XAVIER'S NEWS & FEATURES E-SERVICE (XNFES)
UNESCO Honourable Mention for the
Archiepiscopal Palace in Old Goa
UNESCO 2008 Asia-Pacific Heritage Awards have been announced and the
Archiepiscopal Palace (between Se Cathedral and Church of St. Francis
Assissi), Old Goa, has been selected for Honourable Mention for the
Conservation efforts undertaken by the Archdiocese of Goa & Daman.
The UNESCO Asia-Pacific Heritage Awards for Culture Heritage Conservation
have been established to recognize the achievement of individuals and
organizations within the private sector, and the public-private initiatives,
in successfully restoring structures of heritage value in the region.
UNESCO announced six Honourable Mentions, three awards of Merit, three
awards of Distinction and two awards of Excellence.
The Archiepiscopal Palace is the oldest Western Style Civil building in
India, where formerly the Archbishops were residing, on the first floor. The
ground floor was allotted to the subordinate staff and for storage.
The Archdiocese of Goa & Daman took the initiative and made available funds
for the conservation of this building which has been described with vivid
details by Pyrard de Laval in his Voyages, during the tenure of Archbishop
Raul Gonsalves and the conservation works were completed during the tenure
of Archbishop Filipe Neri Ferrao.
The scientific conservation of the building was undertaken under a committee
appointed by the Archbishop with the Financial Administrator of the
Archdiocese Fr. Victor Rodrigues/Fr. Arlino de Melo as Chairperson, Prof.
Newman Fernandes as member secretary, Fr. Benjamin Fernandes/Canon Adolfo
Viegas, Arch. Padamsee as members. Arch Vikas Dilawari who sent the proposal
to UNESCO was the Chief Conservation Architect, Eng. Sylvester de Souza was
the engineer and Arch. Khetak Nachinolkar supervised the works locally.
This was a partnership exercise between the Archdiocese of Goa and Velha
Goa.
UNESCO's mandate is to promote the stewardship of the world's cultural
resources, including the built heritage which constitutes our collective
cultural memory, and the foundation upon which communities can construct
their future. In Asia and the Pacific, UNESCO supports conservation
activists at all levels, and particularly seeks to encourage the role of the
private sector in preserving the region's cultural heritage.
