English for Specific Purposes 1 Esercitazioni (James)

DISPENSA

A.A. 2018 – 2019

Risk Recreation Ethical Tourism Cultural Heritage

(051-2097241; [email protected])

Contents Page

1 Writing 3 Guidelines on essay assessment, writing, style, organization and structure

2 Essay writing exercises 13

3 Reading texts (including reading, listening and writing exercises)

Risk Recreation: Tornado Tourism (essay assignment) 20

Ethical tourism: Canned Hunting 28 Pamplona Bull Running 36 La Tomatina 43

Museums and the Ownership of Cultural Heritage: The Rosetta Stone, The Parthenon Marbles, The Mona Lisa 45 (essay assignment)

The Impact of Mass Tourism: Venice, Florence, Barcelona 68

All the copyrighted materials included in this ‘dispensa’ belong to the respective owners and, following fair use guidelines, are hereby used for educational purposes only.

1 Writing Guidelines on essay assessment, writing, style, organization and structure

Assessing writing: criteria Exam task: 500-word argument essay

1 Task achievement (9 points)

Has the student focused on the question and respected the length?

 Fully answers the question in depth.  Answers the question in sufficient depth to cover the main points.  There are some unnecessary or irrelevant ideas.  There are too many minor issues or irrelevant ideas dealt with. Shorter than the required length.  Does not answer the question. Much shorter than the required length.

2 Structure and organization (9 points)

Does the essay have a structure? Is there an introduction and conclusion? Is the body divided into paragraphs which are linked?

 There is a suitable introduction and conclusion. Paragraphs and sentences link up and make the essay easy to read and the text easy to understand. Paragraphs follow a general to specific structure.  There is an introduction and conclusion. Paragraphs and sentences generally link up and make the essay quite easy to read and the text quite easy to understand. Paragraphs generally follow a general to specific structure.  There is an introduction and conclusion although they may be rather brief. The sequence of paragraphs may show some weaknesses. There is sometimes a lack of cohesion. Information structuring may not always be adequate.  There may not be a suitable introduction or conclusion. Sequencing of the paragraphs is insufficient. There is a general lack of structure in paragraphs. Cohesion generally not up to the task. It is difficult for the reader to follow the ideas or understand the text in parts.  The essay is unstructured, or structured in a way that prevents understanding. Very few sentence linking devices appear, and these are usually used incorrectly.

3 Language (9 points)

This relates to the use of the functional language and accuracy in grammar.

 Mistakes are not significant. A wide range of functional language is used which is appropriate for the essay question. Vocabulary is appropriate throughout. Appropriate academic style is used.  Occasional mistakes occur, which do not prevent understanding. A good range of functional language is used which is appropriate for the question. Vocabulary is mostly appropriate throughout. Academic style is used for most of the essay.  Repeated mistakes occur which sometimes prevent understanding. Some functional language is used. Vocabulary is not always appropriate, and the style is sometimes not academic.  There are a large number of very serious mistakes. Meaning is often unclear. There is only limited use of functional language. Vocabulary and style are frequently inappropriate.  The student has very little control over grammar and vocabulary, and is unable to make the meaning clear to a reader; or the language is clearly not the student’s own.

4 Presentation (3 points)

This concerns the overall appearance of the essay: layout, spacing, spelling and punctuation.

 The essay is extremely well presented and easy to read with no mistakes in spelling or punctuation.  The essay is well presented and easy to read with only a few mistakes in spelling or punctuation.  This essay is readable, but mistakes in spelling and punctuation interfere with the smooth flow of reading.

Writing an Expository Essay  An essay is a piece of writing made up of a number of paragraphs.  Each paragraph has a specific role in an essay.  In a five-paragraph essay, the first paragraph is an introduction; the second, third, and fourth paragraphs form the body of the essay; and the fifth paragraph is a conclusion.

The three stages of essay writing: 1 Tell the reader what you are going to tell them (introduction: paragraph one) 2 Tell them (body: paragraphs two, three and four) 3 Tell them what you have told them (conclusion: paragraph five)

Expository essay = explanation of a short theme, idea or issue.

Introductory paragraph  Introduces the topic.  Provides thesis statement The first sentence(s) introduce(s) the topic of the essay in an interesting way. The thesis statement is the most important sentence in the entire essay. It presents the essay topic and your position on the topic and indicates the main ideas that will be discussed in the body paragraphs.

Body paragraphs

 The body of an essay consists of three paragraphs.  Each body paragraph explains in detail one of the main ideas expressed in the thesis statement.  There are three parts to a body paragraph:

1 a topic sentence 2 supporting sentences 3 a concluding sentence (optional)

The topic sentence  The first sentence – the topic sentence – expresses the topic of the paragraph  It provides a controlling idea about the topic.  All information in the paragraph supports the controlling idea.

Supporting sentences  Supporting sentences explain and develop the topic sentence.  They present logical thoughts, evidence, and explanations in support of the controlling idea. 5

Concluding sentence  The paragraph may end with a concluding thought on the paragraph topic.  It may also show a transition to the next paragraph.

IMPORTANT It is a good idea to look at the issue you are addressing in your essay from another viewpoint and not just your own.

In this case  One topic sentence will consist of a conflicting opinion.  The rest of the paragraph will provide your counterarguments.

The concluding paragraph  The conclusion consists of three elements: a restated thesis, a summary of main ideas, (and a final thought).  The thesis is restated in words different from those in the introduction.  The main ideas from each of the body paragraphs are summarized as a reminder to the reader.  You may wish to end the essay with a final thought on the topic – for example, by stating an opinion, a solution, or a prediction. The final thought should leave a strong impression and encourage the reader to think further about the topic.

NB The introduction and conclusion (together) should account for approximately 20% of the word count (100-110 words).

FIVE-PARAGRAPH ESSAY STRUCTURE

INTRODUCTORY PARAGRAPH HOOK

BUILDING/INTRODUCTORY SENTENCES THESIS STATEMENT

BODY PARAGRAPH ONE TOPIC SENTENCE SUPPORTING SENTENCES (CONCLUDING SENTENCE)

BODY PARAGRAPH TWO TOPIC SENTENCE SUPPORTING SENTENCES (CONCLUDING SENTENCE)

BODY PARAGRAPH THREE TOPIC SENTENCE SUPPORTING SENTENCES (CONCLUDING↓ SENTENCE)

CONCLUDING PARAGRAPH RESTATED THESIS SUMMARY/REITERATION OF MAIN IDEAS

PLANNING YOUR ESSAY

 The plan gives your essay a clear structure. This makes it a lot easier for the reader to follow your argument.

 A good essay has a carefully planned structure that is clear, logical and relevant to the question.

 Plans should be in note form. It serves as a map for you to follow.

Points to remember when planning your essay:

Brainstorm ideas. Edit and organize ideas. Discard those not relevant to your arguments. Make sure you have evidence to support those you will include in your essay. Set out your arguments clearly. Chose words and phrases to convey them accurately and concisely. Use domain-specific lexis.

NOTE Making up your ideas as your write your essay will lead to an unstructured, and unorganized, piece of writing. It will not have logical coherence or persuasive force. Your arguments will not be clear. Very often, the language suffers as a result.

Writing a Compare/Contrast Essay • A compare/contrast essay notes similarities and differences. • The comparison or contrast should make a point or serve a purpose, for example: Bring one or both of the subjects into sharper focus. Show that one subject is better than the other.

The thesis can present the subjects and indicate whether they will be compared, contrasted, or both. The same points should be discussed for both subjects; it is not necessary, however, to give both subjects the same degree of development. The common organizational structures are: Block method /vertical structure (subject by subject) Point by point / horizontal structure Use detailed topic sentences and the following connecting words to make the relationship between your subjects clear to your reader:

Connectors That Show Comparison (Similarities)

In addition Correspondingly Compared to

Similarly Just as As well as

Likewise Same as At the same time

Connectors That Show Contrast (Differences)

However On the contrary On the other hand

Even though In contrast Although

Unlike Meanwhile

Compare and Contrast Essay Structure: Block Method / vertical

In the Block Method, each paragraph addresses My Essay ONE TOPIC ONLY from your pair of topics and includes the SHARED ASPECTS you have chosen to Compare to topic 2. Use the following chart to organize your ideas for your essay

Introduction  introduction of general topic  specific topic  areas to be covered in this essay Topic Sentence: Topic 1

Aspect 1  Detail  Detail

Aspect 2  Detail  Detail

Aspect 3  Detail  Detail

Topic Sentence: Topic 2

Aspect 1  Detail  Detail

Aspect 2  Detail  Detail Aspect 3  Detail  Detail

Conclusion  Summary of main points  Evaluation

Compare and Contrast Essay Structure: Point by Point Method/Horizontal

In the Point-by-Point Method, each paragraph My Essay contains details on ONE ASPECT of BOTH TOPICS organized in the same order. Use the following chart to organize your ideas for your essay.

Introduction  introduction of general topic  specific topic  areas to be covered in this essay

Topic Sentence: Topic 1 - Aspect 1  Detail  Detail

Topic 2 - Aspect 1  Detail  Detail

Topic Sentence: Topic 1 - Aspect 2  Detail  Detail

Topic 2 - Aspect 2  Detail  Detail

Topic Sentence: Topic 1 - Aspect 3  Detail  Detail

Topic 2 - Aspect 3  Detail  Detail

Conclusion

 Summary of main points  Evaluation and/or possible future

Text Pattern Signals Text Pattern Signals: These are words or phrases embedded in texts which ‘signal’ the organizational features and ‘direction’ of a text. Text features and semantic cues – phrases found in key sentences, such as explicit topic sentences and thesis sentences – also provide the reader with signals as for the structure and organization of a text. Typical text pattern signals for different text structures Event Sequence/Process Time order/ Compare-Contrast Cause-Effect Enumeration Chronology Proposition- Problem-Solution Description/ Support Definition Judgment/Critique Also after afterwards although accordingly to begin at the same time as as well as as a result First before before but because second finally initially either … or … consequently next first later on however if … then finally following that meanwhile in contrast furthermore in fact last much later/earlier in fact for this reason then next not long after on the other hand may be due to most importantly second now not only … but also nevertheless for instance then on (date) while therefore for example third previously unless thus to illustrate simultaneously simultaneously similarly reason why characteristics soon after the facts show since include such as when if … then so that in addition for example the effect of besides same as/different to begin with from as opposed to both whereas Also use of Also use of bullet Also use of Also use of charts, Also use of charts, diagrams, inset points, numbering, timelines, dates, graphs, graphic graphs, timelines, text definitions outlining, white white space, organizers, flowcharts, space, arrows subheadings, subheadings graphic organizers chapter titles Semantic cues in Semantic cues in Semantic cues in Semantic cues in Semantic cues in introductory topic sentences. introductory or thesis statement or key sentences, “A sentences and closing paragraph introductory reason for this is paragraphs. paragraph …”

Table: Hess, K. (2006, updated 2008) Teaching and Assessing Understanding of text Structures across Grades http://www.nciea.org/publications/TextStructures_KH08.pdf (accessed 12 September, 2014)

2 Writing exercises

Quiz: Do I have a good academic writing style? Read each question and choose the best answer for you by putting a tick ✓ next to the answer you choose.

Q1 Which one of the following is closest to academic style? a a novel b a newspaper article c an advertisement d a letter from the bank

Q2 The best way to start an academic text is a with a question b with some new or surprising information c with some background details d with the topic of the text

Q3 The best way to keep your reader’s attention in an academic text is a to write short sentences b to give familiar information first, and then new information c to be friendly, e.g., as in an e-mail d to ask questions first, and then give the answers, e.g., as in a conversation

Q4 The best order for ideas in an academic paragraph is a from a general idea of the main point to specific details b from specific details to a general idea of the main point c the order in which I think of the ideas when I am writing d no particular order, as this does not matter

Q5 The best way to start a sentence in an academic text is a with some information the reader knows already b with some background details c with some new or surprising information d with a person or personal pronoun, e.g., We can see

Q6 The best kinds of words to use in academic writing are a unusual words that a reader will notice and admire b simple words, such as big and important, which are easy to understand c words such as reason or similarity which show relationships between ideas d special technical words which are specific to the subject I am studying

Writing in an academic style 1 Use formal rather than informal language. i) Avoid contracted forms ii) Avoid colloquial language iii) Avoid punctuation indicating your attitude 2 Be concise and precise i) Try to use one-word verbs instead of phrasal verbs ii) Avoid vague words common in speech iii) Avoid etc., and so on. iv) Use nominal groups to express ideas efficiently 3 Use impersonal language i) Avoid using I to express your opinion ii) Avoid addressing the reader as you 4 Be cautious in what you say i) Avoid generalizations ii) Avoid words that express your emotions rather than evidence iii) Use hedges to qualify your statements Exercise Below are twelve sentences. Improve them by using an appropriate academic style, follow the order of criteria above.

1 Use formal rather than informal language. i) Ranch owners can’t expect too much sympathy. ii) The country is facing a bunch of problems. iii) The collection is said to be one of the BEST!!!!!!! 2 Be concise and precise i) Certain issues were brought up at the Cairo conference. ii) Government policy can have a big impact. iii) Hemmingway’s ‘Camping Out’ addresses various topics, setting up camp, cooking outdoors etc. iv) The population of wild lions is declining and this is causing concern among anti-hunting groups. 3 Use impersonal language i) I think that the situation will continue to deteriorate. ii) You can see the results of this in numerous historical centres. 4 Be cautious in what you say i) Nowadays everyone chooses to fly low-cost. ii) It is ridiculous to think that such problems can be solved by without government intervention. iii) The problem is widespread in the Middle East.

Analysing titles: key words

Match the key words on the left with the definitions on the right

Analyse Explain a topic briefly and clearly

Assess (Evaluate) Deal with a complex subject by reducing it to the main elements

Describe Divide into sections and discuss each critically

Discuss Break down into the various parts and their relationships

Examine (Explore) Make a proposal and support it

Illustrate Look at various aspects of a topic, compare benefits and drawbacks

Outline Give a detailed account of something

State Give a simple, basic account of the main points of a topic

Suggest Give examples

Summarise Decide the value or worth of a subject

(From: Bailey, S. (2011) Academic Writing: A Handbook for International Students. London: Routledge)

How would you approach the following questions? Tourist attractions such as zoos and aquariums are essentially in conflict with the ideals of freedom and dignity which are the basis of a democratic society. Discuss. Tornado chasing is a waste of time and money. Discuss. The rightful home of the Mona Lisa is Italy. Discuss.

Writing a Good Paragraph Topic sentences Before writing a paragraph, think first about the topic and what you want to say about it. The topic is easy, but the real question you have to ask yourself is what you want to say about the topic. This part of the topic sentence is sometimes called the controlling idea. Well-written paragraphs in academic writing are typically about one main idea or topic. This is explicitly stated in the topic sentence. Good topic sentences should contain both a topic and a controlling idea. The topic is the main subject matter or idea covered in the paragraph, while controlling idea focuses the topic by providing direction to the paragraph.

Exercise Identify the topic and controlling idea in the topic sentences: 1 The history of the bullrunning in Pamplona is not clear. 2 Trophy hunters on canned hunts are attracted by the guarantee of success and the price. 3 Tornado tourism is labelled as ‘risk recreation’, putting it in the same class as activities such as skydiving and whitewater rafting, but the risk factor must be kept in perspective.

Following up the topic sentence After stating your topic sentence, you have to provide more specific information. This is included in the supporting sentences. In order to support your point, this information may come in various forms: facts, details, reasons, examples, data. Your paragraph thus moves from general (topic sentence) to specific (supporting sentences) However, all information must be included for a reason, it must relate to the argument you are making in your essay. This must be outlined in your thesis statement in the introduction.

Concluding sentences You may wish to add a concluding sentence. These link one paragraph to the next and help ensure a paragraph is unified. However, not all paragraphs include a concluding sentence. You have to decide whether one is appropriate. Remember, concluding sentences do not merely repeat information already provided in the paragraph. Good concluding sentences summarize the point(s) made, include a linking word indicating that you are drawing a conclusion, and introduce a word/phrase or new concept which will be picked up in the topic sentence of the next paragraph.

After writing Ask yourself if the paragraph supports your thesis and provides an answer to the question asked in the essay title. 16

Identifying text/organizational structure The four paragraphs below have been jumbled up, put the sentences in the most appropriate order following a general-specific pattern. Managing Tourism at World Heritage Sites Paragraph 1 a The basic fact is that a healthy social and natural environment is the first and most important asset for this global industry. b Tourism is one of the world’s largest industries, with almost 700 million international tourists in 2002, and can become an essential tool in the challenge to overcome biodiversity losses and eradicate poverty, particularly in sensitive ecosystems and protected areas. c It makes business sense for tourism stakeholders to be natural allies of sustainability. Paragraph 2 a Maintaining such sites requires adequate practices to guarantee environmentally sound management of the park and at the same time to ensure that local communities benefit from the park’s existence. b Protected areas, particularly World Heritage sites, are some of tourism’s main attractions, and are subject to growing visitation. c World Heritage sites are outstanding cultural and natural landscapes covering all kinds of ecosystems, which are carefully selected through a process resulting from a 1972 multilateral agreement involving 175 countries. Paragraph 3 The potential economic benefits that tourism can bring do not materialize without careful planning. a World Heritage site managers are often inadequately prepared to deal with the challenges of visitation and to negotiate with the complex tourism industry. b Their background most often lies in forestry, public environmental management and biological sciences. c A practical, case-specific approach is required to explain these and other subjects to enable park managers to design and develop visitation according to the needs and limits of a site. d Thus, concepts such as business management, marketing, and entrepreneurial risk management are still relatively new to many site managers. e Indeed, uncontrolled tourism development can have major negative impacts on these jewels of humanity’s heritage. Paragraph 4 a A better understanding of issues related to tourism in protected areas and guidelines on how to address them will improve benefits to protected areas through sustainable tourism. b This will result in increased cooperation and partnerships among World Heritage site managers, the tourism industry, local communities, governments and travelers.

(Extract, adapted) Retrieved 10 June, 2013, from http://whc.unesco.org/documents/publi_wh_papers_01_en.pdf

Comparing and contrasting texts Damascus and Famagusta: similarities and differences OUTCOME Writing a short compare-contrast text using the block and point-by-point method

DAMASCUS, SYRIA World’s Oldest Continuously-Inhabited City

SIGNIFICANCE With evidence of settlement dating back some 10,000 years, Syria’s capital, Damascus, is regarded by historians as the world’s oldest continuously-inhabited city. Before rising to great significance in the year 635 under the Umayyad dynasty, the city witnessed the rule of Aramaeans and Assyrians, Persians and Seleucids, Romans and Byzantines. From 1516 to 1918, it existed under Ottoman occupation, and though much of the city was destroyed during this time, there remain a wealth of historical sites dating back to many different periods—some of whose ruins remain buried beneath the city’s modern level. Damascus was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979.

THREATS Insufficient Management: With such focus in the area on modernization and development, little has been done to preserve or protect the old town core. A growing number of residents have moved in search of more modern dwellings, abandoning ancient buildings to deteriorate and be sought out by developers. Encroachment: Because Old Damascus lies at the heart of Syria’s capital, it is threatened constantly by the encroachment of modern businesses and developers. In recent years, ancient buildings along the old rampart walls have been demolished as part of a redevelopment scheme, while much has also been made of proposed new motorways in the area.

URGENCY A recent addition to the World Monuments Fund's Watch List of most endangered sites, the ancient city of Damascus is at risk of being swallowed up completely by its modern surroundings. And even if a protection zone is established around the old town center (a resolution was apparently made by the Syrian government in early 201O) the area's crumbling historical sites are in dire need of preservation.

FAMAGUSTA, NORTH CYPRUS Ancient Maritime City of Crusader Kings

SIGNIFICANCE rd Founded as early as 3 century BC, Famagusta, now a city on the east coast of Cyprus, was once an important port for trading and political relationships between the Near East and Europe. Its name in Greek means “buried in the sand” — a quite apt description of the site today, given its current ruinous state. For centuries, however, Famagusta enjoyed great wealth, and was once considered the richest city in the world. It was also a major business center, and its grounds accumulated a great number of artifacts of that epoch. The city’s history contains memories of the coronation of the Crusader kings of Jerusalem, which were held in St. Nicholas Cathedral in the main square. After the Ottomans conquered Famagusta, its European heritage was neglected and left vulnerable to earthquakes, floods and other natural disasters, which gradually turned it to ruins. Today, Famagusta still retains many relics of its great past, such as Cathedrals and parts of the tombs of religious and civil heroes, but more needs to be done to protect its historic monuments.

THREATS Insufficient management: Famagusta now lies in the North side of Cyprus, which is occupied by Turkish army. It has no official designation as a historical site. The city urgently needs archaeological work to preserve what has been left, and to restore what has been destroyed. Inappropriate construction: During the 1970s, Famagusta attracted millions of tourists, mostly because of its azure sea and picturesque landscape, but this left the ancient ruins unprotected against the large crowds. The massive construction of beach hotels and entertainment centers worsened the situation. Since then, some parts of the modern city have been abandoned, making it more difficult for the ancient monuments to attract attention and be preserved. Neglect: No serious excavation, construction or preservation works have been done on the territory of ancient Famagusta. While several world organizations have tried to draw attention to the importance of the archaeological works there, the officials of Northern Cyprus have shown little interest in giving a special status to the place.

URGENCY Lack of attention, lack of funding, and gradual deterioration of the monuments in Famagusta are threatening the ancient city’s potential for survival. Much needs to be done immediately in order to stop deterioration of the site and to protect its heritage for generations to come.

Extracts from http://whc.unesco.org/documents/publi_wh_papers_01_en.pdf

3 Reading Texts

Risk Recreation: Tornado Tourism Learning outcome: writing a 500-word argument essay.

Given the odds of seeing a tornado are 25%, tornado chasing holidays are both a waste of time and money. Discuss.

The texts on the following pages dealing with tornado chasing should be analyzed and used to help you develop ideas for your essay.

Silver Lining Tours

‘Offering the atmospheric adventure of a life time since 1997’

Do you get excited at the thought of hunting down nature's most awesome storms in the heart of Tornado Alley? Do you want to view amazing tornadoes, jaw-dropping storm structures and dazzling lightning displays from safe vantage points while learning all about these spectacles? Do you want to be guided on a severe weather intercept expedition by some of the world's best storm chasers? If the answer to these questions is a resounding "yes", visit our Tour Schedule page and begin planning your Atmospheric Adventure of a Lifetime today!

Exercise Read the text below and answer the following questions 1 What do tornado tourists hope to see? 2 How is a storm-chasing holiday reportedly different from a beach holiday? 3 Is the sole purpose of these holidays to see a tornado? 4 What is done to reduce the risk factor?

Tornado-chasing tourism on the rise Gizmag.com By Ben Coxworth, September 20, 2010

According to a study recently conducted at the University of Missouri, more and more people are paying for the chance to see tornadoes up close and personal. Mostly within the months of April through June, up to 1,200 tornadoes occur in the U.S. every year. A large percentage of those storms occur in an area known as Tornado Alley, which is centered around the states of Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas – although it does extend east as far as Ohio, and north as far as North Dakota. Storm chasing tour outfits, many of which are run by or employ experienced meteorologists, will drive groups of paying “tornado tourists” across this region, in the hopes of witnessing severe weather firsthand. “This is not like a beach vacation where you are going to see the same thing over and over each day,” Todd Thorn of Storm Chasing Adventure Tours told us. “With storm chasing you never know what you will see during the day. You don't pre-map where you are going. It's all up to the storm where we go and where we end up each night. You never know, you might just hit the jackpot and see 22 tornadoes in one day like we did a few years ago.” Companies such as Thorn’s make use of weather forecasts, consultants, and their own meteorological equipment to predict where and when tornadoes will strike on any given day. Clients then pile into the tour vehicles, and can expect to travel up to 500 miles (805 km) a day to reach their target location. Once there, they could get to within a few hundred yards of a tornado... or they might not see one at all. “There is no guarantee to see a tornado,” said Thorn. “If you come just to see a tornado, then this storm chasing tour is not for you. The odds of seeing tornado are about 25 percent... come on this tour to see the other parts of storm chasing like the storm clouds, the lightning and the countryside, as we are driving all day.” Of the tornado tourists surveyed in the University of Missouri study, over half came from North America, with 11 percent traveling from Australia and almost a third coming from Europe. Most of them were happy with their experience. A third of the tourists witnessed tornadoes, with 50 percent seeing funnel clouds and over 95 percent seeing “a significant atmospheric event.” Prices charged by various companies ranged from US$3,000 to $5,000 for a one to two-week tour, not including food and hotels.

While the study labels storm chasing as “risk recreation,” putting it in the same class as activities such as skydiving and whitewater rafting, Thorn tries to keep the risk factor in perspective. “No one has ever been hurt,” he told us. “You are better off with us in a storm than your own home. We have computers that show where we are at all the time with the weather radar overlay on the GPS map. We know what the storm is doing minute by minute and if a tornado is starting to form.” If you’re interested in chasing tornadoes, however, you should check into it sooner rather than later. "Although tornado tourism is a small niche market, the market continues to grow with help from television shows and movies," said University of Missouri’s Sonja Wilhelm Stanis. "Storm-chasing tours continue to develop as a part of the Midwest's tourism scene, with tours filling up as much as a year in advance."

Retrieved 28 September, 2013, from http://www.gizmag.com/tornado-chasing-tourism-on-the-rise/16407/

Exercise: complete the gaps with the words provided. Outcome: vocabulary development.

America uncovered Who wants sun? I'm praying for storms On a trip where you actually want bad weather, Rebecca Loncraine discovers the thrill of chasing tornados across the vast Midwest

 Rebecca Loncraine

 The Observer, Sunday 2 September 2007

lightning storms thunder weather storm Todd Thorn has been fascinated by 1______since he was six years old. 'My nights were spent watching vivid 2______from my bedroom window as the sound of 3______shook the house,' he says. He began storm-chasing in the early 1990s and in 1997 transformed a personal obsession into a business by setting up a storm-chasing tour company. From early May to late June (the 4______season) Todd follows rapidly changing 5______systems through Tornado Alley, a swathe of the Midwest stretching all the way from New Mexico to Wisconsin. For $2,500 a week, you can join him. I flew into Denver, Colorado, and met Todd and my fellow chasers in a motel near the airport. The tour can include up to four SUVs (four guests and two drivers in each) that travel in convoy communicating by walkie-talkies. break collide predict form see read meets The roof of Todd's SUV is covered in aerials, each one connected to a different satellite source of weather information. A laptop sits on the dash synthesising meteorological data, which is updated every six minutes. Todd and his assistant, Bill, compile different weather data to 1______where storms are likely to 2______. But they also apply their experience. 'To be a storm chaser,' says Todd, 'you must be able to 3______the sky and 4______the visual clues for severe weather, such as the meaning of distant towering cumulus clouds.' As a complete novice, I learnt why this region has such an extreme climate. In Tornado Alley, weather systems from different sides of the continent 5______; cold dry polar air 6______warm moist tropical air, and tornados can 7______as part of severe thunderstorms.

air widescreen tornados storm vanishing sky (x2) clouds landscape empty weather lightning storms humidity straight tornado

Todd's website warns that if you can't handle driving between 200 and 600 miles each day, this holiday isn't for you. We set off early on day one of the six-day tour, travelling north into Wyoming. This is what they call Big Sky country. The world was suddenly in 1______. We drove along 2______, 3______highways that reached ahead into the 4______point, through Wyoming, Nebraska, South Dakota and on to North Dakota. Passing through places with names such as Thunder Basin and Lightning Creek, I could see how the 5______has been written into the 6______.

After 600 miles we pulled off the highway to the edge of a lake, whose silvery surface rippled in the strong wind. The windscreen was covered in a layer of insects; the yellow streaks, Todd said, were honey bees. The 7______had darkened and the 8______was thick with 9______. Storm chasing is a bit like fishing. It's goal-orientated but involves a lot of waiting around and patience. But staring at the 10______is strangely meditative. I began to see it as a series of moving layers where 11______shape-shift in rolling Rorschach patterns. On this occasion, the 12______threatened but failed to break. When we checked into a motel in Minot, North Dakota, that night we were told that a 13______watch had been issued. If sirens sounded, we were to proceed to the basement. 'If you get stuck,' advised Todd, 'jump into the bath and pull a mattress over you.' I collapsed exhausted into bed; every time I closed my eyes I saw the highway rushing towards me. I was woken in the night by 14______flickering across the room, lighting up for a split-second the TV, the mirror, the flowery wallpaper. I later found out that seven 15______had passed to the north of the town. Each morning, after breakfast of pancakes dripping in maple syrup, we'd head off in search of 16______, stopping for gas in small towns along the way. This is a great way to see small-town America. This isn't a holiday for health freaks, gourmands or vegetarians, however.

In the next two paragraphs, complete the gaps with words used to compare/contrast During the middle of the week, the weather stabilised and the clear blue skies were empty. If this happens, attention has to turn downward to the 1______conventional holiday sights on offer at ground level. We visited Mount Rushmore in South Dakota, and the 2______bigger Crazy Horse monument, 15 miles down the road, an unfinished gigantic rock sculpture of the Sioux leader which is in the process of being dynamited out of Thunderhead Mountain. We explored the Badlands, a pre-historic ocean bed that 3______a Martian landscape, and stayed on the Pine Ridge Native American Reservation next to it. Then, at last, the weather seemed to get 4______.

Complete the gaps with the verbs below in their correct form hear boom lash cut twist light (x3) echo watch flash

It was evening when bright lights began 1______in the cloudy sky. We couldn't 2______thunder so we knew the storm was far away. We set off fast, driving towards it across the reservation. By the time we pulled over and got out of the car 3______the building storm, it was pitch dark. Each explosion of light was like an enormous camera flash that 4______the towering, rising clouds, which Todd had described as the perfect conditions for a major storm. Forked lightning began 5______violently across the sky both horizontally and vertically down to the ground. Branches of bright silver electricity 6______and leapt through the sky. It was the most incredible sight, mesmerising and frightening at the same time. And the thunder began 7______and crack, roll and 8______. The storm was moving towards us. We decided to get to safety by driving to our hotel. Soon, horizontal hail 9______the car, reducing visibility to 10 feet. My awe and amazement soon turned to fear. As we drove through the hail at five miles per hour, the road 10______by the now almost constant flashes of lightning. 25

We made it to the hotel and ran to our rooms. The flashes 11______the vulnerable-looking houses dotted across the grasslands, and the rugged silhouette of the Badlands appeared behind them. After 40 minutes the flashes and booming began to move away. The colossal power of the storm took me by surprise. The rush of adrenalin was thrilling and I saw how storm-chasing could become an addiction. After six days on the road, I returned to Denver with boots full of plains dust and a head full of sky. Essentials Todd Thorn's company, Storm Chasing Adventure Tours (stormchasing.com) runs week-long trips in May, June and July, departing from Denver or Amarillo, Texas. They cost £1,250, including seven nights' accommodation and transport, but not flights. British Airways (0870 850 9850; ba.com) has direct flights from London to Denver from £687. Continental (0845 607 6760; continental.com/uk) flies to Amarillo via Houston from £609.

Retrieved 3 March, 2014, from http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2007/sep/02/escape.usa/print

Video: Tornado Tourism. Thrill-seeking trend on the rise By Amanda Walker, Sky News, Montana

1 Who is Roger and how long has he been ‘weather hunting’? 2 What is a more colloquial term for a tornado? 3 How does Roger describe the experience of seeing a tornado? 4 Why do people get out of their van when they hear a Code Red? 5 What have the tourists spent around £2000 to join Silver Lining Tours for? 6 What killed Roger’s close friend and established meteorologist Tim Samaras? 7 With a supercell storm, what can you hear, and what is causing it? 8 What are the group seeking? 9 What is core punching? 10 What hits the van? 11 What does Selvyn Read say his friends have been influenced by? 12 For Steve who is partially sighted, what is the experience about? 13 What binds the tourists? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zqwu12K7Fk8

Given the odds of seeing a tornado are 25%, tornado chasing holidays are both a waste of time and money. Discuss.

Exercise: Look at the four introductions below and decide what their strong/weak points are.

1 Tornado chasing is a relatively new phenomenon. This essay shall argue that tornado chasing holidays are both a waste of time and money. (23 words)

2 Increasing numbers of thrill-seeking tourists are opting for tornado chasing holidays in America’s midwest to witness severe weather phenomena up close and personal. Although tour-chasing outfits cannot guarantee their clients will see a tornado, the holidays enable chasers to experience the magnitude of the weather in this part of the world and visit places off the beaten track on a holiday that is not at all routine. (67 words)

3 Increasing numbers of thrill-seeking tourists are opting for tornado chasing holidays in America’s midwest to witness severe weather phenomena up close and personal. Research shows that the vast majority return home fully satisfied with their holiday experience and even in cases where tornadoes do not occur. This essay shall argue that tornado chasing holidays are both a waste of time and money (53 words)

4 Increasing numbers of thrill-seeking tourists are opting for tornado chasing holidays in America’s midwest to witness severe weather phenomena up close and personal. Research shows that the vast majority return home fully satisfied with their holiday experience and even in cases where tornadoes do not occur. However, tornado chasing holidays are both a waste of time and money because you won’t see a tornado, tour prices do not include meals and beach holidays are better. (75 words)

Exercise: Write an introduction for an essay expressing an opposing point of view.

ETHICAL TOURISM: CANNED HUNTING

Home Page Accommodation Camping Restaurant Activities Functions Hunting The Lions Contacts

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A Different Experience! If you want to enjoy something distinctly different from each vacation you take, let us help you discover the unparalleled enchantment of an exotic destination such as Africa. This unique Game and Holiday Ranch with its panoramic views is situated at the foot of the Bothasberg in the Vrede district. Relax in the most beautiful surroundings before starting out into the heart of the African grasslands of the North Eastern Free State. Enjoy a sundowner and a superb steak in the Lion's Den Pub and Grill restaurant, overlooking the lions. Experience the rugged out-crops of natural rock, wide open spaces, green pastures and freedom only Africa can offer. We offer hiking trails, bird watching, rock paintings, 4 x 4 adventures, fishing, clay pigeon shooting, pool table, Jacuzzi and hunting. Game and night drives are offered on request.

Hunting Moreson Ranch has had a 100% success rate over the years, from the smallest adventurer to the mature hunter. Many satisfied customers return year after year.

A variety of game species are available, like Zebra, Eland, Blue Wildebeest, Black Wildebeest, Red Hartebeest, White Blesbok, Springbuck, Steenbok, Mountain Reedbuck, Common Duiker, Ostrich, Fallow Deer and Impala.

The Blesbok herd at Moreson Ranch is one of the biggest herds in the Free State with an average of 1500 buck. Record horn lengths of 50cm have been reached. Powder rifle, long bow, cross bow and composite bows may be used and game may be hunted from vehicles or on foot, according to personal choice.

http://www.moresonranch.co.za/hunting/index.html

Outcome: topic sentences / identifying argument (see exercise at end of the article) 'Canned hunting': the lions bred for slaughter Canned hunting is a fast-growing business in South Africa, where thousands of lions are being bred on farms to be shot by wealthy foreign trophy-hunters Patrick Barkham The Guardian, Monday 3 June 2013 1 Moreson ranch is one of more than 160 such farms legally breeding big cats in South Africa. There are now more lions held in captivity (upwards of 5,000) in the country than live wild (about 2,000). While the owners of this ranch insist they do not hunt and kill their lions, animal welfare groups say most breeders sell their stock to be shot dead by wealthy trophy-hunters from Europe and North America, or for traditional medicine in Asia. The easy slaughter of animals in fenced areas is called "canned hunting", perhaps because it's rather like shooting fish in a barrel. A fully-grown, captive- bred lion is taken from its pen to an enclosed area where it wanders listlessly for some hours before being shot dead by a man with a shotgun, hand-gun or even a crossbow, standing safely on the back of a truck. He pays anything from £5,000 to £25,000, and it is all completely legal. […] 2______. But Cathleen Benade, a ranch assistant who is studying wildlife photography and is devoted to the cubs, reveals that they were taken away from their mothers just an hour after birth and bottle-fed by humans for the first eight weeks of their life. After dark, as the lions roar in the cages below the pub veranda, Maryke Van Der Merwe, the manager of Lion's Den and daughter of the ranch owner, explains that if the cubs weren't separated from their mother – by blowing a horn to scare the adult lion away – the young lions would starve to death, because their mother had no milk. She says the mother is not distressed: "She's looking for the cubs for a few hours but it's not like she's sad. After a day or two I don't think she remembered that she had cubs." 3______They say breeders remove the cubs from their mother so that the lioness will quickly become fertile again, as they squeeze as many cubs from their adults as possible – five litters every two years. For an animal that is usually weaned at six months, missing out on the crucial colostrum, or first milk, can cause ill-health. "These breeders tell you they removed the cubs because the mother had no milk; I've never seen that in the wild," says Pieter Kat, an evolutionary biologist who has worked with wild lions in Kenya and Botswana. "Lions and tigers in captivity may kill their young because they are under a lot of stress. But the main reason breeders separate the young from their mother is because they don't want them to be dependent on their mother. Separation brings the female back into a reproductive position much faster than if the cubs were around. It's a conveyor-belt production of animals."

A lion bred on a farm in South Africa for commercial use. Photograph: Stephane De Sakutin/AFP/Getty Images 4______It is still legal to bring a lion carcass back to Britain (or anywhere in Europe or North America) as a trophy, and much of the demand comes from overseas. Trophy-hunters are attracted by the guarantee of success, and the price: a wild lion shot on a safari in Tanzania may cost £50,000, compared with a £5,000 captive-bred specimen in South Africa. […] 5______Wild populations of lions have declined by 80% in 20 years, so the rise of lion farms and canned hunting has not protected wild lions. In fact, according to Fiona Miles, director of Lionsrock, a big cat sanctuary in South Africa run by the charity Four Paws, it is fuelling it. The lion farms' creation of a market for canned lion hunts puts a clear price-tag on the head of every wild lion, she says; they create a financial incentive for local people, who collude with poachers or turn a blind eye to illegal lion kills. Trophy-hunters who begin with a captive-bred lion may then graduate to the real, wild thing. 6______She began working to protect lions after watching a seminal documentary about canned hunting. "The lion all around the world is known as the iconic king of the jungle – that's how it's portrayed in advertising and written into story books – and yet people have reduced it to a commodity, something that can be traded and used." 7______We go for a "lion walk" with Martin Quinn, a conservation educator and lion whisperer. This involves strolling through the veld with three adolescent white lions, which have been bred on Moreson ranch and trained by Quinn and his assistant, Thompson. These striking white lions (which tend to be very inbred, say animal welfare groups) bound around us, rush on, and then lie in the grass, ready for an ambush. Armed only with sticks, Quinn and Thompson control them, while warning us that they are still wild animals. It is an unnerving experience, but Quinn hopes this venture will persuade Moreson ranch that a live lion is worth more than a dead one. 8 He claims that since he began working with lions at the ranch in January, the owners have not sold on any lions to be hunted. He hopes the ranch will eventually allow the offspring of its captive 31

animals to grow up in the wild. (Breeders sometimes claim their lions are for conservation programmes but examples of captive-bred lions becoming wild animals again are vanishingly rare; even the most respectable zoo has never established a successful programme for releasing captive- bred lions into the wild.) 9 Pieter Kat, who founded the charity Lion Aid, says the lion walks are simply another income stream for breeders before their lucrative charges are sold on. And Van Der Merwe is doubtful that Quinn's lion walks could replace the income the farm receives from selling its lions: "We keep them up until six months for attractions for the people so they can play with them and then we sell them to other lion parks," she says. She insists her ranch's website is wrong, and it does not hunt lions: "We sell them to other people who have the permit for lions. What they do with the lions is up to them. So we don't know what they do with the lions, but we don't do the canned hunting." 10 Three hours' drive from the ranch is Lionsrock, a former lion breeding farm transformed into a sanctuary for more than 80 abused big cats since it was bought by Four Paws. Some come from local breeding farms, but Four Paws also rescues animals kept in appalling conditions in zoos in Romania, Jordan and the Congo. Unlike in the lion farms, the animals here are not allowed to breed, and instead live within large enclosures in their natural prides, family groups of up to 10 lions. 11 Lionsrock can rehouse another 100 lions but does not have space for every captive-bred lion in South Africa. Four Paws and other charities working in South Africa want a moratorium on lion breeding because they fear that if lion farms were abruptly outlawed thousands of lions would be dumped or killed. "If we can stop people supporting those industries in the first place and make them aware of what's actually going on and what the life of a [captive-bred] lion is actually like, I believe there will be an outcry," says Miles. "There's far more value for a live lion long-term." 12______She says her caged lions have little to do with canned hunting, but admits that if the authorities banned canned hunting, "it would probably not be good for us … There's a lot of people from overseas coming to shoot lions. All the people know you come to Africa to shoot the lion or have a mount against your wall to say 'I've shot a lion'. They surely bring some money into South Africa." 13______In fact, she says, she is part of a family of animal lovers: "We grew up with them, so it's nice. It's like babies in your house – when they are really small they walk around in your house and they follow you."

Exercise put the topic sentences below into the most appropriate paragraph a She sees nothing wrong with hunting lions or keeping them in captivity. b An alternative use for the captive-bred lions might be tourism. c South Africa has a strong hunting tradition but few people express much enthusiasm for its debased canned form. d The animals look well cared for. e "It's factory-farming of lions, and it's shocking," says Miles. f Animal welfare experts disagree, however. 32

g Breeders argue it is better that hunters shoot a captive-bred lion than further endanger the wild populations, but conservationists and animal welfare groups dispute this. h Lion breeders such as Van Der Merwe are not so sure. Retrieved 12 August, 2013, from http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2013/jun/03/canned-hunting-lions-bred-slaughter

VIDEO Lions bred to be shot in South Africa’s ‘canned hunting’ industry

There are now more captive lions in South Africa than wild ones, and many of these animals are reared specifically to be shot and owned by wealthy tourists from Europe and North America. Patrick Barkham visits a lion-breeding farm in North Eastern Free State, South Africa, to investigate the relationship between the rearing of lions in captivity and the so-called 'canned hunting' industry

• Warning: Contains graphic images

1 What is the difference between big-game hunting of past centuries and canned hunting? 2 What percentage have lion trophy exports from South Africa increased by in recent years? 3 Where do these lions come from? 4 What do tourists pay to do on these farms? 5 When are the animals first bottle fed? 6 Does the Moreson Ranch sell their lions on to be hunted as well? 7 Why is Heli Dungler critical of canned hunting and the hunters? 8 Why is lion Whisperer Martin Quinn running a tourist attraction on Moreson ranch called ‘walking with lions’? 9 Does Quinn agree that it’s better to shoot a lion that’s been reared in captivity than to shoot a wild lion? 10 Why do animal charities say that lion walking won’t be a panacea? 11 Why do people come to Africa in Van Der Merwe’s opinion? 12 What could be done to stop trophy hunters from Europe and North America coming to South Africa to shoot lions? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9QHz_gG5yI

Outcome: identifying point of view/argument. Exercise: In the text below, complete the gaps with the most appropriate word

CANNING CANNED HUNTS: USING STATE AND FEDERAL LEGISLATION TO ELIMINATE THE UNETHICAL PRACTICE OF CANNED "HUNTING"

By Laura J. Ireland*

[…] II. WHAT IS A CANNED HUNT?

The phrase "No Kill, No Pay" epitomizes the spirit of canned hunts. Canned hunting facilities are the playgrounds of lobbyists, lawyers, doctors, businesspersons, and trophy hunters. Often (1)______operations are not regulated by state wildlife agencies – there are no "bag limits," canned hunters are not required to carry hunting licenses, and (2)______do not need firearm experience. For many individuals the ethics of hunting are questionable, and the definition of "canned hunt" is open to interpretation. (3)______, for the purposes of (4)______comment, "captive" wild animals include those mammals that are dependent on humans for food and shelter. The term "canned hunt" does not include those establishments where hunters pay for access to land where the animals roam freely and forage for food. The distinction (5)______conventional hunting and canned hunting is not the size of the enclosure, (6) ______the behavior of the animals. Currently, there are up to two thousand hunting facilities in over twenty-five states. The owners of canned hunting (7) ______supply a variety of big game trophy and exotic animals for commercial hunts, and guarantee a kill for a set price. Typical (8) ______range from $400 f o r a white tail deer to $5,000 for an American elk, and some facilities charge up to $20,000 for exotic animals such as lions, and even endangered species such as rhinoceroses and elephants. While some canned hunt facilities guide hunters inside fenced enclosures, (9)______facilities allow patrons to "hunt" animals while they are staked or caged. Many canned hunt operations are less than 100 acres in size, (10)______there are some as large as 16,000 acres. Some individuals argue that animals have an opportunity to escape in large facilities, and that "true" canned hunts are only (1 1 ) ______where the animal is shot while staked or caged, or shot at the moment of release. (12) ______, the size of the enclosure is irrelevant to the final outcome of the hunt. ( 1 3 ) ______an animal is staked while she is shot, cowering against a fence in a 1,500 acre ranch, or eating at her trough, the hunter is still ensured a kill. Guides are intimately familiar with the (14) ______habits – where and at what time they feed, where they sleep, the trails they walk, where they play, and where they hide. Therefore, guides will often simply trap the (15)______in a corner of the enclosure in preparation for the kill. It may take more time and effort to find the

animals in large facilities, (16)______the kill is still guaranteed. Additionally, even (17)______the animals in large facilities have more space to roam, they are essentially domesticated animals who have little or no fear of humans – they have depended on humans for food and shelter (18) ______entire lives. […]

(19) ______the size of the enclosure, the species of animals, and the price of the kills vary according to each operation, canned hunt facilities all share the same basic concept: "hunters" pay for a guaranteed kill – (20) ______never have to walk away empty-handed.

… V. CONCLUSION

(Put the verbs in brackets in the correct form, you may have to add a modal)

Canned hunting (21)______(no longer / exist) for animal welfare, wildlife, health and safety, and ethical reasons. Canned hunt operations cater to a few wealthy trophy hunters who exploit hand-raised game […] Even many traditional hunters shun the practices of canned hunting facilities. Ultimately, strong legislation (22)______(need) […] to end this killing of captive animals. […] any action taken on behalf of animals that prevents the violent death of even one captive animal at a canned hunt (23)______(be) worth the effort.

(Extract) Retrieved, 24 January 2014, from http://www.animallaw.info/articles/arus8animall223.htm

Exercise: in the paragraphs where sentences have been jumbled up, put them in the most appropriate order. Outcome: awareness of paragraph structure Pamplona Bull Running San Fermin 1 The festival of San Fermín, or the Running of the Bulls as it’s more commonly known outside Spain, officially begins at midday on 6th July every year with the ‘Chupinazo’ which takes place on the balcony of the Casa Consistorial in Pamplona. Thousands of people congregate in the square awaiting the mayor’s official announcement that the fiestas have begun, a rocket is launched and the partying begins.

History of the Running of the Bulls 2 a There is evidence of the festival from as far back as the 13th century when it seems the events took place in October as this coincided with the festival of San Fermín on October 10th. b The history of the bull running in Pamplona is not clear. c It seems that the modern day celebration has evolved from this as well as individual commercial and bullfighting fiestas which can be traced back to the 14th century.

3 Over many years the mainly religious festival of San Fermín was diluted by music, dancing, bullfights and markets such that the Pamplona Council proposed that the whole event be moved to July 7th when the weather is far more conducive to such a celebration. To this day San Fermin remains a fixed date every year with the first bull run at 8am on July 7th and the last at the same time on July 14th.

ORDER KINDLE TRAVEL GUIDE 4 a This inaugural fiesta was a low key affair in comparison to the modern day running of the bulls as it only lasted two days although there was much merriment involving music, a procession and a bullfight. b The joining together of the religious, commercial and bullfighting festivals and the move to July 7th led to the first official celebration of Sanfermines in 1591. c Dancing and fireworks became features of the festival over the next few years and the event was extended to July 10th. 5 a The actual route of the bull run didn’t have a double security wall as is the case today so the bulls were able to escape, creating chaos in the streets of Pamplona. b By then there was plenty of music, dancing, drinking, street theatre and bull running as the religious focus of the occasion took a back seat. c The first evidence of foreigners turning up in Pamplona for San Fermín are recorded in chronicles from the 17th and 18th centuries when reference is made to the local clergy being concerned about “the abuse of drink and the permissiveness of young men and women”. d By the 19th century all kinds of fairground attractions were making their way to Pamplona including human cannonballs and circus animals.

6 a The publication of his novel “The Sun Also Rises” in 1926 told the world about the Pamplona bull running festival which attracted people from all over the world to this annual festival. b It was thanks to the writing of American writer Ernest Hemingway that San Fermín developed the notoriety of today. c Such is the popularity of the event that overcrowding is a serious problem and if you’re planning on staying there then you should book accommodation many months in advance.

The Bull Run – El Encierro 7 The Pamplona bull run takes place at 8am every morning from 7th to 14th July (eight runs in total). Runners must be in the running area by 7.30am. The actual run stretches from the corral at Santo Domingo where the bulls are kept to the bullring where they will fight that same afternoon. The length of the run is 825 metres and the average time of the run from start to finish is about three minutes. The streets through the old town which make up the bull run are walled off so the bulls can’t escape. Each day six fighting bulls run the route as well as six steers (castrated bulls). 8 a Runners dressed in white with a red handkerchief around their necks pray to San Fermín then a second rocket announces that the bulls have left. b At 8a.m. on the dot a rocket is fired to confirm that the gate has been opened at the Santo Domingo corral. c The bulls and the runners then proceed along the route. d The tension builds as the release of the bulls approaches. 9 First of all they climb Santo Domingo and go across the Ayuntamiento Square continuing down c/ Mercaderes. The most dangerous part of the bull run approaches as there’s a closed curve leading into c/ Estafeta which is the longest stretch of the run. Next comes a small section of c/ Duque de Ahumada which is known as the Telefónica stretch. The last stretch is also very risky as the route leads into a dead end street providing access to the Bull Ring.

1.Corralillos 2.Cuesta de Santa Domingo 3. Plaza del Ayuntamiento 4. Curva de Mercaderes hacia Estafeta 5. Calle Estafeta 6. Curva de Telefónica 7. Callejón 8. Plaza de Toros 9. Plaza del Castillo

10 A third rocket is set off once all the bulls have entered the bullring and the fourth, and final, rocket means that the bulls are now in the bullpen and the bull run has finished. The vast number of people taking part in the bull run nowadays adds to the already considerable danger of running alongside wild bulls weighing in the region of 700kg each. 11 A word of warning … With the drinks flowing and the party in full swing you could be forgiven for forgetting that running the bulls is an extremely dangerous activity. Under no circumstances should you even consider running if you’re intoxicated. Not only are drunken people a risk to themselves they are also a risk to everyone else. There are plenty security guards and first aid personnel but there is little they can do during the running of the bulls such that 15 people have died and over 200 been seriously injured since 1924.

Extract from http://www.spanish-fiestas.com/festivals/san-fermin/

Exercise: gap filling. Outcome: vocabulary awareness and building

We work to expose and end the cruelty inflicted on animals in the name of sport

Bull Running Festivals

The ‘running of the bulls’ is a practice which involves letting loose up to a dozen bulls to run with and in front of thousands of jeering crowds along a designated route to their final destination, the bull ring.

The San Fermin or Pamplona Bull Run is the most publicised bull run which attracts thousands of International tourists each year. However, there are bull runs and bull running festivals which operate in many towns and countries across Spain and Mexico, and in many other countries such as Portugal, Peru and France, as well the US states of California, Nevada, and more recently Arizona.

The Pamplona Bull Run The Pamplona Bull Run takes place during the San Fermin festival in Spain every year between the 6th July and 14th July. In the section below we describe what actually happens during, and after, the bull run.

brutal sadly disappointed cruelty cruel sad It’s a 1______fact that many participants will be British tourists. Thanks to the promotion of this from travel operators, some of whom are based in the UK, tourism is helping to keep this 2______and outdated tradition alive. In previous years the League Against Cruel Sports has convinced a number of travel operators to cease promotion of this 3______festival. Last year we welcomed the move by Topdeck Travel to cease promotion of the festival and STA Travel the year before.

But 4______not all travel operators have followed suite. We are 5______that in 2016, First Festival Travel still continue to promote this animal 6______and have chosen to ignore our requests to cease promotion and sales to the festival. What happens during the Pamplona Running of the Bulls? exhausted hit debilitated frightened subjected tortured chased (x2) broken cut off disorientated cut drugged stabbed confused electrocuted Each morning bulls are forced to run a kilometre down the cobblestone streets of the town, 1______by cheering participants and spectators. Once released, the bulls are 2______with gun shots, 3______with cattle prods and kicked and 4______by jeering spectators, often down concrete or cobbled streets which they slip and slide on, suffering 5______legs and other injuries in the process. The bulls are 6______into a holding pen at the bull ring, to await their deaths at the bullfights, during the ‘corrida de toros’ that take place later that evening. Whilst in the holding pens some may be 7______to further ‘weakening’ which can involve the shaving of their horns (an excruciating process which leaves them 8______and more sensitive to pain), being 9______with laxatives, having Vaseline rubbed into their eyes to impair vision, and by being 10______. In front of jeering crowds, the bulls are then 11______and antagonised by the matadors on horseback, waving flags and repeatedly stabbing the 12______animals in the neck and back. The injured, bleeding bull, weakened and 13______, is then killed with a sword by the picador. If the animal is not killed immediately, it is 14______repeatedly until paralysed. When the bull finally collapses, its spinal cord is 15______, but the animal may still be conscious as its ears and tail are 16______and kept as a ‘trophies’. tourists reality sports savagery argument abuse scenes art welfare moments fate revenue spectacle survival practice culture

Bullfights and fiestas attract people from all over the world; including Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, America and Europe, including the UK. Many are unaware of the bulls’ 1______after the initial ‘running’. Frustratingly, 2______generated from curious 3______ensures the 4______of fiestas such as San Fermin. Even though the fiesta is often described by package selling tour operators as ‘a 5______not to be missed’, the harsh 6______is that the spectacle they are referring to is based on 7______and cruelty, with no regard for the 8______of the animals at the centre of the attention. However, like many cruel 9______, bullfighting and cruel fiestas continue to be justified by those involved as being part of the country’s history and 10______. The 41

League argues that this is a poor excuse for a 11______that most people in Spain, the UK and around the world view as ritualised animal 12______. The pro-bullfighting lobby would have us believe the faux ‘contest’ between a willing man and an unwilling bull is ‘13______and culture, a magical rite of life, a just and honourable way of life where man and bull combine to create unique and unrepeatable 14______’, an 15______that couldn’t be further from the truth. Recently, the popular video sharing portal, YouTube, closed down channels devoted to Spain’s “national fiesta”, removing content showing bloody 16______of bulls being lanced by picadors, which it publically categorised as animal abuse. We are asking for the public not to support this barbaric practice and to boycott any and all forms of bull running fiestas and bullfights, opting for a humane but yet exhilarating festival such as La Tomatina, coined the world’s biggest food fight, where more than one hundred metric tons of over- ripe tomatoes are thrown in the streets, and no animals are hurt as a result.

Retrieved 11 July, 2016, from http://www.league.org.uk/our-campaigns/bullfighting/bull-running-festivals

HISTORY OF LA TOMATINA lt started the last Wednesday of August in 1945 when some young people spent the time in the town square to attend the Giants and Big-Heads figures parade. The young boys decided to have a place among the retinue of a parade with musician, Giants and Big-Heads figures. The energy of these young people made that one participant fell off. The participant flew into a fit of rage, started to hit everything in his path. There was a market stall of vegetable that fell victim of the furious crowd: people started to pelt each other with tomatoes until the local forces ended that vegetable battle. The following year, the young people picked a quarrel by their own decision and brought the tomatoes from home. Although the police broke up the early tradition in the following years, the young boys had made history without being conscious about it. La Tomatina was banned in the early 50s, which was not a problem for the participants who were even arrested. But the people spoke and the festivity was again allowed with more participants and more frenetic feelings. The festivity was again cancelled till 1957 when, as a sign of protest, the tomato burial was held. It was a demonstration in which the residents carried a coffin with a huge tomato inside. The parade was accompanied by a music band which played funeral marches and it was totally successful. La Tomatina Festival was finally allowed and became an official festivity. As a result of the report of Javier Basilio, broadcasted in the Spanish Television Program called Informe Semanal, the festivity started to be known in the rest of Spain. Since then, the number of participants increased year after year as well as the excitement about La Tomatina Festival. In 2002, La Tomatina of Buñol was declared Festivity of International Tourist Interest by the Secretary Department of Tourism due to its success.

La Tomatina is celebrating its 70th anniversary this year. More tomatoes than ever: 150 tonnes in six trucks. La Tomatina 2015 was special because it was its 70th anniversary Fest. Seven decades since that first accidental dispute between two young people in 1945 which ended in an impromptu battle of tomatoes in the crowd gathered in the Plaza del Pueblo. An episode that became tradition, and over the years has become one of the best known and international festivals in the world. To celebrate this year’s Tomatina wanted to beat his own record, rushing up to 150,000 kilos of tomatoes spread over six trucks. As every year, participants came from almost all nationalities, which include in addition to Spaniards (18.23%) the British (14.01%), Japanese (9.65%), Indians ( 8.58%), Australian (5.65%) and American (5.18%) [1]. They were the protagonists of this edition poster and so the party surrendered them a deserved tribute.

Spanish Congress of Deputies has approved on Tuesday the proposal of the Popular Parliamentary Group on the candidature of the Festival of La Tomatina de Buñol, to be included in the representative list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of UNESCO.

With 27 votes in favor and 7 abstentions, the Congress has approved by a large majority the Non- Law Proposal so that the Government, with prior approval by the Historical Heritage Council and its Working Group on World Heritage and Intangible Heritage will support and defend in appropriate international instances the registration of the candidature of the Festival of Tomatina de Buñol (Valencia) in the representative list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity of UNESCO. From the City Hall of Buñol, Councilman of La Tomatina Rafael Pérez has expressed his satisfaction: “the declaration as an Intangible Cultural Heritage will give the Festival of Tomatina a new impetus as a cultural and festive activity, a new opportunity for its consolidation and international recognition that reaffirms that things are being done well.” In the ‘Exhibition of reasons’ for the inclusion of the festival in the list of UNESCO it is highlighted that the Festival of La Tomatina coincides with the feast of the Patron Saint San Luis Bertran from Buñol, and that its origins date back to the year 1945. It is also explained that La Tomatina was banned between the years 1950 to 1957, and until the demand of the neighbors was officially reinstated. The document of the proposal also echoes the great international repercussion of the event, as well as the elements and values that make up the Buñol Tomato Festival considering “it deserves the protection granted to those elements of the so-called intangible heritage because it is a festive, cultural and social tradition of great complexity and coherence that Buñol’s neighbors and Valencians wish to maintain and preserve, from the public and private spheres, in order to transmit a living and authentic cultural legacy and to promote respect for cultural diversity and human creativity.“

Retrieved 26 August 2018 from http://latomatina.info/en/la-tomatina/

Further reading https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/destinations/europe/spain/la-tomatina-food-fight/ https://theculturetrip.com/europe/spain/articles/why-locals-say-la-tomatina-isnt-a-complete- waste-of-food/ https://munchies.vice.com/en_uk/article/ezkqe4/why-spains-infamous-tomato-food-fight- festival-is-making-nigerians-angry

Museums and the Ownership of Cultural Heritage Essay writing: keeping to the question OUTCOME: Expressing purpose clearly, including all main points, and avoiding irrelevant information

1 Read the introduction of the essay extract below. What is the purpose of the essay? Is it clearly expressed? 2 Read the notes for the essay and compare them with paragraphs B and C. Are all the main points for paragraphs B and C included? Are there examples for the main points? Cross out one irrelevant sentence in paragraph B and C.

B Education  Clear exhibition of objects  Clear explanation of objects  Educate people in a country  Educate people from other countries + example C Research  Exhibitions only good if information correct  Need to carry out research  This will show if objects connect, if so how  How objects develop  Example of this

The role of museums A Museums vary enormously in size and subject matter and, according to Eilean Hooper-Greenhill, professor of museum studies at the University of Leicester, the museum sector is undergoing rapid and unprecedented change, challenging both the concept of a museum and what a museum is for. This essay will describe and evaluate the educational and research purposes of museums. Furthermore, it will argue that museums are an essential part of any society or culture.

B The primary function of any museum is to educate the visiting public by exhibiting historical artifacts. Museums provide clear descriptions of the objects: they explain where they are from, when they were made, how they were made, and what they were used for. Museums help the visiting public understand the history of a place and learn about the history and culture of countries other than their own. The travelling exhibition of Tutankhamen’s tomb is a good example of this. The exhibition had a public purpose in mind, which was to "stimulate public interest in the UNESCO-sponsored salvage program for Nubian monuments threatened by the Aswan Dam project". It travelled the world between 2004 and 2011 and was visited by millions. The number of gild objects found in the tomb was extremely impressive. It sparked widespread interest in ancient Egypt, providing insight into, and knowledge of, ancient Egyptian culture.

C However, exhibitions are only useful if objects are correctly described and explained. There should be a text describing each object and its origins. In order to do this, museum historians and

archaeologists have to carry out extensive research. Unless it is understood how an object relates to other objects from the same period, as well as from earlier and later periods, it is not possible to understand the development of that object. For example, ancient glass bottles have been found all over the world. It was only through research, however, that archaeologists were able to date the earliest man-made glass objects to around 3500 BC. These were mainly non-transparent glass beads unearthed during excavations in Egypt and Eastern Mesopotamia. The oldest fragments of glass vases, however, date back to the 16th century BC. These were discovered in Mesopotamia and, from here, hollow glass production spread throughout Europe, and eventually to China.

[…]

3 Make notes for paragraph D on ‘museums as an essential part of any society or culture’. Write the paragraph using your notes (130 words approximately).

4 Write the conclusion, summarizing the main points of paragraphs B, C, and D. (40 words approximately)

Check list: Is the purpose of your essay clear? Is it to discuss, compare and contrast, evaluate?

Does your essay  introduce the topic clearly and provide a clear thesis statement?  include all the main points?  exclude irrelevant or inappropriate information?  provide topic sentences and supporting sentences?  conclude appropriately? Organization  are the ideas in a logical order?  is the essay divided into paragraphs? Topic = paragraph?  are the ideas linked appropriately?

(Adapted from Philpot, S. and Curnick L., Academic Skills (2007). Oxford. OUP)

The Telegraph British Museum under pressure to give up leading treasures The British museum is to come under renewed pressure to give up leading treasures as 16 countries plan to sign a declaration that demands the return of artefacts sent overseas generations ago.

The Rosetta Stone at the British museum in London Photo: AP by Damien McElroy, Foreign Affairs Correspondent 07 Apr 2010 The demand to give up leading treasures, issued in Cairo at the end of a two-day conference, is addressed to every country that holds ancient relics. Western museums hold most of the items listed by countries ranging from China to Mexico. The British museum is the principal target because of the prominence of the artefacts it owns. The artefacts Egypt wants to see returned include the Rosetta stone in the British Museum and the bust of Nefertiti in Berlin's Neues Museum. Both the British and Neues Museum have rejected the demand. The conference was hosted by Zahi Hawass, the head of Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities, who has been an outspoken campaigner for the return of lost treasures. Mr Hawass acknowledged that there was no international legal basis for the demands but said a united stand between affected nations would bolster the claims. "Instead of Egypt fighting on its own, let's all fight together. Let's all come out with a wish list," he said. "We need to co-operate all of us especially with that wish list. We need all of us to come with one list and fight until we see these artefacts returned. "Forget the legal issue," he said. "Important icons should be in their motherland, period." A spokeswoman said the British museum had not received an official request from Egypt. "The British Museum has not received an official request for the permanent return of the Rosetta Stone," she said. "The Museum has received a request from the Supreme Council of Antiquities requesting the short term loan of the Stone for the opening of the new museum in Giza in 2012 or 2013. The Trustees of the British Museum will consider this request in due course."

It has faced a long running campaign by the Greek government for the return of the Elgin Marbles which were taken from the Parthenon at the outset of the 19th century. Elana Korka, a Greek culture ministry official said the marbles were its prime concern. "We would like to see some good faith," she said. "They are the Parthenon marbles and that is where they belong." International conventions written since 1954 prohibit wartime looting, theft and resale of artefacts but the agreements do not apply to items taken abroad before national or global laws were in force. Nigeria has listed its claims for the Benin bronzes, which are also housed from the British Museum. Mexico has demanded the return of a feathered headdress of a tribal warrior and China has sought the handover of astrological items looted from the Summer Palace in Beijing during the Second Opuim War. Artefacts that are on the looted list: 1 Elgin Marbles (British Museum) Greece has long fought to reclaim the frieze stripped from the Parthenon at the behest of the 7th Earl of Elgin in 1801 2 Rosetta Stone (British Museum) Egypt demands the return of the 2,200-year-old stone tablet that holds the key to translating ancient hieroglyphs 3 Summer Palace bronzes (private French owner) China claims bronze heads from a zodiac clock were stolen during the Second Opium War in 1860 4 Benin Bronzes (British Museum) Nigeria lays claim to the royal treasures of Benin, saying that they were seized by British troops in 1897 5 Queen Nefertiti (Berlin Neues Museum) Egypt wants the 3,500-year-old bust of the wife of Pharaoh Akhenaten returned

Retrieved 2 December, 2013, from http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/egypt/7563963/British-Museum-under-pressure-to-give-up- leading-treasures.html

Cairo Communiqué on International Cooperation for the Protection and Repatriation of Cultural Heritage

June 30, 2010 Representatives from twenty-two countries attended the first Conference on International Cooperation for the Protection and Repatriation of Cultural Heritage in Cairo, on April 7 and 8, 2010. The attendees wish to express their appreciation for the initiative that the Egyptian government and its Supreme Council of Antiquities, an arm of the Ministry of Culture, showed in promoting, organizing, and hosting this conference. The following is a summary of the salient points of the discussions held at this conference, divided into General Principles and Recommendations. General Principles Cultural heritage belongs to the country of origin, and is essential to its culture, development and identity. Ownership of cultural heritage by the country of origin does not expire, nor does it face prescription. Cultural property is irrevocably identified with the cultural context in which it was created. It is this original context that gives it its authenticity and unique value. The combating of illicit trade in cultural heritage is the shared responsibility of market countries and countries of origin. […] General Conclusions Efforts should be made to strengthen cooperation between states, including the implementation of bilateral treaties and the exchange of information, for the protection and repatriation of cultural goods and cultural heritage. Countries and institutions should be prepared to initiate dialogue for the return of important cultural property to its country of origin. This should be undertaken on ethical and scientific principles. Consideration should be given to the development of regional groups to support one another’s repatriation efforts. Such cooperation can lead to joint programs and exchanges of expertise.

Retrieved 17 September, 2014, from http://www.sca-egypt.org/eng/pdfs/RST_ICHC_SA%20Communique_2010-08-20.pdf

The second conference on "international cooperation for the protection and repatriation of cultural heritage" Lima, July 4-5, 2011.

On his blog, Dr Zahi Hawass wrote:

I am currently attending the Second Conference on International Cooperation for the Protection and Repatriation of Cultural Heritage in the beautiful city of Lima, Peru.

This conference continues the work begun at the Cairo Conference in April 2010. It is an opportunity for countries to exchange ideas and experiences about how to protect remains of the past for future generations, prevent looting and theft and demand that illegally exported objects belonging to our cultural heritage be returned to their rightful homes.

[…]

It is a tragic loss when artifacts are stolen and fall into the hands of thieves, antiquities dealers, private collectors and even museums. We lose not only vital information about the past with the loss of an artifact, but also a part of our national identity.

[…]

I have realized the importance of education. It is important to educate people about the value of history. I was so proud of the young people of Cairo who joined hands to form a protective human barrier around the Egyptian Museum during the revolution. Also the brave people of Luxor’s West Bank who protected the royal tombs in the Valley of the Kings from looters.

Protecting heritage is important, but it is not simply a matter of law and administration. It is the pride of a nation and offering hope and inspiration to future generations. I am so pleased this conference in Peru is taking place, and I would like to see a permanent committee established to plan future conferences.

For regular updates please follow my official facebook page http://tinyurl.com/3mm7acq Follow us on my official twitter feed https://twitter.com/#!/ZahiHawass

(Extract) retrieved 17 September, 2014, from http://bharatkalyan97.blogspot.it/2012/03/honor-fundamental-right-of-each-state.html

The Rosetta Stone Will Return 26/01/2010 By Dr. Zahi Hawass Cairo, Asharq Al-Awsat- With all its history and glory, Egypt owes [a great deal to] the black basalt slab called the Rosetta Stone that unravelled the mysteries of Pharoanic scripture engraved on temples, graves, obelisks and the pyramids. Before the stone was discovered, these writings were merely signs and symbols. The story of the puzzling stone began when part of the French [military] expedition to Egypt arrived in the Mediterranean city of Rosetta, where the water of the River Nile meets the Mediterranean Sea. The soldiers admired the city and its fresh air, and were fascinated by its residents, their handicrafts, their small fishing boats and the beautiful houses. Engineers then made changes to the Citadel of Qaitbay in Rosetta before they surrounded it with red brick walls to act as a fort and protect the city’s entrance against a potential English invasion.

In July 1799, a soldier under the command of Captain Pierre Francois Bouchard found a black basalt slab whilst digging the citadel wall’s foundations. The stone was inscribed with hieroglyphics, Demotic and Greek script. The scholars on the expedition realized the importance of the stone and called it the ‘Rosetta Stone.’ It was included in the list of antiquities collected by the French [military] expedition until the French fleet was defeated by the English. Then the 1801 Treaty was signed, and the French left Egypt. One of the articles within the treaty stipulated that ownership of the Rosetta Stone would be transferred to the English army. Unaware of the stone’s historical value, the French approved of the transfer of ownership as they had made several wax models of it and sent them to France to be studied. The [real] Rosetta Stone eventually arrived at the British Museum and was placed in a dark corner in the sculpture wing on the ground floor. Though England owned the stone, the French were the ones to decipher its archaic scripture through the distinguished scholar Jean François Champollion. It is thanks to Champollion that the ancient Egyptian language was deciphered and that the drawings of human beings, animals, plants and other depictions engraved on Pharaonic temples and graves can finally articulate the secrets of the Pharaohs, and demonstrate their creativity in all aspects of knowledge and civilization. The hieroglyphics can now be understood by all readers who are interested in Egyptian stories that represent one of the world’s greatest ancient civilizations. Therefore we have come to recognize the importance of the Rosetta Stone – a piece that has been stolen and passed on from one occupier to another – whilst the occupied country remains helpless. In fact, Egypt’s most significant document was taken from its soil in a manner that anybody with a conscience would not accept. Ever since I was appointed head of Egypt’s antiquities, I have embarked upon trying to regain the Rosetta Stone as well as other antiquities that I consider key to understanding the Egyptian civilization and ones that can best convey its superiority and uniqueness. I began to probe the British Museum about returning the Rosetta Stone to Egypt and though it was long neglected by the museum there, the British began to pay attention to it and placed it at the centre of a well-lit hall as part of a dazzling display as soon as we began discussing returning the stone to its motherland, Egypt. I requested that the British lend us the stone so that it could be exhibited during the inauguration of the Grand Egyptian Museum scheduled to be completed in a few years because of the piece’s significance to Egyptian civilization.

And what did the British say? They said that, first of all, they need to be sure of the protection and safety measures applied in the Grand Egyptian Museum. They said that even though they know very well that this museum is a giant project in all regards and will be unparalleled in terms of size and the number of exhibits, and that the protection and safety mechanisms have been provided by international specialized companies. Most English people are in support of returning the Rosetta Stone to Egypt. We wouldn’t be exaggerating if we said that English people wonder why the Museum’s administration is clinging on to this stone. We will not be silent until we return to Egypt, even if takes a thousand years! Retrieved 21 June, 2017, from http://www.elginism.com/similar-cases/the-rosetta-stone-will-return-to-egypt-one- day/20100209/2703/ - See more at: http://www.elginism.com/similar-cases/the-rosetta-stone-will-return-to-egypt-one- day/20100209/2703/#sthash.rxTMzYF7.dpuf

Video. Egypt wants Rosetta Stone Back 1) How does the presenter describe the British Museum’s Egyptian Collection, and the Rosetta Stone? 2) What has the tablet, which dates from 196 BC, allowed historians to do? 3) What does Egypt say has happened to its heritage and artefacts? 4) Do the Egyptians say they want every artefact back from the British Museum? 5) What did the British Museum say in its statement? 6) What reasons are given by the two visitors in support of keeping the Rosetta Stone in the British Museum? 7) What views are provided by the antiquities scholar Richard Falkiner in support of keeping the Rosetta Stone in London? 8) What does Greece hope to see returned? 9) What did the Louvre Museum in Paris return last month? 10) What are the Egyptians hoping? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_XnMcTa5Vd8

Egypt wants treasures back (Video: National Geographic) What points of view are expressed regarding the question of who owns artefacts, in this case the Rosetta Stone? How do they ‘put their cases’? 1) Dr Zahi Hawass (Former Minister of Antiquities. Now ambassador for tourism ministry) 2) Anna Boulton (Head of Press and Marketing) spokeswoman for the British Museum) 3) Gary Vikan (Director of Walters Art Museum, Maryland, Baltimore, USA) YouTube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wpwYqwf4Qc

Newsweek Who Owns the Elgin Marbles? By Newsweek Staff On 6/5/09 at 8:00 PM It's not polite to call the Elgin Marbles the Elgin Marbles anymore. Not even in the British Museum, where the ancient Greek sculptures and reliefs have resided since the early 19th century, after a British ambassador to the Ottoman Empire named Lord Elgin hacked them off the Parthenon. Even in that age of imperialism, many Brits saw Elgin's acts as cultural vandalism. Lord Byron slammed the marbles' removal in his bestselling epic poem Childe Harold's Pilgrimage. The call for their return has grown since Greece won its independence from Ottoman rule in 1829, led by the Greek government in particular since the 1980s. In the noisy debate over the restitution of ancient artworks to their original locale, no case is more controversial or inflamed than the question of the Parthenon marbles: should the British finally send them back? Later this month a new Acropolis Museum will open in the shadow of the Parthenon in Athens. The building is more than a bold composition in glass, steel, concrete and stone: it is architecture as argument, explicitly meant to sway opinion over the fate of the marbles. Designed by the Swiss- born, New York–based Bernard Tschumi, the three-level structure begins to express its agenda in the way it defers to an ancient settlement that was discovered during excavation of the construction site. (The building was adapted so that it is raised on concrete pillars, allowing archeological work to continue beneath it—and with glass floors that will give visitors a dramatic view of the ongoing dig.) But it's the crown of the museum that will make the most powerful case for restitution: the top floor is a glass box that is canted at an angle away from the structure beneath it—like an uneven stack of cartons—so that it lines up perfectly with the Parthenon, visible about 1,000 feet away. Many of the Parthenon's original sculptures were lost or destroyed over the centuries; those remaining on the temple were removed in recent years because the pollution in Athens was eating away the marble. Now, along with other sculptures, the frieze that encircled the temple—it depicts a procession of figures, some bringing sacrifices—is installed in the new museum in its original configuration on the Parthenon. To accentuate the ghostly absence of the missing marbles, there are white plaster copies to fill the gaps. The history of how the marbles got to London is muddy enough to bolster both sides of the argument. When the seventh Earl of Elgin took up residence in the embassy in Constantinople in 1799, he began to pursue his passion for classical antiquities. He sent emissaries on a mission to - Athens, which was then a shabby little outpost that had been under the Ottoman thumb for 400 years. At first, Elgin wanted only some sketches and plaster casts made of the great sculptures and reliefs on the Parthenon and other nearby ruins. But his permit from the Ottoman sultan granted his crew access to the Acropolis—then a Turkish garrison—and stated that "no one meddle with their scaffolding or implements nor hinder them from taking away any pieces of stone with inscriptions and figures." Politics was at play here at least as much as art appreciation. The Ottomans were grateful to Britain, which had blocked the advance of Napoleon in Egypt—and over several years, Elgin's agents chiseled away at the most potent symbol of the golden age of classical Greeks. But the gods got even, with Elgin at least. In the course of his Ottoman escapade, he lost the following: his beautiful and rich wife to his best friend, a big chunk of his nose to a nasty infection he'd caught in Constantinople and, ultimately, his marbles, which he was forced to sell to the British

government in 1816 for £35,000 (roughly equivalent to $4 million today) to dig himself out of debt after his divorce. Since then, the trustees of the British Museum have never wavered in their position that Elgin's marbles legally belong to the museum. Scholars long argued that the marbles were better preserved in London than they would be in smog-choked Athens, with its poor museum facilities. "The British said, you don't deserve them, you don't have a place to put them," says Antonis Samaras, the new minister of culture in Greece. "Now we have one of the best museums that can be." But rather than trying to negotiate the point right now, the Greeks are letting their new museum do the talking. "We are presenting in a visual way what was, to this point, a verbal discussion," says the museum's president, Dimitrios Pandermalis. Is there a glimmer of hope that all the remaining marbles from the Parthenon might eventually be reunited, at least temporarily? The trustees of the British Museum have stated they would consider lending the marbles to Athens—though some are too fragile to travel in either direction, notes the director, Neil MacGregor—provided the Greek government acknowledge Britain's ownership of the artworks. For many Greeks, that's a sore point. "How can anyone dare say they belong to the British?" asks Samaras. "These are treasures taken out of the Acropolis when Greece was under enemy occupation." Pandermalis takes a gentler, less political approach: he suggests that Greece could lend other classical pieces to London in exchange for a long-term loan of the marbles. "It's not easy," he says, "but let's find a solution for both sides." Those who agree the British Museum owns the marbles have a strong case. Unlike the recent instances of American museums returning ancient Roman artifacts to Italy—where there was proof of theft or looting since 1970, under the terms of international treaties—here there is no legal basis, many experts say, given that Elgin's actions were approved by the rulers in power and that 200 years have passed. What's more, the precedent set by giving back the marbles would open a Pandora's box of similar claims, says James Cuno, the director of the Art Institute of Chicago, citing one potential high-profile target: Queen Nefertiti, ensconced in Berlin's Altes Museum for nearly a century. To cut through this Gordian knot would practically require the wisdom of the ancients, but here's one idea: Wouldn't it be thrilling to see the marbles together in -Athens for a period of time? And wouldn't it be reasonable to return them afterward to the stewardship of the British Museum, where they can bask in a panorama of mankind's highest achievements? The ancient Hellenic culture that produced the marbles seeded all of Western civilization, not just the contemporary nation of Greece. The marbles, really, belong to everyone. http://www.newsweek.com/who-owns-elgin-marbles-80661

Video Parthenon Battle | National Geographic The Parthenon is among the greatest national treasures of Greece, but important parts of it have been displayed at the British Museum in London for two centuries. Should they be returned to Athens? Watch the video and note down the views for and against returning the sculptures to Greece. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3MXPqYKKRM

The British Museum The Parthenon Sculptures

The position of the Trustees of the British Museum The question of where the surviving sculptures from the Parthenon should now be displayed has long been a subject of public discussion. This page provides key information for understanding the complex history of the Parthenon and its sculpture. The main arguments of the debate are also presented here. For another view, see the website of the Hellenic Ministry of Culture: www.culture.gr What is the Parthenon and how did the sculptures come to London? 1 The Parthenon in Athens has a long and complex history. Built nearly 2,500 years ago as a temple dedicated to the Greek goddess Athena, it was for a thousand years the church of the Virgin Mary of the Athenians, then a mosque, and finally an archaeological ruin. The building was altered and the sculptures much damaged over the course of the centuries. Exercise: Put the remaining sentences (a – d) of the paragraph in the most suitable order a Archaeologists worldwide are agreed that the surviving sculptures could never be re-attached to the structure. b When the city was under siege by the Venetians in 1687, the Parthenon itself was used as a gunpowder store. c The first major loss occurred around AD 500 when the Parthenon was converted into a church. d The building has been a ruin ever since. A huge explosion blew the roof off and destroyed a large portion of the remaining sculptures.

2 By 1800 only about half of the original sculptural decoration remained. Exercise: Put the remaining sentences (a – e ) of the paragraph in the most suitable order a The arrival of the sculptures in London had a profound effect on the European public, regenerating interest in ancient Greek culture and influencing contemporary artistic trends. b Since then the sculptures have all been on display to the public in the British Museum, free of entry charge. c Between 1801 and 1805 Lord Elgin, the British ambassador to the Ottoman Empire, of which Athens had been a part for some 350 years, acting with the full knowledge and permission of the Ottoman authorities, removed about half of the remaining sculptures from the fallen ruins and from the building itself. d These sculptures were acquired from Lord Elgin by the British Museum in 1816 following a Parliamentary Select Committee enquiry which fully investigated and approved the legality of Lord Elgin’s actions. e Lord Elgin was passionate about ancient Greek art and transported the sculptures back to Britain. 55

Where can the surviving sculptures from the Parthenon be seen? Exercise: fill in the gaps with the most suitable form of the following verbs locate publish display work remove divide see make begin be survive promote (also) hold include

About 65% of the original sculptures from the Parthenon 1 ______and 2______in museums across Europe. The majority of the sculptures 3 ______between the Acropolis Museum in Athens and the British Museum in London (about 30% each), while important pieces 4 ______by other major European museums, 5______the Louvre and the Vatican. 1. Parthenon Sculptures in Athens The Greek authorities 6______the remaining sculptures from the Parthenon, work that 7______over 200 years ago by Elgin. All of the sculptures have now been removed from the building and 8______in the Acropolis Museum.

2. Parthenon Sculptures in London The sculptures in London, sometimes known as the ‘Elgin Marbles’, 9______on permanent public display in the British Museum since 1817, free of charge. Here they 10______by a world audience and are actively studied and researched 11______worldwide understanding of ancient Greek culture. The Museum 12______the results of its research extensively. 13______closely with colleagues at the Acropolis Museum, new discoveries of ancient applied colour on the sculptures 14______with the application of special imaging technology. 3. Parthenon Sculptures in other museums The following institutions also hold sculpture from the Parthenon:  Musée du Louvre, Paris  Vatican Museums  National Museum, Copenhagen  Kunsthistorisches Museum,Vienna  University Museum, Würzburg  Glyptothek, Munich What has the Greek Government asked for? Since the early 1980s Greek governments have argued for the permanent removal to Athens of all the Parthenon sculptures in the British Museum. The Greek government has also disputed the British Museum Trustees’ legal title to the sculptures. For more information on the Greek Government’s official position, see the website of the Hellenic Ministry of Culture: www.culture.gr

What is the British Museum’s position? The British Museum tells the story of cultural achievement throughout the world, from the dawn of human history over two million years ago until the present day. The Museum is a unique resource for the world: the breadth and depth of its collection allows the world’s public to re- examine cultural identities and explore the connections between them. Exercise put the sentences of the following two paragraphs in the most appropriate order 1 a They also gain insights into how ancient Greece influenced and was influenced by the other civilisations that it encountered. b Millions of visitors admire the beauty of the sculptures each year – free of charge. c Within the context of this unparalleled collection, the Parthenon sculptures are an important representation of the culture of ancient Athens. 2 a The Trustees remain convinced that the current division allows different and complementary stories to be told about the surviving sculptures, highlighting their significance for world culture and affirming the universal legacy of ancient Greece. b This display does not alter the Trustees’ view that the sculptures are part of everyone’s shared heritage and transcend cultural boundaries. c The Acropolis Museum allows the Parthenon sculptures that are in Athens to be appreciated against the backdrop of ancient Greek and Athenian history. More about the Parthenon and its history can be found at theacropolismuseum.gr Further reading The following books provide good introductions to the Parthenon and its sculptures:  Mary Beard, The Parthenon (Profile, 2002)  Brian Cook, The Elgin Marbles (British Museum Press, 1984)  Ian Jenkins, The Parthenon Frieze (British Museum Press, 1994)  Ian Jenkins, The Parthenon Sculptures in the British Museum (British Museum Press, 2007)  Ian Jenkins, Greek Architecture and its sculpture in the British Museum (British Museum Press, 2006)  Ian Jenkins and Kate Morton, Explore the Parthenon – an ancient Greek temple and its sculptures (British Museum Press, 2009)  William St Clair, Lord Elgin and the Marbles (3rd edition Oxford University Press, 1998) These titles, and others, are available in the British Museum shop. Retrieved 29 January 2018 from http://www.britishmuseum.org/about_us/news_and_press/statements/parthenon_sculptures.as px?fromShortUrl

DEMANDS OF THE GREEK GOVERNMENT

Exercise Fill in the gaps with the most suitable word The Greek government has made major concessions in recent years to try and accommodate the concerns of the British Museum and the British government. 1______have made it clear for over a decade now that ownership is not the key issue (see the policy statement from May 2000 below). 2______, the relocation of the Marbles to Athens is a 3 ______issue for the Greek government and 4 ______could be achieved without raising the issue of ownership 5 ______the Marbles were sent to Athens on a permanent loan from the British Museum. In 6______, the Greek government has offered to loan the 7______of Greek antiquity to the British Museum on a rotating loan basis 8______that the gallery where the Marbles are currently exhibited 9 ______still be dedicated to Greek culture. 10______have also proposed that the British Museum 11______operate a branch of the museum in Athens, presumably in the new Acropolis Museum (model pictured above), where the Parthenon Marbles would be exhibited 12 ______they were returned to Athens.

Policy statement on the return of the Parthenon Sculptures (May 2000) Statement by the Greek Minister of Culture Mr Theodoros Pangalos Exercise Choose the most appropriate topic sentence(s) for the statement paragraphs a Returning the sculptures to Greece need not, should not and will not diminish Greece's presence in the British Museum. b Returning the Parthenon sculptures to Greece need not and should not create a precedent, leading to claims for the general restitution of cuItural property to the countries of origin and thus depleting the great museums of valuable exhibits. c The issue is not confined to the agenda between two governments. It is a matter between two peoples and their respective parliaments. d Who owns the sculptures is unimportant, irrelevant and immaterial. What matters is where they are and where they should be. e There need not be any winners and losers in the solution of this long-standing problem. 58

During his visit to London as a guest of the British Government for the inauguration of the new Tate Modern gallery, the Greek Minister of Culture Mr Theodoros Pangalos redefined Greece's policy goals with regard to the return of the Parthenon sculptures. Speaking in London to Greek journalists on 13 May 2000, he outlined a policy statement based on the following principles:

1 “The British Parliament, having entrusted the Parthenon sculptures to the British Museum, is the only authority that can change the situation. The British Government with its parliamentary majority can naturally bring this about speedily but we do not consider this simply as an issue between our two governments.

2 There is no legal claim against anyone in this case and no adjudication is required. The return of the Parthenon sculptures is simply a matter of co-operation between the Greek and the British peoples in the wider European context to which they both belong.

3 On this point I believe that we have a very strong case, which is the continuity and the integrity of the unique monument known as the Parthenon. This monument, let me point out, was not built by Pericles as a storehouse for free-standing sculptures. The Parthenon sculptures were conceived and created as an integral part of the temple. Having kept them apart from the rest of the monument for nearly two centuries is long enough and should no longer be tolerated. The time has come for the re-unification of the monument on its original Acropolis site. Therefore, what we ask is for the sculptures to be returned so that they can be housed in a new state-of-the art Acropolis Museum that will be ready by 2004. The integrity of the monument will thus be restored on its original site with the sculptures displayed against the background of the Parthenon and in visual contact with the temple. In the meantime, we will continue to explain our position and press for the return of the Parthenon sculptures in due course.

4 Quite the contrary, in fact. For one thing, full use can be made of modern technology that can produce copies of the originals so perfect that these can be distinguished from the originals only through elaborate chemical analysis. There is also the possibility of holding periodic exhibitions of valuable, rare and stunning Greek antiquities in London on loan from Greek Museums. The great British Museum might even see its worldwide prestige and appeal enhanced if our proposal for a negotiated return of the Parthenon sculptures implemented.

5 I wish to emphasize yet again that we request the return, of only those sculptures removed from the Parthenon by Lord Elgin and that we make no general claim for the restitution of any other artefacts. We simply want restore the unity of a unique monument which is the supreme symbol of the Greek cultural heritage and western civilization." ______

Why Athens and not London Because the monument to which they belong, namely the Parthenon, is in Athens. Because in Athens the Marbles will be exhibited close to the Parthenon and within sight of it, and the visitor can form a complete picture of the temple in its entirety. Because they form an inseparable part of the monument – the symbol of Greek Classical civilisation at its apogee. The restitution of the Marbles will restore the unity of the decoration and the architectural cohesion of the monument. Because the British have an obligation, not to Greece but to the cultural heritage of the whole world, to restore its symbol, the Parthenon, which is also the emblem of UNESCO. ______The restoration of the Acropolis The most ambitious restoration programme in Greece, and perhaps one of the most extensive and important in the world, is currently under way on the Acropolis.

Its execution is based on studies that were previously subjected to international scrutiny at scientific meetings and approved in accordance with the requirements of the law and strict scientific standards.

The work has already been completed on the Erechtheion, is presently continuing on the Parthenon and Propylaea and is scheduled to begin on the Temple of Athena Nike. The restoration work on the Parthenon today is targeted primarily at its structural preservation the conservation of its surfaces the maximum degree of protection for the sculptures correcting the positions of previously restored blocks the supplementary restoration of certain sections, mainly using existing, fallen blocks belonging to the building. The restoration programme, which is in the vanguard of comparable scientific research in this field, shows in the clearest fashion the consequences of the mutilation of the Parthenon by Elgin and his assistants. ______The Melina Mercouri Foundation The Greek Ministry of Culture works very closely with the Melina Mercouri Foundation on the issue of the Parthenon Marbles. You can visit the Melina Mercouri Foundation web site, (it will open in a new window) where you can read more about the plans of the Greek government concerning the Acropolis, the New Acropolis Museum, the Parthenon and the Parthenon Marbles. http://www.greece.org/parthenon/marbles/greece.htm

greece.org

BRITISH OBJECTIONS ANSWERED

The British arguments against returning the Marbles are:

1. They were bought legitimately from the Turks on the basis of a legal document -- the Sultan's firman.

2. The object in taking them was to save them from total destruction.

3. The Greeks were indifferent to the fate of their ancient treasures at the time.

4. Air pollution levels in Athens would quickly damage the Marbles.

5. If the Parthenon Marbles are returned then the museums of Europe will be emptied as other countries demand the return of their treasures.

Let us answer these points one by one.

Exercise: put the sentences in the most appropriate order

1 They were bought legitimately. a The validity of the firman is questioned in a major article on this website by Professor Vassilis Demetriades of the University of Crete entitled "Was the removal of the Marbles illegal?" b Anyway, there is no evidence that the Marbles were purchased legitimately. c The various local Turkish officials were bribed by the British with luxurious presents. d This argument is invalid because any purchase from the conqueror in a conquered land is like buying stolen articles from a thief or robber.

2 They were taken to save them from destruction. a Whether the Parthenon and the Parthenon Marbles would have suffered more damage if left in place is not a question that can be answered by either side in the argument and is in any case irrelevant to the current Greek demand for the Parthenon Marbles to be returned to Greece on a permanent loan. b For example, in order to remove the Metopes, which had been slotted into place, he had to destroy the stonework above each one. 61

c Elgin did terrible damage to the Parthenon and the Erechtheum when he removed their sculptures. d In his effort to take as much as he could, he also sawed some of the sculptures in half to reduce their weight and make transporting them easier.

3 The Greeks were indifferent.

There is little doubt that any Greek protests would have been quickly and brutally suppressed by the Turks. When the French consul in Athens protested at the removal of the Marbles, he was imprisoned by the Turks.

Exercise: put the remaining paragraphs in the most suitable order a Also in 1812, a group of distinguished Athenians, two of whom were members of the secret Philike Etairia (Friendly Society), founded the Philomusical Society (Society of the Friends of Music), whose members included Lord Guildford. One of the Society's aims was the protection of ancient monuments. b Finally, Lusieri himself admitted to Elgin in a letter that "If I cannot remove the entire Pandrossium (the colonnade of the Caryatids) I do not despair about one of the Caryatids. But the Greeks are devoted to it." (i.e. the Pandrossium). c Of course, there were indications that the Greeks grieved for their looted treasures, including the myth that the Caryatids could be heard wailing at night for their missing sister, and the claims by porters carrying the statues who thought they could hear cries coming from the figures in the crates. d Edward Dodwell, writing in 1812, also mentions in his book that at the time of his travels in Greece the Athenians were lamenting the ruining of their antiquities and reviling the Turks for giving permission to foreigners to remove them.

4 Air pollution would destroy the Marbles

Exercise: put the first four paragraphs in the most suitable order a Lord Elgin admitted to the House of Commons that London's dampness had caused decay to the sensitive Pentelic marble. This was in 1816. b This argument is completely unacceptable because the Marbles suffered far more damage from their lengthy stay in the heavily polluted atmosphere of London than they would have done if they had stayed in Athens where pollution is only a very recent phenomenon. c But the fact remains that when an ancient work of art is removed from its original setting it loses most of its value and becomes merely an item of archaeological interest.

d For most of their time in the British Museum the Parthenon Marbles were not protected from the London atmosphere.

Exercise: put the sentences of the final paragraph in the most suitable order

The British Museum, to this day, tries to present Elgin as a lover of antiquity who dedicated himself to rescuing Pheidias' sculptures from ultimate destruction. a There were also a lot of English writers, among them Lord Byron, who wrote that Elgin was a marble stealer and robber and his only interest was fame and glory from showing the Marbles. b With the Sultan's firman in his hand, Elgin seemed to think he had been given the right to take away anything he could lay his hands on. His actions didn't pass unnoticed. c But the facts of the case present a very different picture. d A lot of Members of Parliament protested against Elgin's action in the House of Commons but over the course of time his actions were forgotten.

5 The Museums of Europe will be emptied

Exercise: put the sentences of the two paragraphs in the most suitable order

It is claimed that the museums of Europe will be emptied if the Parthenon Marbles are returned to Greece. a The Greek government does not support these demands. b First of all, the Greek government has declared that it has no claim on any of the thousands of other artefacts from Ancient Greece held in museums abroad. c But they are not telling the whole truth. d Secondly, the British Museum claims that Greek politicians continue to demand the return of pieces like the Venus de Milo and the Nike of Samothrace. e The politicians making these demands are local politicians who believe that if these pieces are returned to the islands where they were found it will boost tourism to their islands. f This is clearly not true. The Egyptian government has also announced that it has no claim on anything from Ancient Egypt in the British Museum. a It displays the whole of the Parthenon Frieze, using plaster casts of those parts still held in London, in a glass gallery bathed in natural light and with the Parthenon itself visible 280 metres away. b Now is the time for the plaster casts to be replaced by the sculptures from the British Museum. c It is clear that this argument is being used as an excuse to avoid the issue that the Parthenon Marbles were an integral part of the Parthenon and should be displayed together with the other Parthenon Marbles currently in Athens. d The New Acropolis Museum has been open since 2009. 63

Retrieved 18 February 2017 from http://www.greece.org/parthenon/marbles/answers.htm

LEGAL AND ETHICAL ISSUES

The law and ethics deriving from the Parthenon Marbles case Irini A. Stamatoudi, LLM * Attorney at Law, Athens and Doctoral Researcher at the University of Leicester

Conclusion

In this article the law and the ethics of the Parthenon Marbles case have been analysed, showing the complexity of the issues involved. Both parties have interesting points and arguments to make, but evidently any solution has to favour just one of them. The two basic arguments of the retentionists regarding Britain's title of possession and the passage of time have proved to be weak and they are therefore unconvincing. On the side of morality-based arguments it has also been concluded that preservation and safety are no longer viable arguments since Greece is able to provide both. However, these arguments were once more presented by the British government as a response to Lord Jenkins' question and plea for the return of the Parthenon Marbles when it was brought before the House of Lords. On 18 January 1996 this discussion took place and the same ethical issues, as the ones that were rebutted in this article, were raised. In spite of the flimsiness of these arguments the British government made it clear that it had no intention of returning the Marbles.

Nevertheless, the Parthenon Marbles case is not only a legal and moral one, but it also touches the heart of the Greek nation. Characteristic in this respect are the words of the former Greek Minister of Culture, Melina Mercouri:

"This is our history ..." (San Francisco Chronicle, 26 May 1983, p 26)

"(T)hey are the symbol and the blood and the soul of Greek people ... (W)e have fought and died for the Parthenon and the Acropolis ... (W)hen we are born, they talk to us about all this great history that makes Greekness ... (T)his is the most beautiful, the most impressive, the most monumental building in all Europe ..." (New York Times, 4 March 1984, p 9).

Even J H Merryman agrees that "if the matter were to be decided on the basis of direct emotional appeal, the Marbles would go back to Greece tomorrow" (Merryman 1983, p 759). As has been shown above even if the matter were to be decided on the more tangible grounds of law, Greece would still have a strong case. And after all, law cannot be considered in isolation. If it is to fulfil its natural role it has to be blended in with the realities and the real life in which it finds its roots and from which it is destined to be an emanation.

Retrieved 13 April, 2016, from http://www.greece.org/parthenon/marbles/legal.htm

churchcourtchambers.co.uk The Elgin Marbles: Who Owns Them Now And Should They Ever Be Returned To Greece? Alkan Shenyuz, a barrister with Church Court Chambers in London and a specialist in international law, summarises the key legal arguments for and against the return of the Elgin marbles to Greece and gives his assessment on where they should be today.

Summary In conclusion, therefore, it is quite reasonable to argue that the collection of marbles were removed by Lord Elgin under a lawful mandate issued by the rightful authority at the time these events took place. There is no evidence to suggest that the totality of Lord Elgin’s activities amounted to an illegal act under the prevailing legal system, which governed the region from where the marbles were taken. In these circumstances, it is not plausible to see the case for the return of the marbles to Greece exclusively as a legal battle. Instead, the arguments in favour of one way or the other will most likely turn on cultural or moral grounds. The tragedy is that without the original document it is difficult to imagine the legal argument ever becoming settled once and for all. Instead, scholars will have to make do with a translation of the original, which by all accounts should be taken to be authentic and reliable. More generally, without a final legal settlement of this dispute, the art world will be left guessing as to the true ownership of other historically important artifacts around the world. http://www.churchcourtchambers.co.uk/the-elgin-marbles-who-owns-them-now-and-should- they-ever-be-returned-to-greece/

Further reading

Vanity Fair, The Lovely Stones, by Christopher Hitchens http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/features/2009/07/hitchens200907

Buying, selling, owning the past. Stanford news. Stanford University https://news.stanford.edu/news/multi/features/heritage/

THE INDEPENDENT

We want our masterpiece back – Italians petition France to return Mona Lisa to Florence

MICHAEL DAY MILAN SATURDAY 08 SEPTEMBER 2012

Italian campaigners have collected more than 150,000 signatures calling on the Louvre Museum in Paris to hand over Leonardo Da Vinci's Mona Lisa to its "home city" of Florence.

The National Committee for Historical, Cultural and Environmental Heritage says it has made a formal request to the French Culture Minister, Aurelie Filippetti, for the world's most famous painting to be returned to the Uffizi Gallery, where was displayed briefly a century ago.

"I am convinced that, thanks to the minister's Italian origins, she will not only respond positively to our request, she will understand its motives," said the committee's president, Silvano Vincenti, who is determined to turn the Mona Lisa into Italy's equivalent of the Elgin Marbles.

Returning the painting would be of "high historical value, both symbolic and moral", he added. The committee, along with the Province of Florence, hopes to press its claims in a meeting with the French minister. The Louvre has already snubbed the approach. Florence's claims on the Renaissance masterpiece, known to Italians by its proper title, La Gioconda, might not be that straightforward. Leonardo is thought to have begun work on the enigmatic portrait of Lisa del Giocondo, the wife of a wealthy Tuscan silk merchant, in Florence in 1503.

But art historians believe he took it with him when he moved to France in 1516. The French royal family acquired it and, following a spell at Versailles, it ended up at the Louvre after the French Revolution. It was stolen in 1911 and was discovered two years later at the Florence home of the Italian patriot and former Louvre employee, Vincenzo Peruggia, who thought the Mona Lisa belonged in the city described as the birthplace of the Renaissance.

However, the painting was exhibited only briefly in the Uffizi and in Rome before it was returned to the Louvre.

The committee is also supporting researchers who believe they have found a skeleton belonging to Lisa del Giocondo, although lack of firm evidence that she was the sitter has led to endless speculation about the painting.

Retrieved 12 November, 2014, from http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/we-want-our-masterpiece-back--italians- petition-france-to-return-mona-lisa-to-florence-8117931.html

Assignment. Write a 500-word essay on the following question.

The Mona Lisa’s rightful home is the Louvre Museum in Paris. Discuss.

The article above provides background information that you should expand through your own research before planning the essay.

The Impact of Mass Tourism: Venice, Florence, Barcelona

Venice and its Lagoon Founded in the 5th century and spread over 118 small islands, Venice became a major maritime power in the 10th century. The whole city is an extraordinary architectural masterpiece in which even the smallest building contains works by some of the world's greatest artists such as Giorgione, Titian, Tintoretto, Veronese and others. Outstanding Universal Value Brief synthesis The UNESCO World Heritage property comprises the city of Venice and its lagoon situated in the Veneto Region of Northeast Italy. […] Venice and its lagoon form an inseparable whole of which the city of Venice is the pulsating historic heart and a unique artistic achievement. The influence of Venice on the development of architecture and monumental arts has been considerable. […] Integrity city characteristics built urban boundaries functional Due to their geographical characteristics, the city of Venice and the lagoon settlements have retained their original integrity of the 1______heritage, the settlement structure and its interrelation in the lagoon. The 2______of the city and other lagoon settlements are well circumscribed and delimited by water. Venice has retained its boundaries, the landscape 3______and the physical and 4______relationships with the lagoon environment. The structure and 5______morphological form of Venice has remained broadly similar to the one the 6______had in the Middle Ages and Renaissance.

buildings urban function culture technical architectural integrity

The maintained 1______of the layout and urban structure of Venice therefore attests to the formal and organizational conception of space and the technical and creative skills of a 2______and civilization that created exceptional architectural values. Despite the diverse styles and historical stratifications, the 3______and constructions have organically fused into a coherent unit, maintaining their physical characteristics and their 4______and aesthetic qualities, as well as their more 5______features, through an architectural language that is both independent and consistent with the 6______and design principles of the traditional 7______structure of Venice. identity replacement services transformation functionality priorities use commercial impact traditional tourism functional

Transformations have occurred in the urban settlements in terms of 1______. The historic city has altered its urban functions due to the significant decline in population, the change of 2______of many buildings, the replacement of productive activities and 3______with other activities. The exceptionally high 4______pressure on the city of Venice has resulted in a partial functional 5______in Venice and the historic centres of the Lagoon. This includes 6______transformations of Venice and the lagoon historic centers caused by the 7______of residents’ houses with accommodation and 8______activities and services to the residence with tourism-related 9______that endanger the 10______and the cultural and social integrity of the property. These factors may in the future have a serious negative 11______on the identity and integrity of the property and are consequently the major 12______within the Management Plan. erosion threats damage waters phenomenon wave property integrity

The phenomenon of high water is a threat to the 1______of cultural, environmental and landscape values of the property. The occurrence of exceptional high 2______poses a significant threat to the protection and integrity of Venice lagoon and historic settlements. The increase in the frequency and levels of high tides, in addition to the phenomenon of 3______motion caused by motor boats, is one of the main causes of deterioration and 4______to the building structures and urban areas. Although this 5______has a significant impact on the morphology and landscape configuration of the lagoon due to the 6______of the seabed and of the salt marshes, it does not at present endanger the integrity of the 7______. These

8______are recognized as a priority in the Management Plan which includes a specific monitoring system.

Authenticity original restoration character layout land techniques recovery conservation adoption materials spatial criteria monumental structure

The assets of the World Heritage property have substantially retained their 1______character. The urban 2______has predominantly maintained the formal and 3______characters present in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance with a few later additions due to landfills and 4______reclamation. The numerous monuments and 5______complexes in the city have retained their 6______and authenticity through the 7______of their constitutive elements and their architectural features. Similarly, the whole urban system has maintained the same 8______, settlement patterns and organization of open spaces from medieval times and the Renaissance. In the structural 9______of the buildings, much attention is given to applying conservation 10______and the use and 11______of materials in their historical stratifications. The local culture has developed a deep-seated continuity in the use of 12______and techniques. The expression of the authentic cultural values of the property is given precisely by the 13______and recognition of the effectiveness of traditional conservation and restoration practices and 14______. testimony authenticity settlements lagoon work preservation The other lagoon 1______have also maintained a high level of authenticity, which continues to manifest itself in the 2______of the character and specificity of the places. The historical processes that were developed over the centuries and helped shape the 3______landscape have left a strong 4______of the action of the people, whose 5______is tangibly visible and recognizable in its 6______and historical sequences.

Protection and management requirements […] tourism enhancement awareness issues

The Management Plan contains many projects for communication and participation in decision- making and for the implementation of the objectives of protection and 1______of the property. A specific Action Plan focuses on awareness building, communication, promotion, education and training in order to develop a greater 2______among the citizens on the Outstanding Universal Value of the property. 70

The most pressing management 3______are related to high tides and mobile barriers, 4______pressure and maintenance of traditional practices and techniques for restoration. […] heritage tourist maintenance pressure strategic sustainable territory operators projects consolidated traditional principles stakeholders

A 1______tourism strategy is one of the Management Plan priorities. 2______objectives and a specific Action Plan have been agreed to relieve the 3______on Venice by offering alternative and complementary options to 4______tourism by creating a network among the municipalities in the lagoon boundary area and other key 5______that are operating within the property. In addition, other initiatives aiming at managing 6______flows are in place. Within the 7______of the property there are excellent universities, high level national and international institutes and research centers for the conservation and protection of the artistic and architectural 8______. However, many 9______restoration practices, based on traditional techniques, are at risk to disappear or to be incorrectly applied, for the use of techniques and materials that do not always correspond to the 10______and methods of restoration and for the lack of qualified 11______. The underlying causes of the reduced efficacy of the restoration interventions are the high costs of the urban 12______and restoration of buildings. These issues are recognised within the Management Plan that contains a specific Action Plan and 13______regarding training of operators and professionals, the promotion and dissemination of good restoration practices. http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/394

INDEPENDENT The death of Venice: Corrupt officials, mass tourism and soaring property prices have stifled life in the city In 30 years the city has lost half its fixed population. Now, says Winston Ross, La Serenissima is hellish by day and empty by night Winston Ross Thursday 14 May 2015 20:00 BST It's a chilly Monday morning in Venice, and a breeze is cutting through the city's emerald canals. I'm standing at a busy gondola station, squashed between crowds of tourists, waiting not for a ride but a conversation with Diego Redolfi. It's prime tourist season, and free time is scarce for the 49- year-old oarsman. Redolfi is one of more than 400 gondoliers in this famed aquatic city. Each day, he plies its narrow corridors with an expertly wielded oar, manoeuvring his boat around other watercraft, sometimes missing them by inches. Gondoliers are among the most well-paid workers in Venice, earning as much as £95,000 a year. But even that salary isn't enough to rent a decent-sized apartment here, which is why Redolfi and his American wife now live on a nearby island. The reason the city is so expensive has everything to do with the long line in front of Redolfi's gondola stand. During the past 15 years, cruise ship tourism has increased fivefold, and the monstrous vessels have become both a boon and a blight for the city, which is now the cruise capital of Europe. These water-bound hotels of lousy buffet food and schmaltzy entertainment relentlessly dump tourists into Venice's narrow streets. This should be a good thing in a city that relies mostly on money from outsiders, and tourists from cruise ships spend millions here every year. But industry critics say these visitors don't waste much time (or money) in restaurants and shops. Some buy pricey rides on gondolas; most grab a few snacks from the ship and wander the streets before departing at sundown. Of the 20 million people who come to Venice each year, only half sleep here, which is why hotel stays have dropped by two-thirds over the past 25 years. Today, day-trippers outnumber both overnight visitors and people who call Venice home. At the same time, the population of Venice is declining, thanks to a dwindling number of jobs that don't involve tourism, as well as the rising cost of food, transportation and housing. The number of cinemas in Venice has fallen from 20 to two, and some business owners now charge "tourist prices" at shops and restaurants even to locals, reversing an age-old practice that made visitors who don't pay taxes bear a greater financial burden (although tourist pricing remains sufficiently in place to cause a furore this week – see box below). What's more, over the past two decades, property owners have increasingly converted apartments into hotels or Airbnb rentals, driving up the costs of permanent housing. The result: only the wealthy can afford to live here. Three decades ago, more than 120,000 people called Venice home. Today, there are 55,000. By 2030, some demographers predict, there will be no more full-time residents. Most visitors here are blissfully unaware of what's happening to Venice. The city's placid canals, curved bridges and car-free cobblestone streets make it among the world's most beautiful places. But in 2008, after its population dropped below 60,000, residents organised a "funeral", complete with a three-gondola cortège carrying a red casket through the city's canals, to raise awareness about the population decline. The creative protest did nothing to reverse the 72

trend. Both those who live here and those who have been priced out say that the soul of the city is dying. What no one seems to be able to agree on is how to resolve the crisis. Matteo Secchi and his father, Mario, are Venetians by birth and at heart, but not by postcode. I meet them one afternoon for some salumi, cheese and a bottle of red wine. Matteo is the manager of a Venice hotel. His father is a distributor for a local winery. At 70, Mario could retire, but work gives him the chance to see old friends in the city he still calls home – even if he can't afford to live here. Instead, Mario lives in nearby Mestre, on the mainland, where he rents an apartment that measures 80 square metres. "I would leave it for 30 in Venice," he says. As we eat, father and son argue, as they often do, about tourism. They agree on the problem, which they say is twofold. Longtime residents are being driven out by housing owners – who can make more money from wealthy foreigners buying swanky vacation apartments than they can renting to families – and by day-trippers, who don't spend enough money for the city government to acquire the kind of taxes it needs to set aside affordable housing for locals. What they disagree on is the solution. Mario is among a contingent of residents who believe in building gates around Venice and forcing tourists to pay a fee as they come and go. "They should pay, because they dirty the town," he says. His son believes that the tax would turn the city into a theme park. "With an entrance to Venice, we become Disneyland." Long before Venice became a tourist sweatshop, city codes capped the maximum rents landlords could charge. In the 1970s, landlords fought to scrap these limits and won, only to watch with dismay as rents spiralled out of control. Fabio Sacco, president of Alilaguna Spa, which runs water shuttles to and from the city's airport and cruise ship terminal, would like to see the city subdivide some of its palazzos into apartments for couples or young families. "In Venice," he says, "what we need is medium rents." Matteo believes that the government should step in too. "The mayor should intervene," he says, "and force the owners of these apartments to reduce the rent so a normal family can rent it." The life you could imagine 10 or 20 years ago is over now," he says. "To afford a normal life in Venice with a house, a job, a wife, a family, it no longer exists." At the gondola station, Redolfi has only a few minutes to talk before loading his next set of passengers. I step on to his boat to chat, and he tells me how he has worked as a gondolier for two decades. Now, he says, business is as good as it's ever been. […] Today, Redolfi can afford to live in Venice, but his apartment would be cramped. Plus, there are fewer tourists where he lives. Over the past two decades, he has watched the city become overwhelmed by visitors. But they haven't ruined the place, he says – at least, not yet. "Venice is changing, like the world," he says. "But it's still better than any other place in it." © Newsweek

Occupy Venice: 'We are the alternative to the death of the city'

Fighting depopulation caused by tourism and high rents, activists are helping Venetians take over abandoned properties

Giorgio Ghiglione

Thu 13 Sep 2018 11.00 BST Last modified on Thu 13 Sep 2018 11.02 BST

Members of the grassroots movement Assemblea Sociale per la Casa, including its co-founder, Nicola Ussardi (centre). Photograph: Marta Clinco

Simonetta Boni, 52, was born and raised in Venice. In May 2016 she and her family lost their home because the landlord suddenly raised the rent from €800 per month to €1,500. “I went to social services but they didn’t help me – they said there were many cases like ours,” she says. “That’s why I decided to occupy an empty house.”

Many Venetians have been forced out of their homes because of the high cost of living, which has been linked to mass tourism. Ten years ago there were 60,000 residents in the historic centre; now it’s 53,000.

One of the main problems is landlords renting their apartments to tourists via Airbnb or turning them into hostels and B&Bs. Every year Venice is visited by 20million tourists – and loses about 1,000 residents.

Rather than join the exodus, Boni decided to stay in Venice. She turned to Assemblea Sociale per la Casa (ASC), or Social Assembly for the House, a grassroots movement fighting the depopulation of the city. With its help, she and her family occupied an empty apartment in Cannaregio, one of Venice’s working class neighbourhoods.

Since 2012, ASC has helped families under threat of losing their homes by either attempting to physically block their eviction or helping them occupy abandoned houses. Nicola Ussardi, a local salesman who co-founded ASC, says the first demonstrations attracted a large number of people who had previously been apolitical – “a sign that housing is a serious problem in Venice”. 74

Last month ASC successfully blocked the eviction of a woman from her home of 50 years. “The owner wanted to kick her out in order to make a bed and breakfast, despite the fact that he already owned two in the same building,” says Ussardi. “The evicted resident is the new symbol of this city. Residents are almost becoming the enemy of the owners, who prefer to rent to tourists.”

For people who do lose their homes, ASC activists fix up abandoned, dilapidated houses for occupation. In six years they have taken over 70 apartments, all of them in Cannarego and Giudecca, another working class neighbourhood; they now host 150 people, including families, singles and young couples.

An abandoned house in the Cannaregio district of Venice. Photograph: Marta Clinco

The occupations are illegal, but Ussardi is proud of what ASC does. “We do not steal the house from anyone – we chose apartments that have been abandoned for years and are full of mould and rats.”

Many of the houses need work before they are fit for occupation because they have been closed for many years, says Giulio Grillo, an architect who occupied a vacant house in Giudecca. With other activists, he co-founded Re-Biennale, an association that uses discarded materials after the Venice Biennale to fix them up. “We have made an agreement with the curators of some pavilions – we dismantle them and get to use the materials,” he says.

Biennale materials were used to restore an apartment in Giudecca currently occupied by Davide de Polo, a 38-year-old stagehand working in the film industry, and his family. De Polo and his girlfriend decided to occupy a house a few years ago when they found out Chiara was pregnant.

“I earn €12,000 per year, so how can I afford a rent of €800 or €900 per month and feed my daughter?” says De Polo. “Leaving the city isn’t right. We [occupiers] are the alternative to the death of Venice.”

Giulio Grillo, who co-founded Re-Biennale, which uses materials discarded after Venice Biennale to fix up properties for occupation. Photograph: Marta Clinco World capital of mass tourism

Other Italian cities, such as Turin, Rome and Milan, have had movements of occupied houses since the 1970s. But there it’s mostly poor people who occupy. What sets Venice apart is that the squatters are members of the impoverished middle class. They could never afford to buy a house – and now that tourism is causing rent prices to soar, they cannot afford to rent one, either.

Shaul Bassi, a professor of English literature at the Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, says the housing crisis is just the tip of the iceberg: the city’s social fabric is crumbling under the weight of mass tourism. “It’s schizophrenic. On one hand, Venice is incredibly democratic because everyone walks, and outside the touristy areas Venetians of all social classes share common spaces. And yet if I need a household item I can walk for hours and only find bars, restaurants and souvenir shops.”

This year Venice was defined as world capital of mass tourism in a report by Airbnb, surpassing Barcelona, Bangkok and Amsterdam. On a daily basis there are 73.8 tourists for each Venetian. Matteo Sachi, who runs a website about Venice’s depopulation – and even installed a population counter in a pharmacy in the Rialto district to raise awareness – has noticed the city changing.

Davide de Polo and Chiara Pluchinotta. Their banner reads: ‘We are not leaving because we love Venice.’ Photograph: Marta Clinco

“Venice is getting older. Young people leave because it is impossible to find a home. I pay €1,000 in rent for a small apartment. If I moved just out of town, I could pay half of this, and my landlord could earn twice as much if he decided to rent to tourists instead.”

Authorities have tried to temper tourists’ influence over the city, installing mobile gates to close some streets at peak times and divert them to less frequented areas. But ultimately there are just too many of them. According to recent research by Jan Van de Berg and Paolo Costa, Ca’ Foscari professors, in order to be sustainable, tourism in Venice needs to drop from 77,000 to 55,000 visitors per day.

But whether ASC has any chance of winning the battle for residents is hard to tell.

Carlo Spinazzi, a 58-year old shopkeeper, lost both his shop and his house a few months ago. “My girlfriend and I paid the rent for 14 years – but then we failed to pay for two months, and [the landlord] immediately evicted us.” Social services refused to help, so they occupied an apartment in Cannaregio that had stood empty for three years. “My girlfriend was sick,” says Spinazzi. “Where else could we go?”

https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2018/sep/13/occupy-venice-alternative-to-death-of-city- activists-tourism

Exercise: fill in the gaps with the most appropriate word Outcome: identifying text structure (sentence/paragraph level)

The Observer

Florence seeks a better class of tourist to share its besieged medieval treasures UNESCO has joined critics in voicing concerns about the lack of a strategy for the future Stephanie Kirchgaessner Sunday 6 December 2015 The office of Dario Nardella, mayor of Florence, in the Palazzo Vecchio, the seat of government in the Renaissance city since 1290, looks (1)______if it has not changed much over the centuries, apart from the iPhone and iPad on the desk. Inside the hall of Clement VII, as the office is called, a 16th-century fresco by Giorgio Vasari depicts the siege that put Florence back into the grips of the powerful Medici family. (2)______, as now, the city skyline captured in the (3)______is dominated by Brunelleschi’s Duomo, a symbol of Florentine ingenuity. But for many vocal and disgruntled Florentines, the Palazzo Vecchio is looking less (4)______a stately symbol of civic pride and (5)______like an estate agency. Faced with the proposed sale of the Rotonda del Brunelleschi, the (6)______of a former military barracks into a five-star hotel and spa, and the expected refurbishment of a municipal theatre into luxury “Fifth Avenue-style” apartments and an underground car park, activists (7)______as Tiziano Cardosi are trying to stall (8)______they see as the rapid degradation of a jewel of civilisation into a “Disneyland” for the well-off. “The whole historic (9)______is a pedestrian centre. It is not for citizens, though, just for big groups of (10)______and rich [foreign] students. This is a dying town,” he says. “We are building big hotels only for (11)______people. We are selling everything.” Cardosi (12)______that a Florentine cannot even buy bread in the city centre any more (13)______the shops only sell gelato to please tourists, or alcohol to please students – groups that represent the economic lifeblood of the city. Now a new voice has joined the chorus of concern. A letter sent in May by UNESCO to the Italian authorities, and (14)______has only recently become public, echoes some of the litany of complaints from (15)______about proposed changes in the city. The letter, signed by Kishore Rao, director of UNESCO’s World Heritage Centre, not only raises (16)______about the sale and “change of use” of many historic palaces, (17)______also about the “absence of a tourist strategy” and the potential impact of a number of big (18)______projects, including a new high-speed railway line and a proposed tram line that UNESCO advisers (19)______need to be carefully assessed given Florence’s “very high risk rate” of flooding.

“[We] observe that several large-scale and medium-size (20)______with the potential to impact on the outstanding (21)______value of the world (22)______property, its attributes, integrity and authenticity, have been planned since long ago and/or initiated (23)______informing in advance the World Heritage Committee via its secretariat, (24)______is required,” said the letter, written by the International Council on Monuments and Sites, which advises UNWSCO on the conservation and protection of (25)______heritage. Both UNESCO and Nardella’s office insist that the communication, a hot topic locally, is a routine exchange and request for information, and that Florence’s prized (26)______as a world heritage (27)______is not in danger. Only the Arabian Oryx Sanctuary in Oman and the Dresden Elbe Valley in Germany have ever had their designations removed. But the letter has forced the (28)______on to the defensive. “We are responding to all the points that have been raised. We are very sure about the city’s strategy to conserve the cultural (29)______. In fact, Florence has some of the (30)______practices and experience of all the UNESCO sites in Italy,” Nardella said. The mayor claims he has a (31)______to deal with the issues raised by UNESCO: first, to try to encourage tourists to visit the (32)______areas of Florence and not just crowd the city centre – a new science museum is being planned in the outskirts – and, second, to improve the “quality” of the (33)______who are visiting. He acknowledges that preserving the (34)______while also overseeing its economic development and maintaining urban activities is a constant challenge. “I agree with these people [activist critics] when they tell me we have too (35)______tourists. But the question is not about how to close the city, but (36)______to change their attitude,” he said. Nardella becomes animated when he describes the quintessential “bad tourists” who spend no more (37)______a few hours in the city. They come from Rome or Livorno in the morning on a tour (41)______and their guides know where to take them to buy a souvenir, he said. “Then the food – a Coca-Cola and one panino. No museum (39)______, just a photo from the square, the bus back and then on to Venice,” he said. “We don’t want tourists like (40)______.” Nardella has proposed an (41)______to the cycle of “eat and run” by doubling the (42)______on tour buses. He is trying to rein in other abuses, too, including a proposal that will (43)______the sale of alcohol after 9pm. He points, too, to rules that will support Italian (44)______who sell goods in historic areas such as the Ponte Vecchio. He bristles at the idea that the Florentine bridge could come to resemble Venice’s Ponte di Rialto, (45)______is full of souvenir hawkers. The mayor defends the sale and lease of various city (46)______under his watch, given that all new construction in the city centre is outlawed. “Only buildings with a (47)______cultural value are for sale because we have a very clear national law that (48)______that we cannot sell the Palazzo Vecchio,” he said. “And we oblige private people to restore the (49)______buildings and keep them in good condition. It is important to support private investment for high-quality projects.” While not all of the city’s plans are under his control – the sale of the Rotonda del Brunelleschi is not under his purview – his overall aim is to put “abandoned” (50)______to use and avoid further degradation. 79

For Cardosi, not (51)______attention is being paid to Florence’s fragility. Beneath the grand palazzos and squares lies what was essentially a swamp (52)______cannot handle more excavation and – in his (53)______– useless infrastructure. A feasibility study is being (54)______into a new “mini-metro”. In its letter, UNESCO warns that the impact of such an underground system “seems unknown”. But Nardella will have none of it. “Does London have an underground? Yes. Does Paris? Yes. Does Madrid? Yes. Does Rome? Yes. So (55)______can’t Florence?” http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/dec/06/florence-risk-tourists-buildings

THE GUARDIAN Mass tourism can kill a city – just ask Barcelona’s residents We’ve all been a tourist at some point, but citizens of this great city are fighting for a way of life as they are sidelined by the authorities By Ada Colau. Tue 2 Sep 2014 11.01 BST Last modified on Fri 18 Aug 2017 08.15 BST

Neighborhood protests such as this one in La Barceloneta are escalating against mass tourism. Photograph: Jordi Boixareu/Zuma Press/Corbis The last local underwear shop in Venice closed a decade ago. Since then, residents of this city of islands have had to go to the mainland to make such essential purchases. This is a warning sign. Any city that sacrifices itself on the altar of mass tourism will be abandoned by its people when they can no longer afford the cost of housing, food, and basic everyday necessities. We’re starting to see Venice without Venetians. It’s happening here in Barcelona, too, a city of 2 million inhabitants that hosted 7.5 million tourists last year. The city council, run by the Catalan right, has said that it wants to increase this to 10 million visitors per year. These mind-boggling figures have led to open conflict this summer. In tourism hotspots of the city, the scale of visitor numbers is affecting not only residents’ quality of life, but their very ability to live in the area. This summer, in La Barceloneta, the city’s historic seafaring neighbourhood, there have been neighbourhood assemblies, protest and, in one case, tensions with naked tourists who didn’t realise that they were in a city, not a theme park. In the past few months there have also been demonstrations against businesses involved in the illegal rental of apartments, an activity that the city council has only begun to combat recently. Neighbourhood communities are central to the culture of southern Europe. They are where life happens. Yet people who live in areas popular with tourists are at risk of being forced out, by speculators who raise the rents of apartments and shop premises in pursuit of the tourist market. If they manage to stay, they have to put up with noise and pollution that are difficult to combine with daily life. It’s paradoxical, but uncontrolled mass tourism ends up destroying the very things that made a city attractive to visitors in the first place: the unique atmosphere of the local culture. Most people identify the 1992 Olympic Games as the turning point for tourism in Barcelona. Geographer David Harvey has argued that the interests of the then IOC President Juan Antonio Samaranch in the 81

Barcelona property market were connected to the decision to hold the games in the city. Since then, the uncontrolled growth of the tourism industry has been intimately linked with structural corruption in Spain. When Itziar González, a local socialist politician, tried to regulate tourist apartments and hotels in the city, she was isolated by her own party, received death threats, and was ultimately forced to resign. The economic crisis and the collapse of the construction boom in Spain have led to deindustrialisation across the country. An over-reliance on the service sector has led to the exploitation of tourism by the city. Without a doubt, it’s a sector that creates jobs (it makes up 15% of the city’s GDP), but these jobs are often badly paid with slave-like working conditions. At the same time, economic speculation in the city is having worrying consequences, such as a hotel trade that knows its strength and has access to and disproportionate influence over politicians. In Barcelona, the democratic crisis that is taking place across Europe has been accompanied by the replacement of the welfare state with the debt-collecting state and the crisis of the post-Franco regime (a regime controlled by Brussels), and delegitimised by kleptocracy and systematic corruption. The tourism crisis in Barcelona is further proof of the emptiness of the promises of neo-liberalism that deregulation and privatisation will allow us all to prosper. Of course, the answer is not to attack tourism. Everyone is a tourist at some point in their life. Rather, we have to regulate the sector, return to the traditions of local urban planning, and put the rights of residents before those of big business. The way of life for all Barcelonans is seriously under threat. And the only solution is to win back democracy for the city. This is precisely what the residents of La Barceloneta are doing – defending their neighbourhood, their city, from the free market and from the political elites that are putting our home up for sale. And this has inspired the creation of Guanyen Barcelona (Let’s Win Back Barcelona), a citizen platform launched by neighbourhood activists, social and political movements, professionals and academics, that has set itself the challenge of winning the May 2015 municipal elections to democratise the city and put its institutions at the service of the common good. From https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/sep/02/mass-tourism-kill-city-barcelona

See also https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/aug/21/naked-italians-protests-drunken-tourists-barcelona http://www.grumpytraveller.com/2009/08/12/how-cruise-ships-ruined-dubrovnik-croatia/ http://o.canada.com/travel/lisbon-struggles-with-changes-brought-on-by-tourism http://destinationcenter.org/2015/05/a-new-tsunami-hits-phuket-mass-tourism/ https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2016/oct/06/the-airbnb-effect-amsterdam-fairbnb-property-prices- communities https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/aug/19/civita-di-bagnoregio-italy-dying-town-tourist- toll https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/jun/15/tourism-pollution-backlash-japan-crackdown- costs-airbnb-10m-kyoto

How to fix travel | Doug Lansky | TEDxStockholm

TEDx Talks

Travel has improved over the years in some ways, but it has come off the rails in others. It's great that a journey from Europe to the U.S. takes eight hours instead of several weeks in the hull of a rat-infested sailboat boat, but tourism is also homogenizing the planet's cultures and growing unsustainably. How can Stockholm, for example, find room for twice as many tourists in the summer in popular areas where it's already so crowded visitors can barely move down the street? And with the packaged, tight itineraries that bring visitors from one attractions to the next, how are visitors supposed to make natural contact with locals? Doug Lansky, travel writer, tourism industry advisor, and author of the thought-provoking new visual book TRAVEL: The Guide, takes us on a journey to find the Holy Grail of tourism: sustainable, profitable, and authentic travel. Find more on Doug here: www.douglansky.com

Doug Lansky is an American travel writer based in Sweden who has written books for Lonely Planet, Rough Guides and contributed to Esquire, Men’s Journal, The Guardian, National Geographic Adventure, Readers Digest and many others. He also wrote a nationally syndicated travel column in over 40 newspapers, hosted a Travel Channel show and served as travel editor for Scandinavian Airlines inflight magazine.

On the speaking circuit, Doug has given acclaimed lectures at nearly 100 universities, spoken to a sold-out audience at corporate events and at both public and industry travel/tourism conferences.

This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at http://ted.com/tedx

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sBaiRpIpPKQ