An Official UNESCO World Heritage Site in Tennessee
The Trump administration has its feet on yet another ill-advised pathway that could result in damage to significant cultural resources and environmental resources in the United States and around the world. The current plan is to withdraw the United States from the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). This withdrawal is scheduled for late 2018.
On October 20, 2017, the Tennessee Council for Professional Archaeology (TCPA) sent out a formal press release to alert Tennesseans and the American people to the nature of this planned action and the potential adverse consequences that would occur as a result of it. This press release encourages Tennesseans and other Americans to contact their Congressional representatives to advocate for renewal of United States member status in UNESCO. It also asks people to personally support UNESCO efforts to “preserve archaeological, historical, cultural, and natural sites of global importance.” You may read the entire TCPA press release by clicking on the following safe link:
The Oak Ridge Archaeological Research Institute (ORARI) is beginning its 2018 calendar year by responding positively to this TCPA request. We are sending formal letters to our Congressman (U.S. Representative Chuck Fleischmann) and to U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander and U.S. Senator Bob Corker. We are kindly asking them to oppose the United States withdrawal from UNESCO and to persuade the Trump administration to renew United States member status in UNESCO. You may read one of our letters by clicking on the following safe link:
One of the key missions of ORARI is to be a strong public advocate for professional archaeological research and the preservation of cultural resources (particularly National Register eligible or listed properties). In addition, Mr. Tracy C. Brown, President of ORARI, has spent a large portion of his professional career engaged in the investigation, clean up, protection, and preservation of environmental resources throughout the United States. As a result, he has far more than just a little affection for the overall work that UNESCO does here in the United States and around the world.
The Archaeology in Tennessee blog has numerous readers here in Tennessee and throughout the United States. ORARI gladly joins with the TCPA in urging you to contact, either personally or organizationally, your Congressional representatives in all 50 states to advocate for keeping and maintaining United States member status in UNESCO. You may easily obtain the contact information for your U.S. Representative and your two U.S. Senators by using the quick access tool at the following safe link:
Thank you very much for your concern and help in this effort.
Photograph Credit: placesinthehome.com
Archaeology in Tennessee 