We were honoured to welcome Dr. Ivan Anthony Henares, a distinguished leader in global heritage conservation, to the National Trust of Guernsey.
Dr. Henares serves as the Secretary-General of the UNESCO National Commission of the Philippines, a Commissioner for Culture and the Arts, and is an Assistant Professor at the University of the Philippines' Asian Institute of Tourism. His impressive international roles include President of the ICOMOS International Cultural Tourism Committee (ICTC) and Chairperson of both the Heritage Conservation Society and the Southeast Asian Cultural Heritage Alliance (SEACHA).
With a PhD in Hospitality and Tourism Management from Purdue University, and multiple degrees from the University of the Philippines, Dr. Henares brings a wealth of academic expertise and on-the-ground experience in heritage conservation, urban planning, and tourism policy. His work focuses on cultural tourism in historic urban landscapes, industrial heritage, and indigenous communities.
Current projects include conservation efforts in Pampanga and Negros Island, and sustainable cultural tourism with the Agusan Manobo community at the Agusan Marsh Wildlife Sanctuary.
Recognised as one of the Outstanding Young Men of the Philippines (2012) for Heritage Conservation, Dr. Henares continues to champion the role of community-led preservation and sustainable tourism in safeguarding cultural heritage.
Interestingly, Guernsey first came on to Ivan's radar as a child, when collecting stamps and he has always been determined to visit. Having already visited National Trust for Jersey, he made the short hop over to Guernsey today before heading back to Jersey and on to Paris for a UNESCO conference in the coming days.
We deeply appreciate Ivan's determination to visit the Channel Islands, and National Trust Guernsey has a lot more to show him. We hope he will revisit one day and that our paths will cross at an International National Trusts Organisation conference. We very much enjoyed insightful exchanges during his all too brief visit and the shared inspiration of heritage work across islands and continents.
More photos to follow!