challenges for heritage conservation in africa- capacity building investing..... in africa ̀ s...

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


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


• 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


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


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


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


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.


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


“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


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.


• 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.

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… 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…

challenges for heritage conservation in africa- capacity building investing..... in africa ̀ s...

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