Alliant Students Strive to Retrieve and Protect New Orleans’ Artifacts, Archives and Historical Memorabilia
 San Diego – Oct. 6, 2005 – Students from internationally oriented programs at Alliant International University have written a petition to US government and United Nations officials asking for a Special Committee to “retrieve, refurbish, protect, and secure all artifacts, archives, and other forms of historical memorabilia belonging to the city of New Orleans and the Gulf Coast region.” The students, who include some from New Orleans, want valuable cultural artifacts “to be housed in a special Museum commemorating the tragic events during and after the passing of Hurricane Katrina.”
Their petition states: “The city of New Orleans has nearly 300 hundred years of historical artifacts and archives, ranging from historical homes to porcelain-made name plates of streets that are cemented on the corners of sidewalks. It is a city rich with its own unique culture and tradition, and all of its locations of historical significance, like the French Quarter, Faubourg Marigny, Bywater, Holy Cross, the Warehouse District, the Irish Channel, the Garden District, Esplanade Ridge, City Park, Carrollton, Old Metairie, and other historic areas should be protected, not doomed for demolition. We acknowledge the primacy of humanitarian relief operations, but focus on primary relief should not and ought not make us forget the importance of this matter.” The students, who have been joined by faculty members as well, are affiliated with the Center for International Studies and Model United Nations Clubs at Alliant International University. The groups wants a committee of experts from both various levels of US government and the UN to be formed “to oversee the retrieval, recording, refurbishment, and security of the artifacts, archives, and other items or territories of historical significance in the city of New Orleans and the Gulf Coast region.” Calling for the City of New Orleans to be designated a World Heritage Site and overseen by UNESCO, the group has asked for personal accounts by citizens of the lifestyle, folklore, and culture of New Orleans to be incorporated in the proposed museum. The group has also called prominent New Orleans and Louisiana citizens for support of the project, while requesting assistance from donors worldwide. “The retrieval of whatever relates to New Orleans’ rich heritage is of great importance and should be dealt with as a top priority in the reconstruction and development of the city of New Orleans. It would be a travesty if any part of this historic city were demolished without carefully assessing house by house any historical items that could have been retrieved,” writes the group. “The people of New Orleans know that their city will not look the same when they return. The retrieval of these items will help heal and restore their spirit and mystique to begin again with a renewed sense of hope.” Rahsaan M. Parker, a New Orleans native, is the spokesperson for the group and will be happy to speak to media on its behalf, as will the group’s faculty advisor, Dr. Mohammad Z. Yakan, a professor in Alliant’s International Relations Program. About Alliant International University Alliant International University has prepared students for professional careers in the applied social sciences of psychology, education and business since 2001. CSPP, now a school within Alliant, has been training professional psychologists for more than 30 years. Alliant offers a unique curriculum that combines academic learning and apprenticeship in all courses of study. With accredited programs at San Francisco, Sacramento, Fresno, Los Angeles, Irvine and San Diego locations, Alliant also hosts accredited programs in Mexico City, Mexico and Tokyo, Japan.
Contact: Rahsaan M. Parker, (858) 635-4168, Raash1671@aol.com
Dr. Mohammed Yakan, myakan@alliant.edu
Nicolette Toussaint, Alliant Communication Director (415) 955-2037, ntoussaint@alliant.eduContact
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