GHR Fall 2008

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"We invite you to join the Global Heritage Fund Conservation Society, a distinguished group of individuals who are passionate about heritage conservation, arts, cultures and the wellbeing of the local communities where we work. The GHF Trustees have offered a $50,000 Conservation Society Challenge. Your gift will be matched 1:1. Please join us today and contribute in the conservation of our precious heritage for future generations."

Dr. Bill Brown, Chair, GHF Board of Trustees

Join the GHF Conservation Society today.

Local workforce members laying down concrete blocks for bas-relief shelter.

Work begins at GHF’s Project in Banteay Chhmar, Cambodia

We have slowly expanded the workforce, taking on over 30 members of the local community, and have four groups working in different activities throughout the site.

Progress on clearance of the Southeast Sector: The recording, numbering and clearance of the Southeast Sector has been progressing well. Approximately 25 meters of the stone and debris has been cleared. Each stone has been referenced and where possible identified. The stones have been laid out systematically relevant to their grid location, and a temporary shelter for the bas-relief has been built.

The team has been slowly reconstructing sections of the roof vault structures. This is to ascertain how much of the structure can be reconstructed (anastylosis). The grid that the team is now working on contain sections where the bas relief has collapsed. It is planned during the next mission to determine the structural condition of this section of the bas relief and to carry out sample reconstruction in a section where the bas relief wall is still intact.

Learn more about Banteay Chhmar

Marker Stone Env Min Marking Forest Protected Zone

Trimble GPS device measuring location of forest protection zone marker.

Wall brace set in place to prevent the collapse of the Eastern Wall.

Banteay Chhmar Community Celebrating

Local community blessing the start of work at Banteay Chhmar.

GHF International Conservation Director
John Hurd (center) and China Heritage Program Manager Kuanghan Li (right) speak to trainees about conservation in the ancient city of Pingyao.

GHF supports International Conservation Training Course in Pingyao Ancient City

Global Heritage Fund along with the Pingyao County Urban and Rural Planning Bureau (PYPB) supported and co-organized a conservation training course as part of the GHF Pingyao Cultural Heritage Development Program. The aim of the training course was to raise awareness in conservation concepts, principles and techniques amongst local officials and ground staff who are directly responsible for the conservation of Pingyao Ancient City.

Read more about the Training Course

GHF UK Update

Thanks to a generous donation from the Fuserna Foundation, Global Heritage Fund UK has funded essential conservation at the 1,200 year-old-site of Foguang Temple, one of the most important Tang Dynasty architectural complexes in China and a repository for some of the finest flourishings of Buddhist art and sculpture from that period. GHF UK assistance has been essential in the nomination of Foguang Temple, along with five other Temples on Wutai Mountain, as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The grant was applied to general environmental improvement work along with funding from the Shanxi Province government; the scope of work included repair of all auxiliary buildings, construction of roads, flush toilets, re-laid paving and improvement of the drainage system and landscaping.

Painted Wooden Statuary at Foguang Temple.

See GHF UK Progress in 2008

Visit Global Heritage Fund UK

Dr. Richard Hansen in front of Structure 34

Learn more about Mirador

Mirador's Project Director Receives Prestigious Latin American Bravo Award as Environmentalist of the Year

Global Heritage Fund celebrates the award of Environmentalist of the Year to Mirador Project Director Dr. Richard Hansen by the Latin Trade Bravo Business Awards. Now in its 14th year, the awards honor business, political, and social leaders for outstanding achievement and their contributions to progress and excellence in Latin America and the Caribbean. The Latin Trade Bravo Business Awards are considered the “Oscars” of Latin American business.

More on the Latin Bravo Business Award featuring Dr Richard Hansen (PDF)

GHF Featured in
Palo Alto Weekly

Palo Alto nonprofit preserves ancient sites around the world

When the Olympic torch passed through the Chinese province of Shanxi in June, only one foreigner carried the flame — Jeff Morgan, founder of the Palo Alto-based Global Heritage Fund.

"Everyone there is just very proud," Morgan said. "This is a big deal. It's a real honor for the whole country. There's an amazing energy in China for this event."

Morgan was chosen to bear the torch for his efforts to preserve and restore the ancient city of Pingyao, once a famous center of Chinese banking. "Located 400 miles southwest of Beijing, the Ancient city of roughly 30,000 citizens has faced major blight and neglect since the advent of communism," he said.

Nearly 400 Qing Dynasty courtyards await restoration in Pingyao, China.

British Airways First Class Magazine Features
Global Heritage Fund's Executive Director

‘GET INVOLVED IN A MORE
HANDS-ON WAY'

Jeff Morgan is executive director of the Global Heritage Fund, where he oversees the conservation of some of the world’s most endangered heritage sites.

"The biggest concerns for the major tourism sites are destruction from neglect, unplanned development and mass tourism," Morgan said. "To offset the boom in travel, we need to slow down the development of heritage sites and protect them before they are destroyed. Tourism can be environmentally low-impact. It’s unplanned mass tourism that gets tricky."

Tourists at My Son, Vietnam

GHF hosts successful Gala event at the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco

Being at the Asian Art Museum to celebrate the five-year milestone in the organization's history is particularly meaningful as it was here in 2004 that GHF held its first major event.

Global Heritage Fund was started five years ago by Jeff Morgan and Dr. Ian Hodder in an effort to preserve and protect humankind's most important archaeological and cultural heritage sites in developing countries.

Since that time, GHF has developed into a respected and dynamic international conservancy with four completed projects and twelve ongoing projects world-wide. To date, we have preserved heritage at risk from neglect, destruction, mass tourism, and unplanned urban sprawl with the combined efforts of our Board of Trustees, Honorary Board of Trustees, Senior Advisory Board, governmental agencies, foundations, donors, partners, and local communities.

Kathak Dance Performance
By Pandit Chitresh Das

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