But Where's George?

Mount Vernon is known, by nearly every American, as the home of our first president and Founding Father, George Washington. But this fact may be the very reason Mount Vernon faces a challenge being accepted as a World Heritage site. As quoted from the Washington Post, "a group advising the U.S. government on getting American sites onto the prestigious list initially rejected Mount Vernon because of the George factor." To learn just what this challenge means for Mount Vernon and how it may overcome it, continue reading: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/03/AR2009070301570.html

U.S. Cultural Preservation Awards for 2009

As this memo from the U.S. Department of State outlines, the U.S. Ambassadors Fund for Cultural Preservation will be supporting projects at eight World Heritage sites. The AFCP was established by Congress in 2001 to "provide direct grant support for the preservation of cultural sites, cultural objects and collections, and forms of traditional cultural expression in countries around the world." Since its establishment, the AFCP has supported more than 500 cultural preservation projects. Read the memo to find out the newest sites AFCP is supporting: http://www.america.gov/st/texttrans-english/2009/June/20090625173410eaifas0.7132532.html#ixzz0Ks6aYFJG&C

U.S. to grant financial support to restore world heritage site in Nepal

As reported in China View, "The United States Ambassador's Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP), 2009, will offer financial support for the restoration of the intricately carved stone sculpture of Tusha Hiti and the Bhandarkhal Tank at the Patan Royal Palace in Nepali capital Kathmandu." The Kathmandu Valley became a World Heritage site in 1979, containing seven groups of monuments and buildings that illustrate the Nepali culture.

Keep reading: http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-06/27/content_11610527.htm06/27/content_11610527.htm

A new plan for Panama's Coiba National Park and World Heritage site

Panama's Coiba Island became a National Park in 2004, and a year later, a World Heritage site. As the largest island along the Pacific coast of Central America, Coiba is home to endemic animal and plant species. After three years of planning to make the park a more effective protected area, Juan Maté, coordinator of marine technical agreements at the Smithsonian, with the support of UNESCO, presented the new management plan for the National Park on June 23rd.

Full Article:
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2009-06/stri-anp062609.php