Malta present at an important UNESCO meeting

The World Heritage Committee of UNESCO meeting in St Petersburg, Russia, yesterday evening, very strongly condemned the destruction that is taking place in Mali. The Minister of Culture and Tourism of Mali Fadima Toure' Diallo  in a very empotional speech thanked the organisation. The Ambassador of Malta to UNESCO, Dr Ray Bondin, expressed the solidarity of the Government of Malta to the Government of Mali in this very difficult situation and asked for the support of the international community to do all possible to stop the destruction taking place in Timbuctu and elsewhere.

UNESCO has stated that this unique heritage of Timbuctu, considered World Heritage, is a memory of the past important to Mali but also to the rest of the world. The destruction taking place by Muslim militias is unacceptable. UNESCO has been very strong in this condemnation and asked for the intervention of the international community to stop this. UNESCO has already sent a delegation to meet the mali Government to see what can be done. The Director General of UNESCO, Irina Bokova, has also issued a very strongly worded appeal.

Dr Ray Bondin had a private meeting with the Minister for Culture and Tourism in which he expressed the full support of the Government of Malta which is appaled at the destruction of three important mausoleums, There is a strong fear that the destruction will continue. The Minister of Culture of Mali and the Director of Heritage of Mali thanked the Government of Malta for its support.