We can deny our heritage and our history, but we cannot
escape responsibility for the results
(Edward R. Murrow)
Published on 16 May 2010
Type:
Notice
Those who follow my different news sections will notice that I recently made some changes. I rearranged some of the columns.
I found Discussing Culture & Development better representing the news items in this column than Discussing Reconstruction. This column will be filled with items that reflect my attitude towards development, a process that must come from the people within, which we as outsiders can only facilitate. The future items will also reflect the way development is influenced by culture, including cultural heritage. Fortunately, culture as a key factor in development gets increasingly more attention from the many NGOs and IOs.
In the new column Discussing Looting you will read about recent critical articles, but also from the past, that discuss the many issues involved in this debate. It will not be a list of artefacts returned or discovered in museum collections or elsewhere. However, I do recognize the relevance of such a list as it illustrates the discussion. Illicit trade, illicit excavations and stolen artefacts from Afghanistan or Iraq you will find in the Dossier Afghanistan or Dossier Iraq.
Some of the dossiers, especially Dossier Chili and Dossier Haiti, will not be filled with new items so often. This is due to the lack of relevant events, there is simply not much to report anymore.
Nevetheless, I will leave the dossiers on my website as they might be relevant in the future. Possibly as a comparison for similar disasters in the future.
Latest news
20 February 2013
We emptied Syria's museums
Syrian Messengers
19 February 2013
The ancient manuscripts of Timbuktu are a door into Africa's golden age. We must not let this crisis threaten their survival
These manuscripts are our identity
Mosaics depicting scenes from Homer?s epic poem The Odyssey.
18 February 2013
Press, reigime and propaganda
International Conference on Protection of Cultural Property in Asia
17 February 2013
Mosaics were stolen during illegal excavation