Seabourn names next wave of UNESCO-related expert speakers

Among those sharing their insights on board Seabourn vessels over the 2016 spring and summer cruise seasons will be a number of UNESCO advisers and consultants.

They include Dr. Catherine Hickson, a renowned Canadian geologist who has campaigned for the inclusion of volcanic locations as part of the emerging UNESCO GeoPark system. Hickson, who stresses the relationships between geology and human history, is scheduled for Seabourn Odyssey's May 28 and June 4 voyages.

Alessandra Borchi, the 2013 lead UNESCO adviser in Afghanistan, a global monitoring agent for UNESCO World Heritage threatened sites and currently offering her expertise to the Executive Office for Assistant Director-General for Culture of UNESCO, is booked for Seabourn Odyssey's May 30 cruise and Seabourn Quest's Nov. 4 sailing.

Dr. Ege Yildirim, an urban planner specializing in heritage conservation who has worked at the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture & Heritage and as secretary of the Turkish Conservation and Restoration Specialists Association and has served on national delegations of the UAE and Turkey for the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, will speak aboard Seabourn Odyssey's June 25 voyage.

Ray Bondin, manager of the EU and International Programmes Office at Heritage Malta, who is involved in research, improvements and conservation of UNESCO sites on Malta and is honorary ambassador and permanent delegate of Malta to UNESCO, is scheduled for Seabourn Sojourn's July 14 cruise. His work in Gozo, Sicily and mainland Italy are foundational to the region's heritage preservation.

Booked for Seabourn Quest's Sept. 11 cruise is Peter Stott, an industrial historian, archaeologist and architect, as well as an expert on the architecture of Québec City World Heritage Site and author of the history of the US National Park Service. Based in Boston, Dr. Stott imagines the importance of inclusion of North American heritage sites of the future.

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