How often do you get the chance to say you helped repair one of the world’s most famous monuments? Well, that is exactly what China is hoping you will do courtesy of an online crowdfunding campaign to fix the years of erosion on the 13,000-mile-long ancient ruin.
The China Foundation for Culture Heritage Conservation is looking to raise 11 million yuan ($1.6 million) to restore a 1,500-foot-long section in Xifengkou, Hebei Province, located about 30 miles northwest of the center of Qianxi County in southern China, and to raise awareness about the precarious nature of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. "Despite the support from the central government, a large part of the Great Wall is at risk and disappearing," Dong Yaohui, deputy director of the Great Wall of China Society, said in a statement. Unfortunately, the local governments don’t the funds necessary and that’s why they’ve turned in desperation to the public for help. Similarly, Italy started a fundraising campaign in 2014 called LoveItaly! where the country worked with non-profit organizations to secure donations from the public to help restore the Roman Imperial Age sarcophagus in the National Gallery of Ancient Art and parts of Pompeii.
Built from the third century B.C. to the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), approximately 30 percent of the Ming Dynasty section of the wall has already disappeared. In fact, only about 8.2 percent of the whole wall is considered well preserved. While the incredible structure has lasted for centuries, it has also faced hundreds of years of natural erosion and some issues caused by not-so-nice visitors. According to a report in July, bricks were routinely stolen to sell to tourists and to help build homes, forcing the China's State Administration of Cultural Heritage (SACH) to start regular inspections and random checks by authorities in 15 provinces. The government also opened a tip line where the public can report violations and damage to the Great Wall.
China's central government has apportioned $285 million to restore the Great Wall in sections, but the donations from the public will help speed up the process and expand the scope. Around 690,000 yuan ($103,000) has been gathered from more than 34,000 backers so far. But don't expect to get your name engraved on a brick in exchange for your donation.