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The First Declaration of Human Rights

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Cyrus12One of the significant events in ancient history is the conquest of Babylon by the Persian king, Cyrus the Great.

On October 4th, 539 BC, the Persian Army entered the city of Babylon, which was then the capital of the Babylonian state (in central Iraq). This was a bloodless campaign and no prisoners were taken. Later, on November 9th, King Cyrus of Persia visited the city. Babylonian history tells us that Cyrus was greeted by the people, who spread a pathway of green twigs before him as a sign of honor and peace (sulmu). Cyrus greeted all Babylonians in peace and brought peace to their city.

On this great event, Cyrus issued a declaration, inscribed on a clay barrel known as Cyrus’s inscription cylinder. It was discovered in 1879 by Hormoz Rassam in Babylon and today is kept in the British Museum. Many historians have reviewed it as the first declaration of human rights.

The Babylonian annals, as well as the first section of the Cyrus’ inscription, shed light on the religiopolitical plight that had angered the people of Babylon and why they invited Cyrus’s military campaign. Evidently, the Babyloninan king, Nabonidus, eliminated the festival of the new year and Nebo (one of the gods) was not brought into the city, and Bel (another god) was not taken in the procession of the festival. Also, the worship of Marduk, the king of the gods, was changed to an abomination and Nabonidus tormented the inhabitants with unbelievable oppression and forced labor. The sanctuaries of all their settlements were in ruins and the inhabitants of Sumer and Akkad had become like the living dead. Marduk, the king of the gods, scanned and searched for a righteous ruler, finally coming upon Cyrus’s good deeds and his upright mind and ordered him to march against the City of Babylon. The angry inhabitants of Akkad had revolted but were massacred by Nabonidus, who, upon his return to Babylon, was arrested, but nevertheless was treated with respect. When Nabonidus died in the year following, Cyrus participated in the national mourning time that was proclaimed for him. The gods of Akkad were then returned to their sacred cities. All the inhabitants of Sumer and Akkad, including princes and governors, greeted Cyrus as a master who brought them back from a living death. All who had been spared damage and disaster revered his very name.

 

Cyrus’s Declaration:

“I am Cyrus, the king of the world, great king, legitimate king (son of Cambyses) whose rule Bel and Nebo loved and whom they wanted as king to please their hearts.

“When I entered Babylon as a friend and established the seat of government in the place of the ruler under jubilation and rejoicing, Marduk, the great lord (induced) the magnanimous inhabitants of Babylon (Din Tir) (to love me) and I daily endeavored to praise him. My numerous troops walked around in Babylon in peace, I did not allow anybody to terrorize (any of the people) of the country of Sumer and Akkad. I strove for peace in Babylon (Ka Dingir ra) and in all his (other) sacred cities. As to the inhabitants of Babylon (who) against the will of the gods (had/were I abolished) the corvee (yoke) which was against their (social standing). I brought relief to their dilapidated housing, putting an end to their main complaints. Marduk, the great lord, was well pleased with my deeds and sent friendly blessing to myself, Cyrus, the King, who reveres him, to Cambyses, my son, as well as to all my troops, and we all (praised) his great (name) joyously, standing before him in peace I returned to (these) sacred cities on the other side of the Tigris, the sanctuaries of which have been ruins for a long time, the images which (used) to live therein and established for them permanent sanctuaries. I (also) gathered all their (former) inhabitants and returned (to them) their habitations. Furthermore, I resettled upon the command of Marduk, the great lord, all the gods of Sumer and Akkad who Nabonidus has brought to Babylon (su sa na) to the anger of the lord of the gods unharmed in their chapels, the places which make them happy.

May all the gods whom I have resettled in their sacred cities ask Bel and Nebo daily for a long life (six lines destroyed) and always with good words remember my good deeds that Babylonians incessantly cherished me because I resettled them in comfortable habitations I endeavored to strengthen the fortification of Imgur-Enlil and the great fortification of the City of Babylon the side brick wall by the city’s trench which the former king (had built and had not finished). This was finished around (the city), that none of the former kings, despite the labor of their yoked people, had not accomplished. I rebuilt and completed with tar and brick and installed large gates entrances were built by cedar wood covered with brass and copper pivot I strengthened all the gates I saw inscribed the name of my predecessor, King Ashurbanipal.”

On this historical turning point, by order of Cyrus, all the captive nationalities held as slaves for generations in Babylon were freed and the return to their homeland was financed. Among the liberated captives were 50,000 Jews held in Babylon for three generations whose return toward the rebuilding of their temple in Palestine, a policy that was followed by Darius and his successors. Some of the liberated Jews were invited to and did settle in Persia. Because of such a generous act, Cyrus has been anointed in the Bible. He is the only gentile in the Bible, who has been titled Messiah, an is mentioned explicitly as the Lord’s shepherd and his anointed (Messiah). Other references to Cyrus are attested in Isaiah 45:4 where Cyrus is called by name and given a title of honor; he is also called to rebuild the God’s city and free His people (Is. 45:13) and is chosen, called and brought successful by God (Is. 48:14-15).

What took place after the victory in Babylon was contrary to the standard of the time. Based on the inscriptions of the neighboring countries (Assyrians, Babylonians), it was customary to destroy the vanquished cities, level houses and temples, massacre the people or enslave the population, replace them with snakes, wolves and even carry away the soil to make the land barren. But here, peace and liberty replaced the massacre and slavery, and construction substituted for destruction. After Cyrus, his son Cambyses ruled for eight years (530BC to 522 BC) and captured Egypt, and as a sign of respect toward their culture and religion, he prostrated himself before the goddess, Meith and paid homage to Apis, the Egyptian totem (Bull).

After Cambyses, Darius took over the throne and ruled form 522BC to 486BC. From 518BC to 515BC he established peace and tranquility in Egypt and also paid homage to their totem, Apis. Darius, in his inscriptions, expresses faith in the commands of Ahuramazda. He declares “Whoever worships Ahuramazda, shall receive happiness in life and after death.” He calls Elamites faithless, and because they did not worship Ahuramazda, yet he does not pressure them to change faith. Darius exhorts his successors “thou shalt be king thereafter, protect yourself from the lies and punish the liar and deceitful.”

He entreats God’s grace for the protection of Persia against rancor, enemy, famine and the lie. At times he alludes to other gods that may either indicate the old Aryan gods who still had strong followings or the gods of other nations under his rule, for the display of reverence toward their religions.

REFERENCES:

A. Arfaee, The command of Cyrus the Great (in Persian), quoted the opinion of Sydney Smith.

Grayson, Assyrian and Babylonian chronicles, p110, dates the fall of Babylon on Oct. 12th and Cyrus’s entry on Oct 29th.

J. B. Pritchard, The ancient Near East, Vol. 1, 1958, p203.

A fragment in the Yale’s Babylon collection was identified in 1970 by P.R.Berger, the professor of Munster, Germany, as part of Cyrus’s cylinder that was transferred to the British Museum and added to the cylinder, who wrote in the journal of Assyrology (Zeiserrift fir Assiriologie), July 25, Vol. 64. The remainder of the text is quoted from A.

Arafaee, which was the missing portion kept in Yale University. Bible, 2 Chronicles 36:15-23
Bible, Ezra 1:1-11, Ezra 2:12-70
Bible, Ezra 7:8
Bible, Ezra 6:3-4-5
Bible, Ezra 7:15-25
Bible, Isaiah 44:28 and 45:1

 

Darius Jahanian, M.D. is an obstetrician-gynecologist in the Kansas City area, with degree from University of Tehran and Washington University, St. Louis. He is a co-founder and president of the Fravahar Zoroastrian Youth organization of Tehran. Darius served as trustee of the Rostam Guiv Trust of California 1981-89, is a trustee and VP of the Rostam Guiv Foundation of New York since 1990, and its president since 1992. He is a founder and two-term president of the Zoroastrian Association of Kansas. A noted author and lecturer on the Zoroastrian religion, Darius also teaches religion classes for children.

Source: Zoroastrianism and Biblical Connections

Ukraine’s World Heritage Site: Ancient City of Tauric Chersonese

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Tauric ChersoneseLast month (Sep 2013) after two decades of research and gathering data by the Ukrainian and US archaeologists the ancient city of Tauric Chersonese and its Chora was granted World Heritage status by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

A port city founded by Greeks in the fifth century B.C., Chersonesos is the site of an excavation led since 1994 by Professor Joseph Carter, professor of classical archaeology and the director of the Institute of Classical Archaeology (ICA) at University of Texas, Austin.

According to UNESCO, the site features the remains of a city founded by Dorian Greeks in the 5th century BC on the northern shores of the Black Sea. It encompasses six component sites with urban remains and agricultural lands divided into several hundreds of chora, rectangular plots of equal size. The plots supported vineyards whose production was exported by the city which thrived until the 15th century. The site features several public building complexes and residential neighborhoods, as well as early Christian monuments alongside remains from Stone and Bronze Age settlements; Roman and medieval tower fortifications and water supply systems; and exceptionally well-preserved examples of vineyard planting and dividing walls. In the 3rd century AD, the site was known as the most productive wine center of the Black Sea and remained a hub of exchange between the Greek, Roman and Byzantine Empires and populations north of the Black Sea. It is an outstanding example of democratic land organization linked to an ancient polis, reflecting the city’s social organization.

The excavation was supported by David Packard and the Packard Humanities Institute (PHI), which contributed more than $12 million during a 12-year period to the project.

Lumbini: New Book of Photographs

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lumbini

Lumbini, Birthplace of Buddha is a new and joint publication of UNESCO and the Paris-based NGO Oriental Cultural Heritage Sites Protection Alliance.  The effort brought together eight photographers: three from Nepal and five from around the world who used their vision to capture the uniqueness of this World Heritage Site which has long been a sacred place for many pilgrims.  The result is a collection of over two hundred photographs depicting seven distinct themes of knowledge, beliefs, people, nature, spaces and dangers. Each theme is introduced by a short text written by national and international personalities affiliated with Lumbini. The national launch for Lumbini, Birthplace of Buddha will be in Kathmandu on 31 October, 2013, followed by a planned international unveiling at the U.N. Headquarters in New York in the spring of 2014.

Lumbini, set in the fertile plains of Nepal’s Terai region, was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1997, and is universally regarded as the place where Buddha was born.  As one of the most sacred sites significant to Buddha’s life and path to enlightenment, the Sacred Garden of Lumbini has been a center of pilgrimage for devout followers from as early as the 3rd century B.C.

Myanmar’s Long Struggle for World Heritage Status

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bagan1The ancient city of Bagan, Burma or Myanmar, has re-submitted an application to UNESCO to receive World Heritage status. In 1996 Myanmar nominated eight properties for UNESCO World Heritage Site status. However, not a single one has been accepted yet. While these sites remain on UNESCO’s tentative list, Myanmar is considering UNESCO’s suggested improvements, working towards building heritage sites founded upon stable and effective conservation and preservation strategies.

The territory where Bagan lies stretches over a 26-square-miles plain which encompasses bagan2over 3,000 temples, monasteries and pagodas. For several centuries (from the 9th to the 13th century), the area was the capital city of a kingdom that consolidated and controlled most of modern-day Myanmar, and served as a hub of Buddhist scholarship.
In 1975, a major earthquake destroyed many of Bagan’s crumbling structures and the governing junta began a campaign of reconstruction which was poorly done without much attention to heritage reconstruction standards and techniques. In fact, the government even commissioned the construction of new monuments within the designated historical zone. Although the restoration of the site provoked international criticism, many locals see the refurbishment as a necessity to accommodate Bagan’s function as a living and breathing Buddhist pilgrimage site.

The ruling military junta changed its name from Burma to Myanmar in 1989, a year after thousands were killed in the suppression of a popular uprising. Rangoon also became Yangon. The Adaptation of Expression Law also introduced English language names for other towns, some of which were not ethnically Burmese. The change was recognized by the United Nations, and by countries such as France and Japan, but not by the United States and the UK.

bagan3Myanmar has been extremely politically isolated and as a result until recently only had received very little aid and technical assistance from the outside world. However, the situation has changed over the last few years with new international investment and even a trip by President Obama and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to Myanmar in November 2012.  At the same time, the internal ethnic conflicts and tensions have resulted in the ongoing destruction of Muslim sites and mistreatment of minorities.

Many experts are now calling for this recent bid to be accepted by UNESCO bringing attention and much needed help for Myanmar’s heritage sites.

OPCW Awarded 2013 Nobel Peace Prize

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Nobel_Prize
The Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) while some of its staff works in Syria trying to destroy the country’s stockpile of chemical weapons. OPCW is an intergovernmental watchdog formed in 1997 to enforce the Chemical Weapons Convention, which bans development, production, stockpiling and use of chemical weapons.

 

In it’s announcement, The Nobel Committee stated that the work of the OPCW has defined the use of chemical weapons as a taboo under international law and that the recent events in Syria, where chemical weapons have again been put to use, have once again underlined the importance of the elimination of these weapons. 

 

OPCW which is based in Hague has been mostly an obscure organization has not been able to persuade all countries to become member states and sign the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC). Non-members of the OPCW include Israel and Myanmar, which have yet to ratify the convention, and Angola, Egypt, North Korea,South Sudan, which have “neither signed nor acceded” to the convention (www.opcw.org).  The CWC aims to eliminate an entire category of weapons of mass destruction by prohibiting the development, production, acquisition, stockpiling, retention, transfer or use of chemical weapons by States Parties. States Parties, in turn, must take the steps necessary to enforce that prohibition in respect of persons (natural or legal) within their jurisdiction.

 

In a statement by the OPCW Director-General Ahmet Uzumcu, talked about the decision by the Nobel Committee: “The decision by the Nobel Committee to bestow this year’s Peace Prize on the OPCW is a great honor for our Organization. We are a small organization which for over 16 years, and away from the glare of international publicity, has shouldered an onerous but Nobel task – to act as the guardian of the global ban on chemical weapons that took effect in 1997.

 

That year, a hundred-year effort was crowned with success as the Chemical Weapons Convention entered into force. Our organization was tasked to verify the elimination of chemical weapons from the world and to encourage all nations to adhere to this hard-earned norm. “We have since then worked with quiet determination to rid the world of these heinous weapons – weapons which have been used to horrific effect throughout the twentieth century, and, sadly, in our own time too.  We are conscious of the enormous trust that the international community has bestowed on us.  Working to realize the vision of a world free of chemical weapons, we rely on the expertise, professionalism and dedication of our staff – qualities that have been forged through a solid record of achievement.” (http://www.opcw.org/)

Launch of Emergency Red List of Syrian Antiquities at Risk

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On Wednesday, September 25th, 2013, an event was held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, where UNESCO officials including Director-General Irina Bokova joined the President of the International Council of Museums (ICOM), Dr. Hans-Martin Hinz, and United States Assistant Secretary of State for Population, Refugees, and Migration, Ms Anne Richard, to launch an Emergency Red List of Syrian Cultural Objects at Risk.

Since 2000, ICOM has published 12 Red Lists for cultural objects at risk from all over the world.  The ICOM Red Lists further facilitate the work of police, customs officials and all other professionals concerned with the protection of heritage objects by helping them identify the categories that are particularly vulnerable to illegal purchase, transaction and export. The Syrian Red List contains many objects from different periods of Syrian history including prehistory and ancient history, Islamic era and middle ages as well as Ottoman period.

After tower destroyed

After tower destroyed

Aleppo before destruction

Aleppo before destruction

Over the last two years, the world has witnessed loss of lives as well as the destruction of heritage sites in Syria caused by the ongoing conflict.

 

Remains of Ancient Civilizations Found In Brazil

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 Brazil Brazil is busy preparing the country for the World Cup in 2014 and the Olympics in 2016, but last month another big news came out of Brazil. Finnish archeologists reported finding the remains of an ancient civilization in the Amazonian area of Brazil. The team has unearthed artifacts including new forms of ceramics and over 200 kg of pot fragments. In addition, many of the geometrical earth mounds found have geometrical patterns and are large in dimension measuring over hundred meters. These structures have been discovered in the Brazilian state of Acre.

     Professor Martti Pärssinen who leads the Danish team of archeologists points out that these large multiple structures perhaps required as much effort and energy for the native ancient civilization to build as the pyramids in Egypt. 

     You can watch a TV report on this story here.

Mehregan, An Avant-Garde Ancient Iranian Festival

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     mehrga7We are one more time approaching another Mehregan, an annual Persian festivity that has been observed for centuries by Iranians. Despite all the barriers and difficulties in the way of observing this occasion, Iranians have never failed to celebrate this festival openly or sometimes even secretly.

     Mehregan, just like other festivities of Iranian culture, has its humane and popular roots. It was initiated as a ritual to worship the sun-god Mithra, but this day had gradually lost its religious origins to become a national day of celebration due to the valuable message that is embedded in it.

    Mehregan, just like other Iranian festivities, has been a day of honoring Light and Kindness, as well as Faithfulness to Promises.

     In ancient Iran, parents considered breaking the promises as unforgivable evil as lies and destruction. They believed that breaking promises can cause destruction of the land and society. It seems that such a belief has an implied connotation, referring to the rulers and decision makers who, by breaking their promises to the people, cause the desolation and destruction of their lands and peoples.

     In a verse in Zoroastrian book of Mehryasht, one can read: “The wicked one who breaks his promises will destroy the whole country”. That is why the message of Mehregan has been lasting and now is an updated one.  Like the previous years, the Committee to Save Pasargad, would like to ask all Iranians and especially the friends of Iranian culture to observe Mehregan in whatever way they deem feasible, aiming to preserve this precious festival and spread its true message.  We also need the help and support of all cultural activists in our campaign to register Mehregan on the World Spiritual Heritage list. The relevant application was filed with UNESCO in 2010 by the Committee.

With love and respect,

Pasargad Heritage Foundation

October 2013

http://www.savepasargad.com/

Application for “International Day of Freedom of Belief and Religion”

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cyrus-UN-4

 

 

H.E. Mr. Ban Ki-moon, UN. Secretary General

United Nations

NY NY 10017

 

October 4, 2013

 

A Petition for UN’s Proclamation of October 29th as the “International Day of Freedom of Conscience and Religion”

Your Excellency:

     We, the undersigned, have been authorized by World Cultural Heritage Voices to respectfully urge your Excellency to call on the appropriate organization of the United Nations to designate 29 of October as “International Day of Freedom of Conscience and Religion.” The World Cultural Heritage Voices is an organization dedicated to the preservation of the cultural heritage of each member of the international community, particularly those that have been ravaged by scourges of wars, sectarian violence, poverty and unrepresentative governments.

     In the last few decades the world has witnessed widespread eruptions of violent ideological and sectarian conflicts within a number of societies.  Such conflicts have, among other things, led to the rise of organized attempts to desecrate or otherwise destroy national, cultural and religious heritage of particular historical value to the community of nations. Such attempts often take place in societies where respect for individual’s freedom of conscience and religion has not yet been fully recognized as an essential principle of human rights.

 

Your Excellency:          

     It is upon these premises that we believe the designation of a day for celebrating the freedom of conscience and religion on the UN calendar will further signify the importance of respect for cultural and religious diversity which is the cornerstone of peaceful coexistence of peoples all over the world.

     We further believe that 29 of October is an appropriate date for celebration of this freedom, for it was on this date that Cyrus the Great issued his historic decree on religious freedom and tolerance more than 2500 years ago. More importantly, Cyrus followed his decree on tolerance, diversity of cultures and freedom of worship by deeds that included delivering the enslaved Jews in Babylon. This decree has therefore been considered by many as the earliest expression of the recognition of a fundamental human freedom. The permanent exhibition of the decree at the entrance to the chamber of the Security Council of UN bespeaks of the universal recognition of its importance.

     This year, the twenty-ninth day of October 2013, coincides with the ninth annual celebration of “Cyrus the Great Day” by Iranian people and many friends of culture across the globe. In 2005, it was the Pasargad Heritage Foundation- the first international NGO for preservation of the cultural heritage of Iran- that introduced the idea. At the time, Cyrus’ mausoleum in Iran- a monument registered on the UNESCO’s world heritage list – was in danger of being inundated and eventually destroyed. However, the hard work of this Foundation and timely intervention of UNESCO, human rights activists and organizations removed the danger and led to a world-wide recognition of Cyrus’ seminal contribution to the survival of our common human civilization. Such recognition has been further evidenced by the exhibition of Cyrus cylinder in a number of museums in major cities in United States of America. 

 

Your Excellency:

   At a time when, in a number of regions of the world, particularly in Africa and Asia, the basic rights and freedoms of millions of individuals have been curtailed, disregarded and violently denied by undemocratic and illegitimate governments, setting aside a day of celebration for freedoms of conscience and religion by the Parliament of Mankind will be of great and lasting importance.  Such a measure would also constitute another vivid warning to political leaders of countries whose prisons are filled with prisoners of religion, conscience and belief.

     Nevertheless, millions of people are still afraid of freely announcing their beliefs. Without any doubt, creating a special day for Freedom of Conscience and Religion would help the advancement of human rights.

     Fully cognizant of your Excellency’s abiding respect for the fundamental rights and freedoms of all peoples of the world, we are looking forward to receiving a favorable response to our plea. 

 
Respectfully Yours,
Shokooh Mirzadegi
Founder and Executive Director
 
 
Farid Hekmat
Legal Counsel

***

Please sign this petition

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/655/271/493/  

 

You may also sign without providing your address at:

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/world-cultural-heritage-voices

 

ترجمه در خواست از سازمان ملل،

برای اعلام روز 29 اکتبر، به عنوان «روز بین المللی آزادی عقیده و مذهب»

 

 عالیجناب آقای بان کی مون

سازمان ملل

چهارم اکتبر 2013

درخواست از سازمان ملل، برای اعلام روز 29 اکتبر، به عنوان روز بین المللی آزادی عقیده و مذهب

 

عالیجناب:

ما امضا کنندگان این نامه، از جانب «صدای میراث فرهنگی جهانی» ماموریت داریم تا با احترام از آن عالیجناب مجدانه بخواهیم که از بخش مربوطه سازمان ملل بخواهند تا روز 29 اکتبر را به عنوان روز بین المللی آزادی عقیده و مذهب اعلام کنند. صدای میراث فرهنگی جهانی سازمانی است اختصاص یافته به حفظ میراث فرهنگی کلیه اعضای جامعه جهانی، به خصوص آن ها که به وسیله ی لطمه های حاصل از جنگ، خشونت های فرقه ای، فقر، و دولت های غیر انتخابی لطمه دیده اند.

در دهه های اخیر جهان شاهد طغیان گسترنده ی برخوردهای خشونت بار ایدئولوژیک و فرقه ای در میان اجتماعات مختلف بوده است. این برخوردها قبل از هر چیز منجر به پیدایش فعالیت های سازمان یافته در راستای تخریب و یا از میان بردن میراث های فرهنگی و مذهبی دارای ارزش های ويژه تاریخی برای جامعه ملل شده است. این رفتارها اغلب در جوامعی اتفاق می افتند که احترام به آزادی شخصی عقیده و مذهب هنوز به عنوان اصل گوهرین حقوق بشر کاملا به رسمیت شناخته نشده است.

 

عالیجناب:

 بر بنیاد این واقعیت هاست که ما باور داریم که تعیین روزی برای گرامیداشت آزادی عقیده و مذهب در تقویم سازمان ملل به اعتلای اهمیت احترام گذاری به گوناگونی فرهنگی و مذهبی که سنگ بنای همزیستی صلح آمیز مردمان سراسر جهان است کمک می کند.

 

ما همچنین باور داریم که روز 29 اکتبر روز مناسبی برای گرامیداشت این آزادی است چرا که در این روز بود که کورش بزرگ فرمان تاریخی خود را در 2500 سال پیش پیرامون آزادی مذهب و رواداری صادر کرد. مهم تر از آن این که او در پی صدور فرمان رواداری و پذیرش گوناگونی فرهنگ ها و آزادی نیایش، این نظر را با عمل خود به صورت آزادسازی یهودیان به بردگی گرفته شده در بابل تعقیب کرد. به همین دلیل است که این فرمان از جانب بسیارانی نخستین بیان پذیرش یک آزادی اصلی بشری تلقی شده است. به نمایش گذاشتن دایمی این فرمان در ورودیه تالار شورای امنیت سازمان ملل خود گویای شناخت جهانی اهمیت آن است.

 

امسال بیست و نهمین روز اکتبر 2013 با نهمین گرامیداشت سالیانه ی روز کورش بزرگ از جانب ایرانیان و مردمانی از فرهنگ های مختلف سراسر جهان است. در سال 2005 بنیاد میراث پاسارگاد که نخستین سازمان غیر انتفاعی بین المللی برای حفظ میراث فرهنگی ایران شناخته می شود فکر نام گذاری روز کورش را مطرح ساخت در آنزمان آرامگاه کورش در ایران که بنایی ثبت شده در فهرست میراث جهانی یونسکو است در خطر آب گرفتگی ویرانی ناشی از آن بود اما تلاش شدید این سازمان و دخالت به هنگام یونسکو، کنشگران و سازمان های حقوق بشری، از این خطر جلوگیری کرد و موجب آگاهی جهانی نسبت به دهش آغازین کورش در بقای تمدن مشترک انسان ها شد. شاهد چنین آگاهی گسترده ای برگزاری نمایش استوانه ی کورش در تعدادی از موزه های شهرهای بزرگ ایالات متحده آمریکا است.

عالیجناب:

 در زمانه ای که در مناطق مختلف دنیا و به خصوص در آفریقا و آسیا حقوق بنیادین و آزادی های میلیون ها انسان از آن ها دریغ شده، و مورد بی اعتنایی و انکار خشونت آمیز دولت های غیر دموکراتیک و نامشروع قرار گرفته است، گزینش روزی برای گرامیداشت عقیده و مذهب به وسیله ی پارلمان نسل بشر واجد اهمیتی عظیم و ماندگار است. این اقدام اخطاری آشکار به رهبران سیاسی کشورهایی است که زندان هاشان پر از زندانیان عقیده و مذهب و باورند.

با این وجود میلیون ها انسان هنوز از بیان آزادانه عقاید خود می هراسند و بدون شک گزینش روزی برای آزادی عقیده و مذهب موجب پیشرفت حقوق بشری خواهد شد.

با آگاهی کامل از احترامی که آن عالیجناب برای حقوق و آزادی های بنیادین همه ی مردم جهان قایل اند ما چشم انتظار دریافت پاسخ مثبتی به تقاضای خود هستیم.

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موسس و مسئول امور اجرایی  سازمان «صدای میراث فرهنگی جهانی»

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وکیل سازمان «صدای میراث فرهنگی جهانی»

 

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Skulls Found in London Crossrail : Helping Archeologists Learn More

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skull

It is not the first time that ancient remains are found while modern cities are being developed and expanded.  The latest news is that archaeologists working with London’s Crossrail project have uncovered 20 skulls believed to be from the Roman period.

The archeologists believe the bones were washed from a nearby burial site along one of London’s “lost” rivers.  In the last year archaeologists in London have also found about 10,000 Roman items at a nearby site. Could the latest finds give new insights into the lives of Roman people? One thing is for sure that the archaeologists believe that the Crossrail Project which currently operates over 40 worksites and archaeological investigations will lead to further discoveries hidden beneath the streets of London and say it could transform our understanding of Roman London.

The Walbrook river which was paved over in the 15th Century, divided the western and eastern parts of the city, its moist muddy walls providing exceptionally good conditions for artifacts to be preserved. The discoveries were found about 3 meters below ground and underneath the Bedlam cemetery, a burial ground where hundreds of skeletons have been unearthed. Roman law required burial outside the city, which meant there were burial sites circled around the town and the skulls were probably buried in different environments, shown by their shades of brown and grey as reported by BBC.

Even though forensic studies are still needed to be done, the scientists and archeologists say that more information about the sex and age will emerge through further investigations. For example chemical markers on the teeth could reveal where these people came from and what sorts of food they ate making it easier for students of archeology to learn more about life in that period and location.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-24351460