We, the participants, have discussed the following and agreed to present this for response to our respective constituencies:
Preamble
Moravian Heritage constitutes an outstanding element of the human patrimony: the Moravian Congregations developed a distinctive way to plan and build their settlements, they have spread the congregations and built such settlements in several continents, always creatively adapting the planning and architectural ideas to local conditions while retaining the core principles.
A number of such settlements grew in the course of history far beyond their initial cores and attracted inhabitants who did not all become a part of the Moravian Congregations. Some of the settlements remain predominantly Moravian, while being incorporated into larger frameworks of the civil society.
The Christiansfeld Document of 2000, starting the Christiansfeld Initiative, endorsed the following attitude:
“Moravian settlements are outstanding examples of the unity of spiritual, individual and community values and their relationship to the environment;
Cultural heritage of Christiansfeld is to be seen as an inseparable part of identity of a living town, contributing to its quality of life;
Spiritual values, expressed in buildings, and their spatial organisation in landscape indivisibly and dynamically link people to their heritage.”
To ensure the well being of this universally significant heritage is an immense task, important to all. The relationship and collaboration between the Moravian Congregations and the civil society of such settlements has developed in their own ways in different countries. Therefore it is deemed important for the Moravian Congregations and the civil societies to join forces for nourishing the Moravian Heritage and to involve important allies such as national and international heritage organisations, both governmental and non-governmental in exchange of experience and continuous mutual quest for solutions.
Intending to found the Network of Moravian Heritage, the following platform for our joint action is envisioned:
Guiding Principles
- Help to ensure continuity of the whole of tangible and intangible Moravian Heritage of the settlements that have been founded or strongly influenced by the Moravian Church,
- Build and foster cooperation between the civil society and Moravian Congregations in development of their communities and Moravian Heritage;
- Maintain the diversity of Moravian Heritage.
Common Goals
- Enhance understanding of the Moravian values and their tangible and intangible expressions in ensuring their sustainable development;
- Retain and present the various facets of the continuum of the living Moravian Heritage to the citizens and visitors alike;
- Enhance appreciation at national and international levels of the outstanding universal value of Moravian Heritage.
Collaboration
- Exchanging of emerging experience in pursuit of common objectives;
- Joining efforts to promote Moravian Heritage nationally and internationally through common projects: research, development, exhibitions, publications and the like, for awareness-building, conservation and sustainable development;
- Establishing and maintaining a collaborative portal on Moravian Heritage on the Internet;
- Arranging periodic meetings of the Network.
Participation in the network shall be open to all institutions, organisations and individuals concerned with Moravian Heritage worldwide.
The Christiansfeld Initiative will facilitate the initial phase of this work.
Done in Christiansfeld, 17 March 2003
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