878-85). It features extensive woodcarvings and a unique gilded interior. It is one of the most highly visited monasteries in the country.

 

Work will be undertaken in partnership with local heritage authorities and the consent of the monastic community to provide protection against water damage and fire. The project will also include training and workshops on site management and conservation practice. The training program will help develop a cadre of skilled local conservationists who can to use their traditional carpentry skills at the many other endangered teakwood monastic buildings in Myanmar.

  

(Pictured above is WMF Program Director Jeff Allen (left) speaking with U.S. Ambassador Derek Mitchell and Deputy Minister of Culture Dawei U Than Swe at the monastery.)


DEPTFORD DOCKYARD FOUNDATION STONE REDISCOVERED AT UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON       

The stone marking Henry VIII's foundation of the Royal Naval Dockyard at Deptford 500 years ago has been rediscovered behind a false wall at University College London (UCL). UCL has pledged to return this significant find to Deptford Dockyard.

 

Bearing the initials of Henry VIII and his first queen, Katherine of Aragon, with a marriage knot, the stone belongs to the original naval storehouse built by order of the king in 1513. The stone was rediscovered by Chris Mazeika of local community group Deptford Is. His research on the Tudor-era dockyard led him to a 1950s drawing of the artifact. On a chance visit to UCL, Chris glimpsed the stone in the geography department, where it had lain forgotten for over 50 years since it was salvaged from the bomb-damaged dockyard after World War II. Following its discovery, WMF Britain and Dr. Negley Harte, Hon. Fellow and Hon. Research Fellow in history at UCL, helped secure the university's gift.

 

Deptford Dockyard was included on the 2014 World Monuments Watch along with the adjacent Sayes Court Garden in order to raise awareness of the rich heritage of the area, where there are currently plans for a large-scale redevelopment. The mayor of London plans to make a decision on the redevelopment proposal in March.


(Pictured left to right in front of the foundation stone are Sally MacDonald, Director of Museums and Public Engagement, UCL; Dr. Negley Harte, UCL; Chris Mazeika, Deptford Is; and Dr. Jonathan Foyle, Chief Executive of WMF Britain.)  


PALACE MUSEUM TRAINEES FINISH PROGRAM
AT METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART 

In 2010 WMF and the Palace Museum in Beijing established a formal training program that applies traditional Chinese craftsmanship and modern conservation practice to the treatment of furniture and architectural interiors. Known by the acronym CRAFT, this program builds on the long-term partnership between WMF and the Palace Museum developed for the conservation of the Qianlong Garden. CRAFT has quickly evolved into China's first master's degree program in conservation, offered through Tsinghua University. The program involves technical exchange, lectures by an international faculty, and hands-on training.

 

In the fall of 2013, two graduates from the first CRAFT class (fifth and sixth from right in the photo) came to New York for a seven-week internship in the Sherman Fairchild Center for Objects Conservation at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, sponsored by WMF and the museum. There they worked with museum staff on the conservation of the Met's collection of Chinese furniture. The two CRAFT interns learned new examination methods and conservation techniques that will facilitate their work in the Qianlong Garden. Their counterparts in the Metropolitan Museum were exposed to the interns' intimate knowledge of Chinese furniture and traditional woodworking techniques. The mutual knowledge gained during this internship will also help strengthen the conservation network within China by allowing the Palace Museum to share its expertise with other museums, and help build a stronger cooperative relationship with conservation professionals internationally.


REGENERATION PROJECT FOR 2010 WATCH SITE IN BELFAST

The future of 2010 World Monuments Watch site Carlisle Memorial Methodist Church in Belfast has been secured with the announcement of a new five-year regeneration project led by Belfast Buildings Trust (BBT) in partnership with hospitality company the Horatio Group. Following a WMF Britain-funded structural condition report and a first phase of emergency works to clear vegetation, remove loose masonry, and secure the roof by inserting internal scaffolding, the church is set to become a restaurant and hospitality training academy, combined with a range of offices, workshops and facilities to support emerging North Belfast businesses. Phased work is expected to start shortly to bring the building back into a useable state. "The focus of the project will be on the provision of jobs and skills for North Belfast, and the full re-use of this distinctive and historic building," said BBT founder Fionnuala Jay-O'Boyle.
SIGN THE PETITION
 
The Hudson River Palisades and the Cloisters, were included on our 2014 World Monuments Watch
because the iconic view--designated a National Natural Landmark in 1983--would be irreparably damaged by the proposed LG Electronics USA complex, destroying one of America's most significant unspoiled vistas.  

Please help protect the Palisades. Sign our petition to urge LG Electronics USA to redesign its office plans so that its building does not tower above the ridgeline and spoil this extraordinary scenic and historic landmark.
CRISIS IN SYRIA

Escalating violence in Syria since 2011 has had devastating effects on the country's cultural heritage.
When the crisis is over, what will remain of its irreplaceable architectural legacy? Three important sites illustrate the dire threats to the entirety of Syria's cultural heritage, which has been placed on our 2014 World Monuments Watch.

Join WMF in taking a stand. Sign our petition to  help ensure the survival of Syria's cultural heritage. Cultural heritage is the DNA of civilization. We must do all we can to prevent further damage in Syria.

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