Leaving stones to stand
Judit Tamási, President of the National Office of Cultural Heritage
MúzeumCafé 21.
Judit Tamási outlines some guiding principles, saying that the National Office cannot instruct its regional bodies in first round authority issues about the protection of listed buildings, archaeological items and art objects, yet as the president of an office which provides professional supervision and makes decisions in the second round regarding the regions it is not only her right but her duty to mark out such principles. With regard to a particular investment involving the demolition of several buildings, it was important for her to note that “cultural heritage involves the joint intellectual values of the whole nation, therefore its protection is everyone’s duty”. The concept is not new, rather the gesture was surprising. Ms Tamási publicly issued the message as one of her first steps, indicating her views about property development in areas where listed buildings are involved, and although she acknowledges the compromises she is ready to fight for the heritage. The president of the National Office, who was appointed on 1 December 2010, joined the then National Office for Protection of Listed Buildings as a university student studying archaeology and history. She might well have become an academic she was already involved in professional management. “I gradually came to realize that administration interests me and that it requires all your efforts. You cannot deceive yourself by being a scholar while at the same time being involved in professional management or vice versa.” In 2000 Judit Tamási became a presidential adviser to the National Office of Cultural Heritage. At that time she took part in the legislative process of preparing the law on cultural heritage protection. She mentions that as one of her main aims at the present, too.