April 1, 2012, 2:00
Dr. Brian Billman
Associate Professor, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill
President and co-founder MOCHE, Inc
Saving the Past by Investing in the Future:
Archaeological Preservation on the North Coast of Peru Through Community Action
Peru is one of the richest archaeological regions in the world. Despite the importance of these ancient sites and the wealth generated through tourism, the archaeological heritage of Peru is being destroyed at an unprecedented rate. Dr. Billman will discuss how MOCHE, Inc., a nonprofit organization, is working to protect the 10 most endangered archaeological sites on the north coast of Peru within the next five years.
Dr. Billman writes: To solve the intertwined problems of looting, poverty, and lack of heritage education, we form partnerships with poor communities in Peru. We provide communities with heritage education programs and funding for development projects, such as schools, health clinics, potable water and sewage treatment systems, roads, and parks. In exchange for our assistance, communities agree to create and defend archaeological reserves. We fund these community partnerships by offering archaeological tours, field schools, and volunteer programs in Peru. Through these programs we unite communities in Peru with socially committed people in the US. In our view, the best way to save archaeological sites is by investing in the future of communities.
