Bravo again UNESCO!

UNESCO's important role in 'preserving' world heritage....

"Byzantine frescoes, paintings by early Baroque artists and a letter by Christopher Columbus are among 31 stolen artifacts recovered by Italian police to go on show Wednesday at UNESCO’s Paris headquarters."

A fragment of a Byzantine fresco looted from the Grotta delle Formelle [Credit: Sopraprintendenza per i Beni Architettonici, Paesaggistici, Storici, Artistici ed Etnoantropologici per le Province di Caserta e Benevento, Caserta]

It seems recently that more and more often the worlds cultural heritage is being 'stolen, looted, and destroyed'; however the truth is this steeling, looting, and destroying cultural heritage are not a product of recent 'bad' times, in fact these cultural heritage crimes have deep roots in our worlds history. The difference is that in ancient times there were no satellites orbiting the earth, no cable access, no YouTube, and no iPhone recording and 'posting' the criminals every move. Today organizations such as UNESCO help not only with protecting the world heritage, but the organization makes sure that the rest of the world knows that 'dah' crime does not pay.

It is funny about criminals that attempt to steel or destroy cultural heritage. Do they really think that in today's age of technology that they will not get caught. It is like the guy that spray painted the Picasso the other day in Houston. Really??? C'mon he must have known there were cameras everywhere. Perhaps the 22-year old that defaced the painting thought that wearing a tuxedo would be the perfect disguise (James Bond movie style). I think he would have been better off if he had worn the old fashion ski mask or at least a George W. Bush mask since he was in Texas. Either way technology in today's world, along with a little reward money, ensures that even the most stylishly dressed cultural heritage criminals still find out in the end that crime does not pay.

World Cultural Heritage matters, even if you are not a Piccasso fan. Thanks UNESCO.... and all the other cultural heritage organizations out there that through education and a bit of 'show', as was done in Paris, ensure the continued protection of our world heritage.

Stacey....

source: http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/unesco-to-display-artifacts-recovered-by-italian-police.aspx?pageID=238&nID=23635&NewsCatID=375