致
力于历史保护的非政府组织全球遗产基金会(Global Heritage Fund)说,有200多处历史遗迹目前处于不可逆转的损毁状态,除非社区、政府和国际团体采取措施防止它们毁灭,否则这些遗迹将消失于世。该基金会与联合国教科文组织(Unesco)下属的世界遗产机构(World Heritage)没有关系,它周日一份有关历史遗迹损毁情况的报告强调,位于发展中国家的这类遗迹损害风险最大,而缺乏承认(比如未被列入联合国教科文组织的世界遗产名录)是这些遗迹被忽略的原因之一。
全球遗产基金会的执行董事杰夫•摩根(Jeff Morgan)说,在多数情况下,特别是在亚洲,快速的经济增长正在毁灭这些遗迹,政府的监管措施未能及时跟上以保护它们。抢劫和管理不周也在造成这些遗迹的损毁。
全球遗产基金会今年列出了12处面临最严重损毁危险的历史遗迹,它们有可能面临着不可逆转的损毁。
全球遗产基金会与联合国教科文组织的世界遗产机构实际上是同类组织,它们都致力于遗产保护,只是在具体方法上略有不同。
以中国的平遥为例,这座明清时期(1368年-1911年)的古城1997年被联合国教科文组织认定为世界遗产。但据全球遗产基金会的发言人艾丽西娅•盖伊(Alicia Gay)说,尽管平遥古城被联合国列为了世界遗产,但贫穷、缺乏资金以及多年来为容纳更多家庭居住而对古宅院建筑的改建,都使这处历史遗迹面临着巨大的损毁风险。
全球遗产基金会出资25万美元介入了平遥古城的保护,当地政府同意提供150万美元的配套资金,双方商定将使用当地的传统建筑材料,来恢复一处重要宅院和街道的原貌。该基金会还建立了一个艺人和工匠培训项目,以保护平遥的“非物质遗产”,如当地有数百年历史的传统艺术、手工艺、菜肴和表演艺术。
虽然联合国教科文组织会认定有价值的历史遗迹,并引起公众对那些有损毁风险遗迹的关注,但获得联合国教科文组织世界遗产地位需要经历很长的时间和审批程序,许多政府,特别是较贫穷国家的政府,缺乏完成“申遗”过程的各种资源。而且一处遗迹即使获得了联合国教科文组织的历史遗迹称号,筹集资金保护该遗迹并监督和协调相关保护工作仍是当地各级政府的责任。
全球遗产基金会的摩根说,联合国教科文组织承认的历史遗迹存在巨大失衡,意大利被承认的历史遗迹有45处,而作为一系列古代文明的发祥地,秘鲁被承认的历史遗迹只有11处,巴基斯坦只有六处。他说,发展中国家政府无力完成“申遗”所需的大量书面材料准备工作。
联合国教科文组织虽然与全球遗产基金会没有工作关系,但表示它知道后者发布的这份报告,并说历史遗产保护方面的任何工作都是好事。全球遗产基金会列出了34个世界濒危遗产,这些遗迹被认为面临着迫在眉睫的损毁威胁。联合国教科文组织的达博戴伊(Gina Doubleday)解释说,该机构会吸引国际社会对濒危历史遗迹的关注,为遗迹的保护提供技术支持和专门经验,某些情况下还会提供应急资金。
Jason Chow
(本文版权归道琼斯公司所有,未经许可不得翻译或转载。)
More than 200 heritage sites are in a state of irreversible disrepair and and will be lost unless communities, governments and international groups act to prevent their destruction, said the Global Heritage Fund, a nongovernmental organization that focuses on historical preservation.
The group, which is unrelated to Unesco's World Heritage division, released a report Sunday about the degradation of the sites, emphasizing that those in the developing world are most at risk, citing a lack of recognition - such as Unesco World Heritage Site designation - as one of the reasons for neglect.
'In most cases, especially in places in Asia, we've seen rapid growth destroying these sites and government regulation hasn't kept up to protect them,' said Jeff Morgan, executive director of Global Heritage Fund, based in Palo Alto, Calif. War, looting and insufficient management has also contributed to the loss.
This year's Global Heritage Fund included a list of the 12 most endangered sites, which are at risk of irreparable damage. Click the tab to see our slideshow of some of these historical places.
The Global Heritage Fund and Unesco World Heritage are essentially peers, working toward the same goal - heritage preservation - with slightly different approaches.
China's Pingyao, for instance - an ancient Han Chinese city from the Ming and Qing dynasties (1368-1911) - was designated a Unesco World Heritage Site in 1997. Despite the designation, poverty, a lack of funding and alterations to the historic courtyard buildings made over the years to accommodate multiple families put this heritage site at great risk, according to Alicia Gay, a spokeswoman for the Global Heritage Fund.
The Global Heritage Fund stepped in with $250,000, and a $1.5 million commitment from the local government, to help restore a major courtyard and street, using local traditional materials. It also established a training program for craftspeople and artisans to preserve Pingyao's 'living heritage' - its centuries-old traditions of arts, crafts, cuisines and performaning arts.
Unesco identifies worthy heritage sites as well as bring focus to those at risk, but the process to obtain Unesco World Heritage status is a long, bureaucratic one and many governments, especially those in poorer countries, lack the resources to go through with it. And even when a site is awarded a Unesco World Heritage designation, it remains the responsibility of the local and national government to raise funds, and oversee and orchestrate preservation efforts.
'There's a huge imbalance of Unesco-recognized sites,' explained Mr. Morgan. 'There are 45 sites that are recognized in Italy and yet Peru, which is home to ancient civilizations, only has 11. Pakistan only has six. Governments in developing countries can't fill up the paperwork.'
Unesco doesn't have a working relationship with Global Heritage Fund but said it is aware of its report and says any heritage protection is positive. The international NGO has 34 sites on its own list of 'World Heritage in Danger,' considered to be under immediate threat. 'In these cases, UNESCO draws international attention to the site, provides technical support and know-how, and in some cases provides urgent funding,' explained Gina Doubleday from Unesco in Paris.
This year's Global Heritage Fund included a list of the 12 most endangered sites, which are at risk of irreparable damage. Click the tab to see our slideshow of some of these historical places.
Jason Chow
http://cn.wsj.com/gb/20101119/sat071704_ENversion.shtml
The group, which is unrelated to Unesco's World Heritage division, released a report Sunday about the degradation of the sites, emphasizing that those in the developing world are most at risk, citing a lack of recognition - such as Unesco World Heritage Site designation - as one of the reasons for neglect.
'In most cases, especially in places in Asia, we've seen rapid growth destroying these sites and government regulation hasn't kept up to protect them,' said Jeff Morgan, executive director of Global Heritage Fund, based in Palo Alto, Calif. War, looting and insufficient management has also contributed to the loss.
This year's Global Heritage Fund included a list of the 12 most endangered sites, which are at risk of irreparable damage. Click the tab to see our slideshow of some of these historical places.
The Global Heritage Fund and Unesco World Heritage are essentially peers, working toward the same goal - heritage preservation - with slightly different approaches.
China's Pingyao, for instance - an ancient Han Chinese city from the Ming and Qing dynasties (1368-1911) - was designated a Unesco World Heritage Site in 1997. Despite the designation, poverty, a lack of funding and alterations to the historic courtyard buildings made over the years to accommodate multiple families put this heritage site at great risk, according to Alicia Gay, a spokeswoman for the Global Heritage Fund.
The Global Heritage Fund stepped in with $250,000, and a $1.5 million commitment from the local government, to help restore a major courtyard and street, using local traditional materials. It also established a training program for craftspeople and artisans to preserve Pingyao's 'living heritage' - its centuries-old traditions of arts, crafts, cuisines and performaning arts.
Unesco identifies worthy heritage sites as well as bring focus to those at risk, but the process to obtain Unesco World Heritage status is a long, bureaucratic one and many governments, especially those in poorer countries, lack the resources to go through with it. And even when a site is awarded a Unesco World Heritage designation, it remains the responsibility of the local and national government to raise funds, and oversee and orchestrate preservation efforts.
'There's a huge imbalance of Unesco-recognized sites,' explained Mr. Morgan. 'There are 45 sites that are recognized in Italy and yet Peru, which is home to ancient civilizations, only has 11. Pakistan only has six. Governments in developing countries can't fill up the paperwork.'
Unesco doesn't have a working relationship with Global Heritage Fund but said it is aware of its report and says any heritage protection is positive. The international NGO has 34 sites on its own list of 'World Heritage in Danger,' considered to be under immediate threat. 'In these cases, UNESCO draws international attention to the site, provides technical support and know-how, and in some cases provides urgent funding,' explained Gina Doubleday from Unesco in Paris.
This year's Global Heritage Fund included a list of the 12 most endangered sites, which are at risk of irreparable damage. Click the tab to see our slideshow of some of these historical places.
Jason Chow
http://cn.wsj.com/gb/20101119/sat071704_ENversion.shtml
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