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UNESCO Announces Plans to Construct Bamyan Museum

 

UNESCO announced on Saturday that the designs for a new major museum project in Bamyan province have been selected from a field of over 1,070 architects who submitted their own designs. A group of architects from Argentina were said to have won the bid.

According to Paolo Fontani, the UNESCO representative in Afghanistan, the museum will house ancient artifacts, including tens of small Buddha sculptures, mud pots and metal coins that were found by archeologists in the region over the past decade.

Bamyan is known for its blue lakes and ancient history. The province has many historical artifacts that require careful preservation, particularly those belonging to its buddhist history, which was irreparably damaged when the Taliban fired artillery shells at the megalithic buddha statues that once stood in a cliff face and made the province famous.

UNESCO plans to build the museum on two acres of land near where the Buddha sculptures once stood.

"We have always thought about the Kabul museum, but the government of Afghanistan wanted to have these museums in different parts of the country, in order to make the historical artifacts accessible to everyone," Mr. Fontani said. "So we decided to find finances for this program in Bamyan, and last year, South Korea took over sponsorship responsibility for the program." The new cultural center and museum are expected to cost some 4.5 million USD.

Previously, in cooperation with UNESCO, Japan begun funding the rehabilitation of the Bamyan buddhas.

When the bidding process for designing the museum took place, 117 countries and 1,070 groups participated in the competition before the Argentines won.

The Acting Governor of Bamyan has called the program an effective strategy in developing tourist and handicraft industries of the province. "This will be the national cultural center and museum of Bamyan, and with construction of this center, we can say that our historical objects will be saved, and in addition to that, the tourist industry in Bamyan will increase and so will the handicraft industry," Acting Governor Ghulam Ali Wahdat said.

According to UNESCO, the smuggling of historical artifacts in Afghanistan is a major problem hindering the optimal preservation and showcasing of all the country's cultural wealth and legacy. Insecurity and fighting has also long posed a threat to historical sites and objects in Afghanistan.

UNESCO Announces Plans to Construct Bamyan Museum

Previously, in cooperation with UNESCO, Japan begun funding the rehabilitation of the Bamyan buddhas.

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UNESCO announced on Saturday that the designs for a new major museum project in Bamyan province have been selected from a field of over 1,070 architects who submitted their own designs. A group of architects from Argentina were said to have won the bid.

According to Paolo Fontani, the UNESCO representative in Afghanistan, the museum will house ancient artifacts, including tens of small Buddha sculptures, mud pots and metal coins that were found by archeologists in the region over the past decade.

Bamyan is known for its blue lakes and ancient history. The province has many historical artifacts that require careful preservation, particularly those belonging to its buddhist history, which was irreparably damaged when the Taliban fired artillery shells at the megalithic buddha statues that once stood in a cliff face and made the province famous.

UNESCO plans to build the museum on two acres of land near where the Buddha sculptures once stood.

"We have always thought about the Kabul museum, but the government of Afghanistan wanted to have these museums in different parts of the country, in order to make the historical artifacts accessible to everyone," Mr. Fontani said. "So we decided to find finances for this program in Bamyan, and last year, South Korea took over sponsorship responsibility for the program." The new cultural center and museum are expected to cost some 4.5 million USD.

Previously, in cooperation with UNESCO, Japan begun funding the rehabilitation of the Bamyan buddhas.

When the bidding process for designing the museum took place, 117 countries and 1,070 groups participated in the competition before the Argentines won.

The Acting Governor of Bamyan has called the program an effective strategy in developing tourist and handicraft industries of the province. "This will be the national cultural center and museum of Bamyan, and with construction of this center, we can say that our historical objects will be saved, and in addition to that, the tourist industry in Bamyan will increase and so will the handicraft industry," Acting Governor Ghulam Ali Wahdat said.

According to UNESCO, the smuggling of historical artifacts in Afghanistan is a major problem hindering the optimal preservation and showcasing of all the country's cultural wealth and legacy. Insecurity and fighting has also long posed a threat to historical sites and objects in Afghanistan.

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