About this talk
Built heritage in Singapore is safeguarded through two legal regimes, one relating to national monuments, and the other relating to conservation areas declared under planning law. In contrast, no particular legal protection exists for intangible cultural heritage. Considering examples such as tomb inscriptions and rituals for honouring the deceased at Bukit Brown Cemetery, this talk will explore how built heritage can be secured and enriched by giving greater recognition and protection in international and domestic law to the intangible cultural heritage associated with it. There is also scope for built heritage to be used as a means of protecting intangible cultural heritage.
Speaker & Moderator
Speaker: Dr. Jack Tsen-Ta Lee
Expert Member of the International Scientific Committee for Legal, Administrative and Financial Issues (ICLAFI) of the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS); a member of ICOMOS Singapore; and President of the Singapore Heritage Society since 2017. Previously a legal academic between 2008 and 2017, he maintains research interests in constitutional and administrative law, media law, and heritage law. Jack is also a member of the National Collection Advisory Panel (since 2013) and the Archaeology Advisory Panel (since 2019) of the National Heritage Board; the Heritage and Identity Partnership of the Urban Redevelopment Authority of Singapore (since 2018); and member of SEACHA Board of Directors.
Moderator: Dr. Natalie Pang
Senior Lecturer at the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at National University of Singapore, ExCo member of Singapore Heritage Society and member of SEACHA Board of Directors.