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If we did not learn from our past, we would have little understanding of our present. Archaeological sites and vestiges are not only sources to a forgotten past, but outstanding relics of beauty and achievement. Unfortunately today we are taking our past heritage for granted.
The best friend of these sites are tourists, they get the much-needed finances. But then by their very nature, archaeological sites and monuments are very vulnerable to the adverse physical impact of many thousands of feet passing over them so tourism is also the enemy. Take for example Acropolis, Athens where numerous people visit every day.
For people to be able to protect their heritage they need to be able to survive first. Have you ever thought whether your money will go in to help the people? Suatainable travel should be the in thing. Take for example Easter Island. Where lots of people visit to see 887 mysterious statues known as moais.
Natural disasters like earthquakes, hurricanes of course destroy all in their wake. But man made destruction through global warming, noxious fumes produced by the burning of fossil fuels, particularly in motor cars are all leading to rising sea levels, flooding and storms. Our national parks are at risk!
Monuments, and artefacts at ancient sites are threatened by changes in historic and local climatic conditions. Changing weather conditions may lead to subtle but damaging shifts in moisture levels affecting structures directly, or the chemistry and stability of soils in which they are found. Changes in the water table may lead to flooding in some places or reducing the air moisture in others.
The international black market in antiquities shows no signs of declining. The most blatant example is that of Angkor. Treasures, which are a key to history, become the centerpieces of personal drawing rooms with no regard for history or society.
Inadequate site management and conservation, over-excavation, steady advance of urban sprawl, increased tourism, unsympathetic urban and infrastructural planning are all contributing to destroy our treasures. Wake up and help preserve them. A man without a memory is lost so would we be if we do not learn from our past.
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Definetely not. But wonder the authrority have the same opinion or not!!!
Where we have failed to save ourselves from the climate change, how far we’ll be able to preserve old heritage, that’s the major issue. Climate change cannot be reversed, it’s the truth we must accept now, and even if somehow we’re able to sew the patches, it’d take a hell lot of time and till then the present generation would certainly mingle with the rubble.
UNESCO and individual nations do not have any clear strategy, whatsoever, how to move ahead with the plan to preserve the sites. The efforts are all bookish and certainly individual attempts won’t stop these from turning into a debris. Tourists will keep flocking to have the glimpse of the magnetic ancient buildings, you just can not ban them, because they are the major source of income for the tourism industry, you cannot educate them either, so what’s the solution.
Keeping the present scenario in mind, I’d say, governments have failed to preserve and play a constructive role in this respect. One idea is to privatize these buildings, as they’ve done with a number of forts in Rajasthan with the help of government aid and have preserved them successfully. But, I’m not sure how far the governments would be willing to share their treasure with private players…they are all doomed!
Nuclear bombs like the one which destroyed Hiroshima will be created with today’s high tech science and cause much destruction.
Science without humanity, knowledge without nobility, are lessons we take on if we don’t consult history.
the poor environment cionditions are also a major hindrance in the midway as the toxic gases r leading to th corrosion of the heritage buildings...!
Further the global warming and the pollution are man made things; an irreversible process. Time is the greatest force it destroys everything.
World heritage sites: Do we Treasure them to thrash them? – Definetely not. But wonder the...Of course, We Treasure them to thrash them. Why we have to be dependent on authority opinion? Why always we keep moving away from our duties? If we really want to save these valuable heritage, than we have to take some duties on our side but no one is ready to do so. We have to take the responsibility of the cleanliness, pollution control, global warming control, etc. Just think what you do while visiting places like these. Throw all your garbage either on beautiful green grasses or on pure moving river water. Check yourself before claiming to others.
Of course, We Treasure them to thrash them.
Why we have to be dependent on authority opinion?
Why...
See the artile Head line..
World heritage sites: Do we Treasure them to thrash them?
Refelect the mindset.
You have told my un told words.
Few days back a quote drew my attention,
“If you don’t know history you don’t know anything about yourself. You are like a fallen leaf who knows nothing about the tree from which it departed to the soil.”
Therefore, safeguarding such places and monuments is not only our responsibility, but to protect these sites (for the future generations) is our sanctified duty, so they could identify themselves with the golden past.