Archaeology Magazine - May/June 2011 - 70

Excavate, Educate, Advocate W Political Unrest and CHAMP Website the Destruction of n the November/ December  issue of Cultural Heritage Dispatches we reported on hile this issue of Dispatches was being prepared, momentous events were unfolding in Egypt and other parts of northern Africa and the Near East. As is often the case in times of national instability and unrest, reports of destruction and looting of archaeological sites appeared in the news and on the Internet. The plundering of cultural heritage in wartime, in a climate of political unrest, and as a follow on to natural disasters, has a long and ugly history. Now, more than ever, it is important for the AIA and those who love archaeology to speak out for the protection of archaeological sites and against the destruction of cultural heritage. Furthermore, we need to remind people that looters are supplying a demand and that stopping that demand will help to stop the looting. While Egypt’s future, in the short term, is a bit uncertain, we hope that the cultural legacy of Egypt will emerge relatively unscathed. I Dispatches from the AIA the formation of CHAMP (Cultural Heritage by AIAMilitary Panel). We are pleased to report that CHAMP launched its oﬃcial website in January 2011 (aiamilitarypanel.org). CHAMP is dedicated to creating awareness among deploying military personnel regarding the culture and history of the local communities that will host them. Education and training of military personnel is a critical step in ■ preserving and safeguarding historical sites and cultural artifacts and will promote greater understanding and improved relations with local communities. I AIA’s Partnership with SAA and SHA Education Clearinghouse (AEC), the three organizations planned several joint ventures the ﬁrst of which was to showcase and distribute educator resources at the National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS) conferences. The AEC has had a presence at the last four NCSS meetings (2007-2010) and will be at the next one in Washington, D.C. The AEC oﬀers archaeologicallythemed educational materials to social studies teachers and other educators for use in classroom and interpretive settings. By combining resources, the AIA, SAA, and SHA can now present a more comprehensive list of resources that highlight each organization’s strengths and provide educators with a variety of options. Visit AEC’s website for more information: www. archaeologyeducationclearinghouse.org. n , the AIA, the Society for American Archaeology (SAA), and the Society for Historical Archaeology (SHA) joined forces to promote the organizations’ educator resources. Working under the name Archaeology Newly Elected Ofﬁcers The AIA Annual Meeting is both a time for archaeologists to present and discuss their work and for the Institute to conduct some important business including the election of oﬃcers. The results of the 2011 election are listed below. Officers: Elizabeth Bartman, President Andrew Moore, First Vice President Sebastian Heath, Vice President for Professional Responsibilities John Younger, Vice President for Publications Thomas Morton, Vice President for Societies General Trustees: Cathleen Asch Greg Goggin Julie Herzig Desnick Shilpi Mehta Academic Trustees: Lynne Lancaster, Ohio University Shelley Wachsmann, Texas A&M University 70 http://www.aiamilitarypanel.org http://www.archaeologyeducationclearinghouse.org http://www.archaeologyeducationclearinghouse.org

Archaeology Magazine - May/June 2011

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Archaeology Magazine - May/June 2011