World Experts Present Strategies for Saving and Sustaining Endangered Archaeological Sites in Asia

A unique meeting in New York saw experts from all over the Asian world gather to deliver a collective warning and discuss and address the major issues and solutions for critically needed cultural preservation and development in Asia, including its endangered archaeological sites.

A distinguished body of what some might consider a rather eclectic grouping of executives and professionals assembled on May 3rd, 2012, at the facilities of the Asia Society in New York to present and discuss what is happening to Asia's endangered cultural heritage sites, and what they and the rest of the world should do about it.
Penned as The Forum on Global Heritage in a Developing World: Focus on Asia and hosted by the Global Heritage Fund (GHF) and the Asia Society, the event featured individual presentations, panel events, and roundtable discussions by recognized leaders and experts in conservation, development, venture philanthropy, technology, travel, academia and media. Topics covered a range as diverse as protecting cultural sites to the economics of heritage, including an announcement by GHF to launch a heritage economics study that will aim to measure the value of cultural heritage in order to increase funding from governments and private donors.
There was no doubt among the attendees about one thing -- the potential loss of global, and in this case Asia's, cultural heritage sites is very real and happening incrementally day-by-day. “I think we’d agree,” said Shirley Young, Chair of the US-China Cultural Institute and Governor of the Committee of 100, “that a world without history is a world without soul.”
Among the many sites in Asia that have been on the piece-meal "chopping block" of cultural extinction are such historic treasures as the temples and other structures of Angkor in Cambodia, My Son in Viet Nam, Pingyao Ancient City in China, and Banteay Chhmar, also in Cambodia. “Heritage is being dramatically undervalued,” said Jeff Morgan, GHF's Executive Director. “We’re going to lose them on our watch in the next 10 years.”
But the experts presented more than warnings. They also related what was being done about it today as well as plans for the future. John Sanday, GHF’s Regional Director of Asia & Pacific, presented a case study of training and conservation methods at Angkor and Banteay Chhmar; he was joined by Dr. Pheakdey Nguonphan, who is currently using revolutionary 3D imaging tools to help rebuild Banteay Chhmar’s walls. Khuanghan Li, GHF’s China Heritage Program Manager, spoke about the restoration of historic courtyards at Pingyao Ancient City. She was followed by Abha Lambah, who has led efforts at GHF Hampi to rebuild Chandramouleshwara Temple. And Jeff Morgan, GHF’s Executive Director, gave a keynote presentation about the potential of cultural heritage sites to drive sustainable local economic growth in developing countries. He also announced the launch of a heritage economics study that will aim to measure the value of cultural heritage in order to increase funding from governments and private donors.
The outlook for Asia's archaeological and cultural wealth therefore appears something less than dismal, provided current efforts are sustained and expanded upon. While remarking on the lack of focus on culture in the UN Millennium goals, Dr. Vishakha N. Desai, President and CEO of the Asia Society, she nevertheless described the global regard for culture as “a relatively new phenomenon,” and implied hope for its increasing momentum by comparing it favorably with the environmentalism movement, which has acquired world-wide visibility. S.K. Misra, Chairman of the Indian Trust for Rural Heritage and Development (ITRHD), another key participant, agreed, saying, “The future is bright.”

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