Climats of Burgundy Represent France for UNESCO World Heritage

by amantduvin

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The Climats of Burgundy to represent France for UNESCO World Heritage

The Climats are the special guests of honour for the 2012 Saint Vincent Tournante in Burgundy this week. In time to celebrate, President Sarkozy has nominated the ‘Climats of the Vineyards of Burgundy’ to represent France in the final international stage towards UNESCO world heritage listing.

The announcement last Friday evening followed the appearance of the French Minister of Agriculture Bruno Le Maire wearing the green Climats support badge in Beaune the day before.

The Ministers of Ecology Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet and Culture Frédéric Mitterrand declared that “‘The Climats of the Vineyards of Burgundy’ are cultural landscapes with their clos, their drystone walls, their characteristic buildings, shared between the towns of Dijon and Beaune. The product of man’s secular work has created detailed fragments, passing down a history shaped by political and religious institutions (Ducal Palace in Dijon, Hospice de Beaune), these vineyards are reflected in many ‘lieux-dits’ whose boundaries are represented by walls of a rare landscape quality. The prestige, diversity and finesse of the wines radiate the landscape and the French art of living radiates with the world.”

The Climats application has been forwarded to the UNESCO international selection committee. A decision should be made by the end of June 2012 in Saint Petersburg, Russia for listing in July 2013.

Aubert de Villain, President of the Association of Climats today said that being selected as a national candidate is a successful team effort. “It is with great thanks that I would like to speak to each and every one of you, nearly 40,000 supporters, who believed and continue to believe in the legitimacy of this application.”

http://www.climats-bourgogne.com/fr/comite-de-soutien.php#/RejoindreLeComite

Representing a modified dossier from their first attempt in 2009, The Landscapes of Champagne were unsuccessful again as candidates in the same Cultural Heritage category as the Climats of Burgundy.

The region of Prosecco has been selected by the Italian government, now in the same international bid as Burgundy for UNESCO listing.