Saturday, April 15, 2006

Masterpieces of Intangible Heritage

UNESCO's Culture program includes a strong focus on the intangible heritage of mankind. Indeed, UNESCO is the managing U.N. agency for The Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage.

It has produced this webpage with an interactive map showing the entire List of Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity. Various lists down the left side of the webpage, plus a world map, allow visitors to the page to browse among the 47 proclaimed masterpieces and to consult detailed information, diaporamas, and videos on each of them.

Masterpieces of Intangible Heritage

UNESCO's Culture program includes a strong focus on the intangible heritage of mankind. Indeed, UNESCO is the managing U.N. agency for The Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage.

It has produced this webpage with an interactive map showing the entire List of Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity. Various lists down the left side of the webpage, plus a world map, allow visitors to the page to browse among the 47 proclaimed masterpieces and to consult detailed information, diaporamas, and videos on each of them.

Friday, April 14, 2006

Unesco intends to put the magic back in Babylon

Read the full article by Jeffrey Gettleman in The New York Times/International Herald Tribune, FRIDAY, APRIL 14, 2006.

"Babylon, the city with the million- dollar name, has paid the price of war. It has been ransacked, looted, torn up, paved over, neglected and roughly occupied. Archaeologists said American soldiers had even used soil thick with priceless artifacts to stuff sandbags.

"But Iraqi leaders and UN officials are not giving up on it. They are working assiduously to restore Babylon, home to the Hanging Gardens, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.........

"The UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is pumping millions of dollars into Babylon and a handful of other sites. It has even printed a snazzy brochure to give to wealthy donors. "Cultural tourism could become Iraq's second biggest industry, after oil," explained Philippe Delanghe, a United Nations official helping with the project."

Unesco intends to put the magic back in Babylon

Read the full article by Jeffrey Gettleman in The New York Times/International Herald Tribune, FRIDAY, APRIL 14, 2006.

"Babylon, the city with the million- dollar name, has paid the price of war. It has been ransacked, looted, torn up, paved over, neglected and roughly occupied. Archaeologists said American soldiers had even used soil thick with priceless artifacts to stuff sandbags.

"But Iraqi leaders and UN officials are not giving up on it. They are working assiduously to restore Babylon, home to the Hanging Gardens, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.........

"The UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is pumping millions of dollars into Babylon and a handful of other sites. It has even printed a snazzy brochure to give to wealthy donors. "Cultural tourism could become Iraq's second biggest industry, after oil," explained Philippe Delanghe, a United Nations official helping with the project."

Sunday, April 9, 2006

Convention on Intangible Cultural Heritage Enteers into Force

Read the full UNESCO announcement.

As at 31 March 2006, forty-six States had ratified the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage. The Convention was approved by the UNESCO General Conference in 2005. It will enter into force on 20 April 2006. The implementation of this Convention, which strongly emphasizes the role of communities and groups as bearers and transmitters of intangible cultural heritage, is hoped to contribute to the promotion of cultural diversity and human creativity. The convention was strongly opposed by the Bush administration.

Convention on Intangible Cultural Heritage Enteers into Force

Read the full UNESCO announcement.

As at 31 March 2006, forty-six States had ratified the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage. The Convention was approved by the UNESCO General Conference in 2005. It will enter into force on 20 April 2006. The implementation of this Convention, which strongly emphasizes the role of communities and groups as bearers and transmitters of intangible cultural heritage, is hoped to contribute to the promotion of cultural diversity and human creativity. The convention was strongly opposed by the Bush administration.

Panographic Views of World Heritage Sites

World Heritage Tour provides an online experience of UNESCO World Heritage sites. Click on the link above, and then on the map, and you will have the chance to view the pyramids, or the empire state building almost as well as if you were there, never leaving your computer.