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TOPIC: World heritage sites

Blobrana

L

Posts: 131433

Date: Dec 6 23:45 2006

Vredefort Dome	Permalink

Two billion years ago a meteorite 10km in diameter hit the earth about 100km southwest of Johannesburg, creating an enormous impact crater. This area, near Vredefort in the Free State, is now known as the Vredefort Dome. It was voted South Africa's seventh World Heritage site at Unesco's 29th World Heritage Committee meeting in Durban in July 2005. The meteorite, larger than Table Mountain, caused a thousand-megaton blast of energy. The impact would have vaporised about 70 cubic kilometres of rock - and may have increased the earth's oxygen levels to a degree that made the development of multicellular life possible. The world has about 130 crater structures of possible impact origin. The Vredefort Dome is among the top three, and is the oldest and largest clearly visible meteorite impact site in the world. Read more __________________

Blobrana

L

Posts: 131433

Date: Oct 22 13:48 2006

World Heritage Site	Permalink

UNESCO urged Central Thua Thien Hue province to save local monuments by enlarging conservation areas before continuing to build infrastructure around world heritage sites. At a meeting with provincial authorities Saturday on problems relating to conservation near Hue City – Vietnam’s ancient capital which was recognised as World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1993, the mission advised them to enlarge the conservation area including Huong (Perfume) River. Read more __________________

Blobrana

L

Posts: 131433

Date: Jun 28 20:54 2005

World heritage sites	Permalink

Three new sites in South Africa may become United Nations world heritage sites. They are the Vredefort Dome in the Free State, the Taung Skull fossil site in the North West and the Makapans Valley in Limpopo. The nominations were unveiled in Johannesburg today by Arts and Culture Minister Pallo Jordan at a briefing on the Unesco (United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation) World Heritage committee meeting to be held in Durban next week. "The prestige of having world heritage sites in a country raises awareness of heritage and conservation. The ultimate goal of having the sites recognised is to enhance the quality of collective existence and preserve them for future generations." - Pallo Jordan He said each site was chosen because it had something to offer. The Vredefort Dome was formed by a meteorite hitting the earth –thought to be the biggest meteorite strike yet known - and is regarded as valuable for scientific research. Taung is where an early Hominid skull was discovered. The Makapans Valley was home to some of the earliest settlements in South Africa. South Africa is already home to six world heritage sites and hopes are high that the new three nominations will be approved by the world heritage committee, said Jordan. To prevent these sites from being de-listed as world heritage sites, an African World Heritage Fund will be set up to maintain and preserve them. These sites include Robben Island, the Greater St Lucia Wetland Park and the Cradle of Humankind at Sterkfontein near Krugersdorp. "Robben Island is one such site that was in danger of being de-listed because the WHC inspected found it was not well preserved. This fund will ensure that this site and others are well preserved and will not be de-listed." - Pallo Jordan There are over 788 world heritage sites situated in 143 countries. Source __________________

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