On April 24, the Minister of Climate and Environment, Espen Barth Eide, opened the "Our World Heritage" exhibition on the island of Vega. The exhibition presents world heritage, its importance and the work to protect it. The ambition is to create such an exhibition in all eight Norwegian World Heritage Sites. World heritage is an area of such great value to humanity that countries around the world have come together to preserve it for future generations. There are currently 1157 sites on the World Heritage List, eight of them in Norway. Vega Island was listed in 2004 for its unique natural and cultural landscape that has developed over millennia as a result of human impact on nature.
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– I wish everyone to come to Vega and see this unique landscape and meet those who care for it. I am impressed by how the Vega community cares for the natural and cultural values here, and at the same time uses the world heritage status to further develop the islands - says the Minister of Climate and Environment Espen Barth Eide.
An innovative exhibition
The exhibition "Our World Heritage" was developed by the Norwegian World Heritage and National Antiquities on the initiative of the Ministry of Climate and Environment. It is interactive, multilingual and has a unique visual expression where images and videos move across the installations in the room. The ambition is that all eight of Norway's World Heritage Sites will have a similar exhibition. The exhibition is currently organized in Vega and Alta, and construction is underway in Geiranger. The opening in Vega was the official opening of the concept. One of the aims of the exhibition is to understand the world heritage across cultures and national borders. It is also about building commitment to the care of world heritage.
“It is a big investment and I am delighted with the result. One of the most important things we do to protect World Heritage is to raise awareness about it. We are also involved as part of the World Heritage Commission. Through this exhibition, we are giving more people the opportunity to experience World Heritage Sites. We also have the opportunity to understand their importance and engage in work to protect them, says Eide.
Island trip Vega and the Archipelago
Prior to the opening, the Minister of Climate and Environment visited several World Heritage Sites by boat together with representatives of the Norwegian World Heritage Sites, bird watchers, Vega City Council and the National Archives. The Minister of Climate and Environment also met with people interested in taking care of the natural and cultural landscape and developing economic activity in the world heritage area. The Minister also got acquainted with the work of bird watchers on the islands. He could also, among other things, take part in setting nests for Mallards in special houses built to protect birds during the breeding season.
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The opening ceremony itself at the World Heritage Center was attended by Einar Steinsholm and Leon Chislari. The next generation was also heavily represented, there was also a children's choir that sang at the opening ceremony.
– The world heritage is the heritage of all mankind. World Heritage Site status means that Vega has been put on the map along with some of the world's most unique places. It is enough to mention such as the Taj Mahal in India, the Galapagos Islands in the Pacific Ocean, the Great Barrier Reef in Australia or the Great Wall of China. It's a status that I feel people here are happy and proud of. The World Heritage status returns a lot of value to the local community. It also leads to some constraints because development in a World Heritage area must take place within World Heritage values, says Eid.
The Vega archipelago is made up of a group of 6 small islands clustered around the island of Vega. We will find it in the southern part of Nordland, about 100 km south of the Arctic Circle.
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Source: regjeringen, Photo: KLD
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