Critics see the decision as indicative of a wider trend towards the privatization of cultural heritage
The controversial initiative of the Greek Ministry of Culture to offer exclusive, personalized guided tours of the Acropolis of Athens is referred to in an extensive article by the Guardian, who speaks of an “elitist plan”.
According to the publication, the guided tours, which come with a hefty price tag of €5,000, aim to allow small groups of visitors to experience the iconic venue without the usual crowds. However, the program has faced criticism from various quarters, including archaeologists, who argue that it goes against the democratic spirit of the monument and excludes those who cannot afford the high fees.
The reactions
Critics consider the initiative elitist and the commercialization of a symbol of democracy. In addition, there are concerns about the practicality of the scheme, particularly regarding its impact on regular visitors and the possible worsening of inequalities in access to cultural heritage. Despite the controversy, some in the Greek diaspora have expressed interest in participating, seeing it as a way to support the preservation of cultural monuments through financial contributions.
Anxiety about measure
Previously, after-hours access to the Acropolis was limited to world leaders, royalty and select celebrities. The public, apart from academics and conservators, could only enjoy the temples during the August full moon. Critics see the ministry’s decision to commercialize access to the site as a sign of a broader trend toward the privatization of cultural heritage, which is driven by the pro-business stance of Greece’s center-right government, the outlet notes.
In addition, there are concerns about the practical implications of the plan, particularly regarding its impact on regular visitors and the tourism industry. Tour guides fear that extending opening hours to cater for dedicated tours could exacerbate the challenges posed by extreme weather conditions, such as scorching temperatures reaching up to 45°C (113°F) during the summer months. This, they argue, could deter tourists and disrupt the tourism economy, which relies heavily on early access to attractions such as the Acropolis.
What supporters are saying
However, proponents of the initiative argue that it is an opportunity to generate much-needed revenue for cultural projects. Nicoleta Valakou, president of the Hellenic Organization for the Exploitation of Cultural Resources, defends the tours as a means of reinvesting in the preservation of Greece’s cultural heritage. Some members of the Greek diaspora also express their support, seeing the tours as a way of financially contributing to the preservation of cultural monuments for future generations.
According to the Guardian, the debate surrounding exclusive guided tours of the Acropolis highlights wider tensions between preserving cultural heritage, promoting tourism and tackling socio-economic inequalities. As Greece grapples with these complex challenges, the fate of the Acropolis – and its role as a symbol of democracy – hangs in the balance.
Source ethnos.gr
Guardian: Reactions to the €5,000 private tours of the Acropolis – 2024-04-19 13:26:13
Guatemalan Congress rejects president’s decree against fires
Christine Razanamahasoa and Jean-Jacques Rabenirina during the handover ceremony. |
It’s official. Jean-Jacques Rabenirina, the oldest member of the permanent office of the National Assembly, becomes the interim president of the Chamber, until the arrival of the new deputies from the legislative elections scheduled for May 29. Yesterday, in the permanent office room in Tsimbazaza, Christine Razanamahasoa, former president of the National Assembly, transmitted powers to him a few weeks before the legislative elections and at the end of the mandate of the deputies. The deputy for the Betioky South district will, according to the internal regulations of the Lower House, have the task of conducting current affairs on the one hand, and the holding of the first ordinary session of Parliament which must begin on May 7, on the one hand, somewhere else.
The campaign period and voting day come in the middle of this session, which could disrupt the agenda. However, the new interim president insists that the propaganda will in no way hinder the current affairs of the National Assembly. According to him, the law specifies the responsibilities of the interim president and the permanent office. The current situation is similar to what happened last year when the session began when most lawmakers were scheduled to go on the campaign trail for the presidential election. The session is open but suspended until the end of the electoral process. It is possible that the same arrangements will be made this time. Jean-Jacques Rabenirina nevertheless explains that each decision will be made after a meeting of the members of the permanent office.
Ceremony
During yesterday’s handover ceremony, the Firaisankina candidate for the Betioky South district received the blessing of Christine Razanamahasoa, who also expressed the wish that he be re-elected in his electoral constituency. The handover took place in a friendly atmosphere, in the presence of two members of the permanent office including Mamy Rabenirina, third quaestor, and Aina Rafenomanantsoa, deputy general rapporteur, as well as the secretary general and the inspectors general of the National Assembly. In response to the blessing of the former president, the interim PAN also wishes the re-election of the elected representative of Ambatofinandrahana.
Concerning the collegiality of decision-making within the Tsimbazaza institution, Jean-Jacques Rabenirina explains that this is not a new fact. “It is not when I take over the interim that decisions must necessarily go through the permanent office, it is the procedure dictated by law,” he exclaims. In relation to the decree of April 15 repealing the appointment of the director of protocol of the National Assembly signed by the vice-president of the Chamber Naivo Raholdina, the interim president maintains that texts which do not go through the permanent office are deemed null and void. However, he does not confirm the veracity of this decree.
Ravo Andriantsalama
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The Mexican opposition presidential candidate, Xóchitl Gálvez, stated this Friday in northern Mexico that 35% of the national territory is dominated by organized crime and there are communities where only the criminals themselves can enter.
“That was a statement made by the United States Northern Command a couple of years ago in which they assured, after an analysis, that 35% of the territory is occupied by organized crime,” he stressed.
The candidate from the “Fuerza y Corazón por México” (PRI-PAN and PRD) coalition held a dialogue with industrialists affiliated with the Chamber of the Processing Industry (Caintra) in the northern Mexican state of Nuevo León.
“Which I have been able to confirm during my campaign that there are areas of the country where crime practically rules. organized: a part of Guerrero, a good part of Michoacán, a part of the state of Mexico, now Chiapas, a part of Tabasco, Sonora, Sinaloa and well other states,” he listed.
Gálvez said that the issue of security is one of those that worries industrialists the most because they suffer daily robberies on the roads.
“There are areas of the country where practically no one can enter except criminals and That has to stop, we are in the context of a complicated election.. It was an issue that the businessmen touched on, the issue of security they suffer on the issue of roads, areas where criminals conduct themselves with total impunity,” he said in an interview with the media.
The presidential candidate also shared that to “pacify” the country it is necessary to strengthen the municipal police, provide resources to state governments for security issues and focus the Army on national security to recover the territory.
“In security, rest assured that hugging criminals will end. Rest assured that you are going to have a brave president, moving forward,” he said during his participation in the “Caintra Industrial Dialogue” event, moderated by the president of the Chamber himself, Máximo Vedoya.
Nor, he clarified, is he going to bet “on the use of force for the sake of the use of force.”
“We need intelligence, capacity, we need good police. They will have resources so that no one is underpaid, so that they have social security, housing credit, so that they have scholarships for their children,” he indicated.
The surveys place Gálvez behind the official candidate, Claudia Sheinbaum, who has a wide advantage over her most direct rival.
Mexico will hold the largest elections in its history on June 2, when more than 97 million people are called to renew 20,375 federal positions, including the Presidency of the Republic, the 500 seats in the Chamber of Deputies and the 128 of the Senate, as well as nine state governments. AND
https://www.worldysnews.com/xochitl-galvez-assures-that-crime-controls-35-of-mexico/
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