Description

On the event of the fiftieth anniversary of the inde-pendence of India, France made a proposal to the government of India to establish cooperation in the field of heritage. It was agreed that this cooperation would take the form of working seminars compa-ring know-how in the area of restoration and mana-gement of historical monuments, the economics of heritage and tourism, the conservation of historic town centers, legislation and the various trades involved in restoration.

Two seminars, Sambavah I and Sambavah II were held in September 1998 and March 1999 respecti-vely. The lectures and debates given at the Indian Institute of Management in Ahmadabad under the auspices of the Indian National Trust of Art and Cultural Heritage, were later published. At the end of the first seminar it came across clearly that the conservation of historical town centers was the subject most conducive to an exchange of ideas in so far as this had never been the subject of an all-embracing intervention policy in India.

This theme was therefore chosen for the second seminar, Sambavah II. On the Indian side the wish was expressed to be kept informed of progress in the field of inventory techniques, legal and regula-tory procedures making possible joint actions in the field of urban development and conservation, as well as operational resources and financing.

Some ideas began taking shape in the course of the seminar in reference to the "protection and revitali-sation plans" (plans de sauvegarde et de mise en valeur which in france deal equally.

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