Medieval Sites in Italy, Syria, Turkey and Vietnam added to World Heritage List

Twenty-five sites were added to UNESCO’s World Heritage List last month, including four which date from the Middle Ages. The 35th session of the World Heritage Committee was held last month in Paris, where 25 of the 35 proposed sites received final approval to be included on the List, which marks places that are particularly important for their natural or cultural significance.

The World Heritage List now numbers 936 properties: 183 natural sites; 725 cultural; and 28 mixed.

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British medieval records award special status by UNESCO

Twenty items have been selected from the UK’s libraries, archives and museums to represent the outstanding heritage of the United Kingdom, including several that date back to the Middle Ages. They new items listed in the UK Memory of the World Register include the Cura Pastoralis of Gregory, the Gough Map, Wakefield Court Rolls, Winchester Pipe Rolls and records of The Great Hospital in Norwich.

The international-level register, which features items of global significance, includes items from the UK such as 1215 Magna Carta, the Mappa Mundi and the film The Battle of the Somme. The UK Memory of the World programme is part of UNESCO’s work to promote preservation of and access to the world’s archive holdings and library collections. The UK Register is available at www.unesco.org.uk/ukregister

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Czech, German Ore Mountains mining heritage seeks UNESCO-listing

The mining heritage sites on both Czech and German sides of the Ore Mountains jointly seek entry into the UNESCO list of world cultural heritage, Adam Srejber, from the culture department at the Czech regional office involved, has told journalists.

The Ustecky region, north Bohemia, cooperates with German partners on working out a project that is to map up the medieval mining activities in the Ore Mountains, promote them and contribute to their UNESCO-listing, Srejber said.

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World Heritage site Hahoe Village keeps Confucian traditions alive

To a background of sharp music, masked commoners let out the inner anger and sadness they have suppressed serving the noblemen through satirical words and acting.

The mask dance drama, Hahoe Byeolsingut Talnori, was the only way Korean commoners could get even with the nobility in the rigid class society of the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910).

“I’ve never seen a nobleman and a scholar fight over a cow’s testicles to get healthy in my entire life. Isn’t it funny?” shouts an 80-year-old grandma to the audience during the show.

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New World Heritage Sites include medieval Albi, Tabriz

The World Heritage Committee of UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization), which has been meeting for the last several days in Brazil, has named over two dozen new sites to the World Heritage List, including several that date back to the medieval era.



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