Tweet
TURKISH SITES SHORTLISTED FOR EUROPA NOSTRA PROGRAM
Hurriyet, Turkey
April 20 2013
Mardin's St George Armenian Church and the historic city of Hasankeyf
are two places from Turkey that have been shortlisted for Europa
Nostra's 'Seven Most Endangered' program. The final list will be
announced in June, after which preliminary action plans will be
proposed
On April 18 the International Day for Monuments and Sites, the leading
European heritage organization Europa Nostra revealed 14 monuments
and sites in Europe shortlisted in its "Seven Most Endangered" program.
Two places from Turkey, the St. George Armenian Church in the
eastern province of Mardin and the historic city of Hasankeyf and
its surrounding area are included on the list.
An international Advisory Panel composed of eminent experts
selected these threatened landmarks, including historic city centers,
archaeological sites, religious buildings and military fortifications,
among 40 nominations submitted by civil society organizations and
public bodies from 21 countries.
"With this new advocacy program, Europa Nostra aims not only to
identify the most endangered monuments and sites in Europe but also
to launch a true call for action. By sending multidisciplinary teams
of experts to visit the selected sites, together with our partners,
we will seek to contribute to finding sustainable and viable solutions
for the future. In this way, we hope to inspire and encourage action
by various public and private organizations also in other places
in Europe and beyond," said Denis de Kergorlay, Europa Nostra's
Executive President.
Armenian Church and Hasankeyf
In a written statement, it is said that the nomination of St. George
Armenian Church in Mardin, which has foundations going back to the
5th century and which served a large Armenian population until the
beginning of the 20th century, reflects the commitment of the heritage
community in Turkey to preserve the tangible witnesses of the country's
multi-cultural history.
"The heritage of the ancient town of Mardin reminds us that through
the centuries this city has been a melting pot of cultures and
religions. Today, this heritage has great potential for sustainable
tourism and economic development," the statement said.
As for the historic city of Hasankeyf and its surroundings, the
statement warned about the construction of the Ilısu hydroelectric dam
nearby. "If the construction of the Ilısu hydroelectric dam continues
as foreseen, 80 percent of Hasankeyf's historic monuments will be
flooded within the next decade. At present there is no internationally
recognized scheme for their conservation, preservation or relocation.
If it would be spared from inundation, Hasankeyf has the potential
to provide a sustainable anchor for local and regional economic
development, providing visitors and scholars with a contextualized
record of shared human history, spanning the continents of Europe
and Asia," it said.
Among other sites on the shortlist include the Roman Amphitheatre
in Durres, Albania; the St. Paul and St. Peter Church, Armenia;
the buffer zone of the historic center of Nicosia in Cyprus;
Vauban's Fortifications in Briancon, France; gaslight and gas lamps
in Berlin; the former royal estate of Tatoi, near Athens; the citadel
of Alessandria, Italy; the renaissance monastery of San Benedetto Po,
Italy; a Manueline style monastery and church, Portugal; the RoÅ~_ia
Montana mining landscape in Transylvania, Romania; the Beeolithic
archaeological site of Vinca-Belo Brdo, near Belgrade in Serbia;
and the neighborhood of El Cabanyal-Canyamelar in Valencia, Spain.
The final list will be announced at Europa Nostra's 50th Anniversary
Congress in Athens on June 16. Rescue missions will be organized and
preliminary action plans proposed until December by a team of heritage
specialists together with technical and financial experts from the
European Investment Bank Group, a founding partner of the program.
'Seven Most Endangered' program
The Seven Most Endangered program was launched last January. Its aim
is to serve as a catalyst for action and to promote "the power of
example." After the summer, teams composed of heritage experts from
Europa Nostra and its member organizations as well as of technical
and financial specialists from the European Investment Bank Group or
the Council of Europe Development Bank will visit the seven selected
monuments and sites.
In close consultation with local stakeholders, they will assess
existing problems and sketch viable and sustainable action plans
for each one. All rescue missions will report back before the end
of the year and the preliminary results are due to be presented at
the European Heritage Policy Conference organized by Europa Nostra
in Brussels on Dec. 5.
April/20/2013
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/turkish-sites-shortlisted-for-europa-nostra-program.aspx?pageID=238&nID=45238&NewsCatID=379
Hurriyet, Turkey
April 20 2013
Mardin's St George Armenian Church and the historic city of Hasankeyf
are two places from Turkey that have been shortlisted for Europa
Nostra's 'Seven Most Endangered' program. The final list will be
announced in June, after which preliminary action plans will be
proposed
On April 18 the International Day for Monuments and Sites, the leading
European heritage organization Europa Nostra revealed 14 monuments
and sites in Europe shortlisted in its "Seven Most Endangered" program.
Two places from Turkey, the St. George Armenian Church in the
eastern province of Mardin and the historic city of Hasankeyf and
its surrounding area are included on the list.
An international Advisory Panel composed of eminent experts
selected these threatened landmarks, including historic city centers,
archaeological sites, religious buildings and military fortifications,
among 40 nominations submitted by civil society organizations and
public bodies from 21 countries.
"With this new advocacy program, Europa Nostra aims not only to
identify the most endangered monuments and sites in Europe but also
to launch a true call for action. By sending multidisciplinary teams
of experts to visit the selected sites, together with our partners,
we will seek to contribute to finding sustainable and viable solutions
for the future. In this way, we hope to inspire and encourage action
by various public and private organizations also in other places
in Europe and beyond," said Denis de Kergorlay, Europa Nostra's
Executive President.
Armenian Church and Hasankeyf
In a written statement, it is said that the nomination of St. George
Armenian Church in Mardin, which has foundations going back to the
5th century and which served a large Armenian population until the
beginning of the 20th century, reflects the commitment of the heritage
community in Turkey to preserve the tangible witnesses of the country's
multi-cultural history.
"The heritage of the ancient town of Mardin reminds us that through
the centuries this city has been a melting pot of cultures and
religions. Today, this heritage has great potential for sustainable
tourism and economic development," the statement said.
As for the historic city of Hasankeyf and its surroundings, the
statement warned about the construction of the Ilısu hydroelectric dam
nearby. "If the construction of the Ilısu hydroelectric dam continues
as foreseen, 80 percent of Hasankeyf's historic monuments will be
flooded within the next decade. At present there is no internationally
recognized scheme for their conservation, preservation or relocation.
If it would be spared from inundation, Hasankeyf has the potential
to provide a sustainable anchor for local and regional economic
development, providing visitors and scholars with a contextualized
record of shared human history, spanning the continents of Europe
and Asia," it said.
Among other sites on the shortlist include the Roman Amphitheatre
in Durres, Albania; the St. Paul and St. Peter Church, Armenia;
the buffer zone of the historic center of Nicosia in Cyprus;
Vauban's Fortifications in Briancon, France; gaslight and gas lamps
in Berlin; the former royal estate of Tatoi, near Athens; the citadel
of Alessandria, Italy; the renaissance monastery of San Benedetto Po,
Italy; a Manueline style monastery and church, Portugal; the RoÅ~_ia
Montana mining landscape in Transylvania, Romania; the Beeolithic
archaeological site of Vinca-Belo Brdo, near Belgrade in Serbia;
and the neighborhood of El Cabanyal-Canyamelar in Valencia, Spain.
The final list will be announced at Europa Nostra's 50th Anniversary
Congress in Athens on June 16. Rescue missions will be organized and
preliminary action plans proposed until December by a team of heritage
specialists together with technical and financial experts from the
European Investment Bank Group, a founding partner of the program.
'Seven Most Endangered' program
The Seven Most Endangered program was launched last January. Its aim
is to serve as a catalyst for action and to promote "the power of
example." After the summer, teams composed of heritage experts from
Europa Nostra and its member organizations as well as of technical
and financial specialists from the European Investment Bank Group or
the Council of Europe Development Bank will visit the seven selected
monuments and sites.
In close consultation with local stakeholders, they will assess
existing problems and sketch viable and sustainable action plans
for each one. All rescue missions will report back before the end
of the year and the preliminary results are due to be presented at
the European Heritage Policy Conference organized by Europa Nostra
in Brussels on Dec. 5.
April/20/2013
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/turkish-sites-shortlisted-for-europa-nostra-program.aspx?pageID=238&nID=45238&NewsCatID=379