World Monuments Fund

I’ve always loved architecture. Buildings reflect our cultural legacy and speak volumes about the people and cultures that built them. So, it was wonderful to learn about the World Monuments Fund, an American organization that works to protect and preserve culturally and historically important buildings and sites. As well as raising funds, it also seeks to promote awareness of the value of historic buildings and teach building techniques, both old and new, so that communities can protect their heritage.

Founded in 1965, one of the WMF’s first projects began the following year, when it helped to secure funding to restore the Italian city of Venice after a period of extreme flooding. Since then, the WMF has helped to preserve over 600 sites in 120 countries.

In Argentina, for example, the WMF has worked to protect the historic center of Buenos Aires, which dates back to the 1580s. Today the hub of the city’s cultural and political life, the center is bursting with monuments and listed buildings, but is under increasing threat from urban expansion. Since 2010, the WMF has campaigned to bring about a change in planning regulations within the city.

The WMF also compiles a “watch list” of buildings at risk every two years. This initiative seeks to draw international attention towards particularly important and vulnerable structures. The buildings and sites on the list range from the less well-known to the very famous, and have included, for example, the huts used by early 20th century explorers in Antarctica, which had been affected by climate change, Dubrovnik’s Old City Harbor in Croatia, damaged by earthquake and war, and the Great Wall of China, a victim of vandalism.

Of course, organizations like the WMF count on donations. If we all give a little money, the organization can continue to carry out its valuable work. Without it, our beautiful buildings, the vestiges of our history, are at risk of slowly falling to ruin.

Internet: <www.wmf.org>.

Based on the text, judge the item from.

Since well-known buildings and sites are much more appealing to the public, WMF has not managed to raise enough funds for less famous monuments.