An international course entitled "Wooden Architecture Conservation and Restoration" will be held in Kizhi Island and Petrozavodsk, Republic of Karelia, Russian Federation, between 11 and 30 September 2017. It is organised by the Kizhi Open Air Museum, in partnership with the International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property (ICCROM), the UNESCO Chair of Wooden Architecture Research and Preservation at the Petrozavodsk State University, and the Ministries of Culture of the Republic of Karelia and the Russian Federation. The course is an intensive programme that combines theoretical and practical sessions, as well as participation in the restoration projects underway at the Kizhi Open Air Museum. There will also be visits to the most interesting wooden architectural monuments in Karelia. A preliminary programme can be found on ICCROM's website. The overall goal of the course on "Wooden Architecture Conservation and Restoration" is to improve professional knowledge and prepare the participants for the practical work of preserving wooden architectural monuments in their countries. In particular, the objectives are to:

• introduce the features of Russian wooden architecture and carpentry traditions;
• train wooden architecture monitoring and maintenance techniques;
• provide knowledge and practical skills for traditional and modern wooden architecture restoration techniques.

The course is addressed to professionals in the field of wooden architectural conservation and restoration who have at least 3 years of practical experience.  Specialized education in this area is desirable. Classes will be conducted by experts of the Kizhi museum. In addition, professionals coming from educational, scientific and restoration organizations in Russia and elsewhere will lend their expertise in the area of wooden architectural monitoring, conservation and restoration. The working languages of the course are English and Russian. The main part of the course on “Wooden Architecture Conservation and Restoration” will be held in the largest open air museum of Russia, the Kizhi museum, whose collection includes 83 wooden architectural monuments. The mainstay of the museum collection is the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Kizhi Pogost. Currently, the Kizhi Open Air Museum is carrying out the restoration of the Church of the Transfiguration, built in 1714. This work is being carried out with the help of unique technologies that have been customized according to the complicated configuration of the structure. The exceptional quality of the restoration works has been acknowledged by ICOMOS and UNESCO international experts, who have recommended that this experience be shared with a wider audience in Russia and the world. This course will include other study visits to wooden architecture sites in Karelia, as well as lectures and practical sessions that place emphasis on traditional carpentry techniques. Registration for the course is now open, until 10 May. For additional information about it, please visit http://www.iccrom.org/wooden-architecture-conservation-and-restoration/