On 28 and 29 January 2019, SEAMEO Regional Centre for Archaeology and Fine Arts (SPAFA) Thailand in collaboration with SEAMEO Regional Centre for Vocational Training (VOCTECH) BRUNEI Darussalam organised the consultative meeting for their project School-Based Approach in Promoting Disaster Risk Management for Cultural Heritage in Bendar Seri Begwan, Brunei. Ideas for the project sparked in the Youth Leadership Forum in 2016, when concern over the threat of fire to Kampong Ayer was raised. Since then, SEAMEO SPAFA has been contemplating on "Conservation in the Tropics" with case studies of places in various countries, one of which is Brunei Darussalem.

The meeting witnessed the participation of Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to Brunei Darussalam Peter Wolff, SEAMEO CELLL, SEAMEO CHAT, SEAMEO INNOTECH, SEAMEO SPAFA, SEAMEO VOCTECH, Universiti of Brunei, ICCROM, R-DMuch, KMITL. A thick body of reports on initiatives on ways to integrate knowledge of nature and human-induced disasters were shared for comments. Mr Khau Huu Phuoc, Manager of SEAMEO CELLL Research and Training Department, contributed his knowledge in an panel discussion on the role of lifelong learning in maintaining cultural heritage.

The meeting featured a site visit to the cultural heritage Kampong Ayer, a water village with a history of over 1,000 years in the capital of Brunei. The village has been shrinking over the past decade due to various reasons, to name a few, sub-standard living conditions, lure of jobs in companies, migration, marriage to people outside the community, and the threat of disasters. If the village is to be sustainable, measures will have to be taken, and this must be done soon. Besides Kampong Ayer, the participants also visited Awang Semaun Secondary School, where environment-awareness raising activities are promoted among students.

The project School-Based Approach in Promoting Disaster Risk Management for Cultural Heritage is in line with SEAMEO Seven Priority Areas (2015-2035), particularly Priority Area 3 on resiliency in the face of emergencies. It aims to initiate ways to engage school children, teachers and staff, parents and communities in reducing the impact of disaster on their cultural heritage.

Between 17 December and 28 December 2018, Vietnam Institute of Education Sciences (VNIES) twice organised a capacity building workshop on Methods of identifying, measuring, and analysing basic indicators in aldult learning & education (ALE) and lifelong learning (LLL) for two cohorts.

The workshops were taught by Prof Dr Aaron Benavot, an expert in the field from the University of Albany, as part of a Fulbright Scholar Programme. They aimed to provide and enhance research and management skills for officials working in adult learning and education, continuing education, and lifelong learning. They also offered opportunities for the participants to share related information, and experience.

A total of nearly 40 specialists, and officials from VNIES itself, Continuing Education Centres, Education Institutes in Da Nang, Ha Giang, as welll as UNESCO Hanoi and SEAMEO CELLL attended the two workshops.

During the workshops, Prof Dr Benavot not only imparted practical knowledge of developing indicators and measures for ALE and LLL, but also shared and initiated sharing of information and concept of LLL as is understood and implemented around the world. A range of ideas and experience in ALE and LLL were put forth for analysis, and evaluation, serving as an additional foundation for application of the knowledge and skills learned. Besides the main learning outcomes, the participants also benefited from the establishment of new networks, which promised effective colaborations in the future.
The workshops concluded with the awards of certificate of completion. Dr Nguyen Duc Minh, Deputy Director of VNIES, expressed his sincere appreciation for Prof Dr Aaron Benavot's professional support and complimented the participants on their serious efforts during the workshops.

These workshops were initial steps that potentially marked long-term collaboration between the VNIES and the University of Albany, and hinted continued valued support of Prof Dr Aaron Benavot personally.