Today, April 18, the National Weekly joins thousands around the world as they celebrate World Heritage Day.
World Heritage Day was developed by UNESCO as the international day for acknowledging monuments and sites. This special day offers an opportunity to raise the public’s awareness about the diversity of cultural heritage and the efforts that are required to protect and conserve it, as well as draw attention to its vulnerability.
On 18 April 1982, on the occasion of a symposium organised by the International Council On Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) in Tunisia, the holding of the “International Day for Monuments and Sites” was suggested to be celebrated simultaneously throughout the world. This project was approved by the Executive Committee who provided practical suggestions to the National Committees on how to organise this day.
The idea was also approved by the UNESCO General Conference who passed a resolution at its 22nd session in November 1983 recommending that Member States examine the possibility of declaring 18 April each year “International Monuments and Sites Day”. This has been traditionally called the World Heritage Day.
To commemorate the day in Jamaica, several activities have been planned by the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport under the theme “The Heritage of Sport”. Portfolio Minister Olivia Grange will unveil two of the three signs being erected at the entrances to the Blue and John Crow Mountains National Park and World Heritage site. The signs are being erected as part of the Ministry’s undertaking to heighten public awareness and encourage persons to visit the Site.
The Ministry will also host a symposium at the University of Technology under the theme “Sport for Development”
