Specialists from East Africa gathered in Nairobi for a workshop to debate present challenges posed on the World Heritage websites in peril in Kenya, Madagascar, and Tanzania.
Africa, regardless of its wealthy and numerous cultural and pure heritage, stays the second least represented area on the World Heritage Checklist. The continent hosts the best variety of endangered properties, with 14 out of the 56 websites on the World Heritage Hazard Checklist positioned in Africa, together with three in Jap Africa: Lake Turkana Nationwide Park (Kenya), Rainforest of Atsinanana (Madagascar), and Selous Sport Reserve (United Republic of Tanzania).
Aligned with the Technique for creating Desired State of Conservation for the Elimination of a Property from the World Heritage Hazard Checklist (DSOCR) within the Africa area (2021-2025), UNESCO World Heritage organized a workshop from 16 to 19 April 2024, with the help of the Authorities of Norway.
It’s on this context that UNESCO has ready, in shut collaboration with the three advisory our bodies; ICOMOS, ICCROM and IUCN, and the African World Heritage Fund (AWHF), a particular technique geared toward creating the specified state of conservation for the removing of those sties from the record of World Heritage in Hazard .
Specialists and authorities representatives from Cote D’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Tanzania, and Uganda participated within the occasion.
The workshop aimed to strengthen the capacities of website managers and authorities authorities in elaborating the Desired State of Conservation for the Elimination of properties from the World Heritage Hazard Checklist by offering coaching on methodology, help in elaboration, finalization, integration, and formulating suggestions for higher practices. The occasion additionally facilitated the definition of concrete actions and corrective measures essential to protect the Excellent Common Worth (OUV) of the websites and take away them from the World Heritage Hazard Checklist.
Importantly, this initiative contributed to implementing the Technique for World Heritage in Africa, significantly its Flagship Programme 3: “Fostering Cultural Heritage and Capability Constructing Growth,” as a part of its Precedence Africa (2022-2029) and in reference to the Regional Motion Plan for Africa (2021-2027) ensuing from the Third cycle of Periodic Reporting.
“Africa should work collectively to deal with the widespread points affecting our heritage, embrace trendy applied sciences to raised tackle the administration of the heritage assets and to venture heritage to the worldwide viewers. As envisaged within the Agenda 2063, we have to mobilize our assets to realize inclusive development, sustainable improvement, and to protect our sturdy cultural identities.”
The workshop’s first day featured opening remarks from Lazare Eloundou Assomo, Director of UNESCO’s World Heritage, Ambassador Peter Ngure, Everlasting Delegation of Kenya to UNESCO, and Prof. Dr. Mary Gikungu, Director-Common of the Nationwide Museums of Kenya. Subsequent discussions centered on the method of eradicating Comoe Nationwide Park (Cote D’Ivoire) and Kasubi Tombs (Uganda) from the World Heritage Hazard Checklist, together with updates on DSCOR progress for the Rainforests of Atsinanana, Lake Turkana Nationwide Parks, and Selous Sport Reserve.
The second and third day concerned shows from WHC and ICCROM on DSCOR planning and administration frameworks and steps, adopted by sensible and technical group work on creating and implementing the DSCOR framework for respective World Heritage websites. Lastly, the workshop supplied a chance to formulate suggestions for creating corrective measures and the specified state of conservation to mobilize technical and monetary companions to help DSOCR achievement.
Total, the workshop was a chance to contain website managers and nationwide authorities in specializing in remedial motion and corrective measures to deal with threats to the OUV of properties listed as in danger. As a follow-up, on-site help missions will tackle gaps recognized within the DSOCR elaboration course of based on the accredited roadmap.
