[Taxacom] Our Museum in Peru needs your support

[Jorge Lingan]

Dear friends,

I am contacting you because of a strong issue Peru’s Museum of Natural
History of San Marcos University is dealing with. The president of San
Marcos University has proposed a plan that threatens the museum through its
destruction for the construction of facilities that does not have the
scientific collections and research activities as a priority, or even
consideration. The president of San Marcos has the impression that the
museum facilities only serve as offices to a handful of professors, without
acknowledging the over a hundred researchers, students and unique scientific
collections that the museum harbors, plus the community service it provides
by its public exhibitions.

This plan is going to be voted tomorrow during a meeting of the university
council. The museum board has not been invited to provide their opinion, and
if tomorrow the motion is approved, the construction will begin as soon as
possible.

We are inviting all our colleagues to send letters supporting us to the
president of San Marcos, Dr. Luis Izquierdo Vásquez (rectorado at unmsm.edu.pe),
cced to Dr. Betty Millán, Director of the Museum (bmillans at gmail.com).

It is saddening that in a megadiverse country as Peru, the main research
center is threatened by its own alma mater, and we hope this is due to
misinformation and that the president will change his plans. Find attached
the Official Statement from the Museum.
Also, please visit the following link:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/43235121/Cartas-de-Apoyo-MHN (some supporting
letters in Spanish and English)


-- 
Jorge Santiago Lingán Chávez, M.S.
Dpto. de Etnobotanica y Botanica Economica
Museo de Historia Natural - UNMSM
Av. Arenales 1256 - Jesus Maria
Lima - Peru
Tel. (+51) 1-471-0117 anx. 26
e-mail: jorge.lingan at gmail.com
Cel. 99165-4508 / 99071-9639

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