Date: Sat, 13 Dec 2003 14:32:08 +0000
From: "Robert Bednarik" <auraweb@...>
To: ROCK-ART@...

Presidente Luiz Ignácio Lula da Silva

Dear Mr President,

We understand from Professor Niede Guidon, the
President of the
Associaçao
Brasileira de Arte Rupestre (ABAR), that the Fundação
Museu do Homem
Americano (FUMDHAM) in São Raimundo Nonato, Piauí, is
threatened by
closure
because of a lack of funding.

FUMDHAM is not only one of the foremost archaeological
reseach
instututes in
the Americas, it also manages the nearby Parque
Nacional Serra da
Capivara
which Professor Guidon has worked tirelessly to
establish. The National
Park
is renowned internationally for containing some of the
most important
archaeological and rock art sites in your continent,
including Toca do
Boqueirão do Sitio da Pedra Fuarada, Sitio do Meio,
Cima dos Pilão,
Baixão
do Perna and Caiçaras. I have visited these and many
other sites in the
Park, and I have conducted research at FUMDHAM, so I
am well aware of
the
enormous international importance of both the research
institute and
the
Park. It would be a tragedy if either or both were to
falter because of
funding.

FUMDHAM is a jewel in the Brazilian research
tradition, and represents
one
of your internationally most renowned scientific and
cultural assets.
Mr
President, a civilised nation is measured by the
support it provides
for
such outstanding assets, and it is judged
internationally on that
basis. On
behalf of the International Federation of Rock Art
Organisations
(IFRAO), of
which the Associaçao Brasileira de Arte Rupestre is a
member, I appeal
to
you to consider the repercussions of the closure of
one of your
country's
internationally most respected research institutes.
Brazil is a big and
modern country, it does have the resources to save one
of its greatest
scientific and cultural assets from oblivion.

Thank you for considering this appeal. Yours
faithfully,
Robert G. Bednarik
President of the International Federation of Rock Art
Organisations
Melbourne, Australia



http://mc2.vicnet.net.au/home/ifrao/web/index.html

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