Bethanie receives UNESCO Asia-Pacific Heritage Award
A total of 45 entries have been received for the 2008 UNESCO Asia-Pacific Heritage Awards for Culture Heritage Conservation. The conservation project submission include hotels, offices, cultural institutions, educational institutions, religious sites, public institutions, residential buildings and urban districts from 13 countries in the region. The jury of twelve in international conservation experts was convened from 9-11 June 2008 at UNESCO Bangkok to deliberate on the project entries.
The comments on the award - winning project are as follows:
Honourable Mention
The Bethanie, Hong Kong SAR, China
The restoration of the historic Bethanie building has safeguarded a significant religious landmark in Hong Kong SAR. The persistance and dedication of the project team has resulted in the tranformation of the space to serve a modern use as a performing arts centre, thereby allowing it to have an on-going life in the community. The careful documentation of the historic building has helped to inform the restoration works and the necessary adaptations. In order to sustain the historic meaning of the building, an interpretation programme will ensure that the long story of the site and all the associated elements will be accessible to the public in the future.
A model of the Bethanie of Hong Kong is displayed in an ongoing exhibition at the Hong Kong Heritage Discovery Centre:
Building Together: 160 years of Hong Kong - French Common Heritage and Perspectives
