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Global Heritage Fund Celebrates U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice Historic Visit to Libya

September 10, 2008

 

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Global Heritage Fund Celebrates U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice Historic Visit to Libya

GHF Conservation and Funding from U.S. Embassy Recognized for Ancient Cyrene Amphitheatre and Sanctuary of Apollo

Tripoli and Benghazi, Libya – September 10, 2008. Global Heritage Fund (GHF) celebrates the historic visit by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to Libya, a major break-through to help open the doors for visitors and improve diplomatic dialog with one of Africa’s most important countries. GHF has been working in Libya for the past three years, partly funded by U.S. State Department, to restore and preserve the ancient amphitheatre at the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Cyrene, in eastern Libya.

GHF is undertaking a multi-year project in collaboration with the University of Naples (Italy) and Libyan Department of Antiquities for master planning, scientific conservation, community development, training and new partnerships to preserve the endangered UNESCO World Heritage site of Cyrene, located in one of Libya’s least developed provinces. Saving the last remaining authentic Greek structures of the Sanctuary of Apollo at Cyrene, which was the largest Ancient Greek site in Africa, is the project’s main objective, combined with local community development and training initiatives. GHF is also working with international experts, UNESCO observers and the Libyan authorities to prepare a management plan for the site of Cyrene.

“While Leptis Magna receives most of the visitors to Libya, being located near Tripoli, the ancient Greek site of Cyrene lies nearly abandoned, with little budget and a handful of trained staff to protect the site and thousands of pieces of Greek statuary”, says Jeff Morgan, Executive Director of GHF. “Our focus with the support of the U.S. State Department is to restore the main amphitheatre and Sanctuary of Apollo, which are some of the most stunning monuments in N. Africa. Looting, poor conservation techniques and lack of planning are all growing threats to the site. GHF hopes to set a new model with international standards and experts working together to save Cyrene.”

In addition to planning and a scientific conservation program at the Sanctuary of Apollo, GHF is supporting local community initiatives to train and educate the local population on the importance of preservation. With tourism to Libya increasing, visitation to Cyrene is expected to grow dramatically and there is a need to involve local stakeholders in manner that is mutually beneficial to the long-term sustainability and the site the surrounding communities.

“We are grateful for the vision and support from GHF in our work to preserve Cyrene”, says Dr. Serenella Ensoli, Director of the GHF Cyrene Project from the University of Naples. “Private sector investment, technical and scientific assistances, and international partnerships are critical to our efforts to protect and successfully preserve Cyrene, one of Africa’s finest archaeological jewels.”

John Hurd, GHF’s Head of Conservation, recently led a ten day GHF mission to Cyrene to begin work on assisting the Libyan Authorities to assemble a management plan for the whole site. GHF’s work at Cyrene was highlighted in the official U.S. State Department press briefings for Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice’s historic visit to Libya, the first senior U.S. official to visit in nearly fifty years.

About Global Heritage Fund
Global Heritage Fund is an international conservancy preserving endangered world heritage sites in developing countries. Deploying our proven Preservation by Design methodology, GHF provides timely funding and technical expertise to 1) develop comprehensive master conservation plans, 2) enable sustained preservation through local community involvement, 3) ensure excellence in conservation, and 4) secure complementary funding and long-term partnerships. Global Heritage Fund is a registered non-profit international conservancy based in Palo Alto, California. GHF UK was established in the United Kingdom in 2007.
Web site: www.globalheritagefund.org