In conjunction with ECAF's second General Meeting which was held on Thursday 8 January 2009, in Pondicherry, lndia, the Asia-Europe Forum on Field studies was co-organised by ECAF and the Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF), under the auspices of French Ambassador to India, HE Mr. Jérôme Bonnafont. Located in Singapore, ASEF is mandated to promote intellectual, people-to-people and cultural exchanges by the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM). To offer participants a flavour of the rich cultural heritage of the region, two field trips were offered in conjunction with these meetings: guided visits to the spectacular fortress of Senji on 6 January and of the ancient Pallava site of Mahabalipuram on 8 January.

The Forum was divided into two sections: a showcase workshop where current ECAF projects and European research in South India were presented and a round table on the subject of Field Research and Heritage Conservation.

The event was designed to promote research cooperation between Asia and Europe and develop ECAF’s capacity for hosting joint research programmes. The emphasis of the Forum was on field research on the history of Asian civilizations, with implications for contemporary societies in both Asia and Europe (e.g. conservation issues, archaeological site management, the perception of Asia in Europe today). While taking existing programmes in Indian studies as its point of departure, the Forum is expected to delineate the scope for analogous collaborative projects in other parts of the ECAF network in Asia and Europe.


HE Mr. Jérôme Bonnafont: download the Address by French Ambassador

Showcase Workshop: download the pdf of Asia-Europe Forum Programme

Round Table: download the Report

field trips: photos Senji