The largest ever Commonwealth heritage project has been launched to help protect threatened historic buildings and create training opportunities for people across the Commonwealth.
UK-based charities Commonwealth Heritage Forum and Hamish Ogston Foundation have been given the honour of naming the initiative The Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Commonwealth Heritage Skills Training Programme, to recognise Her Majesty’s seventy years of service to the Commonwealth.
Over an initial five-year period, £4.5 million in funding from Hamish Ogston Foundation will support heritage skills training such as stonemasonry and joinery, to be delivered by partners including The Prince’s Foundation and the World Monuments Fund India.
Countries including Antigua and Barbuda, Jamaica, Barbados, and India will benefit from the first phase of work, with later phases covering countries in Africa, Australasia, the Far East and the Pacific.
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Tribute to Her Majesty
The programme launch was held at Marlborough House, the Commonwealth Secretariat headquarters in May, and was attended by Commonwealth Secretary-General, the Rt Hon Patricia Scotland QC, who said:
“This magnificent project has the potential to expand skills, expertise, capacity and resilience in some of the world’s most vulnerable communities. It can repurpose at-risk Commonwealth heritage buildings as drivers of economic activity, education, and in modelling the climate-sensitive rehabilitation of historic spaces. And it is an appropriate tribute to Her Majesty’s legacy and continued service as Head of the Commonwealth.”
Robert Bargery, Heritage Project Director at the Hamish Ogston Foundation, said: “The Hamish Ogston Foundation is proud to be funding this unique programme in honour of Her Majesty The Queen, whose dedication to duty over seventy years is repaid with the respect and affection of Commonwealth peoples across the world.
"We are delighted to be providing, in Her Majesty’s name, training opportunities for young people that will stand them in good stead for sustainable careers and enable them to contribute to the preservation of historic buildings of real value to their communities.”
Sustainable future
Philip Davies, the Chairman and Founder of the Commonwealth Heritage Forum: “Supporting heritage training and building local capacity in some of the world’s most disadvantaged communities, our Commonwealth Heritage Skills programme will make a real difference. By creating the heritage champions of the future, we will help local people save the buildings and places they value generating unprecedented opportunities to enhance heritage skills, create jobs and build a more sustainable future.”
Simon Sadinsky, Executive Director of The Prince’s Foundation: “As a champion of heritage craft skills, The Prince’s Foundation is proud to support The Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Commonwealth Heritage Skills Training Programme, an exciting collaboration between the Hamish Ogston Foundation and the Commonwealth Heritage Forum.”
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Main image L-R: Robert Bargery, Heritage Project Director at the Hamish Ogston Foundation, Commonwealth Secretary-General, the Rt Hon Patricia Scotland QC, philanthropist Hamish Ogston and Philip Davies, Chairman and Founder of the Commonwealth Heritage Forum.
