Call for Entries: 2019 UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation

UNESCO celebrates 20 years of outstanding conservation practices
in the Asia-Pacific region

17 December 2018, BANGKOK – Submissions are now being accepted for the 2019 Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation.

The upcoming cycle will mark the 20th year of the Awards honouring best conservation practices in the Asia-Pacific.

The UNESCO Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation recognizes exemplary efforts by individuals and organizations to restore or conserve structures, places and properties of heritage value in the region. It aims to encourage other property owners to undertake conservation projects within their communities, either independently or by seeking public-private partnerships.

Since 2000, the Awards have recognized 233 winners from 21 countries for their thorough understanding of the places, sound technical achievements, and significant social and policy impacts at the local, national and regional levels. By recognizing these practices, the Awards have contributed to meaningful achievements in changing the conversation about what constitutes cultural heritage, who has a stake in its stewardship, and how cultural heritage can contribute to the sustainable well-being of cities, societies and the environment.

UNESCO will celebrate these 20 years of success through a regional event organized in partnership with Think City, a leading community-based urban regeneration organization based in Malaysia. Interested young professionals and members of the public are encouraged to communicate with UNESCO Bangkok for further information via the contact details below.

Deadline
The deadline for the receipt of materials is 31 March 2019.

Award Categories
Winners will be announced in November 2019 in the following categories: Award of Excellence, Award of Distinction, Award of Merit, Honourable Mention and Award for New Design in Heritage Contexts.

The Award for New Design in Heritage Contexts is given to newly built projects that demonstrate outstanding design that is well integrated into historic contexts. Submissions of completed new architecture and designs that enrich the existing heritage setting are encouraged. Building annexes, as well as new extensions, new buildings, new public spaces and new structures, such as bridges, are all eligible for consideration.

Eligibility Criteria
Eligible projects must have been completed within the last 10 years. Houses, commercial and institutional buildings, historic towns and villages, archaeological sites and cultural landscapes, for example, are all suitable for entry.

How to Apply
Entries for the 2019 Awards programme must be submitted to UNESCO Bangkok before date, using an official entry form, a description of the project in the official format, and drawings and photographs in hard and softcopy formats.

To Apply for the 2019 Awards and for official application materials, please visit: http://bangkok.unesco.org/content/apply-awards

In 2018, 41 projects from eight countries across the Asia-Pacific region were submitted for awards consideration, with 10 projects from five countries recognized. The 2018 Award of Excellence was given to the Shijo-cho Ofune-hoko Float Machiya in Kyoto, Japan. The Awards for New Design in Heritage Contexts went to Kaomai Estate 1955 in Chiang Mai, Thailand, and The Harts Mill in Port Adelaide, Australia.

For further details on previous winners, please visit:
http://bangkok.unesco.org/content/winning-projects

The partnership for the Heritage Awards builds on long-standing cooperation between UNESCO and Think City in promoting best practices in conservation in the Asia-Pacific region.