Titanic falls under Unesco protection

[LazyLion]

http://www.news24.com/SciTech/News/Titanic-falls-under-Unesco-protection-20120405

Paris - The wreck of the Atlantic liner Titanic will this month come under Unesco protection, as it has now lain at the bottom of the Atlantic for 100 years, the UN cultural body said on Thursday.

The British liner sank in international waters and so comes under no state's protection but, after a century, wrecks fall under the jurisdiction of a 2009 UN Convention on the Protection of Underwater Cultural Heritage.

"From now on, state parties to the convention can outlaw the destruction, pillage, sale and dispersal of objects found at the site," Unesco said, in a statement from its Paris headquarters.

"They can take all possible measures within their power to protect the wreck and ensure that the human remains there are treated with dignity," it said.

The passenger liner Titanic hit an iceberg on its maiden voyage across the Atlantic, sinking to almost 4 000m in waters off Newfoundland on the night of April 14 1912, with the loss of 1 514 people on board.

Artefacts

It was and remains one of the worst peacetime shipping disasters in history, and this year's anniversary is being marked by several cultural and historical events in Britain and the US, its intended destination.

The wreck was rediscovered in 1985 thanks to advances in submarine technology, and historic artefacts have since been recovered.

"The sinking of the Titanic is anchored in the memory of humanity and I am pleased that this site can now be protected by the Unesco Convention," said Unesco director general Irina Bokova.

"But there are thousands of other shipwrecks that need safeguarding as well. All of them are archaeological sites of scientific and historical value. They are also the memory of human tragedy that should be treated with respect.

"We do not tolerate the plundering of cultural sites on land, and the same should be true for our sunken heritage," she said, calling on divers not to dump equipment or commemorative plaques on the Titanic site.

 

[Picard]

Of course dignity and respect ... but the same as with any other grave.

Municipal graves have been dug up and/or had housing developments over it, in many places. Dead people in municipal graves' lives are worth just as much as lives lost in sea sinkings.

Regulations should apply only to the salvaging of artefacts that will further archaelogical sciences.

EDIT: Kate Winslet and Leonardo diCaprio's (who were on it) lives are just as insignificant as Jack Parrow's life who might have been on it.

 

[ponder]

"We do not tolerate the plundering of cultural sites on land, and the same should be true for our sunken heritage," she said, calling on divers not to dump equipment or commemorative plaques on the Titanic site.

We should be salvaging whatever we can for historical value. Leaving it all down there to rust away is the true waste!

 

[Bern]

Of course dignity and respect ... but the same as with any other grave.

Municipal graves have been dug up and/or had housing developments over it, in many places. Dead people in municipal graves' lives are worth just as much as lives lost in sea sinkings.

Regulations should apply only to the salvaging of artefacts that will further archaelogical sciences.

EDIT: Kate Winslet and Leonardo diCaprio's (who were on it) lives are just as insignificant as Jack Parrow's life who might have been on it.

Graves are a HUGE waste, people die, then their bodies rot, they are gone. After a while not much is left, why should your carcass waste space? If you want people to remember you get a park bench or some other memorial. I would rather my DNA go on some register if they need some record once my organs and body have been donated to transplants and science than have my remains be in the way of the next generations. Or if you have to bury me and plant a tree over the grave or something useful.

 

[Picard]

Graves are a HUGE waste, people die, then their bodies rot, they are gone. After a while not much is left, why should your carcass waste space? If you want people to remember you get a park bench or some other memorial. I would rather my DNA go on some register if they need some record once my organs and body have been donated to transplants and science than have my remains be in the way of the next generations. Or if you have to bury me and plant a tree over the grave or something useful.

Like the expression ... "Pushing up daisies".

 

[LazyLion]

100 years ago today, the Titanic sank!