Cablegate: Evaluation of Internship Program, 2005

This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS LIMA 005205

SIPDIS

STATE FOR IIP/G/WHA (CBARONE), INFO WHA/PDA
(SLEBENS/MDCONNERS/GADAMS/JMONSERRATE), WHA/PD (GGALLEGOS),
WHA/AND (JMONSERRAT), ECA/P/C (MKOUROUPAS/MMACLEAN)

E.O.12958: N/A
TAGS: OIIP PE
SUBJECT: EVALUATION OF INTERNSHIP PROGRAM, 2005

1.Program description: For the third consecutive year, PAS
sponsored a summer internship program for American conservation
students at Peruvian museums. Three highly qualified
conservation graduate students carried out internships at the
Machu Picchu Museum in Cusco, the Santa Catalina Monastery
Museum, and the recently inaugurated Santa Teresa Monastery
Museum, both in Arequipa.

2. Time frame: July 1 - August 31. FY05 4Q.

3. Program Objectives:
-- Strengthen support for the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)
to promote and protect Peruvian patrimony signed between the U.S.
and Peru in 1997 and renewed in 2002,
--Facilitate short and long-term relationships between Peruvian
museums and future American professionals,
-- Strengthen ties between the U.S and Peruvian cultural
patrimony communities,
-- Strengthen Embassy ties with key Peruvian museums,
-- Enable well-qualified graduate students the opportunity to do
field research in different Peruvian cities,
--Support Peruvian museums that hold rich art collections.

4. MPP goal: Democratic Systems and Practices. This program
strongly supports the MOU on Cultural Patrimony protection,
renewed until 2007.

5. Results: During the past three years, results have been
beneficial for the students and the museum personnel in the
provincial cities of Cusco, Lambayeque and Arequipa. Both have
expressed their gratitude for the possibility of exchanging
experiences and knowledge and have recognized the tremendous
amount of work achieved during the two-month internship. All
participating museums, among the top 10 in the country, have
fully strengthened their ties with the U.S. and the Embassy
staff. Since its beginning in 2003, the program's major
accomplishments include the English translation of the Sican
Museum's script in Lambayeque and the conservation of mural
painting at Santa Teresa Monastery in Arequipa.

This year, Ms. Kimberly Alfaro helped in the final set-up of the
Machu Picchu museum's exhibitions including cleaning pre-Hispanic
objects and placing them in designed cases. In Arequipa, Ms.
Blanka Kielb, helped prepare detailed documentation of mural
paintings in the Santa Teresa's Bethlehem Chapel and together
with intern Ms. Valerie Gomez, uncovered and conserved the
original mural painting in the Lower Choir at Santa Catalina. In
every case the museum's conservator has closely supervised the
interns. Among the long term results, Post is proud to report
that intern Ms. Kielb has decided to write her dissertation on
Santa Teresa's Bethlehem Chapel and will return over her holiday
break to finish the conservation work. Additionally, Harvard
Museum Studies graduate program contacted PAS to work on a joint
internship program.

6. Funding: Perhaps, one of the most advantageous aspects of this
program is its low cost. PAS' contribution of approximately
$3000 covers materials and a small living expenses stipend, while
the museum provides in-kind support such as housing; finally the
university or intern covers international transportation and
health insurance.

7. Name of Program Officer and contact information: Program
Officer is ACAO Abigail Gonzalez, office phone (51-1) 618-2634,
fax 434-1299 or 434-0100. Program coordinator is Vanessa Wagner
de Reyna, 618-2080.

STRUBLE

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