Bullfighting as UNESCO-World cultural heritage NO THANKS
Bullfighting as UNESCO-World cultural heritage NO THANKS
Bullfighting to be declared immaterial world heritage?
BULLFIGHTING LOBBY NEARING ITS GOAL
For several years now, the Bullfighting lobby has been making headway towards getting bullfighting established as immaterial world heritage, under the protection of the UNESCO. “Proyecto Tauromaquia de la UNESCO”, such is the denomination of the project through which they aim to surreptitiously obtain the stamp of approval of the UNESCO and thus forever continue to torture bulls to death, unhindered. Bullfighting organizations worldwide are feverishly partaking in this calamitous project and getting close to submitting their proposal for admission on the UNESCO’s list of Immaterial Cultural Assets worth protecting.
The voices of those speaking out against barbarity in bullfighting arenas are getting louder and more numerous. An increasing number of prominent public figures – including the Dalai Lama – are demanding the abolishment of the torture of bulls. 80 states worldwide have taken a stance against bullfighting and declared this gruesome display unwelcome within their borders. The Catalan capital of Barcelona is one of them. The regional Parliament in Catalonia is set to reach an official verdict regarding a bullfighting ban in the near future, following a petition submitted to the parliament, signed by 180,169 citizens through an official referendum.
This has understandably spread panic amongst bullfighting circles. The bull henchmen’s main concern is that sources of income derived from bullfighting, state subventions included, might run dry. Indeed, “tauromachy”, the denomination by which they trivialize their dreadful passion, is a big business. In Spain alone, the annual turnover derived from this industry of terror stands at an estimated 1.5 billion euro, with about 70,000 jobs relying on this bloody display.
Bullfighting lobbyists have come together with a world-class international Organisation, the Asociacion Internacional de Tauromaquia (AIT) : members countries include Spain, France, Portugal, Mexico, Colombia, Peru, Venezuela and Ecuador, all of them working together towards the implementation of the UNESCO project. Only recently, on the occasion of an international assembly held in Madrid on 6 June, the powerful Spanish bullfighting umbrella association Mesa del Toro likewise agreed to provide its unrestricted support. This lobby-association is so influential that it was granted the right to promote the cultural disgrace that is bullfighting to delegates of the European Parliament in July 2008. This barefaced propaganda was met with a protest by an international delegation of bullfighting opponents in front of the Parliament.
Slowly but steadily, and going largely unnoticed by many, the bullfighting lobby is getting closer to its goal. With their mighty influence and political contacts, they are creating a network through which they aim to make their goal into a reality. Claiming a premature victory, they are confidently moving towards increased public exposure. Venezuela Taurina is also very optimistic and takes for granted that bullfighting culture is certain to be acknowledged by the UNESCO in Paris.
The head of all evil is the lawyer Williams Cárdenas Rubio, the president of the “Asociación Internacional de Tauromaquia” and instigator of the UNESCO bullfighting project. His justifications for the project include the fact that the so-called art of bullfighting has been around for several centuries, forms an essential part of life on a cultural, social and political level and should therefore have its place in artistic and intellectual circles.
Equally dangerous is the Asociación Taurina Parlamentaria (ATP), a Spanish born organisation which has gathered various representatives who advocate bullfighting in parliaments and on all levels. Only recently, the senate’s spokesman for the right-wing “Partido Popular”, Pio Garcia Escudero spoke loud and clear of his wish to obtain the admission of the “fiesta taurina” as UNESCO World cultural heritage. Alongside the “Asociación Taurina Parlamentaria”, the “Junta de Andalucía”, i.e. the Provincial Government of Andalusia, is taking on a leading role and showing a strong commitment to the UNESCO-Project.
The Unión Latina encompasses 37 member States, all of which share Latin as a their linguistic root and are committed to paving the way towards a “shared heritage”. In April, the Unión Latina joined forces with the Junta de Andalucía during a colloquium on the subject of LA FIESTA DE LOS TOROS: UN PATRIMONIO INMATERIAL COMPARTIDO . This meeting brought together numerous bullfighting lobby heavyweights.
One of this group’s heavyweights is Francisco Javier López Morales, who was the Mexican government’s advisor for the UNESCO world heritage committee from 1995 to 1999 and is currently Vice-President of ICOMOS International, an organization which claims to play “an essential part in advising the UNESCO on the inclusion of projects on the World Cultural Heritage list”. He also happens to be the director of World Cultural Heritage for the National Institute of Anthropology and History in his own country and Mexico’s representative in the Inter-state committee for the protection of UNESCO’s immaterial cultural heritage.
Whether or not tauromachy does get declared Immaterial World Cultural Heritage remains open to speculation as no official request has been submitted to the UNESCO to date. It also remains unclear whether Spain – the cradle of bullfighting – is to place the request on its own, or if all the countries that practise bullfighting intend to make a joint request. The next round, during which the admission of new immaterial cultural assets is to be decided upon, has already been announced. The deadline for this stage of the decision making process is 31 August 2009. It will be interesting to see whether bullfighting makes the grade and what the UNESCO’s decision will turn out to be. Many of the country representatives due to attend are known to be in favour of bullfighting and find themselves under the constant pressure of an influential lobby.
Conclusion: the activities of the bullfighting lobby constitute a major cause for concern as they may lead to the animal torture that is bullfighting being placed under the protection of the UNESCO on a worldwide level. Bullfighting partisans have drawn up a focused and careful project plan and infiltrated the UNESCO with their pathetic arguments. Their optimism is alarming and shows that they are sure to achieve their goal.
As animal lovers and protectors, animal rights activists, or simply as people who feel a sense of duty towards our animal counterparts, we cannot allow the definitive declaration of the barbarity that is bullfighting as immaterial world heritage or the subsequent impossibility to save those animals from a gruesome and torturous end in bullrings.
Editorial team: Martina Szyszka, Anke and Karl Daerner – in application of the research used to support the article Die Tauromachie klopft an die Tür der UNESCO (Tauromachy comes knocking on the UNESCO’s door) by SOS Galgos.
The “Proyecto Tauromaquia de la UNESCO”, (UNESCO Bullfighting Project)
