A petition signed by 313 individuals, including well known figures in the local cultural and political scene, was attached to the letter sent early this week. In the petition, the Paris civil organisation, joining forces with Budapest's ÓVÁS association, asked director of UNESCO's World Heritage Centre Francesco Bandarin to arrange an examination by international experts of city development plans and evaluate their effect on the city.
The list of those who signed the petition includes writer, journalist and historian Ferenc Fejtő, writer Tibor Méray, chief state architect Ariella Masboungi, deputy chair of Civitas Nostra Dany Julien, mayor of Paris' 4th district Dominique Bertinotti, mayor of Paris' 2nd district Jacques Boutault, chairman of the French Geographical Society Jean Bastié, head of the civil organisation Urbanists Without Borders Maggie Cazal and chairman of the International Lawyers' Association Paulo Lins.
Mardis Hongrois de Paris has urged the issue a full moratorium on all demolition and construction in the Jewish quarter and for the preparation of a city-rehabilitation plan that aims to maintain and restore it. They say the area is a treasure that must be rescued with the help of "political vision and will".
The writers quoted the example of the spectacular rehabilitation of Paris's Jewish quarter and argued that Budapest's Jewish quarter has a similar potential for tourism.
The architect-urbanist Michel Polke, member of the ICOMOS Historic Cities and Villages International Committee, visited Budapest on November 5-7, 2007 on the invitation of the World Heritage Hungarian National Committee. Mardis Hongrois de Paris asks in the letter that Hungary should make public a report based on the visit that UNESCO will send Hungarian officials in the near future.
Source: Hungarian News Agency (MTI) / Múlt-kor
