Celebrating time travel machines
By Dr Laila Abdel Aal Alghalban
Professor of linguistics
Faculty of Arts
Kafrelsheikh University
“I’m telling you all tonight — we will rebuild this cathedral
together. This is probably part of the French destiny. And we will do it in the
next years. Starting tomorrow, a national donation scheme will be started
that will extend beyond our borders," Macron spoke from the scene of the devastated Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris.
Many people around the world stayed up all night long
watching France's icon and cathedral of cathedral in flames. The tragedy
shocked many people of all faiths; not only the cathedral fans but also those
who have never been to or heard about it. Watching a human heritage icon
blazing causes a thunderous shock and deep grief that recall similar
feelings we used to have in similar tragedies when masterpieces of high value
for humanity from around the world including historic churches, mosques,
castles, libraries, opera houses, theaters, palaces and significant natural habitats got destroyed
in wars, earthquakes, fires, or due to neglect or demolition. What makes
us so connected to the past and sets our feelings on fire this way? Why do
people rush to rebuild the devastated treasures at a moment when national
spirit is at its highest point and purest form as the tragedy shakes off the
dirt and rust hiding its sparkle and extinguishing its flames? And how can the
lessons learned help celebrate World Heritage Day this month?
A treat to eyes and
souls
The captivating
emotional bond to heritage, along with the economic( tourist, commercial and
industrial) impact of the cultural
industry associated with it and the sustainable development it brings to our
communities, grants us a sense of belonging to a certain group of people. We,
accordingly, embrace their values and worldview, and cherish the legacy that
tells their gripping stories. " Here walked our ancestors, battled life's
ups and downs, and gave inspirational lessons," one would say to
him/herself during a walking tour to historical sites. Each site keeps telling
its story to visitors every day and still hides a lot creativity and secrets to
be uncovered for future visitors. It is
that emotional bond with heritage that fuels our commitment to do all what it
takes to preserve it as an extra memory to keep our past, present and future.
' Time is the fire in which we burn'
We are hardwired to connect to stuff in our lives: our old
clothes, books, toys, tools, etc. We keep them everywhere: in balconies, house roofs
and closets. That attachment or nostalgia feeds our hunger to freeze time. " Time is the fire in which we burn,” the American poet Delmore Schwartz once
wrote. " Did I really meet that person
before or go through that experience? Did those things happen to me?," you
may ask yourself when you flick your old photos. But you instantly assure
yourself, " Yes, they are true. The photos say so." You no longer
question your memories. Attachment to our old stuff enables us to smell our old
days, and so is our attachment to heritage. Nations would go the extra mile to
protect their heritage and panic about any potential threat to it.
Heritage is
not only old buildings but also all the aspects of human experience and
creativity manifested in our beliefs, knowledge, myths, clothes, food culture,
books, documents, and all the components of our surroundings. All of
which melt in our tangible heritage pot to shape our identity. The passion for
cultural heritage definitely helps younger generations, who wrestle an identity
crises due to the storms of globalization, become more conscious of their roots
and take pride in the legacy of their ancestors.
Boosting solidarity and cultural awareness
Numerous amazing aspects of solidarity and
cultural awareness have been crystal clear in Notre Dame
tragedy. Donations have been raised from
ultra rich tycoons, corporations, institutions, countries, international organizations
and heritage lovers. However, what intrigued me most was how so magnificently the
French people reacted to the devastation of their beloved cathedral. They sat
on the opposite side of the river, watching in tears one of the city's
landmarks crumbling and many of its irreplaceable items gone. Notre Dame
fire has united the French people from all backgrounds and pushed them to grip
on their collective identity, on what unites them rather than what divides
them. They have become more determined than ever to keep the cathedral
open. So a wooden cathedral is to be
built in the vicinity of Notre Dame to receive the endless stream of visitors
flocking to the site. School trips to the cathedral have not stopped, either.
The purpose is to get young generations involved in the pains, hopes and
determination to rebuild the cathedral.
The lure of time travel experience.
The tragedy has made it imperative to spot cultural heritage
on world heritage list. The inscription on the UNESCO's list would guarantee international
and national promotion of the candidate treasures, raise awareness about the
need to preserve them, fund the preservation work and do follow up
procedures to ensure the safety of the inscribed items. The tragedy also
coincides with the World Heritage Day, celebrated every year on
18 April. It is an occasion to promote
visiting heritage sites, using banners and links, and writing articles on their
magnificent value to humanity. A couple of days ago, I read that the government of Malta, celebrating the
World Heritage Day, has offered every senior citizen and two accompanying
youths "free and unlimited access to all Heritage Malta’s sites and
museums offering a unique opportunity to elders to connect and share authentic
and meaningful experiences with the younger generation." In India,
breathtaking monuments were open for free on that day. In Britain, the lure of historical sites has
been a major selling strategy to increase holiday bookings. The occasion is
also a very special opportunity for professional and amateur photographers to capture the
beauty of many remote areas almost no one has ever to and introduce them to the
world . Everywhere, visiting cultural heritage sites is literally a stunning
time travel experience.
Finally, we are a
nation with the richest cultural wonders in the world. This tragedy should be a
wakeup call to safeguard our heritage and inscribe dozens and dozens of its treasures
on the UNESCO's lists. Let us keep our time travel machines running!
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