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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

2007 UNESCO ASIA-PACIFIC HERITAGE AWARD OF MERIT FOR CONSERVATION OF 174 TRADITIONAL NAXI HOUSES

PALO ALTO, CALIF. (September 13, 2007) – Global Heritage Fund (GHF) celebrates Lijiang Ancient Town receiving the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Heritage Award for successful conservation of 174 traditional houses.

Located in Yunnan Province in Southwestern China, Lijiang is a 1,000- year-old ancient treasure at the headwaters of the five Great Rivers at the base of the Himalayas. This UNESCO World Heritage site has retained a historic townscape of high quality and authenticity, with an architectural style that blends elements from several cultures that have come together over many centuries.

Lijiang Ancient Town is buffeted by earthquakes and modern encroachment. Global Heritage Fund, in conjunction with UNESCO, created a joint partnership with the Lijiang government for the development of the first Master Conservation Plan (MCP). GHF also created the first public and privately-funded Lijiang Trust for Conservation for the conservation of 174 traditional Naxi houses.

The Master Conservation Plan guided the removal of more than 240 poorly planned modern structures built throughout the 1990s.  These modern structures were incompatible with the unique heritage and architecture of Lijiang. Through an integrated planning process with Global Heritage, Lijiang established China’s first Preservation Incentive Fund (PIF) to authentically restore the most endangered ancient residences,   which formed the core attraction for tourism and stopped the exodus of 4,000 Naxi families from their traditional homes.

“Global Heritage has been vital in assisting our Lijiang Ancient Town Management Committee develop our first master conservation plan, and to set a new private-public partnership model for preserving the ancient residences of the Naxi people,” says Ms. Rose Ding Wen, Manager of Conservation at Lijiang Ancient Town.

UNESCO Asia Pacific Heritage Award recognizes the successful conservation of 174 traditional houses for taking “a significant step forward in public-private efforts to safeguard vernacular heritage.  The partnership between the residents, management authorities, external conservation experts and donors allows for a broad-based and participatory conservation approach within the framework of the overall World Heritage site conservation management plan.”

The UNESCO Asia Pacific Heritage Awards recognize the efforts of private individuals and organizations that have successfully restored and conserved structures and buildings of heritage value in the region.  UNESCO believes that recognizing private efforts to restore and adapt historic structures will encourage other property owners to undertake conservation projects within the community, either independently or by seeking public-private partnerships. 

About Global Heritage Fund

Global Heritage Fund is the leading international conservancy preserving endangered world heritage sites in developing countries. Our mission is to enable successful, long-term preservation of humankind's most important archaeological sites and ancient townscapes, creating new opportunities for economic growth. Global Heritage Fund uses its Preservation by Design methodology to develop comprehensive Master Conservation Plans, provide early matching grants and training, build local institutions and promote sustainable tourism development to further permanent protection for global cultural treasures. Global Heritage Fund is a registered non-profit international conservancy based in Palo Alto, California.

At the very heart of GHF's conservation efforts is the Global Heritage Network (GHN) of experts and conservation technology backed by GHF’s Leaders in Conservation, Senior Advisory Board,  and Trustees for Global Heritage, a distinguished network of philanthropists and foundations  committed to preserving and protecting these endangered one-of-a-kind archaeological and world  heritage sites.