While UNESCO has asked Kermanshah’s Polymer Company to be removed to another place in order to not put the situation of Bisotun’s world heritage site in danger, this company is not ready to meet this demand.

 

The historic site of Bisotun, located in Iranian Kermanshah province, was registered in the list of UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites on July 13^th, 2006 as Iran’s 8^th World Heritage Site in a decision made by the World Heritage Committee in its 30^th session which was held in Lithuania. 

 

Starting to expand the Company, just one month after inscription of Bisotun in list of UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites, this newly world heritage site faced a real threat for safeguarding its position against possible damages.

 

In a talk with CHN, Mehdi Barshahi, deputy of Bisotun World Center, explained about the decision of this company to expand its activities in the vicinity of Bisotun plain. “However, the Company has not yet succeeded in getting the permission of Iran’s Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts, and Tourism Organization (ICHHTO) for continuing its activities in the region,” said Barshahi.

 

Prior to this, authorities of the Polymer Company announced that their activities will pose no harm to the historical sites of Bisotun plain. However after conducting some researches, this claim was rejected by Bisotun’s World Center and the Center decided that the Polymer Company should be removed from the vicinity of Bisotun World Heritage Site.   

 

Right away the mal-affection of the Polymer Company on Bisotun’s World Heritage Site was announced by the Center, however, the case has been referred Esfaniar Rahim Mashayi, President of ICHHTO, for final decision.

 

Although the Company has limited some of its harmful activities, still Bisotun Center believes that removing the place of the Company would be the best approach for minimizing the possible risks posed by the Company to this World Heritage Site.  

 

Bisotun world heritage site is comprised of numerous valuable historical remains such as the Median Temple, Darius the Great’s relief and frieze, gigantic statue of Hecules and the Sassanid monument of Bisotun. The most important aspect of the complex is Darius’s frieze which marks the starting point of discovery of ancient Persian, Babylonian, and Elamite writing system.      

 

 

Soudabeh Sadigh

foreigndesk@chn.ir