Learn and Share (Weekly blog, 9 February 2020)

A blog by Catherine Leonard, Secretary-General

Last week we held our quarterly teleconference with the INTO Board of Trustees.  We begin every call with a round-up of what’s been going on at everyone’s organisations.  We call this our ‘Learn and Share’.   Here is a summary of what the Trustees shared.

Taking inspiration from Gandhi

30 January is the day Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated.  The Trust for Rural Heritage and Development observes the day to promote rural tourism.  Gandhi said: “The real India lies in the 7,00,000 villages. If Indian civilisation is to make its full contribution to the building up of a stable world order, it is this vast mass of humanity that has….to be made to live again.”   This year, the Trust focused on two areas in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. They sought to highlight often neglected and dying arts and crafts.

The National Trust for South Australia is still coming to grips with what the bush fires will mean for the state and country.  Darren Peacock reported that in some cases it has caused something of a backlash against conservation.  People are seeing natural places as dangerous.

Planning people

Elizabeth Erasito reported that Karin Taylor would be running a two-day workshop on character assessment later this week (see below).  Karin, the NTEWNI Head of Planning, is currently with the National Trust for Fiji on a secondment organised by INTO.  You can read one of Karin’s recent blogs here.

Photo by Karin Taylor

Din l-Art Helwa has taken the Planning Authority to court over plans for the Jesuit College.  The Authority scheduled the façade, dating from the 1880s. But it has allowed older parts of the complex to be demolished.  Martin Galea lamented the fact that Malta’s new Prime Minister is embroiled in scandals.  He noted however that Din l-Art Helwa is acquiring three new properties: a church, a small fort and the Australian Bungalow.  They are finishing the restoration of the White Tower and Red Fort.

Natalie Bull said that she had just been with her board in Winnipeg.  They had looked at ways the National Trust for Canada could be more supportive to its sister organisations.   They also explored board composition.  And how to balance kudos, expertise and representation.

#growingnewtrusts in Uganda

CCFU have welcomed Justin Scully to Uganda and were visiting sites including the Railway Museum.  Justin gave a presentation on the idea of a National Trust for Uganda.  The would all be attending the British Council Symposium in Nairobi, organised in partnership with INTO, Emily said.  This will be followed by a meeting of the INTO Africa group.   She highlighted the existence of a trust for natural heritage with which they are keen to avoid overlap.

Photo from Justin Scully

William White explained that the Bermuda National Trust’s search for an Executive Director was reaching a conclusion.  He said the Trust had pulled together a broad coalition to plant 2020 trees in 2020.   They had also applied for a judicial review of a recent planning application which would gauge levels of public support.  And they are now in fundraising season with the usual activities such as a Plant and Bake Sale and Auction coming up.

Czechs and balances

Irena Edwards reported that a Czech National Trust board member was helping her negotiate a new arrangement with the Archbishop of Moravia.  This could bring hundreds of properties onto the CNT platform.  Which would in turn bring a marvellous portfolio to the INTO Reciprocal Visiting Programme.

The National Trust for Historic Preservation was in planning, fundraising and grant-writing mode.  They have received support from the Mellon Foundation for their African American Cultural Action Heritage Fund, Katherine Malone-France said.  This year they plan to surface stories from one thousand women’s history sites.  Such as Edith Farnsworth, who graduated from medical school and was also a poet and translator of Italian poetry.  (As well as the person who commissioned Mies van der Rohe to build her home.)

Edith Farnsworth House, Fox River & Milbrook Roads, Plano vicinity, Kendall County, Illinois – general view from the southwest, showing south elevation. Designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe by Jack E. Boucher for Library of Congress, Prints & Photographs Division, ILL,47-PLAN.V,1-1