Contact:
Jeff Morgan, GHF
press@globalheritagefund.org
(650) 325 7520

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

GLOBAL HERITAGE FUND CELEBRATES THREE YEARS OF PROGRESS TO SAVE CHAVÍN DE HUÁNTAR, PERU UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE

International Conservancy Sees New Pledges and Support as Critical to Stop
Further Loss of Our World Heritage

LIMA, PERU and PALO ALTO, CA --  (September 18, 2005) – Global Heritage Fund (GHF) celebrates its third year of conservation and community development of Chavín de Huántar, Peru’s most important archaeological UNESCO World Heritage site, and one the oldest and most important archaeological sites in South America.

 Chavín de Huántar continues to be severely threatened by landslides, annual flooding, new road construction and lack of support for maintenance and conservation.  GHF’s conservation and development of Chavín de Huántar is working to establish Peru’s ‘next Machu Picchu’ in terms of tourism and economic development in one of Peru’s least developed regions- Ancash in the Andes’ Cordillera Blanca.

With the generous support of Minera Antamina, Asociación Ancash, Minera Barrick and IRG Cultural Preservation Fund, GHF and Stanford University, in partnership with the Instituto Nacional de Cultura (INC) Peru, and  have been able to help reverse the serious deterioration of

Chavín de Huántar. GHF Chavín has also attracted new support from the Peruvian government, multi-nationals including Telefónica-Perú, and the Government of Japan which last month committed $3.2 million to construction of a new museum at Chavín de Huántar. A new road costing over $30 million has been constructed to the site with funding from Minera Antamina and the Government of Peru, making Chavín de Huántar easily accessible for both domestic and international tourism.

Global Heritage Fund’s program, led by Stanford University Professor and GHF Senior Advisory Board Member Dr. John Rick, has conserved and stabilized the Main Circular Plaza of Chavín de Huántar, undertaken extensive archaeological excavations and research and restored the ancient drainage system of Chavín to prevent future flooding, the primary cause of destruction to the ancient site. GHF secured over $180,000 in matching funding from Peruvian donors to support our conservation efforts.

GHF Chavín project and Instituto de Desarollo Regional "Chaupin Peru"  (INDERCHAP) has trained over thirty Chavín townspeople in archaeological conservation and in the preparation of thousands of Chavín artifacts which were researched, conserved and inventoried for the upcoming new Chavín Museum. Tourism at Chavín de Huántar has grown to over 100,000 visitors last year providing new opportunities for the region and Town of Chavín.

Peru’s Instituto Nacional de Cultura (INC) and Director General Dr. Luis Lumbreras’ leadership and support has been instrumental to the turnaround of Chavín de Huántar. Dr. Lumbreras was one of the first archaeologists to excavate and study Chavín de Huántar in the 1980s and 1990s and he continues to be actively involved in working with GHF Leaders in Conservation at the
site to provide guidance and support from the Peruvian government.  Dr. Luis Lumbreras has also served as a member of GHF’s Worldwide Senior Advisory Board over the past three years and is considered one of the most respected archaeologists in South America.

This multi-year program will ensure the long-term survival of Chavín de Huántar for centuries to come.  In Peruvian history, Chavín civilization is considered the most important in the development of advanced society in South America dating to BC1200.  GHF is currently funding and providing experts and leadership for an integrated program of (1) Master Conservation Planning, (2) Scientific Conservation, and (3) Artifact Conservation Laboratory and Site Interpretation.   By integrating the local community directly into the training and conservation programs of the site, monument conservation and tourism development, local Peruvians will have a brighter economic future.  

The GHF Chavín Lima Reception will be held on Sunday, September 18th, 2005 at the Museo del Oro at 7:00pm. By Invitation Only.

About Global Heritage Fund

Global Heritage Fund is the leading international conservancy preserving endangered world heritage sites in developing countries.  The conservancy’s goal 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 are the organization’s Leaders in Conservation, the 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.

top