Activities

Our work with cultural heritage helps to create a platform on which to build for the future. An essential task is to find solutions of conflicts so that they are prevented from becoming permanent and being passed on. Averting future conflicts is also important in the fight against poverty. So far Cultural Heritage without Borders has been working with the preservation of cultural sites, restoration, museum development, archive reconstruction and exchange of field experiences. In Sweden out-reaching work is a priority.

By implementing measures for cultural heritage, a number of other goals may be achieved: improved capacity in administration and a harmonisation of legislation with the rest of Europe. Besides the positive effects for democracy and the environment, more work may be generated for local artisans and small businesses. Cultural heritage is important for a sustainable development, because the traditional building methods used in restoration work are often environment-friendly and foster the local production of materials and use of local skills. An economical way of thinking is encouraged and small businesses can demonstrate the quality of their work. In several places Cultural Heritage without Borders has initiated local development plans concerning issues of cultural heritage

Cultural Heritage without Borders has the following goals for its work:

· To safeguard unique cultural heritage that has been damaged by
disasters for future generations.

· To work for the inclusion of cultural heritage in the process of
reconciliation.

· To contribute to capacity development within preservation and
restoration of cultural heritage according to international principles.

· To support networking and cooperation between ethnic and religious
groups across entity and nationality boundaries.

· To foster local initiatives so as to use cultural heritage as a motor for
economic development.

· To support growth and renewal of civil society within the heritage sector.

· To raise gradually levels of local ownership and commitment.

Cultural Heritage without Borders is an expert organisation. Specialist skills are the key to cooperation which leads to capacity building. Therefore it is important to work side by side with our partners. When we work with a restoration, we talk about the building’s origin and history to make the restoration “authentic”. In such a way we can acquaint ourselves with its common history. If a building is to be restored, then the builders have to be procured in an open competition and a discussion then ensues about how to stop corruption. During the restoration process, local artisans are used and traditional methods developed. The local business community sees this as a good opportunity for marketing something that perhaps had been forgotten and resources are put to efficient use in an economic way.

When the restoration is being implemented, it needs to be protected by laws and regulations which lead to capacity development in the institutions and ministries. The restoration itself has to be integrated into a local development plan which can activate local parties to think about their community’s development.

In the case of working with a museum, local development or maintenance plans are in a similar way also channels of thought, and in this work together people are united and find their common background common future. Our role is to function as a support motor for local processes and to act as moderators in this work. This kind of credibility can only be achieved by providing our specialist skills. We work by:

Cooperating with national cultural institutions and organisations

A key motive to our dedication is to increase the capabilities of our partners to take care of their own cultural heritage. Partnership has been an obvious point of departure, especially since we often deal with experienced and highly educated people as our partners, who have had the misfortune of being caught up in an inexpedient situation due to a state of war. We give priority to working with the institutions themselves and during the actual process to transferring know-how.

Learning by doing

The chief reason why the method of “learning by doing” is assessed by Cultural heritage without Borders as the most appropriate is the fact that the transfer of know-how which occurs in a practical setting is far more effective than that acquired through seminars and courses. Through “learning by doing” both students and qualified professionals find the opportunity of specifying their theoretical knowledge in a practical and supervised setting. Such a procedure allows for an encounter with problems in reality, where alternative solutions may be discussed and the method chosen can then be collectively implemented.

The work conducted in the Balkans by the Cultural Heritage without Borders has clearly demonstrated the crucial role played by cultural heritage in the rebuilding process, after years of dictatorship and war. The experiences so far gathered – not least the wide involvement and appreciation shown by the people in the area – reinforces the insight of the significance of cultural heritage as a way to increase cohesion and promote dialogue in society. Caring for cultural heritage contributes to peace, gives birth to thoughts about reconciliation and opens up doors towards the future.


Women in Tibet making floor in a traditional way. Photo Tina Wik 2002.

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