[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 126 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

112th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 126

   Supporting the mission of UNESCO's World Heritage Convention and 
    celebrating the 2011 International Day for Monuments and Sites.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             March 31, 2011

  Mr. Kerry (for himself, Mr. Nelson of Florida, and Mr. Udall of New 
 Mexico) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
                     Committee on Foreign Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
   Supporting the mission of UNESCO's World Heritage Convention and 
    celebrating the 2011 International Day for Monuments and Sites.

Whereas the United States was the primary architect of the Convention Concerning 
        the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, done at Paris 
        November 23, 1972 (commonly known as the ``World Heritage Convention''), 
        and the following year became the first of the now 187 countries to 
        ratify the convention;
Whereas the World Heritage Convention is the most widely accepted and effective 
        conservation mechanism for the world's most significant natural and 
        cultural sites, and the only international convention focused on both 
        nature and culture;
Whereas the World Heritage Convention exemplifies the United Nations 
        Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization's (UNESCO) goals of 
        promoting peace through cultural dialogue;
Whereas the ideals set forth in the Convention reflect the commitment of the 
        United States to conserving its national parks and other forms of 
        natural and cultural heritage;
Whereas the United States has served four terms on the World Heritage Committee, 
        most recently from 2005 through 2009;
Whereas the World Heritage List currently contains 911 cultural and natural 
        sites, 21 of which are located within the United States, including 
        Florida's Everglades National Park, whose Ten Thousand Islands area 
        composes part of the largest stand of protected mangrove forest in the 
        Western hemisphere; Wrangell-St. Elias and Glacier Bay National Parks in 
        Alaska, which contain some of the world's longest glaciers; California's 
        Redwood National and State Parks, home to some of the tallest and oldest 
        trees in the world; Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona, which 
        retraces geological history over 2,000,000,000 years and represents the 
        four major geologic eras; Independence Hall in Pennsylvania, where both 
        the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution were 
        signed; and Taos Pueblo, in New Mexico, one of the oldest continuously 
        inhabited communities in the United States, and the only living American 
        community designated both a World Heritage Site and a National 
        Historical Landmark;
Whereas, in 2010, for the first time in 15 years, the World Heritage Committee 
        inscribed a site in the United States, Papahanaumokuakea Marine National 
        Monument, onto the World Heritage List, a site that is a natural and 
        cultural treasure for Hawaiians and is rich in marine biodiversity and 
        pristine natural beauty;
Whereas UNESCO and its World Heritage Centre play a vital role in the 
        safeguarding of monuments and sites in times of crisis, war, or natural 
        disaster;
Whereas, in an age of increasing conflict and volatility, the World Heritage 
        Convention is more important than ever in ensuring the protection of 
        priceless historical treasures;
Whereas the recent upheaval in Egypt, which threatened artifacts from the 
        antiquities museum in Cairo, and mounting concerns about the destruction 
        of the Roman ruins of Leptis Magna and other ancient cites in Libya 
        serve as reminders of the crucial role UNESCO plays in promoting 
        protection and conservation;
Whereas, through its List of World Heritage in Danger, UNESCO seeks to work with 
        national governments to preserve natural and cultural sites under 
        duress, by raising international awareness and providing local 
        authorities with the support they need;
Whereas, in Afghanistan, UNESCO's safeguarding campaign is premised on the 
        belief that a shared cultural heritage can strengthen national identity 
        and create a common sense of ownership over the country's past and 
        future;
Whereas the United States Government provides considerable assistance to World 
        Heritage sites around the globe through programs such as the National 
        Park Service's World Heritage Fellowship, which provides site managers 
        from developing countries with training at World Heritage sites in the 
        United States, including Everglades, Grand Canyon, Hawaii Volcanoes, and 
        Olympic National Parks;
Whereas the World Heritage Centre has formed innovative partnerships with 
        several private organizations in the United States, including new 
        interactive tools that allow users to virtually tour UNESCO World 
        Heritage sites from their computers;
Whereas April 18th has been endorsed by the UNESCO General Conference as the 
        International Day for Monuments and Sites, also known as World Heritage 
        Day; and
Whereas the 39th anniversary of the day in 2011 reflects a long-standing 
        commitment to the celebration and preservation of natural and cultural 
        sites around the world: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) supports the mission of UNESCO's World Heritage 
        Convention;
            (2) acknowledges the 39th anniversary of the International 
        Day for Monuments and Sites; and
            (3) commends UNESCO and its role in preserving and 
        celebrating natural and cultural sites worldwide.
                                 <all>