South West
Tourism’s chief, Malcolm Bell, will join local businesses, tourism
attractions and schools to celebrate the first anniversary of the
Cornish Mining World Heritage Site.Taking place at Alverton Manor, Truro, on 10 July the afternoon will
focus on the impact that world heritage status has had on Cornwall, and
the future opportunities it can present to the county.Mr Bell will talk about what he feels the status, which puts Cornwall’s
mining areas on a par with the Taj Mahal and the Great Wall of China,
offers to locals, visitors and the economy.
“World Heritage Status is an amazing opportunity to tell the story, to
locals and visitors alike, of the Cornish people at time when mining was
our biggest industry and our ancestors travelled the world,” said Mr
Bell.
“It’s a great way to find out what life was like, what work was like and
what happened when people left the county to seek work overseas.”
“It’s also about the pride, identity and mutual support of the mining
communities that still vibrates in Cornwall today.”Mr Bell will be followed by pupils of St Martin in Meneage School near
Helston, who will perform a specially created mining play.
Richard Cox, finance director at Trevarno, and chairman of the Cornish
Mining Attractions Marketing Association (CMAMA), who has helped
coordinate the event, said: “It was such a great boost to Cornwall when
we won World Heritage status for our mining areas that we really want to
celebrate our first anniversary in style.”
“Since inscription last year 17 mining related heritage attractions in
Cornwall and Devon have come together as a new partnership, the Cornish
Mining Attractions Marketing Association. Using the World Heritage Site
banner we’re improving quality standards and pioneering new,
collaborative marketing opportunities."
“We’ve had a wonderful first year and it has had a great impact on the
county."
“What we must do now is engage more support, highlight the opportunities
that having World Heritage status gives us and move forward.”
Deborah Boden, the Cornish Mining World Heritage Site Co-ordinator,
added:
“World Heritage Status offers many potential benefits. Heritage is an
important catalyst in economic regeneration, and conservation projects
within the World Heritage Site have opened up new areas for recreation
and cultural tourism, as well as supporting hundreds of jobs. The status
provides an opportunity to target the international tourism market, and
reconnect with the 6 million descendants of the Cornish mining diaspora.”
Cllr Adam Paynter, CC, Chairman of the Cornish Mining World Heritage
Site Bid Partnership, commented:
“The World Heritage Site is part of what makes this area so special, and
last year’s inscription marked the international community’s endorsement
of our claim to world class status. The World Heritage Site contains the
evidence of Cornwall and west Devon’s enormous contribution to the
foundation of our modern industrialized world – a place and a people
that gave us railways, steam locomotives and the expertise to utilise
the material resources that our way of life is dependent on. This
fascinating story, and the landscape that gives testimony to it, is
relevant to both residents and visitors, and we want to share it with as
wide an audience as possible.”
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