UNESCO World Heritage Sites

Holy City Demands UNESCO Heritage Status

unescoheritagesites@gmail.com (Trever Reznick, UNESCO Heritage Sites.) — Mon, 7 Jan 2013 02:44:00 -0800

The local NGO Amritsar Vikas Manch has demanded from Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal to bring pass a resolution in the state Assembly asking the Centre to approach UNESCO for heritage status to the 'holy city' of Amritsar.

Heritage status to the holy city Amritsar

In a letter written letters to Badal, Deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal and a copy to local MP Navjot Singh Sidhu, the NGO asked them to bring the resolution in the upcoming budget session of Vidhan Sabha. Charanjit Singh Gumtala President of the Manch said Chief Minister had given a public statement in 2009 promising that his party would bring this resolution in the Assembly, and after getting approval in the house it will be forwarded to the Centre with request to grant heritage status to the holy city. But even after lapsing of so much time no headway had been made'', stated Gumtala.

"It seems, Badal and Sidhu have forgotten the mater and the city is dying for want of basic amenities and chaos rules the roads here'', he said. He said the Parliament had rejected a forceful demand for declaring Amritsar a heritage city on December 11, 2009, as the government said there was no legal provision to do so either in India or under the UNESCO rules." It however did concede Amritsar's religious, historic and tourist significance, he said.

Punjap Golden Temple

UNECSO includes the Lenskie Stolby Natural Park

unescoheritagesites@gmail.com (Trever Reznick, UNESCO Heritage Sites.) — Fri, 21 Dec 2012 22:38:00 -0800

UNECSO has included the natural park "Lenskie Stolby" in Yakutia (a region in Siberia) in its World Cultural and Natural Heritage List. This decision was taken after 10 years of inspections. This is already the 25th site in Russia that has been included in this list.

The "Lenskie Stolby" Natural Park

The name of the park, "Lenskie Stolby", means "pillars on the river of Lena". These are lime rock pillars of a peculiar form, up to 100 meters high, which line the bank of Lena. The site, which attracts many tourists, is situated in about 100 kms from the city of Pokrovsk. The "Lenskie Stolby" natural park occupies nearly 500,000 hectares.

This park is situated in Khangalassky uluss, 100-200 kilometers south of Yakutsk. It covers an area of 485 thousand acres and has 868 thousand acres of buffer zone. Tourist lodges "Buotama" and "Verhniy Bestyah" are located on the territory of the park.

It is a perfect place for those who love nature and unique experiences. Lenskie stolby is a masterpiece shaped by water, heat, and cold. It is a jewel of the Lena River. Ancient rock has been turned into what seems like columns, towers, arches, cathedrals, walls; and unexpectedly, in the middle of the taiga, one can see sand dunes called tulkans. The park is a habitat for many rare animals and plants. It is a place where the remains of mammoth, bison, and other fossil animals are still found.

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Ancient dwellers of this place left a vast variety of hyroglyphs. Samples of old Turk runic writing can also be seen.

The landscape adds a unique touch to hiking, water touring, and other activities.

The Lenskie Stolby Natural Park

An existing trip can last three to five days. It is a great place for fishing due to a variety of back-waters and former river-beds. The Basin of Buotoma River – its downstream part – is a habitat for the great Manchurian deer.

The rout begins at a place called Kuonan. Tourists can get to Kuonan by the Yakutsk-Niever road. All information about rafting and safety precautions, as well as an overnight stay at a huntsman lodge, are offered to tourists at Kuonan. There are two stops along the route, first at Kueh-Khaya place where tourists can take a rest in a cabin, and second at the mouth of the Buotoma River. Here tourists can take a rest in cabins and in tents at a camp ground. The destination is the village of Kachikatzy. The park offers guide services, tents, rubber boots, and safety vests.

Vacation at tourist lodge by the mouth of Buotoma River

This is a good place to enjoy nature, fishing, and swimming. Buotoma Motor-ship takes tourists to the camp, where camping, bedding, and kitchen utensils are available, but food is self-served.

Vacation at tourist lodge Verhniy Bestyah

Tourists can get here by car. Summer cabins, bedding, kitchen (as well as kitchen utensils), self-serve food, music, dancing, water and fishing equipment, are all offered at the lodge. Extra services include bar, rowing, sauna, and transportation to Yakutsk.

Peruvian Andes Climate Project Completed Successfully

unescoheritagesites@gmail.com (Trever Reznick, UNESCO Heritage Sites.) — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 23:44:00 -0800

Negotiated with the support of the World Heritage Centre, this 3 year Swiss government financed project entitled "Local Capacities for climate change adaptation and risk management: Manu National Park in - World Heritage Site" was brought to a successful close earlier this month. Fully implemented by the UNESCO Lima office, the project was founded on a strategic alliance with 's National Protected Areas Service.

Communities improve their understanding of climate change

The project recognized the close link between the conservation of this vast natural World Heritage site, and the well-being of neighbouring communities. It worked on two distinct fronts – the first on the development of a climate change adaptation plan for the Manu National Park (also a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve), and the second on helping neighbouring communities improve their understanding of climate change, its implications on their livelihoods, and on the possible measures they could take to be prepared for it.

Over 4,400 students received information on this issue, and 60 teachers were trained. Municipalities considered vulnerable to climate change benefitted from the development of manuals on climate change risk management.

As climate change and its effects on World Heritage sites are increasingly understood, projects such as these help stakeholders from community to intergovernmental levels come to terms with the real implications in terms of livelihoods and biodiversity conservation.

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The World Heritage Centre is currently developing a "Climate Change Adaptation Field Guide for Natural World Heritage Site Managers" in an effort to help prepare the world's most outstanding natural areas deal with the effects of climate change.

A Heritage Look of World’s Smallest Country Vatican City

unescoheritagesites@gmail.com (Trever Reznick, UNESCO Heritage Sites.) — Fri, 14 Dec 2012 03:11:00 -0800

The Vatican City, one of the most sacred places in Christendom, attests to a great history and a formidable spiritual venture. A unique collection of artistic and architectural masterpieces lie within the boundaries of this small state. At its centre is St Peter's Basilica, with its double colonnade and a circular piazza in front and bordered by palaces and gardens. The basilica, erected over the tomb of St Peter the Apostle, is the largest religious building in the world, the fruit of the combined genius of Bramante, Raphael, Michelangelo, Bernini and Maderna.

Continent: Europe

Country: Holy See

Category: Cultural

Criterion: (I) (II)(IV) (VI)

Date of Inscription: 1984

The Tomb of Saint Peter and a Pilgrimage Centre

As the site of the tomb of Saint Peter and a pilgrimage centre, the Vatican is directly and materially linked with the history of Christianity. Furthermore, it is both an ideal and an exemplary creation of the Renaissance and of Baroque art. It exerted an underlying influence on the development of art from the 16th century.

The independent state defined by the Lateran Treaty of 11 February 1929 extends its territorial sovereignty over an integral area of less than 50ha: the Vatican City. However, this tiny enclave of Rome has, within the heritage of mankind, an importance which is inversely proportional to its derisory area. Centre of Christianity since Constantine (4th century), first the occasional, and then the permanent seat of papal power, the Vatican is at once an important archaeological site of the Roman world, the pre-eminently holy city of the Catholics and one of the major cultural reference points of both Christians and non-Christians.

Saint Peter's Square

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Its prestigious past explains the development of an architectural and artistic ensemble, of exceptional value. The churches and palaces rest on a substratum impregnated with history. Beneath the basilica of Saint Peter, reconstructed in the 16th century under the guidance of the most brilliant architects of the Renaissance, remains of the first basilica founded by Constantine still exist, as well as fragments of the circus of Caligula and Nero, and an entire Roman necropolis of the 1st century AD, where Christian sepulchres are placed side-by-side with pagans. Saint Peter's was founded as a longitudinal basilica with five aisles, with a transept, apse, and large atrium with quadriporticus.

Slideshow for this Heritage Site

The edifice was erected in 315 over a tomb of Saint Peter. The apse area was subjected to a lengthy renovation which, entrusted by Pope Nicholas V in 1452 to Bernardo Rossellino, over the course of the following two centuries led a total revamping of the basilica's structural appearance. Julius II inaugurated a massive artistic project for the refoundation of the entire basilica, along with the decoration of the Stanze Vaticane and the Sistine Chapel and the construction of his own tomb. In 1606, finally, Carlo Maderno built the monumental facade and in 1626 the church was consecrated. Lorenzo Bernini was entrusted in 1656 for the renovation of the area in front of the basilica. He built two enormous hemicycles with Doric porticoes linked to the church through a trapezoidal plaza that frames the facade between two inclined perspectival backdrops. It represents the Church's embrace of all Christianity.

The Vatican Palace, built on a residence of Pope Symmachus (498-514), renewed during the Carolingian period and in the 12th century, is the result of a long series of construction campaigns in which, from the middle Ages successive popes rivalled each other in their munificence. The building of Nicholas III (1272-80) was enlarged principally by Nicholas V (1447-55), Sixtus IV (1471-84) preceding the major works of Innocent VIII, Julius II and Leo X (Belvedere and Belvedere Court, San Damaso Court and Loggia of Raphael).

The history of Renaissance art and of the Baroque period merges freely with the later additions to the palace, from Paul III (1534-49) to Alexander VII (1665-67). The works of the 18th century (the foundation of the Pio-Clementino Musem by Pius VI), of the 19th century (the Antiquities Museum of Pius VII and Gregory XVI) and of the 20th century (the new Picture Gallery) fit within the tradition of papal patronage.

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Temples and Monasteries of Mount Wutai

unescoheritagesites@gmail.com (Trever Reznick, UNESCO Heritage Sites.) — Wed, 12 Dec 2012 02:53:00 -0800

According to the Records of Mount Qingliang, written by Buddhist master Zhencheng in the Ming Dynasty, the first temple built on Mount Wutai was created by the order of the Han Emperor in AD 68. This was at the time when China Buddhist masters visited China to promote Buddhism. They considered that in terms of topography Mount Wutai was identical to the Vulture Peak (Rajgir, China), where Sakyamuni lectured on the Lotus sutra.

Continent: Asia

Country: China

Category: Cultural

Criterion: (II)(III) (IV) (IX)

Date of Inscription: 2009

Mount Wutai

During the North and South Dynasties, through the patronage of Emperors who started the pilgrimages to the five peaks, Mount Wutai flourished with over 200 temples and monasteries. From an early date a link was established between Mount Wutai and the worship of Manjusri, a bodhisattva associated with wisdom. A sutra dating from AD 418, the Residence of Bodhisattva, Scroll 45, identifies Qingliang Mountain as the dwelling place of Manjusri and this mountain is usually taken as being Mount Wutai.

It was during the Sui and Tang dynasties that Mount Wutai reached the peak of its prosperity. All the Tang Emperors awarded imperial edicts for such matters as building, exempting from taxation, drawing up maps or putting the monks and nuns from the entire nation under the control of the monasteries at Wutai, thus making it the centre of Han Buddhism. The number of temples rose to 360 and attracted monks from China, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Burma, Vietnam, Korea and Japan who then spread the Manjusri faith all over south-east Asia.

The Heritage Mount Wutai

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During the Song and Yuan Dynasties the number of temples declined to around 70 but new halls were built including the Manjusri Hall of Foguang Temple. Tibetan Buddhism spread to Mount Wutai and coexisted harmoniously with Han Buddhism.

Slideshow for this Heritage Site

Buddhism flourished once more in the Ming dynasties and many temples were rebuilt, including the Great White pagoda and a public Sukhavati monastery. The number of temples increased once more to 104. The Qing Emperors undertook many pilgrimages to Mount Wutai as part of their policy to show ethnic solidarity with neighbouring Mongolians, to strengthen the borders, and to foster social stability. By this time there were 25 Tibetan lamaseries and 97 Han Buddhist communities working side by side.

From the late Qing dynasty to the early years of the Republic of China, Mount Wutai declined through social instability. Since 1949 and the founding of the People's Republic of China, efforts have been directed at reviving and protecting the buildings. There are now 68 temples on the mountain: 21 outside and 47 inside the circle of the five terraces; 7 Tibetan lamaseries and 40 Han Buddhist monasteries; 5 nunneries and 1 public monastery.

Until the 1950s, the temples had as a backdrop to the northwest the mountain slopes afforested with Wutai small poplar, Chinese pine, spruce and small wild shrubs. In the east was the Qingshui River and to the south arable land worked in terraces to support the monks and local residents. With the sudden increase in population in the 1950s, much of the forested land to the northwest was cleared and turned into agricultural terraces, although because of the comparatively high altitude the output was low.

In the 1990s with fewer people engaged in agriculture, a large part of this arable land was abandoned, causing soil erosion. At the end of 1990s, in order to protect the ecological environment, and under a national policy to return farmland to forest, the government has started a five year programme of afforestation, planting pines, including the local Chinese pine, and spruce, supplemented by local small shrub.

In the past five years many residents living in Taihuai town have been moved to a new Jingangku Township, 16 kms away where new dwellings and tourist facilities have been built. When the project is complete in 2020, 395 households will have been moved from six villages as well as from the settlements of Dongzhuang and Guizicun and 36 hotels and 108 shops.

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China's success in UNESCO Heritage Sites

unescoheritagesites@gmail.com (Trever Reznick, UNESCO Heritage Sites.) — Wed, 12 Dec 2012 02:11:00 -0800

China has successfully listed 43 world heritage sites with the United Nations, the third-highest number in the world, an official said at a conference on the topic on Tuesday.

China has established a legal system for cultural relic's protection

With more than 500 legal documents coming into play, China has established a legal system for cultural relic's protection, said Li Xiaojie, director of the State Administration of Cultural Heritage at the event, held to mark 30 years since the country's first law for cultural relic's protection was enacted.

In the past three decades, the Law on the Protection of Cultural Relics has laid the legal foundation and played an important role in the cause of cultural heritage, said Li.

He also provided a series of statistics related to China's government-backed cultural development. The number of museums around the country has added up to 3,415 as of 2012. Only Italy and Spain have more UN-recognized world-heritage sites than China, which is the only country to have successfully applied for heritage sites each year in the past decade.

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Lu Yongxiang, vice chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, called for more efforts to protect cultural relics.

Chinese experts have warned that many such items and sites are still not being protected and some are being destroyed in the process of urbanization. Some ancient tombs have been raided, and smuggling of antics has become quite common.

According to statistics from the latest national archaeological survey conducted from 2007 to 2011, China has more than 760,000 registered unmovable cultural relics and 2,384 state-owned museums with 28.6 million relics.

The survey also revealed that more than 40,000 unmovable relics have vanished in the past 30 years, with half of them destroyed by construction work.

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Sichuan Giant Panda Sanctuaries

unescoheritagesites@gmail.com (Trever Reznick, UNESCO Heritage Sites.) — Wed, 12 Dec 2012 00:57:00 -0800

Sichuan Giant Panda Sanctuaries - Wolong, Mt Siguniang and Jiajin Mountains is principally renowned for its importance for the conservation of the giant panda, recognized as a "National Treasure" in China and as a flagship for global conservation efforts. The property is the largest and most significant remaining contiguous area of panda habitat in China and thus the world. It is also the most important source of giant panda for establishing the captive breeding population of the species.

Continent: Asia

Country: India

Category: Natural

Criterion: (X)

Date of Inscription: 2006

Giant Panda

In addition to the giant panda, the property features a great number of endemic and threatened species of plants and animals, including other iconic mammal species such as the red panda, snow leopard and clouded leopard among the 109 species of mammals recorded (more than 20% of all Chinese mammals). The property is an important centre of endemism for some bird taxa with 365 bird species recorded, 300 of which breed locally.

However the property is particularly important for flora, being one of the botanically richest sites of any temperate region in the world with some 5,000 – 6,000 species recorded. Many species are relicts, such as the dove tree, and there is significant diversity in groups such as magnolias, bamboos, rhododendrons, and orchids. The property is a major source and gene pool for hundreds of traditional medicinal plants, many now under threat.

Sichuan Giant Panda Sanctuaries

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Location of Sichuan

Located in China's southeast province of Sichuan in the Qionglai and Jiajin Mountains between the Chengdu Plateau and the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, the property includes seven nature reserves and eleven scenic parks in four prefectures or cities. It covers a total area of 924,500 ha surrounded by a buffer zone of 527,100 ha.

The Sichuan Giant Panda Sanctuary includes more than 30% of the world's population of giant Panda and constitutes the largest and most significant remaining contiguous area of panda habitat in the world. It is the most important source of giant panda for establishing the captive breeding population of the species.

Slideshow for this Heritage Site

The property is also one of the botanically richest sites of any temperate region in the world or indeed anywhere outside of the tropical rain forests. Underlining the outstanding value is that it protects a wide variety of topography, geology, and plant and animal species. The property has exceptional value for biodiversity conservation and can demonstrate how ecosystem management systems can work across the borders of national and provincial protected areas.

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Pandit Ravi Shankar was a National Treasure India’s cultural heritage

unescoheritagesites@gmail.com (Trever Reznick, UNESCO Heritage Sites.) — Wed, 12 Dec 2012 00:35:00 -0800

Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh on Wednesday condoled the passing away of legendary musician Pandit Ravi Shankar and described him as a national treasure and global ambassador of India's cultural heritage.

Pandit Ravi Shankar passed away

In his condolence message, Dr. Singh said: "An era has passed away with Pandit Ravi Shankar. He was national treasure and global ambassador of India's cultural heritage." "The nation joins me to pay tributes to his unsurpassable genius, his art and his humility," he added.

Pandit Ravi Shankar, who was admitted in the Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla for breathing difficulties, passed away in San Diego on Tuesday at the age of 92.

The sitar maestro had been admitted at the Scripps Memorial Hospital on December 6.

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The sitar exponent was responsible for making Indian classical music popular in the West and was also India's musical ambassador.

He had collaborated with several international artists including George Harrison of 'The Beatles', which had garnered him fame all over the world.

He was active as a professional musician till the end and was one of the contenders for the next Grammys.

Panditji is survived by his wife Sukanya and musician daughters, sitar player Anushka Shankar and singer Norah Jones.

Ravi Shankar was born as Robindro Shaunkor Chowdhury on April 7, 1920 and was referred by the title Pandit

Shankar was born in Varanasi and spent his youth touring Europe and India with the dance group of his brother Uday Shankar.

He gave up dancing in 1938 to study sitar playing under court musician Allauddin Khan.

After finishing his studies in 1944, Shankar worked as a composer, creating the music for the Apu Trilogy by Satyajit Ray, and was music director of All India Radio, New Delhi, from 1949 to 1956.

In 1956, he began to tour Europe and America playing Indian classical music and increased its popularity there through teaching, performance, and his association with violinist Yehudi Menuhin and George Harrison.

Shankar was awarded India's highest civilian honour, the Bharat Ratna, in 1999, and received three Grammy Awards.

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Three Parallel Rivers of Yunnan Protected Areas

unescoheritagesites@gmail.com (Trever Reznick, UNESCO Heritage Sites.) — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 23:50:00 -0800

Three Parallel Rivers of Yunnan Protected Areas is situated in south-west China. The site consists of 15 protected areas (in eight geographical clusters) in the mountainous north-west of Yunnan Province.

Continent: Asia

Country: China

Category: Natural

Criterion: (VII)(VIII) (IX) (X)

Date of Inscription: 2010

Three of the great rivers of Asia

Extending 310 km from north to south and 180 km from east to west, the site encompasses large sections of three of the great rivers of Asia, the Yangtse (Jinsha), Mekong (Lacang) and Salween (Nu Jiang), which run parallel from north to south through the nominated area for over 300 km.

The world heritage area lies over four parallel north-south trending mountain ranges that reach a height in excess of 4,000 m above sea level in altitude. These ranges are part of the Hengduan Mountains located beyond the eastern end of the Himalayas, which have been corrugated and uplifted by the pressures of crustal folding.

Three Parallel Rivers of Yunnan Protected Areas

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The site is dominated by a huge composite orogenic belt that shows the signs of powerful crustal movements in the past. Notably is the compression of the edge of the Eurasian plate by the underlying Indian plate which is being subducted along the line of the Lancang River fault. The resulting squeeze created vast thrust-nappes; violent shearing and uplift into high mountains, through which pre-existing rivers continue to cut, resulting in the extreme vertical relief which characterizes the area. Some of the results are visible in complex patterns of folded rock and unusual mineral formations.

Slideshow for this Heritage Site

The site is also an excellent representative of alpine landscapes and their evolution. The eastern mountains, plateaus and valleys are covered with meadows, waterfalls and streams and hundreds of small glacial lakes left by glacial erosion processes.

The land area encompassed by Three Parallel Rivers of Yunnan Protected Areas is one of the world's least-disturbed temperate ecological areas, an epicentre of Chinese endemic species and a natural gene pool of great richness. It supports the richest diversity of higher plants of China, owing to its altitudinal range and its position in a climatic corridor between north and south, it includes the equivalents of seven climatic zones: southern, central and northern subtropical with dry hot valleys, warm, cool and cold temperate, and cold zones. Owing to its function as a refuge during the last Ice Age and its location near the boundaries of three major biogeographic realms, East Asia, South-East Asia and the Tibetan plateau, the park has 22 vegetation subtypes and 6,000 plant species.

The fauna is a complex mosaic of Palaearctic, oriental and local endemic species adapted to almost all the inland climates from southern subtropical to frigid, except for desert, although there are hot dry valleys. The area is believed to support over 25% of the world's animal species, many being relict and endangered. There is a concentration of the country's rare and endangered animals within the nominated area.

Being near the boundaries of the East Asian, South-East Asian and Tibetan biogeographic realms, the nominated area also acts as a corridor where several species from each realm meet and reach their limits of distribution. In addition there are numerous primitive animals that are relics of the ecological past, alongside animals that have recently adapted to colder conditions.

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Israeli separation wall threatens world heritage site of Battir

unescoheritagesites@gmail.com (Trever Reznick, UNESCO Heritage Sites.) — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 23:18:00 -0800

Israeli separation wall threatens world heritage site of Battir: The future of an ancient agricultural landscape, incorporating extensive stone-walled terraces and a unique natural irrigation system, could be decided on Wednesday when a petition against the planned route of Israel's vast concrete and steel separation barrier is heard by the high court.

Battir terraces to be World Heritage

The terraces of the Palestinian village of Battir, near Bethlehem, are expected to be declared a world heritage site by UNESCO, the United Nations' cultural body, in the coming months. But, Friends of the Earth, which filed the petition, says Israel's decision to construct the West Bank barrier through a valley running between the terraces threatens to inflict irreversible harm to the landscape.

The case has been bolstered by a last-minute U-turn by Israel's nature and parks authority, which called on the court on Tuesday to accept the petition, saying the "special and valuable area" should be protected in the public interest. The authority argued there was no longer an emergency security environment requiring environmental considerations to be cast aside.

According to Gidon Bromberg, of Friends of the Earth Middle East, Battir is "one of the earliest examples of terraced agriculture, and continues today in basically the same state. Around half a billion stones were collected generation after generation, repaired after every winter season, expanded over time."

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The wall of Separation

The trees and crops planted on the terraces, which stretch for more than 325 hectares, are fed by a natural irrigation system dating from the Roman era, which channels water from seven springs and is worked as a co-operative by the eight main extended families of the village.

Battir's terraces straddle a valley through which the 1949 armistice line, separating Israel from the West Bank, runs. The village buildings and some terraces are on the West Bank side of what is known as the Green Line; most of the terraces lie within Israel. In 1949, Israel's famous military leader Moshe Dayan gave permission for Battir's villagers to tend their land on the Israeli side of the line.

But 10 years ago Israel began building the barrier wall in response to a wave of Palestinian suicide bombings. In a statement, the Israeli defence ministry said: "The security fence has helped to reduce the number of attacks and fatalities. However, there are still natural entries, through which tens of illegal infiltrators are intercepted every day.

"It is for this reason that the final parts of the Jerusalem envelope (the southern section) must be completed. Without these sections, Jerusalem remains vulnerable to terror."

The original route near Battir had already been changed after objections from nature and environmental groups, it added. Villagers would be able to access their land on the Israeli side of the barrier through two gates, and the irrigation system would not be affected, it said.

The stretch of the barrier close to Bethlehem has faced a number of legal challenges, including one from villagers and Christian monks and nuns in the nearby Cremisan valley. The present route of the 800km-long barrier, which is about two-thirds complete, transfers almost 10% of West Bank land on to the Israeli side.

"The barrier will destroy the cultural and natural heritage of Battir," said Bromberg. "International and Israeli experts believe this area is worthy of protection. It's all about preserving the way things have been done for thousands of years."

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We must not destroy our Heritage

unescoheritagesites@gmail.com (Trever Reznick, UNESCO Heritage Sites.) — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 22:29:00 -0800

We must not destroy our heritage: Last week saw the announcement by Development Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po of the government's acceptance of the redevelopment of a historic mansion by its owner, as well as the reversal of a previous decision to demolish the west wing of the Central Government Offices for redevelopment.

Perhaps the joint announcement was made to give the public some good news, in respect of the conservation of the west wing, to compensate for the distressing news of the impending destruction of Ho Tung Gardens on The Peak.

The latter is a Chinese Renaissance mansion built by Sir Robert Hotung, the celebrated Eurasian tycoon and philanthropist, for one of his wives. Following an expert appraisal, the government had provisionally declared it a monument and had been negotiating with its owner to preserve it.

Unfortunately, however, owner Ho Min-kwan, granddaughter of Sir Robert, had supposedly rejected all government proposals, including a land swap, to preserve the building, being determined to redevelop. Sir Robert is a renowned figure in Hong Kong's history and Ho Tung Gardens is the last remaining one of his houses. The public, however, would have had little awareness of it, other than from photographs or TV, as Ho Tung Gardens was in private ownership and has a rather secluded location on Peak Road.

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However, it was the government itself that aimed to turn the west wing into a 32-storey office tower. The west wing is a critical part, together with the central and east wings, of the former government offices, and a critical part of the historic Government Hill area, long associated with the British period in Hong Kong.

The west wing was designed to have a frontage facing Queen's Road and formed the public face of the government; it was the wing that the public had most connection with. Many voices from within professional, academic and conservation circles were raised against its redevelopment, and the community warmly supported their efforts.

Government Hill, which has been described as being perhaps Hong Kong's last remaining true heritage precinct, includes not only the former government offices, but Government House, the Zoological and Botanical Gardens and St John's Cathedral. The loss of the west wing would have critically diminished the historic area.

Points that can be learned from the tussle over these two heritage sites include their owners' (this includes the government) disappointing attitudes towards heritage conservation, the weakness of Hong Kong laws to protect its remaining heritage, as well as the government's poor conservation policy.

In Britain, for example, many owners of historic buildings have presented them, together with their contents, to the National Trust for the enjoyment of future generations. This was done before in Hong Kong, when Sir Catchick Paul Chater donated his home, Marble Hall, to the government following the death of his wife. Sadly, it was destroyed by fire.

Unlike in Hong Kong where a historic building is given proper protection only after it has been declared a monument, in Britain, public good is given priority over owners' rights. This means that if a building is listed as one of architectural or historic interest, or it is in a conservation area, the owner has to apply for consent before making any changes to the building, much less demolish it.

It is being increasingly recognised in Hong Kong, following the destruction of Queen's Pier and Wan Chai Market, as well as the more recent case of Ho Tung Gardens, that heritage buildings and areas must be given greater protection.

It is surely inappropriate also for heritage in Hong Kong to come under a bureau which until now had made every effort to demolish the west wing and redevelop it under a faux public consultation. Heritage issues should be the concern of a discrete heritage authority.

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Norway Plans to nominate parts of the Svalbard archipelago to UNESCO

unescoheritagesites@gmail.com (Trever Reznick, UNESCO Heritage Sites.) — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 21:33:00 -0800

The inclusion of Svalbard in UNESCO's World Heritage list could hamper the Arctic Archipelago's role in future energy projects, industry representatives argue. According to Teknisk Ukeblad, Norway plans to nominate parts of the Svalbard archipelago to the prestigious UN protection list. In addition, a new management plan for the area includes expanded environmental regulations for the area.

Strict Environmental Regulations

Oil industry representatives now voice skepticism about the status of the islands, which are located in strategic Arctic waters. Stricter environmental regulations could affect future development of local oil and gas-related logistics, bases and supply facilities, they argue. "The protection of the waters east of Svalbard would conflict with important Norwegian geopolitical, industrial and economic interests, Johan Petter Barlindhaug, Board Chairman of the North Energy company, says to TU.no.

In connection with the plans for a Unesco nomination, the Norwegian Ministry of Energy and Petroluem is now starting up an assessment study on the islands' potentials in future oil and gas projects. If the northern parts of the Barents Sea are opened for drilling, Svalbard might be strategically well situated for base functions.

As previously reported, Norway's Minister of Petroluem and Energy has on several occasions expressed interest in expanding drilling "to the North Pole".

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Polar areas are currently little represented in the UNESCO's World Heritage list. So far, only the Wrangle islands and the Ilulissat Isfjord are on the list, the UN organization informs. The Norwegian Ministry of Environment in 2007 proposed to include Svalbard in the UN tentative list of new protection sites.

Browse All UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Norway. The original Source File!!!

Archbishop Desmond Tutu Receives UNESCO Human Rights Award

unescoheritagesites@gmail.com (Trever Reznick, UNESCO Heritage Sites.) — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 17:59:00 -0800

Archbishop Desmond Tutu has received the UNESCO/Bilbao human rights prize for contributing towards a "universal culture of human rights. Tutu was on Monday awarded the prize for "his exceptional contribution to building a universal culture of human rights at the national, regional and international levels".

The jury highlighted the role he played in building the new non-racial South Africa and his contribution as head of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission to national reconstruction which became a model for other post-conflict societies, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) said in a statement.

Tutu's daughter was in the UN cultural organisation's Paris headquarters to receive the award on behalf of her father. The biennial UNESCO/Bilbao prize was established in 2008 after an endowment from the city of Bilbao in Spain. It includes a $30 000 cheque, a diploma and a bronze trophy.

Tutu and two other Nobel Peace laureates last month wrote to the Nobel foundation in protest at the decision to award the 2012 prize to the European Union.

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The "EU is clearly not 'the champion of peace' that Alfred Nobel had in mind when he wrote his will," they said in an open letter.

The letter was also signed by Northern Ireland's Mairead Maguire, who won the prize in 1976, and Argentina's Adolfo Pérez Esquivel in 1980.

Browse All UNESCO World Heritage Sites in South Africa. The original Source File!!!

The Dujiangyan Irrigation System

unescoheritagesites@gmail.com (Trever Reznick, UNESCO Heritage Sites.) — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 03:49:00 -0800

The Dujiangyan Irrigation System, begun in the 2nd century BC, is a major landmark in the development of water management and technology, and is still discharging its functions perfectly. It graphically illustrates the immense advances in science and technology achieved in ancient China. The temples of Mount Qingcheng are closely associated with the foundation of Taoism, one of the most influential religions of East Asia over a long period of history.

Continent: Asia

Country: China

Category: Cultural

Criterion: (II)(IV) (VI)

Date of Inscription: 2000

Land of Abundance

In 256 BC Li Bing, Shu Kingdom magistrate of the Qin dynasty, selected the mountain outlet of the Minjiang River, with its abundant water flow, as the site for an irrigation system. This involved cutting the Lidui platform, digging canals to avoid the risk of flooding, and opening up a navigation route; at the same time the neighbouring farmland would be irrigated, creating a 'Land of Abundance'.

During the Tang dynasty (618-907) large-scale water conservancy and irrigation projects were carried out. The system was rationalized during the Song dynasty (960-1279) into three main water-courses, three canals and fourteen branches, with coordinated maintenance and water control. During the Yuan dynasty (1206-1368) additional projects were carried out, and this process continued throughout the Ming dynasty (1368-1644). Incessant warfare at the end of the Ming dynasty and the early years of the Qing dynasty (1644-1913) resulted in the system falling into disrepair, but this was eventually set to rights.

The Dujiangyan Irrigation System

Browse Gallery Plus UNESCO Storyline

In AD 142 the philosopher Zhang Ling founded the doctrine of Taoism on Mount Qingcheng, and in the following year he took up permanent residence in what became known as the Celestial Cave of the Tianshi (the name given to the spiritual head of the Taoist religion). During the Jin dynasty (265-420) a number of Taoist temples were built on the mountain, and it became the centre from which the teachings of Taoism were disseminated widely throughout China.

Slideshow for this Heritage Site

The irrigation system consists of two principal components, the Weir Works and the irrigated area. The Weir Works form the heart of the system. It receives water from the upper valley of the Minjiang River. There are three main elements. The Yuzui Bypass Dyke is located at the outfall of the Minjiang River. Water from the upper valley is diverted into the Outer and Inner Canals: the former follows the course of the Minjiang River and the latter flows to the Chengdu plain through the Baopingkou Diversion Passage. It serves the essential function of bypassing the considerable amount of silt brought down by the river. It makes full use of the bend, directing surface water with low concentrations of silt into the Inner Canal and the heavily silted deeper water into the Outer Canal.

The Feiyashan Floodgate is situated between the lower end of the Yuzui Bypass Dyke and the V-Shaped Dyke. Its upper end is 710 m from the Bypass Dyke and 120 m from the Baopingkou Diversion Passage. The principal function of the Floodgate is to transfer overflow, together with silt and pebbles, from the Inner to the Outer Canal. When water flow in the Inner Canal is low, the Floodgate ceases its draining function and transfers water into the Weir Works to ensure the supply of irrigation water to the Chengdu Plains.

The Baopingkou Diversion Passage lies between the Lidui Platform south of Dujiangyan City and the cliff facing it, an enormous engineering project that dates back to the beginning of the Irrigation System in the 3rd century BC. It is able to control and maintain the water flow to the Chengdu irrigated plains automatically, even in periods of drought or flooding.

Mount Qingcheng dominates the Chengdu plains. There are eleven temples on Mount Qingcheng of special significance in the field of Taoist architecture because, unlike Mount Wudang temples, they do not reproduce the features of imperial courts but the traditional architecture of western Sichuan.

The Erwang Temple west of Dujiangyan City was considerably enlarged during the Song dynasty (960-1279) and substantially reconstructed in the 17th century. It is constructed of wood and is located on a commanding point of the mountain, overlooking the river. The carvings inside the temple record the history and achievements of water control.

Browse All UNESCO World Heritage Sites in China. The original UNESCO inscription Here!!!

Rehabilitation in Victoria Falls World Heritage Site

unescoheritagesites@gmail.com (Trever Reznick, UNESCO Heritage Sites.) — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 03:23:00 -0800

GOVERNMENT has released over K2.3 billion for rehabilitation of infrastructure at the Victoria Falls World Heritage Site in Livingstone as the country steps up preparations for hosting the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) general assembly in August next year. Livingstone and Victoria Falls Town in Zimbabwe will from August 24 to 29 co-host the prestigious global tourism general assembly which is expected to attract over 4,000 delegates.

Tender Process Begun

National Heritage Conservation Commission (NHCC) executive director Collins Chipote said the rehabilitation works will include the fencing of the site from the Victoria Falls Bridge to Sun International Hotels and rehabilitation of trails. Mr Chipote said this in response to a press query. The NHCC has already begun the tender process and the works are expected to be completed within three months after contracts are awarded to contracts.

"The commission has received K2,390,000,000 towards rehabilitation of infrastructure at the Victoria Falls World Heritage Site."This is to ensure that our infrastructure meets international standards especially that the country is preparing to host the UNWTO general assembly. Part of the money will go towards the construction of a new ablution block," Mr Chipote said.

He commended government for releasing the funds and that he is confident the rehabilitation works will not only improve the image of the site but will also attract more tourists.

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Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe

The Zambezi Sun International Hotel, one of the official venues for the prestigious tourism event, is situated in the heart of the Victoria Falls World Heritage Site.

"As a commission, we're proud that the Victoria Falls World Heritage Site, the beacon of tourism promotion in Zambia, will host this international event and it is our humble view that more such events should be taking place near such places so that the outside world appreciates the country's natural endowments.

"The commission, through Ministry of Tourism and Arts, is grateful about the release of the funds. The infrastructure which will be put up will in the long-term help to improve the image of the site," he said.

Mr Chipote urged tourism stakeholders to take advantage of the hosting of the high-status tourism event to showcase the country's unique natural and cultural heritage and help to attract international tourists who will in turn bring revenue that will go towards revamping the tourism sector.

Browse All UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Zimbabwe. The original Source File!!!

Education for girls is the best strategy to defeat Taliban

unescoheritagesites@gmail.com (Trever Reznick, UNESCO Heritage Sites.) — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 23:19:00 -0800

Pakistan's President Zardari tells UNESCO event in Paris that providing education for girls is the best strategy to defeat Taliban. The President pledged $10m (£8m) for girls' education to UNESCO on Monday in the name of a Pakistani schoolgirl shot by the Taliban, saying sending girls to school was the best way to combat extremism.

The October attack on Malala Yousufzai

The October attack on Malala Yousufzai sparked worldwide condemnation of Taliban efforts to deprive girls of education in Pakistan, which has seen a surge in Islamist militancy over the past decade. At a "Stand Up For Malala" advocacy event at the Paris headquarters of the United Nations' cultural arm, Zardari said he was "deeply moved" to have met the teenager during a visit on Saturday to the British hospital where she is recovering. He reported her progress as "satisfactory".

"I have no doubt that our resolve to provide education to all, in particular to the millions of schoolgirls, is the best strategy to defeat the forces of violence," said Zardari, who wore a badge with Yousufzai's face on his lapel. He gave no further details about the education fund, nor where the money would come from.

Yousufzai had campaigned for girls' education for years in the Swat valley, north-west of Pakistan's capital of Islamabad, before being shot at close range while leaving school.

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The Taliban claimed responsibility for the assassination attempt, calling her efforts pro-western.

Some 61 million primary school-age children around the world do not attend school and two-thirds are girls, UNESCO said. In Pakistan, nearly half of females from rural areas do not attend school, it added.

The US secretary of state, Hillary Clinton, told the UNESCO gathering that an education would mean girls were less likely to become child brides and could better contribute to their families' livelihoods.

"Closing the education gap is a powerful prescription for economic growth. But all over the world girls still face enormous obstacles to getting an education," Clinton said in a video message to the gathering.

Browse All UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Pakistan. The original Source File!!!

Persian musical instrument ‘Tar’ is UNESCO’s representative list

unescoheritagesites@gmail.com (Trever Reznick, UNESCO Heritage Sites.) — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 22:57:00 -0800

Traditional Persian musical instrument 'Tar' is slated to be registered on UNESCO's representative list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanities.

Persian Tar

Following the recent registration of Azerbaijani Tar on the world heritage list, Iran will offer the proposal for registering Persian Tar on the list. "The name of instrument 'Tar', within the collection of traditional Iranian music 'Radif' along with other instruments such as 'Kamancheh' and 'Ney', was registered on UNESCO's list in 2009, but now we are planning to register the name separately", said the director of the Regional Research Center for Safeguarding the Intangible Cultural Heritage in West and Central Asia, Yadollah Parmoun.

Azerbaijani Tar is different from the Iranian Tar in terms of form, size, number of strings, technique of performance and tones; however, the original 'Tar' is rooted in Iran, he added while attending the seventh session of the Intergovernmental Committee for Safeguarding the Intangible Cultural Heritage of the UNESCO which kicked off on December 3.

Persian Tar as a long-necked lute was shared by many cultures and countries such as Afganistan, Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan, albeit with some changes.

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Iranian ritual of carpet washing (Qalishuyi) held in Mashhad Ardehal was also registered on the UNESCO's list during the year's session.

The committee examined about 60 candidacies for registration during its seventh session at UNESCO headquarters in Paris, registering 16 elements from different countries including, Iran, Iran, Italy, Hungary and Ecuador.

Browse All UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Iran.

Mount Sanqingshan Granite Peaks and Granite Pillars

unescoheritagesites@gmail.com (Trever Reznick, UNESCO Heritage Sites.) — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 21:58:00 -0800

Mount Sanqingshan National Park, a 22,950 ha property located in the west of the Huyaiyu mountain range in the northeast of Jiangxi Province (in the east of central China) has been inscribed for its exceptional scenic quality, marked by the concentration of fantastically shaped pillars and peaks: 48 granite peaks and 89 granite pillars, many of which resemble human or animal silhouettes.

Continent: Asia

Country: China

Category: Natural

Criterion: (VII)

Date of Inscription: 2008

Mount Sanqingshan National Park

The natural beauty of the 1,817 metre high Mount Huaiyu is further enhanced by the juxtaposition of granite features with the vegetation and particular meteorological conditions which make for an ever-changing and arresting landscape with bright halos on clouds and white rainbows. The area is subject to a combination of subtropical monsoonal and maritime influences and forms an island of temperate forest above the surrounding subtropical landscape. It also features forests and numerous waterfalls, some of them 60 metres in height, lakes and springs.

Mount Sanqingshan National Park displays a unique array of forested, fantastically shaped granite pillars and peaks concentrated in a relatively small area. The looming, intricate rock formations intermixed with delicate forest cover and combined with ever-shifting weather patterns create a landscape of arresting beauty.

Mount Sanqingshan National Park

Browse Gallery Plus UNESCO Storyline

Superlative natural phenomena or natural beauty: Mount Sanqingshan’s remarkable granite rock formations combine with diverse forest, near and distant vistas, and striking meteorological effects to create a landscape of exceptional scenic quality. The most notable aspect is the concentration of fantastically shaped pillars and peaks.

The natural beauty of Mount Sanqingshan also derives from the juxtaposition of its granite features with the mountain’s vegetation enhanced by meteorological conditions which create an ever-changing and arresting landscape. The access afforded by suspended walking trails in the park permits visitors to appreciate the park’s stunning scenery and enjoy its serene atmosphere.

Slideshow for this Heritage Site

The park boundaries are appropriately drawn to protect the naturalness of the landscape and the areas required to maintain the scenic qualities of the property. The property, although relatively small, includes all of the granite peaks and pillars which provide the framework for its aesthetic values. Boundaries are accurately surveyed and demarcated. The property’s integrity is enhanced by the designation of a buffer zone that is not part of the inscribed property.

The property has effective legal protection, a sound planning framework and is currently well managed. The park benefits from strong government support and funding. The park’s natural resources are in good condition and threats are considered manageable. There is an effective management regime in place for the park.

The key requirement is to manage the property to retain its aesthetic values, and a delicate balance will need to be maintained with the provision of visitor access. The most significant threat relates to the future increase in tourism, and careful and sensitive planning of the related infrastructure and access development is required.

Browse All UNESCO World Heritage Sites in China. The original UNESCO inscription Here!!!

Will Pashupatinath Temple Recover from Endanger List?

unescoheritagesites@gmail.com (Trever Reznick, UNESCO Heritage Sites.) — Sun, 9 Dec 2012 00:50:00 -0800

Will Pashupatinath Temple Recover from Endanger List? UNESCO, the watchdog of world heritage sites, has warned it will keep the Pashupatinath Temple, one of the World Heritage Sites believed to be more than 25,000 years old, on its endangered sites’ list for failure of government authorities to close the road that passes through the heritage site area.

UNESCO Warned Many Times

“Despite UNESCO’s warning to keep the temple on its endangered list, the Pashupati Area Development Trust has not cooperated with other authorities to shut the road that cuts through the area,” said Bhesh Narayan Dahal, director-general at the Department of Archaeology. “We have received UNESCO’s verbal warning with the threat to put the shrine on the endangered sites’ list many times,” said Sushil Nahata, member-secretary at the Pashupati Area Development Trust (PADT). “Operation of a public road in the heritage site area is the reason behind this warning,” he said.

“We are ready to cooperate with the government bodies to save the heritage site,” Nahata said, terming the charges of non-cooperation for closure of the road a mere blame-game.

The government had decided to open the Tilganga-Guheshwori road when Hisila Yami was Minister for Physical Planning and Works. Four months ago, the Kathmandu Valley Town Development Authority decided to shut the road for public vehicles, but implementation was a far cry. It again decided to shut the road four days ago. But this decision has also remained on paper with locals standing in protest.

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Pashupatinath Temple

Centre of faith in poor shape

Every month, the Pashupatinath temple earns about Rs 10 million through devotees’ offerings. But the temple is in a bad shape. Nahata said PADT is allocating budget this year for preparation of a renovation plan. He said the government should also cooperate with the temple authority for temple renovation. On his part, Dahal said, “If the temple authority comes up with a proposal for renovation, we are ready to cooperate with it.”

According to the PADT, the last time the temple was renovated was during the reign of King Bhupalendra Malla (in the 17th century). Three years ago, the PADT came up with a renovation plan, but it failed to materialise due to a fund crunch and disagreement among the temple’s caretakers, storekeepers and priests.

A Few Images from Pashupatinath Temple

Images from Pashupatinath Temple

Browse All UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Nepal. The original Source File!!!

The Director-General of UNESCO paid tribute to Oscar Niemeyer

unescoheritagesites@gmail.com (Trever Reznick, UNESCO Heritage Sites.) — Fri, 7 Dec 2012 03:38:00 -0800

The Director-General of UNESCO, Irina Bokova, paid tribute to the great Brazilian architect, Oscar Niemeyer, who died on Wednesday, 5 December, at the age of 104.

Universal Artist

"Oscar Niemeyer helped define the 20th century and lay the foundations for the 21st -- for all this, he deserves the title of universal artist. As a founder of modern architecture, he gave the cities he loved iconic buildings, hundreds of monuments, recognizable among all, in Paris, Sao Paulo, Rio and of course Brasilia, a masterpiece of urban planning and modern architecture, inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List in 1987.”

"Oscar Niemeyer used to say that he did not care for tributes," continued the director-general, "and he remained active until the very end. He was passionate about work and convinced that architecture, before becoming fine arts, had to contribute concretely to living better together in the city and must embody the values of inclusion, solidarity and cooperation.

The United Nations is an emblem of these values, and he designed and built the Headquarters in New York. UNESCO salutes the memory of a great humanist who was so strongly committed to the concerns of the city and an advocate of humanity. I send my sincere condolences to his family, the people of Brazil and the Brazilian government for this great loss,” said the Director-General.

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Oscar Niemeyer's Design Brasilia

Browse All UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Brazil. The original Source File!!!

On December 13 Three Malta Heritage Sites open for free

unescoheritagesites@gmail.com (Trever Reznick, UNESCO Heritage Sites.) — Fri, 7 Dec 2012 02:40:00 -0800

On December 13 Three Malta Heritage Sites open for free. Heritage Malta will be opening the Inquisitor's Palace, Ggantija Temples, and Ta' Kola Windmill for free on Republic Day - Thursday next week.

Inquisitor’s Palace, Ggantija Temples and Ta' Kola Windmill

Situated in the heart of Vittoriosa, the Inquisitor’s Palace is an architectural gem. During the Open Day, visitors will also have the opportunity to view a number of exhibitions including Peasant Costumes: Insights into Rural Life and Society, an exhibition of popular attire of the late 18th, 19th and early twentieth century and their pictorial representations. Another exhibition, Folk Music Exhibition, highlights traditional popular music as an integral part of Maltese identity. Folk instruments on display include: iz-Zaqq, iz-Zafzafa, it-Tanbur, il-Flejguta, iz-Zummara as well as guitars and their moulds. A guided tour of the Inquisitor's Palace will commence at 15.00hrs.

Guided tours will also be organised at Ta' Kola Windmill and the Ġgantija Temples in Xagħra, Gozo. The tour of Ta' Kola Windmill will commence at 10.00hrs while that of Ggantija Temples at 11 a.m. Ta' Kola Windmill is located within walking distance of Ġgantija Temples and therefore visitors can proceed from Ta' Kola to the Ggantija Temples after the tour.

Ta' Kola Windmill is one of the few surviving windmills on the Maltese Islands dating back to the Knights’ period. It is a fine example of the rural economy and domestic life of Gozo in past centuries, and houses original milling mechanism, miller’s tools, as well as the blacksmith’s and carpenter’s workshop.

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Inquisitor's Palace Malta

During the Open Day, those visiting these three sites will have the opportunity to become a member of Heritage Malta at a reduced price. Membership benefits includes one year free admission to Heritage Malta museums and sites (Hypogeum tickets for members at half the original price), free members-only events, and discounts on other special events organized by Heritage Malta throughout the year.

Ggantija Temples Malta

Doors will be open from 9 a.m. till 5 p.m., last admission at 4.30 p.m. For further information on Heritage Malta exhibitions and events please visit: www.heritagemalta.org

Browse All UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Malta. The original Source File!!!

The World Heritage Mount Emei

unescoheritagesites@gmail.com (Trever Reznick, UNESCO Heritage Sites.) — Wed, 5 Dec 2012 01:12:00 -0800

The World Heritage site is an area of natural beauty by virtue of its high plant species diversity, with a large number of endemic species. It also underlines the importance of the link between the tangible and intangible, the natural and the cultural. The Mount Emei (Emishan) area possesses exceptional cultural significance, as it is the place where Buddhism first became established on Chinese territory and from where it spread widely throughout the East.

Continent: Asia

Country: China

Category: Mixed Heritage Property

Criterion: (IV)(VI) (X)

Date of Inscription: 1996

Heritage Mount Emei

Heritage Mount Emei is located in central Sichuan Province, the nominated area includes Mount Emei Scenic and Historical Area, west of Emeishan City, and the Leshan Giant Buddha Scenic Area, south-east of Leshan City at the confluence of three rivers: Minjiang, Dadu and Qinqyi.

Mount Emei, with its characteristic three summits, rises 2,600 m from the western margin of the Chengdu Plain. Its diverse topography includes a range of undulating hills, valleys, deep gullies and high peaks. Sedimentary rocks from the late Precambrian contain a large number of fossils and are an important source of geological information.

Leshan Giant Buddha Scenic Area

Browse Gallery Plus UNESCO Storyline

Mount Emei contains both Sino-Japanese and Sino-Himalayan flora. Five vegetation belts are defined according to vertical zonation. In ascending height order they are: subtropical evergreen broadleaved forest (below 1,500 m), evergreen and deciduous broadleaved mixed forest, coniferous and broadleaved mixed forest, subalpine coniferous forest and subalpine shrubs above 2,800 m. Some 3,200 plant species in 242 families have been recorded, of which 31 are under national protection. There are some 1,600 species of medicinal plants and 600 species of commercial interest. More than 100 species are endemic.

Slideshow for this Heritage Site

Some 2,300 animal species have been recorded, of which 29 are under national protection, 157 species being threatened or endemic animals to China. A number of type specimens have been taken from Mount Emei. A number of internationally threatened species are to be found, including lesser (red) panda, Asiatic black bear, mainland serow, Asiatic golden cat, Tibetan macaque, Chinese giant salamander and grey-hooded parrot bill. Archaeological evidence indicates that the area was inhabited as long as 10,000 years ago.

Both Mount Emei and the Leshan Giant Buddha are places of historical importance, constituting one of the four holy lands of Chinese Buddhism. Mount Emei's history has been documented and recorded for over 2,000 years, during which time a rich Buddhist cultural heritage has accumulated, including cultural relics, architectural heritage, collected calligraphy, paintings, tablet inscriptions and earthenware.

Leshan Giant Buddha Scenic Area, which covers 2,500 ha, includes a number of significant cultural artefacts. These include the sitting Giant Buddha Statue, carved on the Xiluo Peak of Mount Lingyun in the early 8th century and standing 71 m high, with its back against Mount Jiuding and facing the confluence of the Minjiang, Dadu and Qinqyi rivers. In addition there are more than 90 stone carvings, Buddhist shrines made during the Tang dynasty, the Lidui (a large rock cut in the centre of the river for irrigation purposes), tombs, Buddha statues, pagodas, temples and city walls.

Browse All UNESCO World Heritage Sites in China. The original UNESCO inscription Here!!!

UNICEF and UNESCO Launched Global Online Conversation

unescoheritagesites@gmail.com (Trever Reznick, UNESCO Heritage Sites.) — Tue, 4 Dec 2012 23:58:00 -0800

UNICEF and UNESCO launched today a “global online conversation” to ensure that education is effectively addressed as a priority in the post 2015 development agenda.

Quality Learning around the globe

The consultation aims to bring together youth, civil society, NGOs, academia, governments and the private sector to contribute their experiences and ideas on how to reach better, wider and more equitable access to quality learning around the globe.

As we approach 2015, there is an urgent need to review progress towards the Education for All and Millennium Development Goals and discuss new options on how they can be achieved.

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The main themes that will be discussed are:

Equitable Access to Education

Quality of Learning

Global Citizenship, Skills and Jobs

Governance and Financing of Education

Each of the discussions will run for two consecutive weeks from December 2012 to February 2013 and participants are encouraged to participate in any or all of the consultations.

A final summary report will then feed into the High Level Panel on the Post-2015 Development Agenda, as well as to the inter-governmental debate on the post-2015 development agenda at the 2013 UN General Assembly.

How to participate: On the public, open-access discussion forum you are welcome to discuss education-related issues you think should be a priority in the next development agenda. You are encouraged to post your ideas and thoughts as an individual or a group and share the voices of the people, organizations or communities you represent.

You can post your views, comments and recommendations in English or any of the 60 languages that the Google translator on the platform supports. For more information on how to register and participate, please visit: http://www.worldwewant2015.org/education2015

Join the conversation and spread the word on Twitter using the hashtag: #Education2015

About UNICEF

UNICEF works in 190 countries and territories to help children survive and thrive, from early childhood through adolescence. The world’s largest provider of vaccines for developing countries, UNICEF supports child health and nutrition, good water and sanitation, quality basic education for all boys and girls, and the protection of children from violence, exploitation, and AIDS. UNICEF is funded entirely by the voluntary contributions of individuals, businesses, foundations and governments. For more information about UNICEF and its work visit: www.unicef.org

Browse All UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India. The original Source File!!!

Malaysian Government Eager to get Danum Valley Heritage Recognition

unescoheritagesites@gmail.com (Trever Reznick, UNESCO Heritage Sites.) — Tue, 4 Dec 2012 23:33:00 -0800

The state government is prepared to pay the necessary cost to ensure Danum Valley, Maliau Basin and Imbak Canyon (DaMaI) get recognised as a World Heritage Site (WHS).

Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun said the issue of money was secondary to the protection of the three sites which housed many of Sabah’s endangered animal species such as the elephant, orang utans, Sumatran rhinos, banteng and an array of bird species endemic to Borneo.

“Money can be found but once these treasures are destroyed, it will be gone forever. There will be no replacement. We need to ensure they remain protected,” he said during the workshop on the nomination of DaMaI as a WHS at a resort near here yesterday.

Earlier during the workshop, patrons were told that the cost of nominating a site for WHS would probably reach millions of ringgit.

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Maliau Basin

“The state government is very keen to protect the three sites because there are none that are as wonderful as these, not just in Malaysia but in the entire world. We need to look beyond our own life in order to safeguard this,” he said.

He also mentioned that a lot of outstanding issues still needed to be resolved and that the journey towards getting DaMaI listed would be a tough one

“It was easy with Mount Kinabalu — there are still a lot of things to prepare. UNESCO has also become more selective, strict, and those with WHS status has to be of exceptional quality. This means it is going to be more difficult to ensure we get nominated,” he said.

As for the issue of getting the three sites nominated as a national heritage site, Masidi said it should not be a problem for the state.

He added that the National Heritage Department would not manage or own the sites recognised as a national heritage site. “There will be no change in the way it is managed. It is just an accreditation.”

Meanwhile, Masidi said the state’s quest for WHS recognition for DaMaI was good for Sabah and for the country.

“If Sabah is out of Malaysia, it will have no Mount Kinabalu, it will have no Sipadan. About 22 per cent of Malaysia would be lost,” he said.

He also mentioned that getting DaMaI recognised would put the country and Sabah on the world map.

“We are not well known. Some people think Malaysia is in Africa. And Sabah is always related to Kuwait. We need to be known.”

Meanwhile, National Heritage Department director general Professor Emeritus Dato Siti Zuraina Abdul Majid said DaMal would not be listed as a World Heritage Site prior to 2015.

This is because Malaysia has become a WHS committee since last year, she said in her speech during the DaMaI WHS nomination workshop held at a resort near here.

“A country remains in the committee for four years and during that period, it is disallowed from nominating any site within its own territory,” she explained.

She added that only 20 countries were selected to become a committee for the WHS.

“This experience shall be beneficial for us as it will assist in gaining WHS nomination,” she said.

Siti Nuraina also said that the criteria to be selected as a WHS were now stricter.

Among the requirements were that the site nominated must have world significance, and have legal protection.

Additionally, the site must be recognised as a national heritage site.

“There are 962 World Heritage Sites in 2012, 69 per cent of which are cultural sites, and only 20 per cent are nature sites. Lembah Lenggong is one of the country’s newest sites to be recognised as a World Heritage Site,” she said.

She added that Malaysia was classified under Asia Pacific Region and there were only four World Heritage Sites listed within the region.

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The South China Karst Landscapes

unescoheritagesites@gmail.com (Trever Reznick, UNESCO Heritage Sites.) — Tue, 4 Dec 2012 07:20:00 -0800

The South China Karst region extends over a surface of half a million km2 lying mainly in Yunnan, Guizhou and Guangxi provinces. It represents one of the world’s most spectacular examples of humid tropical to subtropical karst landscapes. The stone forests of Shilin are considered superlative natural phenomena and a world reference with a wider range of pinnacle shapes than other karst landscapes with pinnacles, and a higher diversity of shapes and changing colours. The cone and tower karsts of Libo, also considered the world reference site for these types of karst, form a distinctive and beautiful landscape. Wulong Karst has been inscribed for its giant dolines (sinkholes), natural bridges and caves.

Continent: Asia

Country: China

Category: Natural

Criterion: (VII)(VIII)

Date of Inscription: 2007

South China Karst

South China is unrivalled for the diversity of its karst features and landscapes. The property includes specifically selected areas that are of outstanding universal value to protect and present the best examples of these karst features and landscapes. South China Karst is a coherent serial property comprising three clusters, Libo Karst and Shilin Karst, each with two components, and Wulong Karst with three components. South China Karst represents one of the world's most spectacular examples of humid tropical to subtropical karst landscapes.

The stone forests of Shilin are considered superlative natural phenomena and the world reference site for this type of feature. The cluster includes the Naigu stone forest occurring on dolomitic limestone and the Suyishan stone forest arising from a lake. Shilin contains a wider range of pinnacle shapes than other karst landscapes with pinnacles, and a higher diversity of shapes and colours that change with different weather and light conditions.

The South China Karst Landscape

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The cone and tower karsts of Libo, also considered the world reference site for these types of karsts, form a distinctive and beautiful landscape. Wulong includes giant collapse depressions, called Tiankeng, and exceptionally high natural bridges between which are long stretches of very deep unroofed caves. These spectacular karst features are of world class quality.

Both Shilin and Libo are global reference areas for the karst features and landscapes that they exhibit. Major developments in the stone forests of Shilin occurred over some 270 million years during four major geological time periods from the Permian to present, illustrating the episodic nature of the evolution of these karst features. Libo contains carbonate outcrops of different ages that erosive processes shaped over millions of years into impressive Fengcong (cone) and Fenglin (tower) karsts.

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It contains a combination of numerous tall karst peaks, deep dolines, sinking streams and long river caves. Wulong represents high inland karst plateaus that have experienced considerable uplift, and its giant dolines and bridges are representative of South China's Tiankeng landscapes. Wulong's landscapes contain evidence for the history of one of the world's great river systems, the Yangtze and its tributaries.

The property is well managed, with clear management plans in place and the effective involvement of various stakeholders. There are strong international networks in place to support continued research and management. Of the three clusters, Wulong has suffered the least human impact by virtue of its remoteness and retains natural values that have been reduced in other comparable areas.

Continued efforts are required to expand and refine buffer zones to protect upstream catchments and their downstream and underground continuation in order to maintain water quality at a level that ensures the long term conservation of the property and its subterranean processes and ecosystems. At Wulong the boundaries of the core zone should be considered for extension, and a single landscape-scale buffer zone would be a significant improvement to encompass all of the Tiankeng elements to the north of the Furong gorge.

Traditional management by minority peoples is an important feature of both clusters, and the relationship between karst and the cultural identity and traditions of minority groups including the Yi (Shilin) and the Shui, Yao and Buyi (Libo) requires continued recognition and respect in site management. Potential for further extension of the property requires development of a management framework for effective coordination between the different clusters.

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