In New York’s New Museum in May, more than 60 VIP guests, gathered for the Pacunam Foundation’s benefit evening to discover the majesty and mystery of ancient Mayan civilizations, with the support of the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation-USA. Pacunam is the foundation for Maya cultural and natural heritage.
A silent auction was held to raise funds for the Maya Biosphere Reserve which was visited in April 2011 by His Serene Highness Prince Albert. (The Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation has since added the Mirador conservation initiative in the Maya Biosphere Reserve to its nine other forestry projects.) The evening featured presentations by leading Maya archaeologists Dr. David Freidel, Dr. Marcello Canuto, Dr. Francisco Estrada-Belli, and Dr. Richard Hansen who discussed their work with one of the most advanced civilizations to exist. Dr. Freidel and his team recently discovered fragments of a stellae depicting the infamous Queen who was the military governor of Waka. This important discovery dates to approximately 702 AD. A follow-up event was held in Philadelphia at the University of Pennsylvania, with a presentation on Thursday, June 7 in Los Angeles.
Photo caption: (L-R) Mr. Willi Kaltschmitt (IOC Chief of Protocol), Dr Richard Hansen, (Project Director, ISU Mirador Basin Project), Hon. Maguy Maccario (Consul General of Monaco and Vice President, Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation-USA), Dr. David Friedel (Professor of Archaeology, Washington University), Ms. Claudia Rosales y Rosales (Executive Director, PACUNAM Guatemala), Dr. Francisco Estrada-Belli (Professor of Archaeology, Boston University), Mr. Ken Hitz (Vice President of The Hitz Foundation), Mr. John McCarter (President & CEO, The Field Museum, Chicago).
