Five architects and five engineers were selected by the Department of Culture under the Ministry of Home and Cultural Affairs to undergo training on conservation of heritage buildings. This training was the first of its kind imparted to private individuals with the objective of building the capacity of private firms to take up the conservation of heritage sites in the near future.
The conservation of heritage sites is a specialized field of work that requires exceptional skills and knowledge. Currently, the Department of Culture is responsible for regulating and executing conservation works on heritage sites. Outsourcing the conservation works to private firms is restricted lest the heritage sites might get damaged or lost for lack of expertise.
The participants were trained on indentification and evaluation of cultural heritage values, national and global perspectives of on principles of heritage sites conservation, methodology and documentation of heritage sites, analysis and interpretation, conservation approach and techniques. They were also taught on the integration of disaster risk reduction measures to cultural heritage sites and provided hands on training by visiting the ongoing heritage conservation works sites at Pangrizampa in Thimphu and Wangdichholing Palace in Bumthang.
The training was conducted for a period of three months from February till May 2022. His Excellency, the Home and Cultural Affairs Minister, Lyonpo Ugyen Dorji graced the closing occasion and awarded the certificates on June 2, 2022.