Newsletter Archive
Please find all our newsletters archived by year.
The Sierra Leone National Railway Museum – An African Cultural Gem Helen Ashby OBE and Steve Davies MBE At the east end of Freetown, the capital of Sierra Leone, lies a densely populated industrial suburb called Cline Town. Few people are aware of the huge importance of Cline Town in the history of the country. […]
Bomb damaged coral stone buildings, Berbera, Somaliland. Photo credit, Philip Davies. Saving Berbera by Jabir Mohamed The Commonwealth Heritage Forum is exploring a partnership with institutions in Somaliland to help save the unique coral buildings of Berbera. Jabir Mohamed was one of the Commonwealth Heritage Forum trainees on the Roebuck Street Research Studio, Barbados, in […]
Winnipeg's resurgence as a Canadian centre of architectural heritage by Daniel Guenther Abundant with rich culture, history and fascinating architecture, Winnipeg may be the best Canadian city you have not yet discovered. Known for its diverse arts scene, friendly citizens, and classic Canadian snowy winters, Winnipeg is purported to have the most heritage buildings in […]
Clifford Pier – Singapore's historic waterfront gateway by Kelvin Ang Inaugurated on 3 June 1933, the Clifford Pier is a unique building designed in a hybrid of the Art-Deco style and complemented with a strong Neo-Classical influence. Though the role of the pier today has changed, it remains a well-known waterfront landmark along Collyer Quay […]
Over two weeks in January 2023, 40 young people from the Caribbean, UK, and US carried out a comprehensive investigation of the historic architecture of Roebuck Street, Bridgetown. The Roebuck Street Research Studio is an important step towards the conservation of this historic corridor, generating the data needed to inform a conservation management plan.
In January 2023, the former British Residency has been restored thanks to years of painstaking conservation work by the World Monuments Fund, international and national partners, and now most recently the Commonwealth Heritage Forum. This marks the first
project under the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Jubilee Commonwealth Heritage Skills Training Programme; a £4.5million Commonwealth-wide conservation programme funded by the Hamish Ogston Foundation.
HERALDING A NEW FUTURE THROUGH THE PAST The use of heritage lodging as a means of sustainable tourism using the example of the Serena Shigar Fort located in the Northern Areas of Pakistan. Gilgit-Baltistan, separated and isolated through chasms formed by the Himalayas and Karakoram mountain ranges, possesses a rich cultural heritage which includes festivals, […]
HRH PRINCE PHILIP, THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH It is with deep sadness that we mark the death of HRH Prince Philip, The Duke of Edinburgh, a true champion of the Commonwealth and an ardent defender of its principles and values. On behalf of the Trustees, the International Advisory Committee and all members of the Commonwealth […]
Happy New Year to you all and welcome to our first newsletter of 2021. The past year has been a particularly challenging one for everyone, but, in spite of the current circumstances, at the CHF we have done our best to maintain a steady momentum. On 9 March I attended the Commonwealth Day Service in Westminster […]
The British Empire and Commonwealth Collection is a unique archive documenting the social history of countries in the former Empire from the late 19th century to recent times. Through photographs, films, sound recordings, objects and papers, the collection provides insights into diverse lives and landscapes during a challenging and controversial period of history…. Read on
After months of planning, we were extremely fortunate that our international launch was able to take place on 11 March just before public events were curtailed because of the current pandemic. COVID -19 presents us all with new and unexpected challenges. The current emergency is an opportunity to review the things we really value in […]
COMMONWEALTH HERITAGE AT RISK (CHAR) Our Chairman, Philip Davies, explains the progress we are making on our exciting new initiative to identify Heritage at Risk in Commonwealth countries. Read on HERITAGE AT RISK - BERMUDA DOCKYARD Ann Coats, Chair of the Naval Dockyards Society, reveals an eleventh-hour attempt to save the last workers' housing in […]