UNESCO - MUSEUM PROGRAMS UPDATE

UNCLAS PARIS 007206

SIPDIS

FROM USMISSION UNESCO PARIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: UNESCO SCUL
SUBJECT: UNESCO - MUSEUM PROGRAMS UPDATE



1. The Ambassador met on 3 November with Laurent Levi-Strauss,
Director of UNESCO's Museums Section. Levi-Strauss also provided us
with a memo (which will be forwarded separately by e-mail) detailing
the current status of UNESCO's museum pilot program.


2. Levi-Strauss described the 11 pilot projects and museum
partnership programs, which are part of UNESCO's program for the
Preservation of Endangered Moveable Cultural Properties, funded
principally by the US (US dollars 3.5 million from fourth quarter
2003 monies).


3. Levi-Strauss was very frank about the difficulties he faces at
UNESCO headquarters, trying to run the programs, "by remote
control," with no direct power over the way the programs are
implemented in the field. At the same time, he noted that the
implementation rates over the past year have gone up, with 54
percent for the overall program.


4. He described ICOM (International Council of Museums),his
principal advisory partner, as having a weaker than expected
professional team, with no capacity for implementing projects. He
also said that they lack a network of experts of the same quality
that ICCROM (International Centre for the Study of the Preservation
and Restoration of Cultural Property) or other museum advisory
groups have. Levi-Strauss added that the Museum section itself
often has the needed connections to find experts and trainers, and
questions the need to pay ICOM for less than satisfactory contacts.


5. Levi-Strauss said that many of the field offices
are having difficulty carrying out their projects, citing, general
incompetence or poorly trained colleagues and consultants, who are
unable to deliver minimal results.
He mentioned Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia and Ghana
as some of the more poorly run projects.


6. In the case of Pakistan, he noted the problems of massive
disorganization at every level from the Ministry of Antiquities and
Museums on down, coupled with earthquakes and anti-Western
demonstrations, which obliged a planned trip to be cancelled. He
noted, however, that a workshop would be taking place in Peshawar in
mid-November in an effort to improve the situation.


7. Ambassador Oliver told Levi-Strauss that she was very displeased
with the overall situation regarding the museum projects, noting
that the US had not been consulted at all in the original decision
regarding the choice of projects or countries. The Ambassador said
that what we want to know is what we are achieving with the money
being spent. She said that the US funding was hoped to build greater
capacity, skills and experience for the museum professionals in each
country, providing a showcase for projects that would serve as
success stories and help generate more financing. Instead, we have
an inherent problem where UNESCO headquarters is responsible for
allocating funds, but has no say in the implementation of programs.



8. The Ambassador said that we have, in these cases, the perfect
example of UNESCO's move towards decentralization without
accountability. Levi-Strauss agreed, saying that the main problem
is that the directors of the field offices depend on the Bureau of
Field Coordination (BFC) and not on the program sectors for
direction. Levi-Strauss said that the only way he can offset this
problem today is by developing personal relations with the field
directors, who are often in place for many reasons, but not
necessarily for their level of competence.


9. Ambassador Oliver told Levi-Strauss that we are interested in
helping him improve the current situation, but that we need to
understand better what and where the problems are. Levi-Strauss
told her that part of the difficulty is a lack of resources. He
mentioned that the US dollars one million allotted for regular
program activities, 50 percent automatically goes to the field
offices, and the rest is divided up for the Museum Magazine
publication costs, ICOM costs and other costs at headquarters. The
rest is shared by the 40 field offices, providing them only with
some US dollars 10,000 each.


10. As one way to improve the knowledge sharing within the section,
Levi-Strauss mentioned an idea that has been proposed of a
Washington DC-based meeting in 2008, after all the projects are
completed. The meeting would bring together the leaders of the 11
pilot programs, enabling them to meet US museum experts and review
the projects case-by-case in an effort to improve future work in a
"lessons learned" approach.
OLIVER