News about UNESCO

LIVERPOOL (July 23): The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco) has voted narrowly to remove Liverpool’s waterfront from its list of world heritage sites on July 21, citing concerns about overdevelopment including plans for a new football stadium.

GEORGE TOWN (Nov 21) — The Save Penang Hill online petition has garnered more than 22,000 signatures today, within only six days.

KOTA KINABALU (October 5): Sabah has begun efforts to obtain Unesco Global Geopark status for Mount Kinabalu and its surrounding districts by 2020.

GEORGE TOWN (October 1): United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco) has selected George Town to participate in two heritage pilot projects, one on intangible cultural heritage and another to create an action plan for industries within heritage sites.

KUALA LUMPUR (August 15): Kuala Lumpur has the potential to qualify for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) listing, but some elements that disrupt the landscape of the city may hinder its attempt.

说到住在山洞里，人们往往都会觉得这是一种很折腾的史前居住方式，与卡通“摩登原始人”（Flintstones）所刻画的舒适洞屋有所出入。 但是在土耳其的卡帕多西亚（Cappadocia）地区，居住在山洞里是一件再也平常不过的事，而且这种居住方式还可以很奢华。 这个区域的地面，覆盖了由的火山灰所形成的软岩。而这种名为凝灰岩的岩石，随着时间和环境的变化而开始受到侵蚀，最终形成形态各异的模样。 有的状似烟囱和蘑菇，有的像是柱子、尖塔和椎体，从而形成了一个像是异星表面的风景。 而这些外形嶙岣的岩石，数千年来都被人们凿成一座又一座的居所，并经历了亚述（Assyrian）、赫梯（Hittite）、拜占庭（Byzantine）、塞尔柱（Seljuk）和奥斯曼（Ottoman）等文明等兴衰起伏。 直到今日，有些土耳其人还居住在这些岩洞里。根据一名来自伊斯坦堡Renk United Travel的导游Erdem Alagoz，在卡帕多西亚的一个约有10万人的小镇Göreme中，预计还有近1,000人住在这些岩洞。 Göreme以当地的Göreme露天博物馆闻名。这个被列入联合国世界遗产的地方，距离小镇的中心约1公里，当中有很多可追溯至10世纪拜占庭文明的岩洞教堂、礼拜堂、修道院和壁画等。 从事旅游业超过20年的Erdem说：“很多人都曾住在这些由岩石凿成的房子内，直到后来这些岩石被侵蚀地越来越严重与变得不再适合居住，政府在70年代开始把这些居民疏散。” “当时，政府在毗邻这些岩屋的地方，划出土地提供给那些被疏散的人民建造新房子。” 尽管很多的岩屋自此就被荒废，但它们所形成的独特风景还是吸引了越来越多的游客，而这也促使许多岩屋被改造成现代的房屋、商店和小型酒店。 Erdem回忆道，这股将岩屋转换成现代房子和酒店的趋势，大约起于10至15年前，而且随着旅游业越来越兴旺，这些岩屋的价值估计在这段期间大涨了20倍以上。 驻卡帕多西亚的房产经纪行Belit International Consulting Ltd在网上的楼盘显示，在卡帕多西亚的另一小镇Ürgüp内，一间209岁的8房岩屋单位，要价£62,000（约RM329,714）。 在那些旅游业更为发达的地区，岩屋的价格就更加昂贵。以Göreme为例，一间在www.

GEORGE TOWN (August 3): In effort to conserve and protect the delicate balance between the environment and the people, Penang Hill is undergoing the process of being named a Unesco Biosphere Reserve.

Cave-dwelling is just a pre-historic practice that could only be comfortable for the Flintstones.

PENANG (July 8): The Pearl of the Orient yesterday marked George Town's 10th year of being listed as a Unesco World Heritage Site, which culminated with the George Town Heritage Celebration Street Festival.

PETALING JAYA (June 14): The Penang government will train its immediate attention on restoring the heritage buildings in George Town, Penang, before seeking an appropriate use for them, said Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow.