unesco - Haiti Observer Blog

The government of Haiti requested assistance from UNESCO to provide technical support to protect the underwater cultural heritage. The UNESCO has accepted to send a mission to the site of the wreck of Santa Maria of Christopher Columbus. The Haitian minister for Culture sent a letter to UNESCO requesting the Scientific and Technical Advisory Body of UNESCO 2001 to send experts who will be able to protect the underwater cultural heritage site from being looted. The letter was dated June 12th, and the UNESCO agreed with the minister to give the necessary support.

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Born in Petit Goave on August 20, 1932, Hubert Deronceray, lived to the ripe old age of 78 before becoming one of the many victims of Haiti's catastrophic 2010 earthquake. Growing up, Deronceray attended the Christian Brothers Institution before moving on to classical studies at the Alexandre Petion High School. He would attain a tertiary education at the State University of Haiti and Laval University in Quebec, Canada, where he earned a Master's and PhD in Sociology.

He would return to Haiti to teach in 1966 before founding the CHISS (Center for Investigation in Haitian Social Sciences) and he was made Secretary of State for National Education in 1972, UNESCO's Haitian Minister Counselor and Human Rights Committee chairman.

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One of the Nord Department's municipalities is one of the most popular sites in the northern area of Haiti. Milot is a leading tourist attraction of the country, housing several historical landmarks and sites and having a rich history.

Milot is 20 kilometres from Cap-Haitien, a popular coastal city in the northern part of Haiti. In the 1800s, it was proclaimed as the country's first site capital by King Henri Christophe. Under King Henri I's rule, the beautiful Sans-Souci Palace was constructed from 1810 to 1813. The construction also included the building of eight smaller palaces, fifteen chateaus, several forts and summer homes, as well as twenty plantations, all owned and managed by the then royal family. The Palace is the notorious site of King Henri I's suicide in 1820. In 1842, it was destroyed by a strong earthquake and was never rebuilt. Despite its rough shape, it remains one of the most enamouring sites to see in Haiti, resulting in its designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1982.

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Did you see the show that President Michel Martelly when he visited the Citadelle Laferrière this year?

The staff that was present at the time was blamed for the state of disrepair of our National pride Citadelle Laferrière.

Michel Martelly was not willing to either listen to or accept any justification provided by the employees or representatives from ISPAN.

Present during the encounter at Citadelle Laferriere were: the Minister of Culture, Mario Dupuy, officials of the Institute for the Protection of National Heritage (ISPAN), responsible for the restoration of the citadel, Minister of Tourism, Stephanie Balmir Villedrouin, Gregory Mayard-Paul and other journalists.

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After two years when relations with France were restored, Michel Martelly, President accompanied by Laurent Lamothe, Prime Minister, Didier Lebret, France Ambassador and Jean Mario Dupuy, Minister of Culture, all got together last Friday to welcome the Serment des Ancêtres painting

Symbolism of the Painting

They were welcomed to the table on which lay 'Serment des Ancetres' at the airport Toussaint Louverture's diplomatic lounge. The 'Serment des Ancetres' is the painting work of Guillaume Guillon-Lethiere (1760 -1830) painter in the year 1822.

The painting symbolizes the historical meeting between Lieutenant Toussaint Louverture, Jean-Jacques Dessalines, Black General, Alexandre Petion and Saint Domingue, the head of mullattoes. In November 1802, the Lieutenant Toussaint Louverture sealed an alliance to get the French troops ousted.

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For the first time in history, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization has recognized Haiti by establishing a biosphere in the region of La Selle. This region is inhabited by about four percent of the Haitian population. The main economic activities taking place in this region include fishing, tourism, and handicraft and agro-forestry business.

The area was recognized due to the presence of vast mountains and plains coupled with dry tropical forest and a coastal environment. The biosphere is shared by both the Dominican Republic and Haiti. It is a stretch in the region of the Caribbean forming a kind of a corridor which is shared among the countries in the Caribbean.

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The small town of Jacmel in Haiti's south is known for its rich history. Its buildings and infrastructure date back to the early 1800s and has been tentatively proclaimed as World Heritage Site by UNESCO. But the beautiful town filled with great potential in becoming one of Haiti's main tourist destinations was severely damaged by the 2010 earthquake that hit the country.

With the Haitian government looking at Jacmel as being a major tourist attraction in the country in the near future, Prime Minister Laurent Lamothe, along with the Ministry of Tourism's Stéphanie Balmir Villdrouin and the ministers Planning and Finance, launched the planned rehabilitation projects for the town's historical center. This was announced after the Prime Minister's return from touring the United States and the United Kingdom for potential cooperative efforts with these nations. This announcement was in line with the previous announcement by the Haitian government in December 2011 approved $40 million funding for Haiti's tourism industry under the Petrocaribre Fund.

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On Thursday, July 19, 2012, the president of Haiti, Mitchel Martely was full of anger. This was due to the state of the conditions he found at the Citadelle Laferrière. The president had made a tour at the citadel and was accompanied by various senior officials in the government. Among them included the president's advisor Gregory Mayard Paul, the Minister of Culture, Stephanie Balmir Villedrouin, the Minister of Tourism, Mr. Yvone Alteon and other senior officials at the Institute for the Protection of National Heritage, ISPAN. ISPAN has the responsibility for the restoration of the Citadelle which is a tourist attraction site in Haiti.

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