UNESCO Director-General deplores destruction of ancient Aleppo markets, a World Heritage site

© Richard Paxman - Aleppo market

2012/9/30 UNESCO

UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova today expressed distress and dismay over the fire that severely damaged the ancient markets in the old city of Aleppo, a World Heritage site, over the weekend. She also reminded all parties of the country’s obligations under the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict, to which Syria is a signatory.

The Director-General’s comments follow a blaze yesterday that reportedly destroyed hundreds of shops in the Aleppo souk, during fierce fighting for control of the city.

“The reports from Aleppo are deeply distressing,” the Director-General said. “The human suffering caused by this situation is already extreme. That the fighting is now destroying  cultural heritage that bears witness to the country’s millenary history - valued and admired the world over - makes it even more tragic. “The Aleppo souks have been a thriving part of Syria’s economic and social life since the city’s beginnings. They stand as testimony to Aleppo’s importance as a cultural crossroads since the second millennium B.C. 

“Syria is a signatory to the 1954 Hague Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict. As such it is bound to do its utmost to safeguard this heritage from the ravages of war.   “ I appeal to all forces to do their utmost to spare these monuments to human history that have contributed so much to Syria’s growth and prosperity - and which will undoubtedly prove vital to the country’s reconstruction.

“UNESCO stands ready to provide all of its expertise and support for the safeguarding of Aleppo and all of Syria’s extraordinary cultural heritage and, as soon as security permits, I will send a team there to assess the situation and provide emergency assistance for the protection  of this heritage, both in terms of mitigation of this tragedy and prevention of further damage.”

The Ancient City of Aleppo was inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List in 1986, in recognition of its “rare and authentic Arab architectural styles” and its testimony to the city's cultural, social, and technological development from the Mameluke period. It is one of six Syrian World Heritage sites.  

UNESCO monitors damage to heritage in northern Italy following powerful earthquake

2012/5/23 UNESCO

The Director-General of UNESCO, Irina Bokova, today extended her condolences to the inhabitants of northern Italy for the loss of human life and suffering caused by the earthquake that shook the region on May 20.

The Director-General also said that UNESCO is sending a mission to assess damage to World Heritage sites and other cultural heritage in northern Italy.

“While initial reports from the Italian authorities indicate that the World Heritage sites of Ferrara, as well as Mantua and Sabbioneta, have not sustained severe damage, UNESCO will continue to monitor the situation. UNESCO stands ready to work with the Italian authorities to ensure that the outstanding universal value of these sites is preserved,” she stated.

Ferrara, City of the Renaissance, and its Po Delta was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1995 as an outstanding example of a planned Renaissance city, which has retained its urban fabric virtually intact. The Po Delta presents an outstanding planned cultural landscape and retains its original form to a remarkable extent.

There has also been concern for the World Heritage property of Mantua and Sabbioneta, inscribed in 2008. Both cities offer exceptional testimonies of the architectural and artistic achievements of the Italian Renaissance and played an important role in the dissemination of that culture.

Early media reports of damage to the region's World Heritage sites at this stage appear to have been overstated. Nevertheless, there is concern for the preservation of many other important buildings, including churches and palaces, which bear testimony to the rich cultural and artistic heritage of Italy. These sites may not feature on the World Heritage List, but their value to communities, art lovers and scholars cannot be underestimated.



四大節慶月內舉行 天后誕首辦漁船巡遊 太平清醮續諷時弊

馬不停蹄的節慶四月，打頭陣的是天后誕。但你知道天后信仰原來在2009年，已被納被聯合國教科文組織的世界非物質文化遺產嗎？錯過了天后誕，還可以於4月28日一次過參與太平清醮、佛誕及譚公誕。分身不下？那要好好想想當天的行程了！


節錄自2012/4/9 明報

旅發局本月13至29日舉辦「香港傳統文化匯」，推廣4個香港傳統節慶，包括天后誕（4月13日）、長洲太平清醮（4月25至29日）、佛誕（4月28日）、譚公誕（4月28日）。

節錄自2012/4/5 明報
旅發局會於月中的天后誕籌組40艘柴灣和長洲漁船，以及中式帆船鴨靈號結伴巡遊維港，船隊最後會在西貢大廟灣上岸，再到本港最古老、有逾700年歷史的天后廟向天后祈福。


天后誕過後，焦點會轉至長洲太平清醮。中興街街坊值理會主席梁國明表示，今年會出動兩台飄色，其中一台以時事為題，正考慮在唐梁特首選戰或曾蔭權款待風波中，二擇其一。


康蘭餅店負責人郭予泉表示，今年平安包不加價，維持每個7元。去年食環署禁止餅店在門口為平安包蓋印，發生罷賣和減產事件，郭予泉指出，現正與食環署商討蓋印安排，相信今年不會有問題。


節錄自2012/4/5 星島日報

大嶼山寶蓮寺有浴佛儀式、功夫表演。而國寶「佛頂骨舍利」就在本月二十五日至三十日，一連六天供放在紅磡體育館舉行祈福大會，讓公眾瞻禮。

長洲太平清醮下午有大型飄色巡遊，晚上十二時有搶包山比賽，預料吸引大批市民圍觀。譚公誕亦相當熱鬧，筲箕灣東大街亦有花炮會、龍獅巡遊，更可能有飄色表演。

旅發局 ﹣ 香港傳統文化滙： http://www.discoverhongkong.com/culturalcelebrations/tc/index.html
天后寶誕： http://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/天后寶誕
長洲太平清醮： http://www.cheungchau.org/indexC.html
The Mazu Belief and Customs - UNESCO ICH 2009: http://www.unesco.org/culture/ich/index.php?lg=en&pg=00011&RL=00227
佛誕： http://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/佛誕
譚公誕： http://baike.baidu.com/view/7344913.htm

Director-General of UNESCO urges respect for the preservation of World Heritage site of Timbuktu (Mali)

Source: UNESCO

Extracts from
2012/4/2 UNESCO Press

The Director-General of UNESCO, Irina Bokova, today voiced concern about the risk posed by fighting around the World Heritage site of Timbuktu in the north of Mali and recalled the internationally recognized obligation of countries to safeguard their heritage in times of war.

"Timbuktu’s outstanding earthen architectural wonders that are the great mosques of Djingareyber, Sankore and Sidi Yahia, must be safeguarded. Along with the site’s 16 cemeteries and mausolea, they are essential to the preservation of the identity of the people of Mali and of our universal heritage,” the Director-General added.

Inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List in 1988, the site bears witness to the golden age of Timbuktu in the 16th century and to a history that stretches even further back to the 5th century A.D.

According to the 1954 Convention for the Protection of Cultural Properties in the Event of Armed Conflict and its Protocols, armies must refrain from using or damaging cultural heritage properties in times of war.

UNESCO calls for nominations for Memory of the World International Register

Extracts from 2012/2/27 UNESCO

UNESCO is inviting new nomination proposals for inscription on its Memory of the World International Register, a list of library collections and archive holdings of world significance, which was established in 1997 to promote documentary heritage of universal value.

At present, a total of 245 collections submitted by 98 different countries, 3 international organizations and one private foundation are inscribed on the International Register of the Memory of the World Programme. Regional registers have been created for the Memory of the World Committees for Asia/Pacific (MOWCAP) and Latin America/Caribbean (MOWLAC), and an increasing number of countries have now established national registers.  

The announcement on the next round of inscription will be made in 2013.

UNESCO launched the Memory of the World Programme to guard against collective amnesia calling upon the preservation of the valuable archive holdings and library collections all over the world ensuring their wide dissemination. The Programme is intended to protect documentary heritage, and helps networks of experts to exchange information and raise resources for preservation of and access to documentary material.

UNESCO committed to stronger links between World Heritage and Tourism

Extracts from 2012/3/19 UNESCO

UNESCO Director-General, Irina Bokova underlined the importance of better integrating cultural heritage preservation and sustainable tourism during the Roundtable on World Heritage and Sustainable Tourism, held in Miami on 19 March. She highlighted that cultural heritage is a powerful driver of social and economic development for local communities.

Under the recently developed UNESCO World Heritage Sustainable Tourism Programme, the Director-General underscored that UNESCO seeks to create an international framework for the cooperative and coordinated achievement of shared and sustainable outcomes related to tourism at World Heritage properties.

The Programme seeks to link up national and local authorities, site practitioners, tourism sector, and local communities to integrate a sustainable tourism perspective into the mechanisms of the World Heritage Convention. The idea is to promote broad engagement in the planning, development and management of sustainable tourism that follows a destination approach focuses on empowering local communities. The Programme also seeks to provide World Heritage stakeholders with the capacity and the tools to manage tourism efficiently, responsibly and sustainably based on the local context and needs.

The Director-General emphasized that the international community needs to encourage responsible behavior among all stakeholders and to foster understanding and appreciation of the concept of ‘Outstanding Universal Value’ and the protection of World Heritage.

Everglades National Park: http://www.nps.gov/ever/index.htm
UNESCO World Heritage Sustainable Tourism Programme: http://www.unesco.org/new/en/venice/special-themes/sustainable-tourism/
Related publications on the Sustainable Tourism Program:
http://whc.unesco.org/uploads/activities/documents/activity-113-1.pdf
http://whc.unesco.org/uploads/activities/documents/activity-113-2.pdf

From World Heritage to Literacy, Philadelphia Embraces UNESCO

Source: wikipedia

Extracts from 2012/3/19 UNESCO

Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar joined the Director-General to celebrate the 40^th Anniversary of the World Heritage Convention at morning ceremonies held at Independence Hall, where in 1776 the Declaration of Independence was signed.   Two centuries later, the Hall was the first U.S. site on the list of World Heritage in 1979.  “World Heritage sites are not only about places, but also ideas,” said Salazar.  “Independence Hall was added to the list for its universal principals of freedom and democracy.”

In her comments, the Director General emphasized world heritage as an ongoing responsibility.  “Heritage is a powerful force for social and economic development and tourism, worth several billions of dollars in capital, trade, and visits.  All of this requires commitment.  The protection of sites of outstanding universal value is a shared responsibility,” she said.

In order to assist other countries in their work on preservation, conservation and restoration, the National Parks Service has taken the initiative to create a World Heritage Fellowship program.  The program brings individuals responsible for world heritage in their own country to the U.S. where they work alongside American counterparts.

More about Independence Hall, Philadelphia, US: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Independence_Hall

Ha Noi: Presentation of the first results of the Culture for Development Indicator Suite

2012/3/8 UNESCO - Culture Sector

On Friday 9 March 2012, the UNESCO Ha Noi office in partnership with the national statistical agency of Viet Nam (GSO) are organizing a national workshop in Ha Noi to present the preliminary findings of the UNESCO Culture for Development Indicator Suite (CDIS).

This workshop will present to national decisionmakers, policymakers and researchers the first set of results obtained from the CDIS test phase in Viet Nam. Led by the GSO, the data collection so far has produced the first insights into how culture contributes to development in Viet Nam. The test phase is generating important discussions on how to maximize culture’s potential in future development strategies.

This workshop is taking place during the “Culture and Development” week coordinated by the UNESCO Ha Noi Office. For more information, please visit the event's website.

More information on the workshop, including the presentations will be available shortly on the CDIS webpage (www.unesco.org/culture/CDIS).

The interactive Atlas of Endangered Languages: Updates

Source: UNESCO

2012/3/12 UNESCO

The interactive Atlas of languages in danger is one of UNESCO’s major contributions in the field of language safeguarding. This tool is in constant evolution. By examining closely the status and trends of linguistic diversity in our current world, it communicates a knowledge that is always renewed and represents a dynamic platform for dialogue and exchanges on languages in danger. Therefore, it ensures greater visibility for these languages and contributes to promote them.

During 2011, some 178 languages were updated thanks to users' feedback, evaluated by the Atlas’s editorial team. Some of these languages have undergone a considerable change in status. Kalkoti and Duano', formerly listed as dialects, are now part of the distinct languages category. Regarded as a dialect of Bashkarik until recently, Kalkoti has just been recognized as an endangered language spoken by about 4000 speakers in a village also named Kalkoti and located in Pakistan’s North-West Frontier Province. As for Duano', spoken on the west coast of Johor Malaysia, it was recognized as an autonomous language whose speakers belong to an ethnic group with specific linguistic traits.

In terms of language vitality, the status of two languages has improved, while a third one has worsened. A Berber variant of Rif spoken in northern Morocco, Sanhaja of Srair is now part of the "critically endangered languages" instead of the "extinct languages" category, while Bashkarik, spoken in Pakistan, is no longer considered "seriously in danger". Despite its 40 000 speakers, Bashkarik remains in the "endangered" category because the use of other widespread languages - especially among young people - puts it at risk. Unlike the two previous cases, Arta, a language that one thought to be in critical condition, was classified as "extinct". Formerly spoken in the Philippines, this language from northern Luzon was not documented until the late 1980s, when it already had very few speakers.

Finally, following the reassessment by the Canadian regional editor, Bungee was removed from the Atlas. Indeed, the Atlas does not include pidgins because their vitality cannot be evaluated using the methodology established for the other languages.

Resources:

• Interactive Atlas of the World’s languages in danger

教科文籲保護瀕危語言

相片來源: 星島日報

還記得約一年前「捍衞廣東話」行動嗎? 在城市被邊緣化的同時, 有更多少數民族所處的境況更堪虞。就如不少香港的年青人, 已不會聽不會講自己的家鄉話一樣。 語言的多樣性, 在大城市追求 "標準、專業" 的生活制度下, 被 "英語、粵語、國語" 壟斷。年青一代在耳濡目染下, 亦只追求世界認同的國際語言, 家鄉話只流通於老一輩中。就如其他非物產文化遺產一樣, 隨著老師父們一個一個退下, 這個口術傳承的智慧, 消失得無踪無影。

節錄自: 2012/2/21 - 星島日報

聯合國教科文組織總幹事博科娃在2月21日「國際母語日」到來之際，呼籲國際社會關注瀕危語言，保護語言及文化多樣性，促進社會平等和包容發展。今年的主題是使用多種語言，促進全納教育。

教科文組織的數據顯示，在全世界約6000種語言中，其中96%種語言的使用者只佔到世界人口的4%，預計約半數種類的語言可能在本世紀末消亡。

Heritage Heals in Hiraizumi




©UNESCO/Cynthia GuttmanFlanked by two monks, Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Mr Hamada, Senior Vice Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Ms Yuko Mori; UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova; Governor of Iwate Prefecture Mr Tasso and Mayor of Hiraizumi Mr Sugawara, with the certificate for the World Heritage Site of Hiraizumi.

 
日本東北3.11大地震所造成的破壞, 至今仍難以釋懷。在大地震發生後三個月, 災區附近的平泉地區, 以佛教清淨地之代表, 成功入選世界文化遺產。

為顯對平泉的重視及支持, 聯合國教科文組織秘書長, 打破慣例, 親身到日本平泉頒發世界文化遺產證書。與此同時, 亦感謝日本於這25年間設立UNESCO-Japanese Funds-in-Trust 資助聯合國內的不同項目, 包括世界文化遺產。

若希望了解更多有關資料, 可參考以下網頁:
平泉: http://hiraizumi.or.jp/
UNESCO-Japanese Funds-in-Trust : http://www.unesco.emb-japan.go.jp/htm/jpfundsintrust.htm

展覽: 美利樓展公屋畫家作品

相片來源: 都巿日報

香港的歷史建築, 與藝術家一樣, 隱身於這石屎森林, 不細心發掘就被錯過了;  再不出幾十個年頭, 就消失不見了。

公屋畫家朱東盛, 日照時的生活, 或與你和我一樣, 為口奔馳; 但待日落之後, 就正式走進他的人生: 畫畫。60年來, 畫畫是生活的調劑, 奮鬥的目標, 練得一手好畫卻苦無知音。

自去年開始, 當傳媒說出朱東盛的故事, 巿建局聯同一大型商場, 為朱東盛籌辦第一個畫展。事隔半年, 正值情人節, 美利樓亦會舉辦朱東盛畫展。 當中的代表作, 為朱先生送給太太的定情信物 《花好月圓》圖。

其實香港有不少的歷史建築, 被空置, 被遺忘, 靈魂像被掏空了。 若能以歷史建築, 為隱世藝術家們的展示場地, 如此結合, 能將兩者同樣注入生氣, 給兩者重生機會。市建局、古物古蹟辦事處或文物保育專員辦事處應好好考慮一下!

 節錄自2012年2月14日 - 明報

今年適逢兩口子金婚之日，朱伯獲領匯借出美利樓，在情人節期間展出12幅水墨畫作品，包括美利樓水墨畫及二人定情信物《花好月圓》圖，一圓朱伯開畫展之夢。

新疆天山申報世界自然遺產

Source of Photo: oursteps.com.au

節錄自 2012年2月12日 - 明報

新疆今年年初向聯合國遞交了「新疆天山」申報世界自然遺產文本...「新疆天山」申遺的組成地包括：博格達峰提名地（含天山天池國家級風景名勝區等區域）、中天山提名地、托木爾峰提名地等。

天池景區總面積達548平方公里，地形地貌複雜多變，集雪域冰山、森林、山谷、綠洲、戈壁、草原和沙漠等自然景觀為一體，堪稱瀚海沙漠中的自然博物館和史前生物大觀園。

40th Anniversary of the UNESCO World Heritage Convention

Source: UNESCO

聯合國教科文組織(UNESCO)的《世界文化遺產公約》至今已成立了40年, 當中已將於153個國家內的936項文化遺產, 列入世界文化遺產行列。 公約使全球關注保育的重要性, 文化遺產對人文、自身認同的重要性, 促進了民族之間對保存文化遺產的團結性, 亦彰顯文化遺產的多樣性。

UNESCO為展示公約於40年來的發展及成就, 於2012年整整一年, 將於不同的成員國內, 舉行各式各樣的活動。 40週年的慶典, 將於2012年11月在古意溢濃的京都結幕。大家可登入
http://whc.unesco.org/ 了解更多有關40週年的各項活動, 是時候給自己一個環遊世界的藉口了!

節錄自: http://whc.unesco.org/en/news/834/

The Director-General of UNESCO, Irina Bokova, launched the 40th anniversary celebration of the World Heritage Convention in a ceremony at UNESCO Headquarters on 30 January. It was the first of a series of events States Parties to the 1972 Convention are organizing around the world over the coming year, and ending with a final event in November 2012 in Kyoto, Japan.

“It [World Heritage] is neither a beauty contest, nor a race among countries for the greatest number of sites. The brief moment of glory brought by the inscription of a site is worthless without the long-term commitment of States, authorities and local communities to safeguard it.”

Knowing about your history – where you come from and what your ancestors have accomplished – has a direct impact on the psyche of a country as well as building a sense of self-worth of a people.”

UNESCO World Heritage Online Calendar: Get to know more about heritages everyday!

正值2012年為世界文化遺產公約成立40周年, 聯合國教科文組織與Panasonic合作, 精選世界文化遺產的瑰麗照片, 組合成電子月曆, 供世界各地人仕免費下載。而月曆本身亦包含各個遺產的小知識, 讓各位對文化遺產的認知每日遞增!

節錄自: UNESCO

Featuring stunning photographs of 12 World Heritage sites, the calendar includes informative texts and interesting facts in English, Japanese, French, Chinese and Spanish.

View the calendar online: http://panasonic.net/UNESCO_worldheritage_calendar/2012/en/index.html

US$1.02 million project launched in Asia and the Pacific

Source: http://www.unesco.org/culture/ich/index.php?lg=EN&pg=home
Good news for communities in Asia and the Pacific who wish to keep their intangible heritage alive! UNESCO, with the generous support of Japan, will be working hand in hand with governments, civil societies and communities to ensure that safeguarding efforts in eight countries of the region (Bhutan, Cambodia, Mongolia, Nepal, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Sri Lanka and Timor Leste) are supported and sustained.

With time running as the enormous reservoir of cultural practices, knowledge systems and rituals across the region is increasingly threatened, safeguarding of living heritage becomes ever more critical to the sustainable development of these countries concerned. Intangible heritage impacts on the sustained well-being of people, their relationships with others and their natural environment; it gives people a sense of belonging, joy and purpose. It is therefore necessary that policies, inventories and adequate institutional mechanisms be immediately put in place to ensure its safeguarding. This eight-country project is part and parcel of the global UNESCO Programme to build capacity for the implementation of the Convention around the world.

To date, some US$7 million in extra-budgetary resources have been mobilized to implement the capacity-building strategy, in addition to the Intangible Cultural Heritage Fund and the Regular Programme budget. These extra-budgetary resources were generously granted by Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Flanders (Belgium), Hungary, Japan, Norway, the Republic of Korea, Spain, the United Arab Emirates and the European Union.

We invite you to explore and appreciate over 200 practices and expressions of intangible heritage already inscribed on the Lists of the Convention to learn more about the richness of this heritage and the importance it plays in our daily lives. Among them you will find, The Mongol Biyelgee: Mongolian traditional folk dance, The Sbek Thom, Khmer Shadow Theatre of Cambodia and The Mask Dance of the Drums from Drametse, Bhutan.