UNESCO's workshop on T' Nadu's Chettinad region

New Delhi, May 1 (UNI) The spectacular but endangered architecture of Tamil Nadu's Chettinad region is the subject of a three-day international workshop that aims at making the area's heritage a driving force in its socio-economic development.

The workshop, beginning tomorrow at the campus of the Central Electrochemical Research Institute (CECRI) in Karaikudi, Tamil Nadu, is organised by the UNESCO, in the framework of the Network of Indian Cities of Living Heritage.

UNESCO is organising the meet in cooperation with the Tamil Nadu government, Architectural Heritage Safeguard (a French conservation group), and the Chettinad Heritage Committee.

UNESCO launched the Network of Indian Cities of Living Heritage in September 2006 to connect cities and towns in India that wish to make their heritage a key resource for their development.

The Network currently links 12 Indian cities and an equal number of NGOs with experience in urban conservation and sustainable infrastructure development.

Several European cities are part of this Network, and city-to-city partnerships are being forged. Universities in India and Europe have been brought in to contribute knowledge about the historic places and to build the capacities of architects, planners, engineers and city administrators in urban conservation and heritage-sensitive development.

Chettinad grew to fame in the 19th century as the home of traders and financiers who were highly successful in business throughout Southeast Asia. Their great wealth led them to construct palatial homes in their native towns and villages.

Built on raised mounds, these houses included verandahs, reception rooms and elegant halls built around successive courtyards. The architecture combines Tamil culture with Western influences, and materials and workmanship from around the world were used.

Economic decline and migration out of the region has led to the abandonment of many of the houses. Approximately one third of them have been destroyed. Of those that remain, fewer than 10 per cent are currently occupied, and the rest are endangered.

''The International Workshop on the Heritage-Based Local Development of Chettinad seeks to find ways to reverse this trend.

Heritage can be used as both a resource and a focal point to generate employment and socio-economic development,'' said Nicole Bolomey, a programme specialist in culture at UNESCO's office here.

''UNESCO's work around the world has shown that the conservation and presentation of heritage is not an impediment to development but rather a key part of it. We hope this workshop will generate ideas and momentum for the Chettinad region,'' Ms Bolomey said.

The building of local capacities needed for the preservation of the Chettinad region will be discussed on three levels: institutional, academic and professional.

Experts in the fields of conservation, training, heritage education and tourism development will come together gather at the workshop, both from within India and from Europe.

Representatives of the ASI, the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH), and members of the architecture departments of Anna University in Chennai and NIT Trichy will also be present.

The Ecole de Chaillot in Paris, a leading institution for architectural conservation, and the Government of France are supporting the workshop.

UNI