Symposium on Preserving Asian American & Pacific Islander History

For several years a coalition of advocates and organizations, including the National Trust for Historic Preservation, has been strategizing to protect pan-Asian history, heritage, and cultural traditions in America. These efforts will culminate in a symposium to be held in San Francisco's historic Japantown, June 24-26, 2010. Preserving Asian Pacific Islander America: Mobilizing Our Communities will build capacity, foster collaboration, promote awareness, and encourage peer dialogue. Reconnecting “sites of cultural memory” and the stories they hold to their communities and connecting the present stewards of these sometimes isolated cultural resources offer exciting opportunities for coalition-building and cultural participation. Engaging new audiences, involving young people, expanding understanding of historic preservation, and ensuring a continued place for diverse groups at preservation’s table are all stated goals for the forum. A key focus will be development of a pan-Asian preservation agenda to reflect the common needs, aspirations, and priorities of attendees and their communities. For more information, see http://www.apinhpforum.org