Heritage

Contents11I. First World War underwater cultural heritageand the UNESCO 2001 Convention‘Since war begins in the minds of men and women, it is in the minds of men andwomen that the defenses of peace must be constructed’, UNESCO’s constitution says.Protecting and sharing our heritage is key to fostering mutual understanding and amore perfect knowledge of each other’s lives. Our history and our heritage are part ofwho we are. They are major components of our identities, and provide ways of definingourselves as social groups in interaction with other groups and with the environment.By remembering and understanding our past, we acquire guidance for the future. Historyand the heritage left by it influence how we evolve and how we pass on knowledgeto future generations. They provide a basis for tradition, value and mutual respect.The Centenary of the First World War provides a unique opportunity to base peaceand reconciliation education on heritage, especially the unique underwater culturalheritage of that period.The world’s heritage at the heart of the way to peaceToday’s world faces the challenge of uniting peoples to share in a peaceful coexistenceon an unprecedented scale. The world’s cultural heritage is the traces of not only themost beautiful, but also the most tragic events of human history, understanding andsharing this heritage can serve as a strong uniting force.The idea of establishing an international movement for the protection of humanity’scommon heritage was first mentioned after the First World War, under the auspicesof the League of Nations. It was later inscribed in the mandate of the United NationsEducational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).In the 1960s, UNESCO organized an international campaign to help Egypt and Sudanrescue the Nubian temples from the impending flood that would be caused bythe construction of the Aswan High Dam on the Nile River. The campaign mobilizedthe international community concerning cultural heritage and the world’s shared responsibilityfor preserving it.A significant step towards heritage preservation was the Convention on the Protectionof World Cultural and Natural Heritage, adopted by the General Conference of