Distinction in travel journalism
Is independent travel journalism important to you?
Click here to keep it independent

30 Mar, 2012

UNESCO to Launch Project for Safeguarding Cultural Heritage in Myanmar

=========

Bangkok, 30 March 2012 (UNESCO Press release) – UNESCO together with the Ministry of Information and Culture will launch the project “Capacity Building to Safeguard Cultural Heritage in Myanmar” in a ceremony at 9:00 am on 4 April 2012 at the Parkroyal Hotel in Yangon.

The Deputy Minister of Culture, HE Daw Sandar Khin, the Italian Ambassador to Myanmar, Paolo Bartorelli, as well as representatives of the Department of Archaeology, National Museum and Library and international and national experts on Myanmar cultural heritage will be in attendance.

Funded by a contribution from the Government of Italy, the project will allow UNESCO to mobilize international expertise to assist Myanmar in safeguarding important heritage sites in the country. Myanmar ratified the World Heritage Convention in April 1994, but has not inscribed any sites on the World Heritage List to date.

Beneficiary sites will include the ancient Pyu settlements dating back almost two millennia and Bagan, one of the world’s most historically and artistically significant ensembles of religious monuments.

The project aims to support Myanmar in three priority areas: conserving and managing heritage sites, establishing cultural heritage information management systems using Geographic Information Systems (GIS), and assisting the government to develop nominations for submission to the World Heritage List.

The opening ceremony will be followed by an expert seminar  called  “Towards World Heritage Nomination of Pyu Ancient Cities”. Subsequent training activities will be arranged on a range of topics, including heritage site management, conservation of mural paintings in archaeological sites, management of archaeological sites, restoration of architectural monuments and the use of GIS for cultural heritage site management.

With the close collaboration of Myanmar Ministry of Culture’s Department of Archaeology, National Museum and Library, the project will be undertaken in 2012-2013.