The small island of the southern coast of Sumatra had been a very popular surfing destination before experiencing underwater damage during the 2016 Indian Ocean tsunami.

Graham Brooks joined UNESCO’s Expert on the Cultural Heritage for South East Asia, Richard Englehardt, on an exploratory mission to identify alternative cultural heritage assets to support a rebuilding tourism for the local economy.

A major outcome was the production of a large professional photographic collection of the wide range of tangible and intangible cultural assets across Nias for inclusion in both publicity and project fund-raising campaigns.