Public meeting: “Local communities and Monuments of Naxos”

Time: Friday 3^rd August 2007, 8.30 p.m.

Place: Lachanario Sq., Philoti, Naxos.

Naxos is Cyclades’ greater island and a place of exceptional natural and cultural resources.

During the last decades, however, an overall degradation of the natural and built environment is observed; some of the reasons of the situation could be traced in the fact that economic growth of the island is identified with its touristic development and the islanders’ future –inevitably- connected with touristic professions.

Gradually and as a result of this, the relationship between the Naxiotes and their natural and cultural heritage is subsided; monuments are increasingly considered as décor elements while the islandscape is heavily built in order to appropriate all-included mega-resorts.

The need of protecting the monumental remains and the natural environment, in which they were born and exist, is imperative. Participation in this initiative must be holistic and the citizens that surround or live in the monuments (: the local communities) must not be excluded.

Besides, the monuments –media of memory- cannot be separated from the collective memory and the social perception of time.

The programme “Local Communities & Monuments of Naxos” aspires to proceed towards that direction and begins with familiarizing the public & raising awareness for the monuments through the Local Administration of Naxos. Being informed and aware is the first and foremost part of protecting the monuments.

Commencing, thus, the programme the e-magazine MOnuMENTA and the Municipality of Drymalia invite you to attend the public meeting (with lectures and open dialogue) on Friday 3^rd August 2007, at 8.30 p.m. at Lachanario Sq., Philoti, Naxos.

Programme

Opening by the Mayor Mr. Ioannis Barthanis

Emeritus Prof. Vasileios Labrinoudakis, University of Athens

“Managing the stone, the water, and the green. Enhancing ancient works of art and technique in the area of Melanes, Naxos”

Stelios Lekakis, archaeologist

”The monuments and the history of archaeology in Naxos”

Irini Gratsia, archaeologist

“Threats to the monuments and the contribution of Naxiotes in their protection”

Open dialogue

The lectures and the dialogue will be in Greek but extensive abstracts in English will be distributed.

Supported by Vallindras distillery

The public meeting is part of the programme “Local Communities & Monuments of Naxos” run by the e-magazine MOnuMENTA in co-operation with the Municipality of Drymalia.

For more information: MOnuMENTA: 0030-6973308857, 0030-6972268659, info@monumenta.org , www.monumenta.org/

Municipality of Drymalia, Naxos: 0030-2285032647

Irish minister to review heritage protection

From SALON - an interesting development from the Tara posting below.

"Irish Minister for the Environment John Gormley says he is to review how the State protects its national heritage following the controversy over the planned construction of the M3 motorway over historic landscapes near the Hill of Tara. Mr Gormley said that Tara and ‘similar controversies’ of recent years raised the ‘valid question’ as to whether the current measures to protect archaeological and natural landscape in Ireland are adequate. ‘I agree with bodies such as the Heritage Council who have said that we do need enhanced measures. Therefore in the coming weeks I will begin a consultative process in order to bring forward a new National Landscape Strategy.’ However, he insisted he had no legal power to review the decision of his predecessor Dick Roche on the route of the motorway, and said that he had received ‘unequivocal’ advice from the Attorney General that it ‘is not open to him to review, or amend, the directions given by his predecessor in this case’.

The announcement from Mr Gormley comes after an undesignated ‘multi-period archaeological complex’ dating from the Bronze Age was destroyed by bulldozers during the night of 4 July 2007 to prevent road construction being held up. The Campaign to Save Tara group said the site had been recommended for designation by archaeologists working on the M3 project but former environment minister Dick Roche had rejected the application."