One of the greatest challenges the Covid-19 pandemic has presented the Trust is to our international partnership working. With travel restrictions in place across the world, the opportunities to continue championing our international approach to conservation have been very limited. Although one workshop was able to be held in Bulgaria in the summer, this was on a much smaller scale than usual, and later restrictions have resulted in the cancellation of other international activities.
To ensure that we can continue cementing our existing partnerships and foster new collaborations, we are excited to announce that the Trust has launched a series of virtual workshops with heritage organisations across Europe. Supported by the Headley Trust, these will create a platform for dialogue between the Trust and our international colleagues, allowing us to continue sharing knowledge, develop best practice models and promote solidarity. Among the participants are representatives from Cultural Heritage without Borders, the Balkan Museum Network and the Greek non-profit Boulouki.
The Covid-19 pandemic has forced charities to develop creative new ways of working. We believe that taking this element of our work online is fundamental to the continuation of our successful international programmes, and something that we can continue even after the return to ‘normality’.
GYPT’s international partnerships are one of our greatest assets, and we intend to develop these in the next five years to find new partners, access different markets and generate new projects. Brexit will create new challenges for these international activities, so the network fostered through these workshops will be a vital part of ensuring that we are able to continue our work preserving and celebrating a diverse range of heritage long into the future.
We are grateful to the Headley Trust for their continued support of Great Yarmouth Preservation Trust, and for enabling such a vital part of our work to continue despite the challenges of 2020.