Presseurop |

World heritage | UNESCO digs flamenco and med food

Wed, 17 Nov 2010 12:31:39 +0100

"UNESCO crowns castells," headlines El Periódico, in the wake of the international body’s decision to include 46 popular traditions, including flamenco and the Mediterranean diet, on its List of Intangible Cultural Heritage, which already has 177 entries. According to the Catalan daily, the inclusion of the traditional Catalan practice of building human towers or castells, the Majorcan chant of the Sybil, falconry and the Mediterranean diet (a proposal that was also supported by Morocco and Italy) "is a testament to the recognition of Spain’s cultural diversity." The French press, and in particular Le Figaro, delightedly reports on the inclusion of "the gastronomic meal of the French" with its accompanying rituals and presentation.

(News in brief)

Amsterdam | Who cares about Unesco? (NRC Handelsblad, Rotterdam)

Fri, 06 Aug 2010 16:18:47 +0100

UNESCO’s recognition of Amsterdam’s 17th-century canal ring area fails to impress NRC Handelsblad, which argues that tourism and modernisation will not benefit from the city’s new status as a World Heritage Site — a title the newspaper believes is largely overblown. (Article)

Heritage | Istanbul, all a facade (Süddeutsche Zeitung, Munich)

Tue, 27 Jul 2010 14:58:15 +0100

For years the Turkish government has been deliberately gutting Istanbul’s old town rather than restoring it, writes the Süddeutsche Zeitung. UNESCO now intends to strike Istanbul off the World Cultural Heritage list, seeing as politicians have done nothing but stymie efforts to preserve its historic monuments. (Article)

Wine | War of the Tokays (Polityka, Warsaw)

Wed, 23 Dec 2009 16:23:07 +0100

For more than 40 years, Hungary has been fighting to have the Tokaj wine region recognized as a protected designation of origin (PDO). Having battled with the Soviet Union, France and Italy, it is now in dispute with neighbouring Slovakia, which is putting up stiff resistance. (Article)

University | Europe tops rankings

Fri, 09 Oct 2009 14:14:56 +0100

Europe has taken over the US role as the educational hub of the world, enthuses Dziennik Gazeta Prawna. The list of 100 top universities published by the Times Higher Education Centre for the first time this year featured more universities from the Old Continent (39) than from the New World (36). Only a year ago the U.S. was clearly in the lead (42 to 36). What’s more, according to data revealed by UNESCO, in 2009 almost 800,000 candidates from outside of Europe took on studies in European universities, while the U.S. has managed to attract a tad over 620,000 overseas students. Why? European universities are cheaper than their American counterparts and focus on those areas of study that are currently in highest demand: bio and digital technologies, the daily points out. Moreover, harsh visa regulations introduced after the attacks of 9/11, effectively discouraged young people from studying in America. It is true that Harvard still tops the list, but it is closely followed by Cambridge University, with the famous Yale trailing behind. The first five also lists two London universities: University College and Imperial College, as well as Oxford University.

(News in brief)

Anti-semitism | Mooted UNESCO chief may eat his words

Thu, 17 Sep 2009 15:34:17 +0100

"The man who would burn books," headlines Libération. The man in question is Farouk Hosni, age 71, who has been Egypt's Minister of Culture for the last 22 years. Last year, he told the Egyptian parliament, "If there were Israeli books in Egyptian libraries, I would burn them myself." However, this is just one of many hostile remarks that Hosni has made with regard to Jews. Naturally, his candidacy for the post of Secretary General of UNESCO has sparked controversy. In recent weeks, several intellectuals have publicly criticized the anti-Semitism of this "firebrand" whose bid to lead UNESCO is supported by France. A key issue in this "diplomatic kerfuffle" is the question of Union for the Mediterranean, which was launched with great pomp and circumstance by Nicolas Sarkozy in 2008, and which is co-chaired by Egypt. In the wake of the 2009 war in Gaza, Arab states expressed serious reservations about the UfM. However, Egypt "will do its utmost to reinstate a semblance of dialogue… if a serious effort is made to save Farouk Hosni," explains the French daily.

(News in brief)

World heritage | UNESCO ditches Dresden

Fri, 26 Jun 2009 17:41:03 +0100

The Dresden Elbe Valley, one of the most beautiful river valleys in the world, is no longer listed as a UNESCO world heritage site. In the wake of 10 years of controversy, the capital of Saxony "has lost its title," reports Tagesspiegel, because it has decided to build a 600-metre-long bridge that will be visible from the city centre, and disfigure the fabulous landscape of the valley. After Oman, deleted in 2007, it is the second time that UNESCO has a removed a site from the World Heritage List. Quoted in the Berlin daily, the director of the German Cultural Council, Olaf Zimmerman, blames municipal authorities in Dresden: "Dresden's stubborn persistence has done a major disservice to German culture." He further adds that "Germany has been made to look ridiculous in the eyes of the world."

(News in brief)