The Institute of Historic Building Conservation (IHBC), the UK’s professional body for built and historic environment conservation?, has welcomed conservation provisions in the cultural agreement signed by culture secretaries from China and the UK as part of the recent delegation there led by Prime Minister David Cameron.
IHBC Chair Mike Brown said: ‘We are especially pleased to see that some critical aspects of the conservation of built heritage are registered in the cultural agreement signed as part of the Government’s recent trade mission to China.’
‘While the IHBC would have preferred more overt references to the challenging role that planning plays in the conservation of historic and valued places, these tentative references are very welcome first steps in a conversation that can only develop and deepen.’
The IHBC, which has already a global reach through our digital networks, as well as a central role in the UK’s globally recognised conservation standards, would be delighted to help advise further in this area.’
Maria Miller signed the new cultural agreement with the Chinese Minister for Culture, Cai Wu, setting out a series of commitments including a five year programme of cultural exchanges and a co-organised, co-funded training programme for Chinese museum managers, curators and conservationists.
The Agreement notes specifically that, under 6.2 parties would ‘encourage exchange and cooperation in… preservation and use of buildings of the modern and contemporary periods, and the application of digital technologies in cultural heritage.
Under 5.2 it also notes that parties would ‘co-organize and co-fund training programmes for Chinese museum managers, curators and conservationists’.
Maria Miller also announced an initiative to make Britain the most welcoming destination in Europe for Chinese visitors. VisitBritain will launch ‘China Welcome’ in Spring 2014 in a bid to secure 650,000 visits a year by 2020. It will work with tourism businesses to help them develop products and services that appeal to the Chinese.
More information on tourism is available from the VisitBritain website at: LINK
The full cultural agreement is available online at: LINK
