IPTW - ITES 2007 - Tallberg, Sweden

Demonstrators and educators from Europe and North America gathered in the beautiful Lake Siljan Region for the first PTN event to be held outside North America. Workshop sessions explored the them "Leadership for the Trades: A Global Priority Issue" in the 2nd International Trades Education Symposium and concurrent International Preservation Trades Workshop. The sysposium was sponsored by the Preservation Trades Network (PTN), Dalarna Region Cooperation Council, GMV Centre for Environment and Sustainability Chalmers University of Technology and Göteborg University, and the Swedish Construction Federation. The conference was designed to further define the role of the trades within an international context as an aspect of sustainability, leadership and collaboration. The main conference theme "Leadership" was selected to suggest that the traditional crafts themselves must take an active role in demonstrating that capability, and developing dialogue with the academic sector, industry stakeholders, the business community, NGOs and governmental agencies to improve educational and employment opportunities, and improve public perceptions of the value and significance of the traditional and skilled trades. In addition to three days of formal presentations by conference participants, local tradespeople staged demonstrations of log building and restoration, traditional Swedish fence building, clay parging, blacksmithing and roofing. Additional acitivities included excursions to the Falun World Heritage Site, a tour of restoration work in progress at the Royal Palace in Stockholm, and the Vasa Museum.