UAE: 15-year-old pilot among participants who joined workshop to preserve heirlooms
At a quiet table in Abu Dhabi, 15-year-old Fjord Enzo Bertrand-Helmgens gently brushed an old Chinese coin with a cotton swab — a small act of care that reflects a much larger mission.
The young pilot, who is also an aspiring AI engineer, was one of many participants learning the delicate craft of preservation at the Zayed National Museum's 'Preserving Our Heritage Symposium.'
Held on May 28–29 at Saadiyat Rotana Resort, the two-day event welcomed people from all walks of life — students, artists, museum professionals, and families — to learn how to care for personal heirlooms and, in doing so, help protect the cultural memory they carry.
For Fjord, restoring coins — from dynasties in China to historical pieces from the UAE, Ukraine, and Czech Republic — sparked a new appreciation. 'I'm not into coins,' he said, 'but the restoration process lets you hold history in your hands.'
His mother, anthropologist Marina Bertrand-Helmgens, joined him at the workshop. 'Fjord was born in the UAE and embraced the Emirati culture from a young age,' she said. 'The more rooted you are in your heritage, the further you can grow."
Organised in partnership with UK-based West Dean College and Plowden & Smith, the symposium offered practical sessions on restoring everything from paper and photographs to textiles, metals, and ceramics.
Shaima Al Ameri, a master's student in art history and museum studies at Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi was also at the workshop. She joined last year's pilot version of the programme and came back for the expanded edition.
'These types of workshops don't just train you, they connect you with people from different backgrounds who share the same love and passion for conservation,' said the 35-year-old Emirati. One session that stood out focused on the unexpected vulnerability of modern plastics. 'People assume plastic lasts forever. But there are many kinds, and depending on the material and environment, it can deteriorate just like anything else.'
During the symposioum, one mother brought her two daughters to learn how to preserve a traditional wedding dress, while another participant attended with her two-year-old, who sat in on coloring sessions to better understand how conservationists match original pigments.
Empowering everyday people
Conservation experts from the UAE and abroad guided participants through the science and techniques of preservation — covering how to handle fragile items, understand environmental threats like humidity, heat, and light, and use modern tools like X-ray fluorescence scanners.
While conservation training is often reserved for professionals, this symposium was designed to be different. It aimed to empower everyday people with the skills to protect the items that matter most to them.
'This kind of hands-on conservation training is the first of its kind in the UAE tailored to the general public,' said Fatima Mansoor Al Tamimi, Head of the Conservation Unit at Zayed National Museum. 'We want the public, artists, collectors, even students to understand how to preserve the things they care about."
Tools like polarising microscopes and X-ray fluoresce scanners and 3D printers, were brought in to examine material composition. 'When I placed my necklace under the XRF scanner, I found out it was 88 percent 22-karat gold — but it also contained copper,' said Al Tamimi. 'Interestingly, some inks used in old manuscripts also contain copper, which explains why certain parchments deteriorate faster than others.'
Textile conservation also proved particularly relevant to participants with traditional Emirati clothing. One demonstration involved carefully folding a thoub using 'snake rolls' of acid-free paper to prevent permanent creases. 'The way you fold, store, and box these items makes a huge difference,' the museum official explained. 'Humidity here is a major challenge — unlike Europe, we have to tailor our methods to this climate.'
The museum plans to develop deeper, more specialised workshops in future editions of the symposium, as part of its broader mission to extend heritage preservation beyond institutional walls.
'As conservators, we're not trying to make old objects look new,' pointed Al Tamimi. 'We want people to see the effects of time, to understand the journey of a piece. It's like vintage jewels. The beauty is in its story.'
For Marina, the experience was deeply personal. 'The entire symposium felt like a gift,' she said. 'It reminded us that tangible heritage is fragile. And that caring for it, whether it's a coin or a book or a dress, is a way of carrying our history forward.'
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