30/01/2026
From 26 to 28 January 2025, La Réunion hosted an international museography training course for around fifteen cultural professionals and decision-makers from countries of the Indian Ocean region, organised by the Commission de l'océan Indien - Indian Ocean Commission, with the support of HYDEA, through its regional ICC programme on Cultural and Creative Industries, funded by the AFD - Agence Française de Développement. During the workshop, participants explored significant local examples and worked collaboratively on the concept and preparation of a travelling exhibition aimed at raising awareness of traditional architectures in the Indian Ocean region, drawing on a regional inventory developed by the participating countries.
The training focused on strengthening local capacities by introducing the principles of contemporary museology and an emerging approach to “emotional museological awareness”, responsive to the expectations of 21st-century audiences while respecting local cultural and heritage values. The programme combined theoretical inputs, regional and international case studies, and field visits in La Réunion, which served as shared references for the development of the exhibition.
Beyond capacity-building, the initiative also contributed to presenting the regional architectural inventory in all its dimensions -spaces, techniques and know-how - and to increasing public awareness of the cultural, bioclimatic and development potential of traditional Indo-Oceanic architectures, thereby supporting their long-term preservation.
We would like to express our sincere thanks to Astrid Audibert, Christophe Graz and Paolo Lazzoni for their invaluable contribution to the organisation of the event.
We also extend our heartfelt thanks to the local stakeholders who contributed to the success of this activity, in particular the Iconothèque historique de l'océan Indien - IHOI and David Gagneur for their expertise and support, Bernard Leveneur, expert in the traditional architectures of La Réunion, for his valuable insights and guidance, and Patrice Huet, Scientific Director of the Musée de la Cité du Volcan, for his contribution to the exchanges and field visits.