*EPF202 08/13/2002
Ambassador's Fund Preserves Cultural Heritage
(Fund is "vital component of American public diplomacy") (830)

By Phyllis McIntosh
Special to the Washington File

Through the Ambassador's Fund for Cultural Preservation, the U.S. Department of State is helping 51 countries around the globe preserve historic sites and manuscripts, museum collections, and traditional forms of music, dance and language.

The Fund, established by Congress in 2001 to assist countries in preserving their cultural heritage, is administered by the Department's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs in cooperation with the Office of the Chief Financial Officer. "The Ambassador's Fund demonstrates in measurable ways the U.S. commitment to understanding and preserving the heritage of others," said Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs Patricia S. Harrison.

The awards for 2002 will total $1 million. Projects were selected from those proposed by U.S. ambassadors in 98 of the 120 eligible countries -- from Albania to Zimbabwe. The individual awards range from the preservation of traditional folk songs of the Tay ethnic minority in Vietnam to the restoration of the Afghan shrine, mosque and gardens dedicated to the Mogul Emperor Babur, a 16th century descendant of Genghis Khan. Enamored of Persian gardens, the emperor had ordered that a garden be constructed in Kabul, and his remains were enshrined there after his death in 1530. Years of neglect, drought and internal fighting in Afghanistan have left the entire complex in need of rehabilitation.

Other projects supported by the 2002 awards include:

-- An international symposium in Mali to promote preservation and protection of ancient African and Islamic manuscripts in countries along Africa's Ink Road, the route traveled centuries ago by Islamic diplomats, or Holy Men, on their way to Mecca. A 2001 Ambassador's Fund grant supported a Timbuktu project to preserve Islamic manuscripts on tolerance that these ancient "ambassadors of peace" used to teach conflict resolution as far back as the 13th century.

-- Permanent exhibition space in Bosnia for the famous Sarajevo Haggadah, or Passover book, which has survived more than six centuries. Created in 1360, it traveled from Spain during the 15th century expulsion of the Jews. In recent times, it was kept hidden during the Nazi invasion and siege of Sarajevo to survive as a lasting symbol of peace and tolerance.

-- Various efforts to preserve the cultural heritage of the former Soviet republics, including restoration of a unique 11th century mausoleum in the Kyrgyz Republic that was an important place of pilgrimage for the Muslims of Central Asia; restoration of a church in Moldova whose Byzantine frescoes make it the most historically valuable religious monument in the republic; upgrading the oral history archives of Tajikistan; preservation of ancient songs, historical manuscripts and handicrafts representing the Crimean Tartar culture of Ukraine; and preservation of artist Marc Chagall's works and restoration of his childhood home in Belarus.

-- Documentation of the movements, music and stories associated with traditional Malaysian dances, the Manora and the Mak Yong, which combine local Malay beliefs with Buddhist rituals. Both are threatened because they run afoul of the strict tenets of the Malaysian Islamic Party.

In the Western Hemisphere, Ambassador's Fund grants will help preserve the artifacts and oral history of the Black Carib people, descendents of Native Americans and African slaves, on the Caribbean island of St. Vincent; produce materials for Ecuador's schoolchildren about the history and traditions of the Afro-Ecuadorian people; and train teachers to keep alive the native language and oral traditions of the isolated Tawahka people of Honduras, who with a population of only 1,000 represent one of the world's most endangered cultures.

An important element in many of the projects is training local people to care properly for museum collections and work to document and preserve the cultural heritage of their regions.

Calling the Ambassador's Fund for Cultural Preservation "a vital component of American public diplomacy," Assistant Secretary Harrison has noted that it is the only cultural preservation program in the U.S. government that provides direct small grant support to heritage preservation in less developed countries. In establishing the Fund, Congress stated that cultural preservation offers an opportunity to show a different American face to other countries, one that is non-commercial, non-political and non-military. By taking a leading role in efforts to preserve cultural heritage, we show our respect for other cultures.

(The Washington File is a product of the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)

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