A pitched battle is being waged over the inclusion of ancient Minoan palaces as UNESCO World Heritage sites.
In 2014 the Permanent Delegation of Greece to UNESCO submitted an application to UNESCO so that the ancient Minoan palaces at Knossos, Phaistos, Malia, Zakros, and Kydonia might be included as World Heritage sites. Today, we received what amounts to a declaration from a Heraklion SYRIZA MP, condemning the lack of respect Greece’s priceless heritage is receiving from UNESCO and others. If Europe’s earliest forays toward refined civilization cannot be recognized as heritage sites, it’s clear the system is broken.
Update: UNESCO’s Chief of Media Services, Mr. George Papagiannis contacted me this morning in order to address the situation. According to the media chief, the interim listing of Knossos can only be carried through to completion by the initiative of the Hellenic National Commission for UNESCO. Mr. Papagianni went on to explain that neither UNESCO nor the Greek commission had “dragged their feet” in furthering the Knossos World Heritage status. He also addressed many of the mitigating factors which have slowed the process.
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