Peru-Yale Machu Picchu Controversy Part 7

Yale and the Machu Picchu Artifacts

March 3, 2008

Letter to NYT

To the Editor:

Re “The Lost Treasure of Machu Picchu,” by Eliane Karp-Toledo (Op-Ed, Feb. 23):

Peru and Yale share the premise that Machu Picchu belongs to humanity as a cultural patrimony of the world declared by Unesco. Yale recognizes the importance of Machu Picchu to Peruvian identity and history and has always sought an amicable resolution that recognizes a shared interest in stewardship and scholarship.

The memorandum of understanding between the government of Peru under the leadership of President Alan García and Yale University provides that Peru will have sole title to the Machu Picchu materials, including research materials at Yale.

The memorandum also provides for the creation of an international traveling exhibit at Yale’s expense and the return to Peru of almost all museum-quality objects currently held at Yale.

The memorandum further provides for Yale’s participation in advising a Peruvian museum and research center and scholarly exchanges. All of this will be in a collaborative framework.

Helaine Klasky
Associate Vice President, Yale University
New Haven