Australia assists Yogyakarta Museum in disaster preparedness

A 10-day disaster preparedness training program sponsored by the Australian Government for museum staff in Yogyakarta and Gadjah Mada University ended last week with participants receiving hands-on experience including through a simulated disaster recovery operation, an Australian Embassy media release said on Tuesday.

"The training program contributed to safeguarding invaluable and irreplaceable public heritage collections, ensuring their longevity so future generations of Indonesians can learn about their heritage," Australian Ambassador to Indonesia Bill Farmer said.

"This aspect of caring for Indonesian museum collections is critical, especially in light of the frequency of earth tremors and earthquakes that have affected central Java in recent years," he added.

The training program, from 27 January to 5 February, was delivered by the Northern Territory Government`s Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory (MAGNT), a public cultural institution located in Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia.

With its close proximity to Indonesia, the MAGNT has a strong reputation as an active contributor to the delivery of museum training programs in Southeast Asia.

"Delivering this important training program in Yogyakarta, with the aim of fostering the improved care of Javanese museum cultural collections, was an exciting opportunity for our Museum," said Ms Joanna Barrkman, MAGNT Curator of Southeast Asian Art and Material Culture.

Stage One of the program, Museum Disaster Preparedness Training, was delivered at Sonobudoyo Museum and provided a "hands on" experience to show museum staff how to conduct a hazard assessment of their collections and how to develop and document a counter-disaster plan.

Participants also undertook a simulated disaster recovery operation.

Stage Two, Museum Collection Management and Storage Procedures Training, explored practical approaches to upgrading the storage conditions of the Sonobudoyo Museum`s ceramic collection. Ms Sandra Yee and Ms Kristin Phillips, professional museum conservators, delivered the program.

The project was sponsored by the Australian Government through the Australia International Cultural Council (AICC) under IN2OZ: Creative Australia aimed at strengthening bilateral cultural links and understanding.