In 1929, Nicholas Roerich, the Russian artist, introduced the Roerich Pact, calling for an international treaty that would call for the world-wide protection of cultural products and activity both during war and peace. The Peace banner, shown at right, was revealed along with the Pact. It was the devastations of the first World War and the Russian revolution that spurred Roerich's efforts. He came to realize that the cultural heritage of each nation is in essence a world treasure. And his idea of cultural heritage broadened to include more than just the physical remains of earlier cultures-the buildings and art, for example-but also the creative activities, the universities, the libraries, the hospitals, the concert halls and theaters. All must be protected from the ravages of war and neglect, for without them: "life would be nothing but a rude and ignorant time on earth."
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