‘Mapping is important… you can’t work on heritage in middle of war, but you need to know what was there to reconstruct it’: Jean Manes

Are there apprehensions that things might be different in US, vis a vis its UNESCO membership, should the administration change?

We’re focused on making sure that both Republicans and Democrats in the US Congress see the value for the American taxpayer, because at the end of the day, it is the American taxpayer who pays the $75 million. We have nine creative cities linked to UNESCO, in gastronomy, architecture, and it’s part of a global network. So, when you’re talking to a member of Congress, you have to show how this may bring economic development. And we try to show how much revenue comes into a city that’s linked to UNESCO… we also want to show why it matters internationally and how the US contributes to leadership on issues that matter globally.

What is the role of the international community in preserving heritage?

When you talk about heritage and cultural identity, having protections in place for disasters… whether it’s a war or disaster zones or a hurricane… is important… When you look at current conflicts or disasters, whether it’s Haiti, Gaza or Ukraine, UNESCO is involved in mapping those sites and making sure those sites are documented and can be protected.

What about the heritage lost in the last two years in West Asia and Russia-Ukraine?

They’ve been doing the mapping in conflict zones, which is important because you can’t work on cultural heritage in the middle of a war. But when you go back, you need to know what was there and have a detailed roadmap to reconstruct it. In addition to our $75 million, we’ve made voluntary contributions for Ukrainian cultural heritage. And UNESCO has also set up a special fund for Gaza.

PM Modi said the world needs to see India without preconceived notions when he spoke about new archaeological discoveries. India is now talking about its 5000-yr Vedic history.

It’s always important to see a country for everything they are. When you don’t have those first-hand cultural experiences, you assume things about other people that aren’t true. But when you go see their heritage… you know them for who they are. And for us, history is even more important because we have such a young country.