I completely agree with Ross Weeks' posting.  While I abhor the destruction of cultural property in Yugoslavia, it is just that - property.  It is not human lives.  We all wish there was no need for yet another war - but when murder, torture and genocide are perpetrated, the world cannot afford to stand by and watch, as it has done for so long.  I look forward to the day when the writers of this appeal feel for their fellow human beings what they feel for their own cultural property.

Kim Dziurman
Detroit Institute of Arts
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>>> mediateka <[log in to unmask]> 04/14 8:04 AM >>>
The Seminar for Museology and the Protection of Cultural Heritage

Department of Art History

Faculty of Philosophy

Belgrade University

Dear Colleague,

We beg You to attach Your signature to the "Appeal for the Protection of Cultural Heritage", released by The Seminar for Museology and the Protection of Cultural Heritage, Department of Art History, Faculty of Philosophy, Belgrade University, and forward it Yourself to ICOM or ICOMOS, as well as all the Committees and other professional and academic entities with which You cooperate or think that are of importance for directing this Appeal to, or would support this action with their own signature.

Please, check the following:

' ICOM: [log in to unmask] 

' The ICOM Committee You are a member of: ___________

' ICOMOS: [log in to unmask] 

' The ICOMOS Committee You are a member of: ___________

' ICCROM: [log in to unmask] 

' UNESCO: [log in to unmask] 

' The World Conservation Union: [log in to unmask] 

' Other: ___________

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Thanking You in advance for Your kind attention to this matter, and hoping that this action will result in success, we remain,

Yours faithfully,

The Seminar for Museology and the Protection of the Cultural Heritage

Faculty of Philosophy

Belgrade University

Belgrade

Appeal. :


The Seminar for Museology and the Protection of the Cultural Heritage

Faculty of Philosophy, Belgrade University, Cika-Ljubina 18-20, 11000 Belgrade, Yugoslavia

Belgrade, 5th April, 1999


stop the destruction of the world's and national cultural and natural heritage in federal republic of yugoslavia before it's too late


TO THE PROFESSIONAL COMMUNITY AND THE PROTECTION OF HERITAGE WORKERS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD

Please Raise Your voice against the destruction of the World's and National Cultural and Natural Heritage in the NATO Alliance agression on Federal Republic of Yugoslavia which started on 24th March, 1999!


Every armed conflict is, in advance, the danger to the cultural and natural heritage. Since the bombing in Yugoslavia is not stopping for a moment, and the targets are proved to be not only military, every single cutlural and natural property is threathened by devastation.

We are expressing our protest and deepest dissapointment with the destruction of the cultural heritage in Yugoslavia, as well as our protest against the silence of our colleagues from all over the world, including UNESCO with all its Councels and Committees for the protection of the cultural and natural heritage.

The testimonial culturo-historical significance of the cultural and natural heritage of Yugoslavia, inscribed on the World Heritage List of UNESCO, is well known, and yet there is not a single voice, a single thought from our colleagues about the immunity of the cultural property and granting it a special protection.

We remind You that the following monuments are inscribed on the World Heritage List of UNESCO:


Natural and Culturo-Historical Region of Kotor in 1979,


Stari Ras and Sopocani in 1979,

Durmitor National Park in 1980,
Studenica Monastery in 1986


and are likely to be destroyed if the bombing continues. "When a cultural or natural site is placed on the World Heritage List, that is not the end of the story. If it is to stay on the List, the characteristics and qualities that justified its inscription must be preserved."

We are very concerned, in the same way, about the numerous monuments of National Cultural and Natural Heritage. Without their testimony it is impossible to write not only Yugoslav, but also the Balkan and the European history. Archeological, historic and natural sites, urbanistic architectural ambients, churches and monasteries, as well as the moveable cultural property in more than 300 museums in Yugoslavia, are all seriously endangered by this agression. These cultural and natural sites constitute a common heritage to be treasured as unique testimonies to the enduring past. Their disappearance would be an irreparable loss for each and every one of us. The preservation of this common heritage concerns us all.

At this moment, we are already confronted with serious devastation of the monasteries which represent the Medieval heritage of Serbian and Byzantine culture:


    a.. The Church of The Holy Virgin near Kursumlija, 12th Century, endowment of the founder of the Serbian dynasty of Nemanjic, the monuments of the great significance,


    b.. Gracanica monastery, 14th Century, King Milutin's endowment, the monument of the exceptional significance, and is placed in Kosovo,


    c.. Devic and Zociste, Medieval monasteries, 14th Century Medieval endowments of the Serbian lords, the monuments of the great significance, placed in The Province of Kosovo,


    d.. The Patriarchate of Pec, the complex of monastery buildings mades during 13th - 14th Centuries, the endowment of Serbian Kings and Archiepiscopes, the monument of the exceptional significance, placed in The Province of Kosovo,


    e.. The "Carska" Mosque in Pristina, monument of the great significance, The Province of Kosovo,


    f.. Rakovica, Medieval Monastery in Belgrade, the monument of the great significance,


    g.. The Complex of the Monasteries on the mountain of Fruska Gora, 16th to 19th Centuries, monument of the exceptional significance, and The Fortress of Petrovaradin, 18th Century, the monument of the exceptional significance, The Province of Vojvodina,


    h.. the architectural monuments in the bombed cities - Zemun, Pancevo,


    i.. The Church of The Archangel Michael, 18th Century, Zemun, the monument of the great significance,


    j.. many explored archeological sites (prehistorical and antique, as Roman site Ulpiana near Pristina, Novo Brdo near Pristina), as is probable that many of the unexplored sites were devastated during the severe bombing,


    k.. culturo-historical complexes,


    l.. memorial places,


    m.. moveable cultural property - The Regional Museum of Vojvodina, Novi Sad, The Province of Vojvodina; The Museum of Prizren League, Prizren, The Province of Kosovo.


We are calling Your attention to the International Conventions and Other Instruments released as Legal Instruments by UNESCO, especially the Convention for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict, Hague, 14th May, 1954, entered in Force on 7th August, 1956. We are also calling on the Recommendation concerning the Safeguarding of the Beauty and Character of Landscapes and Sites, of 1962, Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, of 1972, and the Recommendation concerning the Safeguarding and Contemporary Role of Historic Areas, of 1976.

We are also calling Your attention to the ICOM and ICOMOS Statutes.


"...preserving cultural property and rendering it accessible constitute... means of encouraging mutual understanding among peoples and thereby serve the cause of peace..." Recommendations concerning the Preservation of Cultural Property Endangered by Public and Private Works. 


The Initiators of the Appeal: 

Seminar za Muzeologiju i zastitu kulturnih dobara Filozofskog fakulteta Univerziteta u Beogradu / The Seminar for Museology and the Protection of the Cultural Heritage, Department of Art History, The Faculty of Philosophy, Belgrade University (Mr Dragan Bulatovic, Lecturer, ICOM member, Angelina Milosavljevic, Teaching Assistant, ICOM member)

Prof. Dr Irina Subotic, ICOM Member

Dr Gojko Subotic, Member of the Serbian Academy of Arts and Sciences

Prof. Dr Ivan Djordjevic, The Head of the Department of Art History

Dragan Vojvodic, Teaching Assistant

Prof. Dr Slobodan Mijuskovic, Seminar for The History of the Modern Art

Petar Kosanovic, Student of Art History, Acting President of the Association of the Students of Art History

Sasa Brajovic, Teaching Assistant

Oliver Tomic, Teaching Assistant

Milica Milic, Postgraduate student