OSCE Mission in Kosovo launches discussion on cultural diversity

PRISHTINE/PRISTINA, 17 June 2008 - A series of Municipal Leadership Forums on protection of cultural heritage and promotion of cultural diversity, organized by the OSCE Mission in Kosovo, began today.

The forums will bring together municipal authorities, police and civil society actors to discuss protection of cultural heritage and ways to improve the protection of valuable sites.

"Kosovo has a rich and diverse cultural heritage which is endangered by lack of preservation, protection and promotion," said Jose Arraiza, Chief of the OSCE Property Section. "Neglect and vandalism of sites, delays in integrating cultural heritage into spatial planning and problems in balancing cultural heritage protection with the rights of individuals and communities living near the sites, threatens Kosovo's heritage."

The participants of the forums will discuss seven key challenges: security, inspection, communication between religious and executive authorities, legal reform, spatial planning, property rights, and displaced persons' rights. They will also try to identify the solutions for overcoming the current problems.

The OSCE monitors the protection of all types of cultural heritage in Kosovo and emphasizes the linkages between preservation, protection and promotion, and the balance of the public interest with individual rights. OSCE regularly monitors and reacts to individual cases where cultural heritage sites are threatened.

In total four Municipal Leadership Forums on cultural heritage will be organized in different regions in Kosovo this week.