| Community Heritage Project: Wattan Report |
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wattan - The Lebanese and Arab Australian Communities Heritage Project, which aims to document and communicate the cultural heritage of these communities, commenced with the employment of a Lebanese Australian museum conservation trainee, Alissar Chidiac, for six months from June 1998 to December 1998. The first phase was initiated by Pat Townley, Head of Conservation, Powerhouse Museum, with the support of the Department of Communications and the Arts. During this period there was a person seconded through ODEOPE as part of the Migrant Work Experience Programme, Hassan Nowrouz Tafreshi. Work in this phase focussed on inviting participation and seeking consultation with Lebanese and Arab Australian community networks in the Sydney region. October 1998 saw participation of Arab Australian families at the Powerhouse Museum, and the initiative of a Focus Group of Arab Australian artists, writers and community cultural development workers, in partnership with Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre in Western Sydney. This Focus Group continued to meet, facilitating critical discussion and creative visions around the Project.
The project recommenced in August 1999 with the employment of an Arab Australian Project Officer for another six-month period. The objectives of this second phase (see Part D of this report) grew directly out of the community consultation and findings of phase one. The second phase was made possible with the support of the NSW Migration Heritage Centre, an initiative of the NSW Government through a partnership of the Ethnic Affairs Commission, Heritage Office, Ministry for the Arts, Tourism NSW and the Premier’s Department (see Appendix 1).