challenges for heritage conservation in africa- capacity building investing..... in africa ̀ s...
TRANSCRIPT
CHALLENGES FOR HERITAGE CONSERVATION IN AFRICA-CAPACITY
BUILDING
Investing..... in Africas heritage
•That Africa - the most underrepresented continent accounting on the World Heritage List.
•Many African States Parties to the Convention with no sites on World Heritage List.
• High number on the List in Danger
•The management not effective
THE AFRICA PERIODIC REPORT
Investing..... in Africas heritage
inadequate resources• weak institutional frameworks, • inadequate training and capacity building• low level of information and awareness raising, • poor networking, • low levels of local participation, • inadequate regional and international cooperation.
THE AFRICA PERIODIC REPORT
Investing..... in Africas heritage
• Lack of understanding of heritage conservation and management
• Lack of a broad-based, long-term conservation policy;
• Inadequate co-ordination those involved in heritage conservation practice;
• Lack of mechanism and knowledge to demonstrate the link of heritage conservation to sustainable development
• Lack of public involvement in decision-making related to heritage conservation
*basically lack of knowledge base and skills to deal with things heritage
CHALLENGES IN AFRICA
Investing..... in Africas heritage
Training Programmes
PREMA in the 1990 aimed at the movable heritage –focus was short courses on preventative conservation
EPA and CHDA continued the emphasis on short courses
ICCROM- AFRICA 2009 specific courses on the immovable heritage
*Most of these courses were aimed at addressing general and possibly simplistic issues
WHAT HAS BEEN THE ANSWERS
Investing..... in Africas heritage
IMPACTS-SO FAR
• Number of people trained professionals in the region (already in heritage)
• Management plans developed for more kinds of heritage sites• Inventories and documentation for more heritage sites • Networking within and outside the programme• General awareness of the needs for heritage conservation• Some cases on contribution to the development issues• Program activities now entirely coordinated by local
professionals (Africa)• Program management plans used in preparing WH dossiers for
sites and implementing• Limited Program publications
*Situation has changed but the fundamental challenges still exist
Investing..... in Africas heritage
LIMITATIONS
1. No theoretical or methodological frameworks on conservation coming from Africa
2. Limited publications from the short courses (case studies mainly)
3. Limited understanding of issues on heritage in Africa
*No strong foundational knowledge base to address some of the many problems
Investing..... in Africas heritage
LONG TERM TRAINING
Need to encourage universities to establish faculties/schools of heritage
Universities lynchpins towards research and knowledge creation
Universities turn to have long term effects on development of capacity building
Universities can invest in innovative research and at the same time produce critical skilled numbers of professionals
More players in heritage management in Africa beyond governments.
Investing..... in Africas heritage
Provide support to: •Identify and list African Heritage sites on to the World Heritage List•To the conservation and management of heritage sites•Rehabilitate sites inscribed on the List of World Heritage in Danger•Train heritage experts as an ongoing investment•Involve communities in decisions concerning their heritage and ensuring that tangible benefits accrue to them
STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES-AWHF
Investing..... in Africas heritage
“the management of heritage is an important tool for the promotion of sustainable development and poverty alleviation; and that World Heritage status can make a distinct and valuable contribution to addressing the Millennium goals..”
Provide opportunities for local communities to make decisions about their, resources identity and place in the world.
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
Investing..... in Africas heritage
SPECIAL RESEARCH PROJECTS
Research1.Outstanding Universal Value of Sacred Sites
2.Monitoring World Heritage sites in conflict areas and mitigating threats to OUV
3.Effects of climatic changes on heritage sites and methods of mitigation.
* Initially with university of Witwatersrand (SA) but to extend to Benin, Egypt and Senegal.
Investing..... in Africas heritage
• collaborative efforts in research on the implementation of the 1972 World heritage Convention between Universities in the North and those in Africa (develop best practise models)
• Programmes which will ensure that students from Africa can also benefit from
research and teaching facilities in the North.
• Encourage the development of teaching heritage conservation and management at some key universities in Africa.
• Encourage the publications of works on heritage which go beyond giving case
studies.
*Create and develop foundational knowledge which can inform applied research in heritage conservation in Africa.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Investing..... in Africas heritage
Investing..... in Africas heritage
… Patient because history is on their side, these masses do not despair because today the weather is bad. Nor do they turn triumphalist when, tomorrow, the sun shines…