Chairperson of the Southeast Asian Cultural Heritage Alliance: Toward a Sustained Framework for China-ASEAN Cultural Heritage Cooperation
- CAobservation
- Jul 22
- 4 min read
Ivan Anthony Henares, Chairperson of the Southeast Asian Cultural Heritage Alliance, recently sat down with China-ASEAN Observation to discuss how China and ASEAN can build lasting mechanisms for cooperation in cultural heritage. He also gave his perspectives on the unique power of heritage to foster dialogue and mutual learning among civilizations, the experience of Southeast Asian countries in working together to navigate globalization and digitalization, and the importance of inspiring younger generations to take part in protecting cultural heritage.
Henares is the Chairperson of the Southeast Asian Cultural Heritage Alliance (SEACHA), Commissioner of the Philippines’ National Commission for Culture and the Arts, and Secretary-General of the UNESCO National Commission of the Philippines. For many years, he has dedicated himself to the protection of Southeast Asia’s cultural heritage. He also works to strengthen cross-border collaboration and promote sustainable regional development through heritage conservation.
How can cultural heritage make a unique contribution to dialogue and mutual learning between China and ASEAN? Is there a successful example of cooperation that you would highlight?
Ivan Anthony Henares: Cultural heritage lies at the heart of a people’s sense of identity. It also reflects the distinctive character of every nation. Heritage exchange allows us to understand one another more deeply. China and ASEAN already have a strong basis for such engagement, but greater emphasis must be placed on respecting the cultural particularities of every country. Even within national borders, there may be a remarkable diversity of cultural and ethnic communities. Their identities must be recognized in any cultural exchange. Among the best examples are the series of China-ASEAN cultural heritage programs that China has hosted in recent years. The Dialogue on China-ASEAN Cultural Heritage here in Dunhuang is a particularly valuable case. It has given us an opportunity to learn from China’s advanced practices in bringing heritage to life and presenting it to the public. China’s approaches to interpretation, exhibition design, and digital applications have opened our eyes to many new possibilities. We hope to take these proven practices back to Southeast Asia and adapt them to the circumstances of our own countries. With sustained communication and long-term project partnerships, there is every reason to believe that these experiences can be successfully adapted and put into practice across the region.
Looking ahead to the next five years, what would you like China-ASEAN cultural heritage cooperation to achieve? What concrete cooperation would you most like to see advanced?
Ivan Anthony Henares: Dialogues such as this one have already given us an excellent starting point. The priority now is to create a China-ASEAN partnership with genuine long-term influence. Heritage exchanges should extend beyond a succession of short-term events and become a continuous and sustainable framework for cooperation. The participants need to come together for serious and detailed discussions about where long-term cooperation can lead. Only through such dialogue can we design inclusive projects that benefit every participating country and generate lasting value. The growing frequency of these exchanges is highly encouraging. I hope we can now build on this momentum and turn dialogue into deeper, more practical, and more enduring cooperation.
Facing globalization and digitalization, how can Southeast Asian countries collaborate internationally to seize new opportunities and respond to the challenges of preserving and passing on cultural heritage?
Ivan Anthony Henares: No two countries approach heritage conservation in exactly the same way. The laws, policies, and practices developed in response to different national circumstances can therefore become valuable lessons for the entire region. One of SEACHA’s central priorities is to review heritage conservation policies across Asia, identify practices that have proved effective and can be adapted elsewhere, and share them throughout the region. We are also conducting focused research on the protection of vernacular architecture. In particular, we are exploring how the wisdom embedded in traditional building practices can be translated into practical solutions to climate change. Cultural heritage offers many possible pathways for addressing the challenges associated with globalization. What matters most is that, as we move forward, we remain grounded in our cultural roots.
What can be done to inspire more young people to engage with cultural heritage conservation?
Ivan Anthony Henares: The first step is to change the way we think about young people. They are not simply the future custodians of cultural heritage. They are key stakeholders in its protection today. We must provide them with structured professional training and capacity-building opportunities, so that they gain a deep understanding of the core principles of cultural heritage conservation. Young people will ultimately shape the future of heritage protection, so they should become involved as early as possible. Heritage conservation depends on continuity between generations, but it also requires us to listen. We must also give young people platforms on which they can voice their ideas. They often bring highly creative approaches to heritage preservation. When we give them the resources to share those ideas and turn them into real projects, both young people and the heritage sector stand to benefit.
What message would you like to offer for the future of China-ASEAN cultural heritage cooperation?
Ivan Anthony Henares: We must move forward together. China and ASEAN have a great deal to share and much to learn from each other. Heritage conservation is not a contest between nations. It is a shared responsibility that transcends national borders, because the heritage of humanity can only be protected through collective action. We need to build more bridges of communication between China and ASEAN countries and work together to develop innovative conservation approaches that respond to the particular needs and character of our region. Our shared goal is to ensure that the cultural heritage entrusted to us is passed on intact to future generations.
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