The Department of the Environment (DOE) today confirmed that Dr Andrej Sovinc, representative of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), will visit the World Heritage Site of the Giant’s Causeway later this month.
Dr Sovinc has been invited here by the DOE’s Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA).
Environment Minister Alex Attwood said: “I welcome the visit of Dr Sovinc next week. There have been developments at the World Heritage Site over recent years, including the new Visitors Centre. It was 2003 when there last was a visit from UNESCO to the Giant’s Causeway. Given these developments and the need to protect the World Heritage Site, it is timely that the visit occurs now.
“The World Heritage Site is one of our great assets and visitor attractions. The visit, to assess the overall state of the conservation of the property and to provide advice on its heritage led development, will also be an opportunity to show the positive measures in place to manage the world class site and those who do the management.”
In June of 2012, Environment Minister Alex Attwood wrote to UNESCO and said that if UNESCO wished to visit the site, he would be very pleased to assist and host the event. The visit next week is a consequence of that invitation.
The remit of Dr Sovinc’s visit will be:
· visit the Giant’s Causeway and Causeway Coast World Heritage property and meet those responsible for its protection and management;
· assess the overall state of conservation of the property and its Outstanding Universal Value;
· provide technical advice on the management of the property and its Outstanding Universal Value; and
· on the basis of the findings, prepare a joint draft report, for consideration by the World Heritage Committee on the requirement for ensuring the protection of the property’s Outstanding Universal Value.
Notes to editors:
For media enquiries please contact the DOE Press Office 028 9025 6058 or out of office hours, contact the EIS Duty Press Officer on pager 07699 715 440 and your call will be returned.
Dr Sovinc has been invited here by the DOE’s Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA).
Environment Minister Alex Attwood said: “I welcome the visit of Dr Sovinc next week. There have been developments at the World Heritage Site over recent years, including the new Visitors Centre. It was 2003 when there last was a visit from UNESCO to the Giant’s Causeway. Given these developments and the need to protect the World Heritage Site, it is timely that the visit occurs now.
“The World Heritage Site is one of our great assets and visitor attractions. The visit, to assess the overall state of the conservation of the property and to provide advice on its heritage led development, will also be an opportunity to show the positive measures in place to manage the world class site and those who do the management.”
In June of 2012, Environment Minister Alex Attwood wrote to UNESCO and said that if UNESCO wished to visit the site, he would be very pleased to assist and host the event. The visit next week is a consequence of that invitation.
The remit of Dr Sovinc’s visit will be:
· visit the Giant’s Causeway and Causeway Coast World Heritage property and meet those responsible for its protection and management;
· assess the overall state of conservation of the property and its Outstanding Universal Value;
· provide technical advice on the management of the property and its Outstanding Universal Value; and
· on the basis of the findings, prepare a joint draft report, for consideration by the World Heritage Committee on the requirement for ensuring the protection of the property’s Outstanding Universal Value.
Notes to editors:
For media enquiries please contact the DOE Press Office 028 9025 6058 or out of office hours, contact the EIS Duty Press Officer on pager 07699 715 440 and your call will be returned.
Story by DOE
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