Public Outreach Pogram

Old English Compass  


The need for a major effort to raise public awareness of, and promote public education on the significance of preserving our world’s underwater heritage has been identified not only by the leading organizations UNESCO and ICOMOS/ICUCH but also by many governments, institutes, museums, international experts and scientists. The importance of developing a comprehensive public awareness and information dissemination strategy program has been recognized.


Part of the outreach program is to support the authorities and organisations in smaller places so they are able to examining their infrastructures very closely to weigh the economic possibilities of small-business development, such as building a hotel or bed and breakfast or thinking about establishing an interpretation centre, a historical heritage site or a marine park in an area that's never had one.


 

Elements of this program will include:    


Development of a public education campaign which would include curricula, materials and other initiatives, aimed at clearly demonstrating the cultural and educational benefits to be derived from this project
Development of an international media campaign featuring a television documentary series highlighting the most significant underwater heritage sites in the world, television advertisements, and relevant DVD’s, CD-ROM’s and video’s
Maintenance and broad dissemination of a project website which would be regularly updated on the project progress and which would provide linkages to all relevant and participating parties
Creation of an ongoing scholarship program for archaeology/history students
Involvement of a “Goodwill Ambassador” (int. TV/Film personality) advocating these important issues to the public
Development of an information kit for the educational sector
Development of a special sweepstake program in order to get especially our young people more interested in understanding and protecting our heritage


Participating sponsors like the HTM Group, incorporating MARES, HEAD, DACOR, TYROLIA and PENN are prepared to put the power of their shop networks behind this project. These companies are selling their merchandise in thousands of shops located in over 90 countries around the world, an important factor for the dissemination of information and implementation of a worldwide sweepstake program. Financing for this project will derive largely from international sales of the television series, donations, fundraising activities and special events, supporting organizations, affiliated foundations, government programs, private and corporate sponsors and through sales of project related merchandise. A major annual fundraising event will be held at an appropriate location hosted by our “Goodwill Ambassador”, participating organizations and sponsors. One of the highlights of this “Gala” will be the presentation of awards to persons/organizations and companies for their outstanding efforts and commitments for this ongoing project.



UNESCO & ICOMOS/ICUCH Involvement:
The United Nations agency sees this project as an opportunity to apply the 2001 UNESCO Convention on Cultural Heritage Protection and it’s Annex on the Protection of Underwater Cultural Heritage to a pristine site. UNESCO is interested in the development of a model case study including a marine protection plan, a public outreach program, educational materials and a management plan. Along with the documentaries, a full archaeological survey will be completed that will form the basis of the case to establish a Haitian Marine Park and subsequently a World Heritage Site, critical steps towards protection.

Guido Carducci, Chief of the international Standard Section, Division of Cultural Heritage, Section for Culture at UNESCO said:
“We welcome this important worldwide campaign to the extent that all project-related organizers, associates, production partners and employees have committed themselves to full compliance with the 2001 UNESCO Convention and its Annex on the Protection of Underwater Cultural Heritage in any and all of their activities related thereto.” 		   


Robert Grenier, Chief U/W Archaeologist, Parks Canada, President of ICOMOS/ICUCH and co-author of the UNESCO Convention said:

“The proposed project, as defined by ODN/ODF, presents a unique opportunity to demonstrate the value of the UNESCO Convention’s in situ protection principle. Historic shipwrecks are non-renewable resources: once gone, they are lost forever. But if protected and properly managed in situ, they can survive for centuries with an enduring income potential for cultural tourism. This is the opportunity offered to Haiti with this non-intrusive project. Haitians face the challenge of becoming the first jurisdiction in the world to apply the in situ protection policy recently mandated by the Convention, and thereby preserving their income potential from cultural tourism in perpetuity.” 		   


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