Revitalization of Dutch : The Island of Trans-Oceanic Heritage Convergence

A land known by many a name to the World Systems located to the east and west of this island, its history is essenally a story of trans-oceanic connecvity. It is a story how this island came to evolve its unique personality due to the convergence of mulple streams of people, cultures, languages, religions, ethnicies and technologies. The historical saga of Sri Lanka, an island situated in a pivotal posion in the Indian Ocean Rim, could not be inscribed otherwise in the annals of history and

Engraving of a single mast ship. 1st Cent. BC most certainly not without the story of inscription. Duwegala. NE Sri Lanka the sea – a story of nurtured reciprocity as one of the most valued “ports of call” in anquity. Sudharshan Seneviratne Sri Lanka within the Indian Ocean Rim CELEBRATING DIVERSITY

The Sri Lankan Mosaic Tri lingual (Chinese, Tamil,& Arabic) inscription AC 1411 of Admiral Zeng He (Galle (1911) Replica of the inscription at the Maritime Museum. Galle The Colonial Period

1505 to 1948 AC. Portuguese, Dutch and British

Galle – Sri Lanka Cultural Cooperation Program

The Mutual Heritage Centre REDEFINING HERITAGE l Culture l Knowledge from the past l Environment l Next generation Four Priority areas of common cultural heritage cooperation: • Architecture • Museums • Archives • Maritime archaeology.

Secondary objectives: • Exchange knowledge related to mutual heritage, • Making accessible the common heritage to the general public • Education and training of resource persons directly engaged in the work. • Heritage tourism Primary local stake holders:

Central Cultural Fund, The Department of Archaeology, Department of National Museums, Department of Archives, Galle Heritage Foundation. Resident community

The Mutual Heritage Centre is coordinated by the Central Cultural Fund (The Custodian Organization for UNESCO declared Word Heritage Sites) under the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage.

Address : Central Cultural Fund, 212/1, Bauddhaloka Mawatha, 07. Sri Lanka. Funding committed 702.2 Million Sri Lankan Rupees 5.62 EURO Million

16 stand-alone projects (To be completed in 2009)

• Strategies to maintain the conserved sites in future • Raising their own funds and to transform the heritage sites to self-sustained units. • These sites be transformed into income generating centers for the region • Economic benefits to be gained there-by to raise the standard of living and quality of life of the local population of the region • Development of life skills and capacity building. thus achieving one of the main objectives of the program related to economic regeneration through heritage sites.

The MHC to Coordinate 13 objectives under the Technical Assistance Program ( of 2001) Current Tourism status-quo

• Rapid visits to Heritage Sites * Leisure Activities * Eco-Tourism * Aurveda * Religious Tourism

Alternative Tourism

Market (Tourist)

Product Strategic Plan (Destination)

Product 1 Value 2 Purchasing power 3 Accessibility 4 Ground situation

Market 1 Income status 2 Education 3 Aesthetic values & sensitivity 4 Selection Strategic Plan for alternative Tourism

1 Towards a knowledge – based & Value – added Tourism action plan 2 Sustainable Tourism action plan (CCF) 3 Redefining Heritage 4 Heritage Tourism Galle as a Tourism Hub

1 Strategic Location 2 World Heritage Sites 3 Seascape & Landscape interface 4 Port City 5 Cultural Diversity

Action Plan

1 Internalized Tourism 2 Externalized Tourism 3 Stakeholder Strategies 4 Resource Person Development 5 Infrastructure Development ACHIEVEMENTS Dutch Reformed Church, Galle Fort

2004 UNESCO Asia – Pacific Heritage Award Entrance to Galle Fort Entrance to Ware House Interior of ware house before conservation Interior of ware house after conservation Conserved Ware house, before conservation Conserved Ware house, After conservation

Rampart before conservation

Rampart after conservation Private houses, Galle fort Dutch Reformed church, Matara Star Fort in Matara Star Fort, Matara Marine archeology unit and the Avondster project Capt. Henri Olcott & Madam Blavatsky

DUAL PARANTAGE Dedicated to the memory of past planners, engineers, architects, artists and crafts peoples of the Netherlands and Sri Lanka and to the dedicated efforts and commitment of present day Heritage researches and the workers of Sri Lanka

Central Cultural Fund 2009