The International Conference on “Revisiting the Philosophy of Preserving Wooden Structures: Value of Wooden Structures in Asia and the Concept of Authenticity”, which was organized by Asia-Pacific Cultural Centre for UNESCO (Nara) and WHITRAP Shanghai in cooperation with the Agency for Cultural Affairs, Japan, National Research Institute for Cultural Properties and ICCROM, was held from December 16 to 17, 2015 in Nara, Japan. The International Conference 2015 is the third and the last of the series, with the first session themed “Restoration Method for Wooden Structures and Its Philosophy” held in December 2015 in Nara and the second themed “Cultural Landscape with Wooden Structures and Local Communities” in December 2014 in Shanghai.

The two-day meeting has gathered heritage conservation experts from China, Japan, Norway, South Korea, Malaysia and Nepal to present different interpretations and understandings of authenticity among countries and regions. The participants revisited the conservation philosophy of wooden structures from both theoretical and practical aspects in the session of general discussion, and adopted a final recommendation. WHITRAP Shanghai`s Executive Deputy Director Ms. Lu Wei, Professor from Southeast University Mr. Zhu Guangya and Professor from Tongji University Mr. Zhang Song attended the meeting on behalf of WHITRAP.

The fruitful outcomes of the three sessions of “Revisiting the Philosophy of Preserving Wooden Structures” conference series will definitely promote the interpretation of values of wooden structures in Asia and the development of the idea of authenticity.