Press Releases

Global Heritage Fund Receives Grant from the Tiffany & Co. Foundation to Further Preservation in Pingyao Ancient City - UNESCO World Heritage Site in China

July 09, 2009

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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Carson Glover
Tiffany & Co.
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GLOBAL HERITAGE FUND RECEIVES GRANT FROM THE TIFFANY & CO. FOUNDATION TO FURTHER PRESERVATION IN PINGYAO ANCIENT CITY– UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE IN CHINA

Funding Saves Historic Courtyard Buildings Dating Back to the Ming and Qing Dynasties

Palo Alto, CA (July 09, 2009) – In support of its mission to preserve cultural heritage sites in developing countries, Global Heritage Fund (GHF) today announced The Tiffany & Co. Foundation donated $100,000 to support the GHF Pingyao Cultural Heritage Development Program. The grant enables GHF’s ongoing work in Pingyao Ancient City to provide conservation and management plans, survey of cultural resources, preservation and rehabilitation of architecture and historic streetscapes, and the revitalization of traditional arts and crafts from the region.

“We are honored to have the critical support of The Tiffany & Co. Foundation for the GHF Pingyao Cultural Heritage Development Program,” said Jeff Morgan, executive director of Global Heritage Fund. “It is a privilege to partner with such a renowned and respected institution to preserve Pingyao Ancient City, a heritage jewel facing development and preservation challenges. The recognition by such a well-respected organization of our work in China and around the world is significant to growing our mission to save heritage sites from unprecedented threats in the developing world.”

Pingyao Ancient City in central Shanxi province is considered the banking capital of the country during the late Qing dynasty, and the best example of an intact walled city in China. Pingyao was awarded UNESCO World Heritage Site status in 1997 for its exceptional preservation of an intact, classic Han Chinese city from the Ming and Qing dynasties (1368-1911). Pingyao’s almost 4,000 courtyards illustrate the evolution of architectural styles and town planning over five centuries, and provide an overview of cultural, social, economic and religious development.

With the recent development and economic pressure brought about by the rapid growth of mass tourism to the region, the Pingyao Government and GHF reached a cooperative agreement in 2006 for the conservation and protection of Pingyao Ancient City. GHF worked with the Pingyao Government in jointly appointing The Urban Planning Institute of Shanghai Tongji University to design the Pingyao Ancient City Master Conservation and Management Plans to resolve the difficulties in balancing development and protection of Pingyao.

“We embrace Global Heritage Fund’s vision to protect cultural treasures in developing countries, and we are pleased to partner in the effort to preserve Pingyao for future generations,” said Fernanda Kellogg, President of The Tiffany & Co. Foundation. “Pingyao has a unique cultural heritage that will endure, thanks to Global Heritage Fund’s collaborative and comprehensive approach to the restoration and revitalization of living ancient cities.”

The Pingyao Cultural Heritage Development Program is an innovative program that combines authentic conservation, community engagement and heritage preservation. The program will restore and reuse exemplary Qing and Ming era courtyards, forming a historic area of model courtyards and artisan workshops within the ancient city. The goal is to preserve Pingyao’s historic courtyard buildings, help revive the traditional arts and crafts traditions, and expand the city’s attractions to further economic benefits to Pingyao’s residents.

About Global Heritage Fund
Global Heritage Fund is an international conservancy dedicated to preserving endangered world heritage sites in developing countries to improve lives of local people. GHF enables successful, long-term preservation of the developing world’s most important archaeological sites and ancient townscapes in developing countries, creating new opportunities for economic growth. To achieve this, Global Heritage Fund deploys a well-proven Preservation by Design methodology: 1) comprehensive master conservation planning, 2) sustained preservation through local community involvement, 3) excellence in scientific conservation, and 4) partnerships and complementary funding. Global Heritage Fund is a registered non-profit international conservancy based in Palo Alto, California. Web site: http://www.globalheritagefund.org

About The Tiffany & Co. Foundation
Established in 2000, The Tiffany & Co. Foundation provides grants to nonprofit organizations working in two main program areas: the environment and the arts. The Foundation’s environmental conservation program promotes responsible mining, healthy marine ecosystems, the enhancement of urban environments and the preservation of culturally significant landmarks. In addition, the Foundation fosters design excellence by supporting organizations dedicated to the decorative arts. For more information on The Tiffany & Co. Foundation, please visit www.tiffanyandcofoundation.org.