Restitution, Preservation of African Cultural Heritages Fundamental for Building Common Future
Addis Ababa, – Restituting and preserving African cultural heritages is a fundamental pillar for building common future and strengthening solidarity as a continent, Morocco Ambassador Nezha Alaoui M’hammdi said addressing a roundtable jointly organized by the Embassy and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.
In her address, the ambassador stressed the need to preserve and restitute cultural heritages in Africa.
Highlighting that cultural heritages are a fundamental pillar for building common future, she added that “it is a legacy that unites us as Africans, strengthens our solidarity and shapes our identity as a continent.”
According to her, restitution of African cultural heritages preserves African history, values and cultures to future generations. It also enables African cultures to shine throughout the world.
To reach the goal of restitution of African cultural assets, close collaboration between African countries as well as constructive dialogue with the countries holding these cultural goods is deeply needed, she stressed.
In this regard, Africans are invited to move towards the common goal which is the development of continental and national policies aimed at protecting and enhancing their cultural heritage, especially educating young generations about preservation.
Ambassador M’hammdi further stated that Africa is undergoing through a transformative cultural revolution. “Increasingly the creative and cultural industries have become a vehicle for soft power in the global competition because they are one of the most rapidly growing sectors.”
UNESCO Liaison Office to the AU and ECA Director, Rita Bissoonauth said UNESCO has five flagship projects in Africa, one of which is cultural heritage.
The objective of the flagship on cultural heritage is to support African Union member states and facilitate the return and restitution of cultural properties under the intergovernmental committee for promoting the right of cultural property to its country’s of origin, she noted.
Preserving and fostering an appreciation for cultural heritage entails a concentration on monuments, artistic works, and cultural practices and traditions that mirror the identity of a society or human community.
Presently, over 90 percent of classic African art works have found homes outside the continent, primarily in Europe’s prominent institutions.
The roundtable was attended by a diverse array of experts, academics, government representatives, international organizations, and civil society.
Source: Ethiopian News Agency