Conference Objectives and Output

Songs of Memory seeks to make the Philippine Epics and Ballads Archive of the Ateneo de Manila University accessible to all. Preserving epics helps conserve Intangible Heritage, fosters pride of the self in cultural communities and in the nation, as a whole, and advances UNESCO's emphasis on the conservation of Intangible Heritage.

Objectives of the Conference

1. To bring together scholars from the Philippines, Europe and Southeast Asia to highlight viable ways of storing oral narratives in the light of contemporary technology.
2. To bring together scholars from the Philippines, Europe and Southeast Asia to share their views on the interpretation of sung narratives.
3. To invite the general public to participate in the continuing challenge of storing and interpreting epics.
4. To highlight the Philippine Epics and Ballads Archive of the Ateneo de Manila University and its significance for both the Philippines and the world.

End results envisioned by the conference are the following:

1. The exchange and sharing of experiences between and among scholars from Southeast Asian countries (Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore and Philippines) with expertise in the study of epics and the making of multimedia archives in Southeast Asia.
2. A book with multimedia illustrations that will compile the conference papers. These can be used not only by scholars but also by teachers, students, artists in improving the storage of epic compositions, in stimulating poetical and musical analysis, in interpreting semantic content.
3. A heightened appreciation for the role of memory and creativity in today's multi media-oriented world.