Heritage in Danger
Welcome, everybody. It's wonderful to be here. Before we begin, I want to ask you: have you ever been awed by natural wonders? Have you ever been fascinated by human civilization? If so, you might already understand why UNESCO is fighting to preserve sites of cultural and natural importance to mankind. I have the belief that some of you have heard about UNESCO heritage sites or maybe even visited one! There are currently around 1,100 sites in more than 160 countries worldwide. Unfortunately, they face a variety of dangers and many of them are in urgent need of protection. Let's look at some specific issues.
Heritage sites are at risk from natural forces. The long-term natural forces, such as wind, water and temperature, can gradually wear down heritage sites. For instance, the Great Pyramid of Giza is now several metres shorter than it was originally. Natural disasters, the sudden and powerful natural forces, can lead to the destruction of heritage sites: in 2003, a terrible earthquake shook south-eastern Iran and ruined large parts of the city of Bam, an incredible UNESCO cultural heritage site.
Another big danger is human activities. Wars can cause a great deal of damage to both cultural and natural heritage sites. Sometimes, amazing ancient clay sculptures and buildings are accidentally destroyed by missile attacks during periods of violence. In some conflict areas where civil wars often break out, fighters have even destroyed heritage sites on purpose.
Meanwhile, World Heritage status may give rise to a series of problems. One of the problems is the flood of tourists. Millions of tourists travel to UNESCO World Heritage Sites every year, so it is only natural that the sites suffer a bit of wear and tear. The temples of Angkor in Cambodia are typical examples of unique architecture. Every day, thousands of tourists climbing up the narrow stone steps are wearing down these ancient buildings and the long-term consequences could lead to irreparable destruction of the internal structure.
Due to human population growth, the demand for production and consumption of goods increases. Widespread development puts our cultural and natural heritage sites in danger. Many heritage sites are even at risk of being lost forever. Take the Historic Centre of Vienna in Austria as an example. The city has been recognized as the musical capital of Europe since the 16th century, home to the likes of Mozart and Beethoven. It is now on the List of World Heritage in Danger due to high-rise construction projects in central Vienna.
Such dangers can have disastrous outcomes not only for the sites themselves, but also for people. For instance, the Great Barrier Reef off the north-east coast of Australia is a natural heritage site in danger. Due to high seawater temperatures caused by global warming, a large amount of coral is killed and parts of the reef are seriously affected, which harms its fragile natural ecology. As well as being home to a wide diversity of ocean species, the reef can boost tourism and fishing in the local area, providing many job opportunities. It also helps protect the coastline against waves and floods. If the reef disappears, many people's lives and possibly even their homes will suffer greatly.
Heritage protection is at the top of the agenda for the benefit of all mankind. The more we acknowledge the outstanding universal value of our heritage sites, the more likely we are to treat them with respect. These sites are the great wonders of our world and tell the story of human civilization. We all share a joint responsibility to protect and preserve them, not just for ourselves, but for future generations. If your heart breaks like mine at the thought of our irreplaceable heritage being lost forever, please take action. If you're interested, please look at our website and participate in any way you can! Thank you.