[Draft] Cultural Heritage Protection

[Philimbesi]

Has the ambassador from Bergnovinaia decided on a category and strength for this proposal?

[Charlotte Ryberg]

Has the ambassador from Bergnovinaia decided on a category and strength for this proposal?

The title may pretty much says it all, honoured ambassador: Education and Creativity, Cultural Heritage.

[Philimbesi]

I'm asking because there are question marks on the draft ambassador, and you know as well as I that self evident titles are not always self evident to all...

[Bergnovinaia]

I'm pretty sure the category is correct. I'll takeaway the ? marks.

[Bergnovinaia]

Alternatively, the honoured ambassador to Bergnovinaia may wish to consider these changes, and gain our support as a consequence.

The World Assembly,

APPLAUDING that certain member nations have many historical and artistic artifacts that reflect their heritage;

RECOGNIZING that several of these artifacts could be threatened during conflict;

ACKNOWLEDGES that nations should have the rights and institutions to properly preserve these artifacts;

BELIEVING that preserving these artifacts will allow citizens to further understand their heritage and expand international recognition of culture collectively;

Hereby,

BANS the destruction, blocking, and looting of cultural heritage sites by member states against other states during times of conflict;

REQUIRES that member states enact and enforce legislation criminalizing the destruction, blocking, and looting of cultural heritage sites by member states citizens against other states;

ESTABLISHES the Cultural Heritage Preservation Committee as a non-profit organization that may assist non-governmental organizations and government agencies overseeing cultural heritage sites upon request;

ENCOURAGES member states to:
a) Make historical artifacts accessible to the public where possible
b) Ensure that where an admission fee exists for a historical monument, they are as reasonable as possible and balanced between the attraction of tourism and the preservation of such monument;
c) Pass on knowledge of the history and the functions of historical artifacts to all interested parties.

[float=left]Dr. Bradford William Castro

Ambassador-at-Large,
Permanent Chief of Mission for World Assembly affairs,
the Commonwealth of Glen-Rhodes[/float][float=right][/float]

This actually covers more than I have that I think needs ot be covered. Exceelent re-draft. I will use it and put you as a co-author.

[Charlotte Ryberg]

Co-written by Charlottle Ryberg and Glen-Rhodes

It looks as if only one co-author is permitted in the draft under proposal rules.

[Gobbannium]

Co-written by Charlottle Ryberg and Glen-Rhodes

It looks as if only one co-author is permitted in the draft under proposal rules.

That would be correct.

We have to say, we don't find the revised proposal terribly exciting. "Thou shalt not play wargames with historic buildings" is more or less all it amounts to, and frankly given that nations can define for themselves what is and is not a cultural heritage side it can be trivially side-stepped.

[Charlotte Ryberg]

Co-written by Charlottle Ryberg and Glen-Rhodes

It looks as if only one co-author is permitted in the draft under proposal rules.

That would be correct.

We have to say, we don't find the revised proposal terribly exciting. "Thou shalt not play wargames with historic buildings" is more or less all it amounts to, and frankly given that nations can define for themselves what is and is not a cultural heritage side it can be trivially side-stepped.

It may be possible to resolve this issue by creating a definition of cultural heritage site, or getting the CHPC to keep a list of international heritage sites with criteria and such, without "breaking the fourth wall".

[Philimbesi]

A list of sites protected around the world eh? Sounds eerily familiar.

While not a bit of this current resolution is at all interesting to me, I do not oppose it in its current form as most of what it requires is already in place in my nation.

However the inclusion of any kind of international committee, or list, or list of committee's or anything of that ilk will be a dealbreaker for me. We believe that a nation's history and those locations, and structures that are used to memorialize it are a national concern only. There is no need for an international connection. Further a list is useless because it will be ignored by any nation at war with the member nation. Further I would suggest that in times of dire need it would be ignored by the nation it self. It could also become a hit list in terms of what to strike to cause the enemies moral to drop. Thereby backfiring. This body and the body before it have seen two such resolutions and now I'm happy to say both have been repealed. A list filed away in some drawer here at the HQ is not going to stop anyone from destroying monuments out there.

[Glen-Rhodes]

We have to say, we don't find the revised proposal terribly exciting. "Thou shalt not play wargames with historic buildings" is more or less all it amounts to...

By design. I don't think the World Assembly should be managing how nations care for their cultural heritage sites, if they even do at all. Thus, my rewrite removes all of the micromanagement. If the Ambassador from Bergnovinaia wishes to use it, they should probably define 'cultural heritage site' and make its use consistent throughout.

I do not care for a co-authorship acknowledgement. My participation in this debate has been minimal and cynical at best. It would be unconscionable for me to take away Ms. Harper's by-line simply because I spent a few minutes altering some language.

[float=left]Dr. Bradford William Castro

Ambassador-at-Large,
Permanent Chief of Mission for World Assembly affairs,
the Commonwealth of Glen-Rhodes[/float][float=right][/float]

... Further a list is useless because it will be ignored by any nation at war with the member nation.

(OOC: If the WA says it, it is so. Therefore, "Thou shalt not play wargames with historic buildings.")

[The Most Glorious Hack]

...which sets up a very dangerous precedent. If one WA nation is fighting another, what's to stop one from putting military hardware in such buildings? Indeed, if the Hack were to be attacked by a WA nation, that's exactly what we'd do. Artillery in orphanages, anyone? Seems there should be some language in there about not sticking your military hardware in significant buildings, not just a ban on blowing them the hell up.

Unless of course I've just exposed some bastardly intentional loophole. In which case... bravo.




Doctor Denis Leary
WA Ambassador
The Federated Technocratic Oligarchy of the Most Glorious Hack

[Gobbannium]

We have to say, we don't find the revised proposal terribly exciting. "Thou shalt not play wargames with historic buildings" is more or less all it amounts to...

By design. I don't think the World Assembly should be managing how nations care for their cultural heritage sites, if they even do at all. Thus, my rewrite removes all of the micromanagement. If the Ambassador from Bergnovinaia wishes to use it, they should probably define 'cultural heritage site' and make its use consistent throughout.

We observe that Dr Castro stopped quoting us before the point that renders his rhetoric futile. To repeat, given that nations can define for themselves what is and is not a cultural heritage site, the proposal can be trivially side-stepped.[/quote]

[Glen-Rhodes]

Seems there should be some language in there about not sticking your military hardware in significant buildings, not just a ban on blowing them the hell up.

I think we can all agree on that.

We observe that Dr Castro stopped quoting us before the point that renders his rhetoric futile. To repeat, given that nations can define for themselves what is and is not a cultural heritage site, the proposal can be trivially side-stepped.

I did suggest that the author define 'cultural heritage site'. To be honest, I never expected the author to agree with my language, considering it completely guts his own. I only wrote an alternative as a last effort to get somebody to acknowledge my objections to World Assembly micromanagement.

[float=left]Dr. Bradford William Castro

Ambassador-at-Large,
Permanent Chief of Mission for World Assembly affairs,
the Commonwealth of Glen-Rhodes[/float][float=right][/float]

[Bergnovinaia]

Ok. I will define Cultural Heritage Site and remove Glen-Rhodes acknowledgement and them will submit it.

[Bergnovinaia]

Link for support ==>http://www.nationstates.net/page=UN_proposal/start=5

[The Union of Myanmar]

Myanmar feels that the World Assembly should have more relaxed authority over how a nation wants to treat it's historical artifacts. My government, however, also appreciates this act for we cherish our nation's history.

[Omigodtheykilledkenny]

Congrats on reaching quorum. I would suggest you start a clean thread for this vote, so all the old comments on previous drafts don't confuse voters.

[The Obamanator]

These people haven't had hope for fifty years. So you can't be surprised if they get bitter and cling to their nations and their World Assembly and their artifacts. That's what my campaign is about. Teaching all the little people in this country that they can be their own artifacts.

[Ardchoille]

Locked so debate can proceed in At Vote thread.