UN Reports |

Winter 2003 II

Tourists Flock to World Heritage Sites

By Sharon L. Wallenberg, Main US Servas UN Rep

The World Heritage Convention is celebrating 30 years of uncontested success. On November 16, 1972, UNESCO’s General Conference adopted the Convention Concerning the Production of the world Cultural and Natural Heritage. The convention stands as one of the Organization’s greatest achievements; it has been ratified by 175 states, of which 125 boast properties on the World Heritage list.

Tourists flock to these star destinations comprising 730 sites of outstanding universal value. United States Servas members have historically been interested in the Peace Building aspects of Travel, as well as Responsible Travel issues. This focus can be expanded to include World Culture and Natural Heritage. We have a wonderful opportunity to build World Peace, educate others on World Culture and Heritage, and help promote and maintain sustainable tourism in these important sites.

Regional distribution of the 730 UNESCO World Heritage sites are as follows:

The Convention’s philosophy has evolved from the old idea of “Wonders of the World” and an over representation of historic city centers and religious buildings, especially Christian ones. A revision of criteria in 1994 led to recognition of new types of properties, more attuned to the cultures of developing countries. Cultural landscapes and non-built sacred shrines such as the Philippines or the Marorisa sacred volcanoes in New Zealand are prime examples.

“The current list is not yet representative of the heritage of humanity” says Leon Pressouyre, a cultural advisor to UNESCO. He feels the Convention has widened the gap between North and South. Recent initiatives to mobilize funds from non-government partners and to encourage twinning projects between sites in the North and South attempt to bridge this gap.

Nine new UNESCO World Heritage sites, all cultural, were added to the list recently. They are the Minaret and Archaeological Remains of Jam (Afghanistan), the Upper Middle Rhine Valley (Germany) , the historic centers of Stralsund and Wismar (Germany), the Saint Catherine Area (Egypt), the Tokaji Wine Region Cultural Landscape (Hungary), the Mahabodhi Temple Complex at Bodhgaya (India), the Late Baroque Towns of the Val di Noto (Italy), the Ancient Maya City of Calakmul (Mexico), and the Historic Inner City of Paramaribo (Suriname).

Afghanistan. Participants at a UNESCO organized meeting in Kabul decided not to give priority to reconstruction of the Bamiyan Buddhas, which were dynamited in March 2001. Instead, the experts and representatives of several countries and international NGO’s preferred to concentrate on places that have not yet been damaged beyond repair, and promised seven million dollars to help finance the work. Sites chosen include the Kabul Museum, Babur’s Moghul Gardens also in Kabul, the Minaret of Jam, and sites in the cities of Heart and Balkh. At Bamiyan, some 600 caves and the remains of murals painted on the cliffs will be protected and restored and new archeological digs started. The main partners involved in these projects are the governments of France, Germany, Greece, Italy and Japan, along with the Aga Khan Foundation, the Hirayama Foundation and the Society for the Protection of Afghan Cultural Heritage.

Galapagos. Located in the Pacific Ocean about 1,000 kilometers off the coast of Equador, the Galapagos Archipelago was one of the first sites inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1978. The 19 volcanic islands that inspired Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution by natural selection are one of the most protected sites on earth. While fishermen fear that excessive protection would cut into their income, tour operators have welcomed it.

East Timor. Independence was achieved in May 2001, making this the world’s newest country. UNESCO has already started to preserve its cultural heritage. UNESCO has provided technical aid to restore Uma Fukum, the oldest colonial building in Dili, the capital. After it has been restored, Uma Fukum will become the country’s national museum. UNESCO has salvaged and repaired a collection of 476 unique items including ancestral wooden statues, china, and fragments of Neolithic pottery. It is hoped Timorese artwork abroad will soon join them.

Cambodia. In 1992 UNESCO’s World Heritage List added the Temples at Angkor. From 1993 to 2001, the number of foreign visitors jumped from 7,638 to 239,091. Although all local residents do not have electricity, 9 out of 10 children are in school. Knowledgeable villagers have become guides, and youths sell souveniers or drinks. The people buy rice and necessities with the money. The new tourism comes with a price: the sexual exploitation of women and children. In recent years, the Khumer empire, especially the region around Angkor, has become a choice travel destination for pedophiles. The NGO, World Vision, is conducting studies on this problem and viable solutions.

For more information about US Servas' UN activities or to get involved, contact the main US Servas UN Rep, Sharon Wallenberg at sharonw77@hotmail.com.