12 September 2013 - Philippine Ambassador and Permanent Delegate to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Cristina G. Ortega inaugurated on September 09 the “Pamana: World Heritage in the Philippines” exhibition at the Salle des Actes of UNESCO headquarters in Paris. 

The Guest of Honor during the inauguration was Mr. Kishore Rao, Director of the UNESCO World Heritage Center, who delivered remarks on behalf of UNESCO Director General Irina Bokova.

The Pamana exhibition features the five World Heritage sites in the Philippines---Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park, Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park, Baroque Churches of the Philippines, Historic Town of Vigan, and the Rice Terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras. 

With vivid photographs, scale models, indigenous textiles, woodcarvings, audio-visuals, and augmented reality presentations, the exhibit gives visitors a creative representation of each of the five sites.  Also included are several watercolor reproductions by National Artist for the Visual Arts Bencab and photographs by photojournalist Melvyn Calderon of migratory species of seabirds that breed in the Bird Islet of Tubbataha Reefs.

Through the exhibit, the Philippines shares with other UNESCO Member States its experiences on how the country manages and nurtures the sites that have been found to have outstanding universal value. 

During her opening remarks, Ambassador Ortega noted that the Philippines is committed to the preservation and conservation of the world’s heritage.  She also said that the exhibition highlights “our strong belief that with community, local, national, and international cooperation among stakeholders, we can work together to ensure that future generations can experience and appreciate the richness and uniqueness of our heritage. It is a heritage that we share not only with Filipinos but with the rest of the world.”

For his part, Director Rao said that the exhibition “highlights the successful management of the country’s World Heritage properties, decisively confirming the concurrent importance of capacity-building, community cooperation and governmental support.”  He added that “this exhibition is truly an exceptional map of where we come from, and no doubt a blueprint for moving forward together.”

The Philippine exhibit will run from September 09 to 13 in UNESCO.   END