A műemlékek sokszínűsége (A 28. Egri Nyári Egyetem előadásai 1998 Eger, 1998)

Előadások / Presentations - Roland SILVA: Unesco-Sri Lanka project of the cultural triangle fifteen years work

ROLAND SILVA UNESCO-SRI LANKA PROJECT OF THE CULTURAL TRIANGLE FIFTEEN YEARS WORK Sri Lanka has been fortunate to work alongside with UNESCO on one of its 32 campaigns spread round the world. This Project of the UNESCO-Sri Lanka Cultural Triangle, is proud to record that is has been one of the largest UNESCO efforts concerning monuments and sites, undertaken by this World Body in collaboration with a Member State. We are, well conscious of the work that UNESCO has been carrying out in Europe and also in Hungary, and we have all to be grateful to UNESCO for providing moral courage and organizational ability to initiate these landmark events for the great good of our people and the world in general. The UNESCO-Sri Lanka Project of the Cultural Triangle, which is the subject of our deliberations today was approved as a project at the General Assembly of UNESCO in 1978. The inauguration was in 1980 and the establishment of the Central Cultural Fund to implement this programme, was in the same year. The highlight of the Sri Lankan example is that, in establishing the Central Cultural Fund, the Government provided the highest responsibilities and provisions under the Act. Some of these include: a, Appointing the Honourable Prime Minister of the country as its Chairperson, b, Appointing the Honourable Ministers in charge of the subjects of Culture, Finance, Tourism, UNESCO matters, Hindu Affairs and the Deputy Minister of Cultural Affairs as Members of the Board of Governors, c, Appointing of other senior officials of the Government and the private sector selected from the best in the land to complete the assignments to the Board of Governors, d, Providing the maximum benefits to donations made to the Central Cultural Fund in the form of Income Tax, Wealth Tax to the extent of the total value of the gift, e, Providing exemptions from payment of any customs duty and other such taxes for entertainment, Municipal, Urban, Town or Village Council payments. The experience of fifteen years has shown that the Central Cultural Fund has followed closely the provisions of the Act and its performance with the Honourable the Prime Minister presiding over a monthly meeting of the Board of Governors has been able to achieve the Scientific, Administrative and financial successes during the period of operation. Some of the highlights at an administrative and financial level include the following: a, Provided employment for around 4500 skilled and unskilled labourers and around 500 graduates in archaeology, architecture and other technical and administrative personnel. b, Maintained overhead expenses throughout the period below 9% c, Published excavation reports at each of the six project sites on the basis of two reports and one conservation report per year. d, Published approximately two other Scientific publications per month during the past eight years as an additonal service to the community. In terms of the international assessment of the work of the UNESCO-Sri Lanka Project of the Cultural