お知らせ News

1.Through this course, Mr. David Sheppard fully introduced the nature conservation, which is represented by World Heritage Convention.
First, he introduced general information about the nature conservation, current challenges to natural environment, and many frame works international conventions such as CBD, Ramsar, and so on.
Second, he argued the situation of the SPREP, as a case study of the regional framework and activities for the nature conservation, also pointed out what is the main challenges in the real situation of the nature conservation and how to maintain the framework with budgets and human resources.
Third, he told about World Heritage Convention. He told the relations between WHC and other framework conventions, and pointed out WH sites were the best practice of the nature conservation in the world which could make a good influences to other sites belongs to other levels or other frameworks. He also introduced the role of IUCN on the WHC, especially for the evaluation process of the candidate sites.
Finally, he introduced the implementation of the operational guidelines through the argument of the subscription on the list and the list in danger. He showed many examples such as Shiretoko(Japan), Sichuan Panda Sanctuary(China), Kakadu(Australia), Galapagos(Ecuador)  and pointed out the importance of the role of community, the rigorous evaluation process, the scientific studies, the organization of the management plan, and also the role of state parties
The content was totally supported by his own experience and activities, so the lecture was quite attractive and powerful. I could understand the real situation of the nature conservation with feeling.
 
2.I am an archaeologist and expert staff of a regional government for the conservation of the cultural properties. At the end of this class, I noticed that the conservation for the natural properties and cultural properties has same challenges and it is quite difficult to conquer only the effort by the professionals committing to the conservation activities in the framework of WH convention and other related conventions.
Many challenges in the context of WH sites are caused by the government “will”. Government has many functions which lead the society and the residents better such as education, welfare, security, and identity for their land. But after the beginning of 21st century, the function is only emphasized on the economic development, any other policies are judged by the point of view of the contribution to the economic development.
For example, now I am working in a site museum set by the regional government, which has the function for the both of guidance facility for the visitors and the center of the investigation about this archaeological site. So the mission of our museum is to conserve the site properly based on the scientific studies and is to enrich the life of local people and visitors in the emotional aspect which contribute the formation of their identity and mutual understanding of the culture. But the governor only concerns the amount of the visitors especially for the payment of the entrance fee. They only orders the increasing of the number of the visitors, and don’t assign the budget for investigation and conservation.
Take another example, our region has a WH property, and I am a former property manager of it. Our region (prefecture) has 6 local government related with the property, but in the local government has no expert staff even in 10years later subscription on the WH list. The implementation of the conservation should be done by the regional government substitute for the local government, but the department for the conservation of regional government faces the shortage of the budget. Only 300,000JPY(2500US$) has been assigned for the conservation each year, which is exhausted only 10times trip to Tokyo by Shinkansen, while 30,000,000JPY for the department of “the use of the WH for tourism” for each year.
These decision, or government “will”, are quite similar to the state party’s behavior on the WH committee, they only need the name of WH for the economic development, and never pay attention for the various value of the natural and cultural properties which is actually straightly connect with the happiness of the people. Many studies have already revealed that the money can not lead the people happy. Steak holders should be aware of this fact.

3.Communication between professionals and local people is crucially important on the sustainable management for the natural and the cultural properties. Shiretoko is a good example for the cooperation and formed great management plan through the dialogue. But I wonder such great relationship can last or not. At the very beginning of the forming management plan or at the process of the nomination for the WH, because the goal is quite clear, many groups can cooperate. But after the subscription, their passion gradually may reduce and may start to dissatisfied gradually.
Our region has the annual meeting which is consist of all people concerned with WH property. 10years ago, when the property had not yet subscribed or had just subscribed, people decide the management plan of this property which not only apply on the core zone but also on the citizens' campaigns around the properties. They had passion to make the entire society better thorough the WH movement. 10years later, I became a expert staff of the regional government, the meeting had already lost its passion. The attendee of the meeting is only a few people such as the volunteer for the conservation on core zone, tour guides, and government officials. On that meeting, I made a presentation what we have to do next decade, suggested the new idea for sustainable happiness for local people and for visitors. But surprisingly at the meeting I was criticized by a coordinator as the government pays no effort for the conservation. People regarded me not as a expert of the conservation of the property but as a represent of the regional government. There were no constructive argument, the suggestion was abandoned, therefore we didn’t have any progress at that meeting. After this meeting I started the activity voluntarily to realize my new idea apart from the job as a “government official”. The activity was successfully got many advocates and participants including volunteers of the local people, guides, and local government officials. Government officials and mass media invite me for the lecture of my new idea and willingly cooperate for the activity.   
From this case, we can understand the difficulty of the dialogue between government and local people. The government is not a partner of the local people but the kind of “hostile”. For the local people, the government is a subject they demand something. Through this experience, I started to wonder the role of government on the context of the conservation. Should the expert staff be in the government? Should the conservation department belong to the government? Can the government really play the roll of the conservation not only the regional level but also national, international level? I suppose it is time to rethink the roll of the government.

4.WH movement has already proved the important ideas in many aspects through the exploring for the better conservation. One is the way of the evaluation of one site, which requires the scientific and careful investigation. Second is the importance of the indigenous people and its knowledge. Third is the close relationship between nature and culture, which we can not treat separately. Forth, the dialogue between many level and groups are important. Those treatment for better conservation have been gradually recognized through the WH movement proceeding, and these are apart from the economical benefit. WH movement needs the financial support, but it does not mean WH movement aims the economical benefit.
For example, China patiently improved their situation for the protection of the panda, struggled for 20 years, and finally it is subscribed on the WH list. Ecuador eager to preserve Galapagos islands environment and ask for help to the international community, asked that Galapagos should be listed in the WH in Danger. These activities should be praised by the international community, because they did it for the conservation not for the economic benefit.
World heritage, as a best practice of the human-being for the effort of the conservation our natural and cultural properties, should be regarded as an effort for the establishment for the humanity and dignity which we human-being gradually have formed. Our society should not be judged by the amount of economy. Our society should not be discriminated rich or poor. Our society should not be ruled by the large amount of the investment. Economy should not be the criteria to evaluate the society. WH movement can lead the world community change from “economy first” to “happiness first”. The history of the World Heritage indicates the possibility of the wisdom of our human-being.

Reported by Fumihiko Ito, student of the Master’s Programme in World Heritage Studies