THE UNESCO/IFESCCO PROJECT RUNNING A MUSEUM XXI CENTURY (2008-2014) REGIONAL THEMATIC UNESCO/ICOM TRAINING AND THE EXPERT MEETING FOR MU- SEUM SPECIALISTS OF CIS COUNTRIES Preventive Conservation as the Main Factor of Preservation of Museum Collections: Manuscripts Funds 8-11 October 2012 (Yerevan, Armenia)
The Thematic UNESCO/ICOM Training «Preventive Conservation as the Main Factor of Preservation of Museum Collections: Manuscripts Funds» to be conducted from 8 to 11 October, 2012 in Yerevan, Republic of Armenia in the framework of the long-term UNESCO and IFESCCO project Running a Museum XXI Century: Thematic Capacity-building UNESCO/ICOM Trainings and Expert Meetings for CIS countries (2011-2014). The Thematic Training for museum specialists of CIS countries in Yerevan continues the cycle of national and regional UNESCO/ICOM trainings implemented with support of UNESCO and IFESCCO from 2008-2011 for CIS countries. This Training is based on the UNESCO/ICOM Museum Studies Training Package Running a Museum XXI Century issued within the UNESCO and IFESCCO projects for museum specialists in 2010. The organizers of the Thematic Training in Yerevan are the Scientific Research Institute of Ancient Manuscripts after Mesrop Mashtots Matenadaran and Benevolent fund Friends of Matenadaran in partnership with the Ministry of Culture of RA, Armenian National Commission for UNESCO, ICOM National Committee of Armenia, the National Library and the History Museum of Armenia with support and advisory assistance of the UNESCO Office in Moscow in partnership with UNESCO Office in Almaty and Tashkent. 3
The Thematic Training will take place in the Scientific Research Institute of Ancient Manuscripts after Mesrop Mashtots Matenadaran in Yerevan, at 53 Mashtots Av. The training program in Yerevan involves highly qualified specialists with many years of research experience in analysis of the situation of funds in priority areas in conservation and restoration of cultural heritage as trainers and experts as well as the participation of representatives of the leading museums of Armenia, Belarus Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, the Republic of Moldova, the Russian Federation, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Ukraine. Undoubtedly, the fact, that from 2-3 February, 2012 the Working Group of the Council for Cultural Cooperation of the CIS participant countries has awarded the status of basic organization of conservation of manuscript heritage to the Scientific Research Institute of Ancient Manuscripts after Mesrop Mashtots Matenadaran, will promote to implement the training at a high level. 4
INTRODUCTION The Thematic UNESCO/ICOM Training «Preventive Conservation as the Main Factor of Preservation of Museum Collections: Manuscripts Funds» will give the leading museum specialists of CIS countries an opportunity to discuss common problems, ways and means to overcome them, to share experiences on the basis of manuscripts of the Matenadaran. The international significance of such trainings is hard to overestimate. Manuscript heritage of our countries needs to have a complex of modern methods and technologies of preservation and careful restoration. Preventive conservation is no less important as the main factor of preservation of museum collections, particularly manuscript collections. Low-quality restoration materials and not always scientifically based methods of restoration, which were used in the past, had a negative impact on physico-chemical and technical condition of preserved documents and manuscripts. In addition to just restoration work, restorers also have to remove traces of previous restorations, thus preventing their harmful effects. It is known that museum objects/manuscript values in poor physical conditions can t be exhibited and submitted for research. Therefore, they are out of scientific preservation field and scientific turn. In the process of conservation all these values are subjected to detailed description, documentation and 5
passportization with the use of modern methods and are exhibited in exhibitions and virtual space, thus becoming available to public and are in common informational field. In preparing and conducting current Thematic Training, organizers take into consideration recommendations developed on the basis of previous trainings of UNESCO/ICOM in the framework of the long-term UNESCO and IFESCCO project Running a Museum XXI Century: Thematic Capacity-building UNESCO/ICOM Trainings and Expert Meetings for CIS countries, particularly Promoting the expansion of audience of thematic trainings, actively involving in the system of professional retraining museum representatives of CIS countries; Using the materials of thematic UNESCO/ICOM trainings as a tool for analyzing and diagnosing the situation in the museum field at national and regional levels. Information, received from participants of trainings, should be considered as a guideline for setting priorities, making decisions in planning the development of national museums; Paying attention to the national administrations in the field of museum work in CIS area giving an opportunity for professional growth and career development for museum professionals, who have participated in museum trainings, project Running a Museum XXI century. 6
The Thematic UNESCO/ICOM Training Program is focused on theoretical and practical aspects of preventive conservation of manuscript collections as one of the main factors of preservation of museum collections. The following questions will be the target, based on national and international experience: Preventive Conservation and the individual packaging for archival documents and books; Initial processing of documents from dust and mold spores as a preventive measure to protect documents from destruction; Detection of biodegradation on samples of archive documents of Matenadaran and their preservation. The thematic orientation of Training in Yerevan is also intended to facilitate the implementation of international law and Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property, the Code of Professional Ethics of ICOM, preservation and protection of manuscripts during emergencies, the museum s climate and preventive conservation, exhibitions and expositions in museums. Dates of the Thematic UNESCO/ICOM Training in Yerevan will take place on the same days as the Second International Scientific-practical seminar The Faces of Memory: The Newest 7
Technologies of Preservation and Restoration of Manuscript and Printed Heritage. It is also planned to have a joint expert meeting of specialists of the Training and Seminar within the framework of events dedicated to Yerevan as World Book Capital and the 500th anniversary of the Armenian book printing. On the basis of training and seminar materials an Analytical Report will be prepared including recommendations on improving preventive conservation of museum collections, in particular manuscript collections in CIS countries based on international experience. training will also include discussions of experts on the legal aspects of implementation of international law and Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property in 1970 and the UNIDROIT Convention on Stolen or Illegally Exported Cultural Objects at national and regional levels. In addition, taking into consideration the fact that museums and movable cultural values are not only repositories of cultural identity and diversity, but also a powerful vector of social cohesion, intercultural dialogue, human and economic development, this activity will be aimed at building capacity to strengthen professional relationships and effective management of cultural values and museums in the cluster countries through the effective implementation of conventions of 1970 and 1995. 8
Undoubtedly, the UNESCO/ICOM training will promote awareness on ever increasing role of museums in society and their responsibility for safety of museum collections, as well as for the transfer of knowledge about historical and cultural heritage preserved in museum collections and providing access to museum collections, through their conservation and restoration. Such events are necessary to promote the idea that the museum should occupy a central place in cultural and spiritual life of national and international community. 9
THEMES AND METHODOLOGY The Training is a systematized exchange of experience on a certain methodology. During these three days museum specialists from CIS countries will be involved in active work. Discussions play an important role in the Training methodology, in the cource of which participants will be able to express their point of views on the issue under research and to share their own experiences. Practical work master-classes are not less important. It is difficult to overestimate such type of training activity as working in small groups as it facilitates more direct and close professional networking and enhances the spirit of understanding and partnership. Surveys, made in the course of the Training, will allow to make grounded conclusions, sum up the achievements and plan the work for the future. Working visits will also be included in the training for the future. Considering the composition of the participants and on their mutual consent, Russian language has been chosen as a working language of the Training and the expert meeting. 16 The program of Training is based on methods and materials developed by UNESCO/ICOM in the field of professional education of museum specialists and published in the series Running a Museum in English, French, Arabic, Spanish and Russian languages. Since its first publication in 2004, these publications have proven confidence in many countries as an effective guide for instruction of museum work.
Editions of the UNESCO/ICOM museum management complement thematic handbooks and manuals on protection of cultural heritage, containing basic rules and instructions on documenting and preserving collections of museum objects, including manuscripts, guaranteeing museum security, risk management in emergency situations, as well as publications on legal and practical measures against illicit trafficking of cultural values. Particular attention will be paid to the professional use of published set of presentation and training materials on museum management for CIS participant-countries Running a Museum - XXI century, including a DVD with an extensive database in the field of museum work in the framework of the first phase of the UNESCO/IFESCCO project. 17