WorldHeritageSitesNationalFederationofHighSchoolsDebateTopicProposal
TopicSelectionCommitteeOklahomaCity,Oklahoma
Summer2016
Presentedby:KyleBrenner
MelissaHighSchool,Melissa,Texas
RepresentingtheUniversityInterscholasticLeague
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TableofContents
Introduction........................................................................................................................................3
ProposedResolution...........................................................................................................................4Actor.............................................................................................................................................................4
TheUnitedNations..................................................................................................................................4TheUnitedStates....................................................................................................................................5
Support........................................................................................................................................................5WorldHeritageConvention........................................................................................................................6ListofWorldHeritageinDanger.................................................................................................................6
CurrentListofWorldHeritageinDangerJune2016..............................................................................6NarrowtheResolution................................................................................................................................8
IntheArabStates....................................................................................................................................8InLatinAmericaandtheCaribbean.......................................................................................................9InSpecifiedCountries..............................................................................................................................9
TimelinessofWorldHeritageinDanger............................................................................................9
AffirmativeGround.............................................................................................................................9
NegativeGround...............................................................................................................................10
Conclusion.........................................................................................................................................10
Acknowledgements..........................................................................................................................10
Bibliography......................................................................................................................................11
EndNotes..........................................................................................................................................11
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Introduction InMarchof2001,theTalibaneruptedontotheinternationalscenebydynamitinganddestroyingthefamedBuddhasofBamiyaninAfghanistan.TheBuddhasofBamiyanwere chiseled out of the cliffs and have survivedthearmiesofGenghisKhanandtheintroductionofIslam,butwereunabletosurvivetheiconoclasticTalibanregimeofthe21stcentury.i (SeeFigure1)The Cultural Landscape and ArchaeologicalRemainsoftheBamiyanValleyhavenowfounditsway on the the United Nations Education,Scientific,andCulturalOrganization(UNESCO)ListofWorldHeritageinDanger.SincethedestructionbytheTaliban,UNESCO,theAfghangovernment,andlocalshavefailedtoreachaconsensusontheidealmethodtorehabilitatetheruination. Sadly,thedestructionofthecultural,historical,andnaturalsitesisnotconfinedtotheBamiyanValley.Allaroundtheworld,particularlyintheArabStates,WorldHeritageSitesareunderassault. InMayof2015,theIslamicStateof IraqandtheLevant(ISIL)scoredacolossalvictorybytakingcontrolofthehistoricSiteofPalmyraintheSyrianArabRepublic.Overthemonthsthatfollowed,ISILcontinuedadeliberatecampaignofculturaldesecration punctuated bymass executions in Palmyra’s ancient amphitheater to getpublicity,attention,andvilificationfromtheworld’smedia.UNESCOledthechargeandpublicallydenouncedthecarnageofPalmyraasawarcrime.Astheworldhowled,aghast,
over the atrocities in Palmyra, ISILcelebratedwitha fresh influxof recruitsandfundsraisedfromtheillicitantiquitiessold on the black market. The UnitedNations and the rest of the globalcommunitydidlittleasISILturnedthesitetoruins.(SeeFigure2)BylateApril2016,the Russian backed Syrian Army hadmanaged to retake the site. A RapidAssessment Mission supported by UN
Security Forces found that statues and sarcophagi were defaced, smashed, headssevered, and fragments left scattered throughout the site. Much of the existingarchitecturewasseverelydamaged,butafullsurveyhasyettobecompletedduetoslowdeminingoperations.ii
Figure1:ThetallerBuddhaofBamiyanbefore(left)andafterthedestruction(right).UNESCO/ALezine
Figure 2: Temple of Bel Aug 27, 2015 (Left) and Aug 31, 2015(Right.)UNITAR-UNOSAT;AFP
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Thedestructionof thehistoric SiteatPalmyra(SeeFigure3)isjustoneexampleofthatirreparabledamagethathasbeendonesincethelasttimetheNationalFederationofHighSchoolheldtheirTopicSelection Meeting last summer. There are fiveother sites within the borders of Syria that haveexperiencedsimilarlevelsofdestructionduringthelast year and with ISIL threatening to move thedestruction throughout the region. To be clear,terrorist/extremist organizations such as ISIL andthe Taliban are not the only threat to World
HeritageSitesnoraretheytheonlycriteriaforasitetoappearontheUNESCOListofWorldHeritageinDanger.Thedestructionpicturedabovemakesforcompellingimageryand,thus,aremuchmorelikelytoreportedbythemedia.Theworldhasanobligationtopreserveandprotectoursharedcultural,historic,andnaturalsitesforfuturegenerations.AsIrinaBokova,theDirector-GeneralofUNESCO,articulates,“Inaworldofchange,worldheritageisareminderofallthatuniteshumanity.”iiiThus,
ProposedResolution
Resolved:TheUnitedNationsshouldsubstantiallyincreaseitssupportforoneormoresitesontheUnitedNations’WorldHeritageConvention’sListofWorldHeritageinDanger.
ActorTheUnitedNations The United Nations (UN) is the optimal actor because they have the mostexperience operating under the Convention Concerning the Protection of the WorldCultural and Natural Heritage which guides UNESCO’s efforts of World Heritageprotection.Sincetheadoptionofthe1972Convention,178nationshavesignedonwith1,031recognizedpropertiesacrosstheglobe.TheUNcontrolsthemeagerfundsoftheWorldHeritageFund(US$4million,annually)thatisusedtofinanceandfundprojects.ThisexpertisemakestheUNthebestactortosupportsitesontheListofWorldHeritageinDanger.AsRoyRodriquez,authorofthe2015TopicProposalonGlobalMalnutrition,argues, “having the UN as themain actor would allow for debaters to gain a betterunderstandingoftheUNandhowiffunctionsasanorganization,essentialknowledgeintoday’ssociety.”iv
Figure3:ApictureshowingtheTemplofBelbeforeitwasdestroybyISIS;JosephEid/AFP
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It is likely that the Marshall Subcommittee or the Wording Committee willrecommendthattheactorshouldnotbetheUnitedNationsandbereplacedwiththetraditionalUnitedStatesfederalgovernment.HereisalistofseveralreasonswhythecommitteesshouldconsiderusingtheUnitedNations.
1. The policy debate community has focused on the United Statesgovernment,thewordinghasvariedslightly,since1975-1976withthetopicResolved: That the development and allocation of scare world resourcesshouldbecontrolledbyaninternationalorganization.v
2. ThepolicydebatecommunityhasnotdiscussedtheUnitedNationssince2004-2005 with the topic Resolved: That the United States federalgovernment should establish a foreign policy substantially increasing itssupportofUnitedNationspeacekeepingoperations.
3. ThepolicydebatecommunityhasnotsolelyfocusedontheUnitedNationssince1960-1961withthetopicResolved:ThattheUnitedNationsshouldbesignificantlystrengthened.
4. The policy debate community should embrace theUnitedNations as anactorasameanstofurthergrowtheeducationalopportunitiesforallwhoparticipateintheactivityatthesecondarylevelandbeyond
TheUnitedStates UsingtheUnitedStatesfederalgovernment(USFG)astheactorwouldbefarmorepalatabletothepolicydebatecommunityandcouldbedirectlysubstitutedfortheUnitedNationsintheproposedresolution.
Resolved: The United States federal government should substantiallyincrease its support for one ormore sites on the UnitedNationsWorldHeritageConvention’sListofWorldHeritageinDanger.
This resolutionwith theUSFGas theactorwouldmakevery similar to the2004-2005policydebatetopicofpeacekeepingoperations.Support Theterm“support”willbeoneofthemostdubiouswordofthisresolution. Ingeneral,therewillbetwolikelyoverarchingcompetinginterpretationsoftheterm.Thenegative is likely to argue that the affirmative must provide some kind of concreteassistancetotheendangeredsite.Affirmatives,inanattempttoescapelikelyarguments,willuseadefinitionthatdoesnotrequireconcretetangible/physicalassistance.
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WorldHeritageConvention TheWorldHeritageConvention isthedocumentthatspecificallyspellsouthowStatesPartiestotheConventiongetsitesrecognizedontheWorldHeritageListanddolesoutemergencyassistancetoanysitethatmayneedit.TheConventionrequiresthattheWorldHeritageCommitteecreateandmaintainaListofWorldHeritageinDanger.ListofWorldHeritageinDanger TheListofWorldHeritageinDangerisatermofartcreatedandmaintainedbyUNESCO via the World Heritage Committee according to Article 11.4 of the WorldHeritageConventionwhichwasestablishedtopreserveandprotectWorldHeritageSites.Anysiteappearingontheendangeredlistrequiresmajoroperationforconservationandfor which assistance has been requested. Dangers for heritage sites include armedconflict and war, earthquakes and other natural disasters, pollution, poaching,uncontrolled urbanization and unchecked tourist development. Dangers can be‘ascertained’, referringtospecificandproven imminentthreats,or ‘potential’,whenaproperty isfacedwiththreatswhichcouldhavenegativeeffectsonitsWorldHeritagevalues. TheWorldHeritageCommitteecarefullycurates theListofWorldHeritage inDangersothatatthetimeofthiswritingthereareonly48suchsitesacrosstheglobe.AsofJune2016,thesewouldbethesiteseligibleforaffirmatives:
CurrentListofWorldHeritageinDangerJune2016
SiteName Location Endangered ReasonAbuMena Egypt 2001 Environmental
AirandTenereNaturalReserves Niger 1992 Conflict,EnvironmentalAncientCityofAleppo Syria 2013 ConflictAncientCityofBosra Syria 2013 Conflict
AncientCityofDamascus Syria 2013 ConflictAncientVillagesofNorthern
Syria Syria 2013 Conflict
Ashur(Qal’atSherqat) Iraq 2003 Development,PoliticalBagratiCathedralandGelati
Monastery Georgia 2010 Development
BelizeBarrierReefReserveSystem Belize 2009 Environmental,Development
ChanChanArchaeologicalZone Peru 1986 EnvironmentalBirthplaceofJesus:ChurchoftheNativityandthePilgrimage
Route,BethlehemPalestine 2012 Development
ComoeNationalPark Coted’Ivoire 2003 Conflict,PoliticalCoroanditsPort Venezuela 2005 Development
CracdesChevaliersandQal’atSalahEl-Din Syria 2013 Conflict
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CulturalLandscapesArchaeologicalRemainsofthe
BamiyanValleyAfghanistan 2003 Conflict,Political
EastRennell SolomonIslands 2013 Development,EnvironmentalEvergladesNationalPark UniteStateofAmerica 1993-2007,2010 Development,Environmental
FortificationsontheCaribbeanSideofPanama:Portobelo-San
LorenzoPanama 2012 Environmental,Political
GarambaNationalPark DemocraticRepublicoftheCongo 1984-1992,1996 Environment,Political
Hatra Iraq 2015 ConflictHistoricalMonumentsof
Mtskheta Georgia 2009 Political
HistoricTownofZabid Yemen 2000 EnvironmentalHumberstoneandSantaLaura
SaltpeterWorks Chile 2005 Political,Environmental
Kahuzi-BiegaNationalPark DemocraticRepublicofCongo 1997 Environmental,ConflictLiverpool–MaritimeMercantile
City UnitedKingdom 2012 Development
Manovo-GoundaStFlorisNationalPark CentralAfricanRepublic 1997 Political,Conflict
MinaretandArchaeologicalRemainsofJam Afghanistan 2002 Political
MedievalMonumentsinKosovo Kosovo 2006 Political,ConflictMountNimbaStrictNature
Reserve Coted’Ivoire 1992 Development,Political
Niokolo-KobaNationalPark Senegal 2007 Political,Environmental
OkapiWildlifeReserve DemocraticRepublicoftheCongo 1997 Political,Conflict
OldCityofJerusalemanditsWalls NoNationNamedbyUNESCO 1982 Development,Political
OldCityofSana’a Yemen 2015 Conflict
OldWalledCityofShibam Yemen 2015 Conflict,Political
RainforestsoftheAtsinanana Madagascar 2010 Development,Political
RioPlatanoBioshpereReserve Honduras 1996-2007,2011 Development,PoliticalRuinsofKilwaKisiwaniand
RuinsofSongoMnara Tanzania 2004 Environmental
SalongaNationalPark DemocraticRepublicoftheCongo 1999 Conflict,Political
SamarraArchaeologicalCity Iraq 2007 Conflict,Political
SimienNationalPark Ethiopia 1996 Environmental
SiteofPalmyra Syria 2013 Conflict
Timbuktu Mali 2012 Conflict
TombofAskia Mali 2012 ConflictTombsofBugandaKingsat
Kasubi Uganda 2010 Environmental
TropicalRainforestHeritageofSumatra Indonesia 2011 Development,Political
VirungaNationalPark DemocraticRepublicoftheCongo 1994 Environmental,Conflict,Political
Palestine:LandofOlivesandVines–CulturalLandscapeofSouthernJerusalem,Battir
Palestine 2014 Environmental,Political
Thislistisupdatedannually.Ifthistopicisselectedfor2017-2018thelistmaybeupdatedto include new sites or existing sites may be removed with the 40th Session of theCommitteescheduledtomeetinIstanbulinJulyof2016.The41stSessionhasyettobe
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scheduled,butitcansafelybeassumedthatitwilloccursometimeduringthesummerof2017. NarrowtheResolution ThecurrentListofWorldHeritage inDangerhas48sitesfromacrosstheglobewhichtosomemayseefartoobroadtobeaneffectivetopic.Itislikelythatthroughoutthe debate season that the community would self limit the resolution without theCommitteenarrowingthetopic. Thefollowingpossiblelimiterscouldbeaddedtotheendoftheresolution.IntheArabStates ThisUNESCOprovidedtermwould limittheaffirmativegroundtothefollowingcountries:Algeria,Bahrain,Djibouti,Egypt,Iraq,Jordan,Kuwait,Lebanon,Libya,Malta,Mauritania,Morocco,Oman,Palestine,Qatar,SaudiArabia,Somalia,Sudan,SyrianArabRepublic,Tunisia,UnitedArabEmirates,andYemen.Effectivelythislimiterwouldcover15,ornearlyone-third,ofendangeredsitescoveringsixcountriesfoundontheListofWorld Heritage Endangered. This limiter could be beneficial as the policy debatecommunityhasnotfocusedsignificantlyonthisregionoftheworldinthepast.
Resolved: TheUnitedNations (orUSFG) should substantially increase itssupport for one or more sites on the United Nations’ World HeritageConvention’sListofWorldHeritageinDangerintheArabStates.
InAfrica This UNESCO provided term would limit the affirmative ground to the entireAfricancontinentproperincludingEgyptandMadagascar.Effectivelythislimiterwouldcover16,orone-third,ofendangeredsitescovering10countries foundon theListofWorldHeritageEndangered. This limitercouldbebeneficialas theregionhasamorevariedlistofreasonswhytheirHeritageSitesareincludedontheListofWorldHeritageinDanger. This limitercouldbebeneficialasthepolicydebatecommunityhasneverfocusedontheentireAfricancontinent.
Resolved: TheUnitedNations (orUSFG) should substantially increase itssupport for one or more sites on the United Nations’ World HeritageConvention’sListofWorldHeritageinDangerinAfrica.
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InLatinAmericaandtheCaribbean ThisUNESCOprovidedtermwouldlimittheaffirmativegroundtojustsixsitesinsixdifferentcountriesincludingVenezuelawhichwasdebatedjustafewyearsago.
Resolved: TheUnitedNations (orUSFG) should substantially increase itssupport for one or more sites on the United Nations’ World HeritageConvention’s List ofWorld Heritage in Danger in Latin America and theCaribbean.
InSpecifiedCountries ThislistcouldspecifyvariouscountrieswithWorldHeritageSiteinDanger.Thejustificationforthelistcouldbevaried.Theauthorrecommendsthatifalimiterisaddedwith specific countries these countries should be the primary focus: Georgia, Mali,Panama,Kosovo,Egypt.ThislistcouldbealteredtoincludeanycountryfoundontheListofWorldHeritageinDanger.
Resolved: TheUnitedNations (orUSFG) should substantially increase itssupport for one or more sites on the United Nations’ World HeritageConvention’s ListofWorldHeritage inDanger inEgypt,Georgia,Kosovo,Mali,Panama.
TimelinessofWorldHeritageinDanger AsidefromthedestructionalreadyshowatthehistoricSiteofPalmyra,theWorldWildlifeFundreportsinApril2016that,(Omlandn.d.)“almosthalfofallnaturalWorldHeritageSites,andtheiroutstandinguniversalvaluearethreatenedbyharmful industrialactivities.”viTherealityofourworldisthatifwedonothingthesesitesmaynotbearoundforfuturegenerationstolearnfromandenjoy.Argumentscouldbemadethatthereisanethical,orevenmoral,obligationthattheworldtakesomekindofactiontopreservethesesiteswhytherearestillabletobesaved.
AffirmativeGround The affirmativewas a vast array of actions to considerwhichwould provide abountifulselectionofcases.Thiswould,theoretically,avoidthecreationofasmallsetofcoreaffirmativesthatdebaterscoulduse.Thevarietyofaffirmativeswouldstemfromtheuseoftheterm“support”andthemultitudeoflocations.Thecombinationofcultural
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andnatural siteswould keep thedoor open for a variety of affirmative types (policy,critical,alternativeadvocacies).
NegativeGround Tocombatthebroadnatureoftheaffirmative,thenegativehasplentyofgroundtomakeanydebateroundcompetitive. Firstandforemost,thereisamplegroundforcounterplans(consult,agent,etc.)anddisadvantagesgalore,particularly iftheUSFGisselected as the actor. There is great ground for the K debate with issues such asimperialism,nationalbuilding,andcolonialism.Overall,itappearsasiftheissufficientbalancebetweenbothsidesofthedebate.
Conclusion We have a special obligation to protect our World Heritage. This topic willintroduceanentiregenerationsofteachers,debaters,andthegreaterdebatecommunitytotheconceptofWorldHeritage.Withallofourhelp,maybewecansavethesesitesforourchildren.
Acknowledgements IwouldliketothanktheSpeechandDebateTeamofMelissaHighSchoolandtheSpeechandDebateTeamofLovejoyHighSchoolforalltheirhardworkinpreparingmeforthispaper.Thehonestinputmadethischallengingprojectalittlelessso.
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iii(UnitedNationsEducational,ScientificandCulturalOrganization2015)iv(RoyR.Rodriquez2015)v(NationalSpeechandDebateAssociationn.d.)vi(DalbergGlobalDeveopmentAdvisors2016)
