Arcadia Discussion Zone

So nothing about the DRAC looking down the hole to see the tomb then?

VAM

Ben will be at the Arcadia Moot on 21st February, why don't you go along and put your questions (or should I say demands) to him there? I'm sure there will be many there who would welcome a face to face debate with you! Ben's never been afraid of facing his critics - are you?

By all accounts it's a bit of a do so I guess there won't be any Spam on the menu but I suppose you could bring your own tin and by the way you dish it out, I'm sure you have an ample supply!

VAM

Right on cue - predictable as ever!

VAM

Bill Wilkinson should at least write a letter, or meet in person, the current French Minister of state, in charge of the cultural Affairs - Christine Albanel, to inform the person in French Government about this fantastic archaeological discovery!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christine_Albanel



Is Bill Wilkinson planning to do that?

You could ask Ben at the Moot!

VAM

How long ago would that be then Leo? In 2007 perhaps when the tomb was reported to the DRAC and they took it seriously enough to pull their spelunkers off another project, many miles away, to have them travel a long distance to the Rennes-le-Château area to visit and survey the site. Would that be about the right time?

VAM

Oh, I see, the Moot is more "important"!
Evading questions as per usual.

Funny that DRAC are not aware of such a "visit" and a "survey".
Then again, the "information" does not come from DRAC.

So are you going then?

VAM

Still evading questions!
The Moot is more "important" than the French Minister for Cultural Affairs!

Yes they are and yes it does.!

VAM

DRAC don't know anything about it!
This sort of thing is commonly known as desperation!

So you'll be there?

VAM

I'll be with the French Minister for Culture waiting for Bill Wilkinson!

Yes they do and yes you are!

VAM

Seems a bit extreme just to avoid facing your critics! Does she know you're coming? By your own admission the DRAC have already ignored you once so I hope she doesn't do a Henry Lincoln on you!

VAM

Here's the person that they are all avoiding and terribly afraid of.

So you are suggesting that one should report an archeological discovery to the French Minister of state?

The Ministry of Culture is made up of a variety of internal divisions, including:

* Direction de l'administration générale (DAG)
* Direction de l'architecture et du patrimoine (DAPA) - in charge of tional monuments
* Direction des archives de France (DAF) - in charge of the National Archives
* Direction du livre et de la lecture (DLL) - in charge of French literature and the book trade
* Direction de la musique, de la danse, du théâtre et des spectacles (DMDTS) - in charge of music, dance and theater
* Direction des Musées de France (DMF) - in charge of the National museums

The Ministry also has access to the division :

* Direction du développement des médias (DDM) in charge of developing and expanding the French media (although French public television is run through the public-service company France Télévisions).

The Ministry also runs three "delegations" (administrative boards) :

* Délégation aux arts plastiques (DAP) - in charge of the visual and sculptural arts.
* Délégation au développement et aux affaires internationales (DDAI) - in charge of international affairs and French art
* Délégation générale à la langue française et aux langues de France (DGLFLF) - in charge of the French language and languages of France.

Finally, the Ministry shares in the management of the National Centre of Cinema (Centre national de la cinématographie), a public institution (go to their link here).

The Alliance française is run by the Minister of Foreign Affairs (France).

For more on the organization of the Ministry, see Ministry of Culture.

Other Services

On the national level, the Ministry also runs:

* Regional Cultural Affairs (Direction régionale des affaires culturelles - DRAC)
* Départemental Architecture and Monuments (Services départementaux de l'architecture et du patrimoine - SDAP)
* Départemental Archives under the direction of the Conseil Général of each département.
* Centre National de la Danse, institution for the study and preservation of dance[2]

Cultural Activities

The Ministry of Culture is responsible for, or a major sponsor of, a number of annual cultural activities, including:

* Fête de la Musique
* Avignon theater festival

The Tomb has been reported to the correct department - the DRAC. Reporting it to Christine Albanel would be like reporting a problem with your wage packet to the Chancellor of the Exchequer!

VAM

Thoroughly enjoyable 17 question interview. I had been putting off purchasing Ben's book due to the huge stack that is already haunting me at my bedside...... but after this interview I have been charmed into making the purchase and reading it immediately. Mr. Hammott gets a big thumbs up from me.

Haven't heard anything about that from DRAC.
Where's the evidence?




Ministry of Culture runs the:

* Regional Cultural Affairs (Direction régionale des affaires culturelles - DRAC)

So would you suggest if my car gets stolen that I should report it to the Home Secretary instead of my local police station?

VAM

What is this rubbish?

Simply responding to your ridiculous suggestion that Ben should report his discovery to the French Minister for Culture!

VAM

Not as stupid as the silly fake tomb itself