The Significance of the Venice International Charter for the Conservation and Restoration of Monuments and Sites, with Special Reference to Eastern Countries* " Roland Silva Basie,1983 Architects and Technicians of Historic Monuments, which Mr .Chainnan. Ladies and Gentlemen. record the decisions and the resolutions of the meeting held in Venice in 1964; and which agreement is popularly known I am indeed privileged to speak to an enlightened audience today asthe Venice Charter, is in our minds aMagna Carta for such as this. I am even more privileged to be associatedwith the safeguardingof the monumental heritage of mankind for such eminent lecturers as those listed. to speak on a most the sake of the generationsof the present and the future. It is important subject. and that at the first International get- also the ten commandments of conservation where it together. I am deeply grateful to the organisers for the high specifically says, thou shall not destroy. It also allows for honour they have placed on me in inviting me to this historic nonaligned indifference towards the disintegration of meeting, monuments and of sites. Mini -In tema ti onalism Yes, Ladies and Gentlemen, it is and was the diplomatic charterspecificallyformulated to soothetheroused consciences We have for many years voiced our opinion. and indeed of many .sensitiveconservators and those of the serious lovers our sentiments. concerning International Institutions which of monuments.It has served its purpose, and will continue to have had an unparalleled impact on society at an extremely servethe objectives of the present generation, if diplomacy is high and significant level. particulary in the post-second indeed the end product, and if one' s conscience is sufficiently world war period. It was in the same period that the eyes of deadenedto the prevailing practices of destruction and decay; humanity weremore widely opened tothe hard factoflife that or an idea more effectively presentedin Buddhist philosophy men must learn to live together.This lessonhas been preached as 'anicca' or the impermanence of all created things. We and practised with significant contributions to the welfare of believe our get-togethertoday is for a more positive purpose man in the past 35 years.1f we may have been critical to some than to sing the swan song of romantic sentiment. We believe extent of the limitations of such influence. and that this impact that we needto lay new foundations and not merely underpin was confined only to the European community and the New the leaning towers of conservation conventions. World; if we blamed such organisations for considering that humanity belongedbnly to the Mediterranean frontiers. then A Masterpiece in Theory this alarmcampaignwaslaunched with the important objective The Venice Charter spelt out in all seriousness the of focusing the attention of the Intemationalcommunity on theoretical needsof the early 1960s. It was spelt out without the inhabitants even of the distant isles of the Indian and bias, to cover the International needs of the north and the Pacific Oceans.We would here pray that this audience will south, of the east and the west. fi broadened the horizons of bearwith us in ourconcern. and in some of our remarks that National and Internationallegislation to cover the common may further underline such a theme; forit is with a view to causeof monuments.The 231eamed scholars from Denmark achieving this objective that we may. occasionally to Tunisia, from Peru to Poland,logically and pragmatically overemphasiseor at times underline certain shortcomings in ensuredthat the Venice Charter was less idealistic, and more the action of the International Institutions. practical. fi expanded the concepts of the preservation of monuments and widened the scope to include everyday A Diplomatic BotTer edifices. The operational area of preservation went beyond The UNESCO recommendation concerning the themere length and breadih of a monument to cover at least International Charter fo~the Conservation and Restoration of itsimmediate environment. It underlined the serious need to Monuments and Sites. at the secondInternational Congressof 40 involve sciencein the preservation effort. It spelt out the dual in the different disciplines and specialities? Ras objectives of art .and history as the criteria for selecting professionalism, as we know it in medicine, been provided in monuments forpreservation. The hard facts oflife concerning the guilds of the lesserperson~el or at craft and trade levels? the maintenanceof monuments were spelt out in no uncertain Has sufficient headwaybeen made to extend the dissemination terms. of information and data pertaining to alI professional and The Charter made significant headway in providing for trade personnel needed in the conservation and restoration edifices to be unwrapped from the traditional cotton wool; industry? and to find their life span extended, with perhaps even a Has the Venice Charter considered the financiaI changeof function. However, it draws the line where additions implications and the critical need for furids and fund-raising were to be permitted to the old structure; and only those that and means by which the monuments and sites could be aids had a relationship of scale and conformity were authorised. towards sustaining their own life and avoid being a burden to Even the movement or migration of monuments as a society even in their old age? Has the experience of treating commodity of cultural trade was anticipated; and the pillage monuments of the north and the south, the east and the west, of sculpture and paintings from their acceptedenvironment been brought tt>getherso that we enjoy the know-how of aIl was frowned upon. Attempts weremadetodrawthe distinction countries, of alI peoples, so that attempts are not made to between conservation and restoration and even the limits to segregate one region from another as is the case with the use of modem technology, where permissible, wei"e professionslike medicine where the A yurvedic (sic ) (Hindu ?) defined. Although a unity of style was necessary, a system is frowned upon in preference to the universality of differentiation between the addedand the old was considered Western Medicine ? The barefoot conservators of China and a critical mark of identity for specialists to understand. The Japan, of India, Indonesia and Sri Lanka have looked after extension of preservation to groups of buildings with their precious monuments from periods before Christ, and significance, and to historic sites without many important this concept can add to the preservation principles of a new buildings, was considered part and parcel of the historic InternationalCharter, perhaps here inBasle, if seriousheadway heritage of man. The seriousneed for documentation and for is made from this significant first meeting. making such scientific records readily available in print was LonesomeEtTort stated sharply and clearly. The question now is whether this is necessarilythe end of Since the Venice Charter of 1964, UNESCO bas not in the road, or whether there stiIl is a path that remains to be any way slumbered, resting on the laurels of this significant uncovered, explored and cleared. Have nearly 20 years since achievement,but instead has moved forward to many fringe the Venice Charter not provided us with sufficient know-how areaswhich it bas seriously considered and bas both tactfuIly and experience to see beyond it? anddiplomatically arrestedthe deteriorating border questions of the Venice Charter.With regard to this, the most significant It is not the End of the Road recommendation is related to Town Planning; although we Ours is the straight answer: yes there is more todo. While inwould application. not like to . raisetoo many queries about its effectiveness we congratulate the authors of the Venice Charter and hail their wisdom as senior prophets and enlightenedteachers, we Here we refer to the recommendation conceming the need now to widen the scope of our experience bath in time safeguarding and the contemporary role of historic areas as and space. adopted by the general conference at its 19th Session in We have to take stock of the situation before and after the Nairobi in 1976.Weared~plyconsciousthatmorethan 75% Venice Charter. How much impact has the Venice Charter of the built environment and the heritage of man lies in imposed on the grass-rootslevel of application? How many significant concentrationsofhuman settlements,in cities and of the objectives of the Venice Charter have by now been towns. It is with reference to such action that Eric GiIl, a incooperated into the daiI y workings of nationallegislation? carnpaignerfor the arts and crafts movement in England once Has the Venice Charter spelt out at any length the para- said in vibrant terms: legislation neededfor conv~ntions in the day to day needsof When nations grow old, historic monuments, in their surgery and repair? If not, can suitable para-Iegislation be formulated to provide for And Arts grow cold, administrative implementation, operational technology and And Commerce settles on every tree... technical outlines to cover standard work on historic It is also with this situation in view that the monuments, covering such items as brick, stone,timber etc.? Intergovemmental Conference of Ministers of Culture of Has the Venice Charterlooked adequatelyat the limitations Asia thatmet in Djakarta in 1973resolved that UNESCOtake of control covering a large percentageof monuments.thatlie the initiative