Update from Fiji – Small Grants Program

INTO volunteer Bart van Aller from the Netherlands, joined the National Trust of Fiji as a Built Heritage Advisor in October 2013 under the INTO banner. With seed funding provided by the INTO Small Grant, Bart will assist NTF and the local municipality in implementing the management for Fiji’s first World Heritage site, [the historical port town of Levuka] develop heritage trails, conduct community based research into historical buildings and support the creation of partnerships to further work on heritage buildings in Fiji.

Working far from his natural setting and in a totally different cultural and environmental context is a challenge which Bart has taken in his stride. Since his arrival he has worked very closely with the municipality of the World Heritage Town of Levuka on the island of Ovalau, providing advice on maintenance of buildings, improvements and enhancements to the heritage value and appearance of the buildings and more importantly enabling discussion amongst the many different stakeholders.

Away from the historic town of Levuka, Bart has begun to explore Fiji’s capital city of Suva, identifying key historic buildings and gathering ideas on a possible Heritage Trail. His extensive European heritage experience has the potential to enable Bart to form an unusual bond with Pacific heritage and the outcome promises to be an innovative experience.