Department of Culture and Tourism, Getty Conservation Institute sign MoU

Abu Dhabi’s Department of Culture and Tourism has signed a Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, with the Getty Conservation Institute, GCI, reflecting common goals and joint collaboration in the fields of preservation and conservation, and specifically offering training in the conservation of earthen architecture.

The agreement was signed by Saif Saeed Ghobash, Director-General of Department of Culture and Tourism, and Susan MacDonald, Head of Buildings and Sites of the Getty Conservation Institute.

In many regions of the world, including the UAE, an earth and organic mixture has traditionally been used as a construction material to build houses and public buildings. In Al Ain, for example - home to many UNESCO-inscribed heritage sites - houses, forts and mosques have been built with earth.

Although these significant sites have been protected and preserved, earthen structures around the world are unfortunately disappearing due to abandonment, demolition, and replacement with modern materials. To save this important heritage, training is needed in the conservation and restoration of these types of buildings.

Building on the good conservation practice implemented by Abu Dhabi’s Department of Culture and Tourism on the earthen sites of Al Ain and using the expertise of the Getty Conservation Institute, the main aim of the MoU is to launch an international course on the 'Conservation of Earthen Architecture' in 2018 for the first time in the MENA region for architects, engineers, conservationists, heritage managers, and archaeologists who work with earthen buildings and archaeological sites.

The International Course on the Conservation of Earthen Architecture, EAC 18, will take place next year, 2018, in Al Ain. The course reflects advances in practice, science, and technology for the conservation and rehabilitation of earthen sites, buildings and structures. Led by local and international experts, participants will use Al Ain as an open air laboratory to learn practical, hands-on methods for preserving earth buildings and archaeological sites. Course topics include documentation and recording, materials analysis, condition assessment and diagnosis, as well as conservation methods ranging from emergency structural interventions to rehabilitation, adaptive re-use, and long-term maintenance.

Commenting on the signing, Saif Saeed Ghobash, said, "Our partnership with the Getty Conservation Institute will further enhance the preservation efforts of invaluable cultural sites that the Department of Culture and Tourism seeks to encourage. This course will be the first of its kind in the region, and is in line with our focus on protecting and conserving the Emirate’s historical sites and traditions of the past. Through initiatives such as this we set out to nurture and foster innovative forms of knowledge transfer and cultural cooperation and to establish Abu Dhabi’s position as a beacon for cultural experience and exchange."

With a long-term vision in mind, and through the sharing of resources, both parties will develop the curriculum for the course and foster the communication and the exchange of knowledge with participants and professionals, nationally and internationally.

"Our aim is to bring together regional professionals who are working in the field of architecture, engineering, urban planning, archaeology and other sciences such as geosciences to promote best practice in the conservation of earthen architecture," said Jeanne Marie Teutonico, Associate Director at the Getty Conservation Institute.