Collected Department Releases: Designation of Poverty Point, Louisiana as UNESCO World Heritage Site

Designation of Poverty Point, Louisiana as UNESCO World Heritage Site

Media Note

Office of the Spokesperson

Washington, DC

June 22, 2014

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The Department of State welcomes today’s decision by UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee to inscribe the Monumental Earthworks of Poverty Point, a state park in Louisiana, as a UNESCO World Heritage site. This prestigious designation is a global recognition of the site’s outstanding universal value. Poverty Point becomes the 22^nd U.S. site on the World Heritage List, including the Grand Canyon and the Statue of Liberty.

Located in Louisiana’s Lower Mississippi Valley, Poverty Point comprises a remarkable system of monumental mounds and ridges built into the landscape for residential and ceremonial use by a sophisticated society of hunter-fisher-gatherers.

The impressive site survives as a testament to Native American culture and heritage. We are proud that the twenty six Native American Tribes of United South and Eastern Tribes (USET) joined us in support of this World Heritage nomination.

The United States appreciates the work of UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee as it seeks to protect and preserve historical, cultural or natural sites of global significance.

For more information on Poverty Point, visit: http://www.crt.state.la.us/louisiana-state-parks/historic-sites/poverty-point-state-historic-site/index. More information about the U.S. and World Heritage is available at: http://www.nps.gov/oia/topics/worldheritage/worldheritage.htm.

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Source: Dept. Of State – Releases

    

Collected Department Releases: Designation of Poverty Point, Louisiana as UNESCO World Heritage Site