UNESCO Concerned about Erection of Jahan-nema High-Rise

July 17, 2002 - 0:0
ISFAHAN -- Director-General of Isfahan Province Cultural Heritage Department, Seyfollah Aminiyan said, "Experts from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) conferring with Isfahan Municipal and construction authorities expressed their discontent with the erection of Jahan-nema high-rise in Isfahan.

Aminiyan told IRNA here on Tuesday that UNESCO experts reiterated in their recent visit to the historical city of Isfahan that the Iranian authorities should protect the city for the civilization of mankind.

He added, "UNESCO experts called for the proper adjustment of the monument's height and even underlined their request during a meeting with the Isfahan governor-general.

He said that UNESCO doesn't consider the historical city of Isfahan to belong only to Iran and doesn't accept any non-essential changes, destruction or reconstruction in the great heritage of mankind.

He added that some reports have been received by UNESCO experts on non-essential constructions within the limit of Isfahan's historical monuments and sites including the surroundings of Chahar-bagh Garden, Safavid Court-house and the portion of Isfahan marked by an ancient texture.

He pointed to the UNESCO experts' reference to the absence of a historical museum in Isfahan and their readiness to encourage the UNESCO related cultural commissions to proceed with establishment of a museum in Isfahan.

Aminiyan also added that holding a training workshop, providing the needed documents for the registration of the qualified monuments as global cultural heritage were also among the goals of the UNESCO delegation's visit.

According to the Head of the International Relations Department of Iran's Cultural Heritage Organization Rasoul Vatandoust, one of the objectives of UNESCO experts' visit was to assess the potentials of some Iranian cities and recommend them for registration as global monuments. He added, "So far, Persepolis in Shiraz, Naqsh-e Jahan Square in Isfahan and Chogha Zanbil Temple in Khuzestan province are the only monuments registered globally and we are lagging behind the world in this respect."

Some decisions have been taken by relevant state authorities to this end and some of the ancient monuments in the cities of Ardakan, Meybod and Yazd are to be registered by UNESCO as global monuments.

The UNESCO delegation visited some of Iran's ancient cities in various provinces including Yazd, Ardakan, Meybod, Kashan and Isfahan.